Decentralized IoT Connectivity With Helium Hotspots | Helium's Jacob Swinn

IoT For All Podcast · 8 Mar 2022 · 20m

What this episode covers

Jacob Swinn, Product Marketing Manager at Helium, explains how the company built a decentralized wireless network for IoT by incentivizing individuals to deploy hotspots with HNT cryptocurrency rewards. He details the network's rapid growth to half a million hotspots across 160 countries and compares Helium’s low-cost LoRaWAN connectivity favorably against traditional cellular providers like Verizon and AT&T. Swinn highlights specific use cases such as asset tracking, wildfire monitoring, and a partnership with the city of San Jose to fund internet access for low-income households, while noting ongoing challenges like supply chain issues and the need for broader industry education.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Electromaker Show · 33m

    Brandon Satrom Returns! Blues SVP talks Starnote, and cheap Satellite Communication!

    Ian Wiggins introduces Blues SVP Brandon Satrom to discuss the StarNote, a satellite communication accessory for Blues Wireless Note Cards that enables failover connectivity via JSON commands. Satrom explains how StarNote for Skylo lowers the barrier to entry for IoT satellite data by offering prepaid kilobyte-based plans instead of expensive monthly subscriptions, targeting use cases like asset tracking in remote areas. The episode also covers the winner of a Seeed Studio SenseCAP S2104 competition, Embedded World student initiatives, and a deep dive into Zigbee versus Thread protocols by YouTuber Great Scott.

  • Over the Air · 27m

    Satellite Iot: Space-Based Connectivity Solutions With Oli Potter

    Oliver Potter, COO of Ground Control, explains how satellite IoT bridges the connectivity gap for assets in remote maritime, renewable energy, and climate monitoring applications where cellular coverage is absent. He details the evolution from expensive geostationary satellites to cost-effective Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations, highlighting the industry's shift toward standardized protocols like 3GPP Narrowband IoT to enable cheaper, interoperable hardware. Potter emphasizes that successful deployment requires rigorous data compression and edge AI to manage the high cost and power constraints of space-based transmission, ensuring long-term reliability for critical infrastructure like wildfire detection and tsunami warning systems.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 06m

    Space Age Bluetooth with Alex Haro

    Alex Haro, co-founder and CEO of Hubble, explains how his company has built a global tracking network using standard Bluetooth chips communicating directly with low-Earth orbit satellites. Haro details the technical innovation of using digital beamforming and custom waveforms to receive weak 2.4 GHz signals from space, allowing devices to function without GPS or cellular modems. The episode covers Hubble's hybrid terrestrial-satellite architecture, which leverages existing gateways and smartphone apps to provide enterprise-grade, real-time asset tracking and sensor data globally.

  • Over the Air · 31m

    Breaking IoT Connectivity Barriers with Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect

    Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect, discusses the evolution of IoT connectivity from early copper lines and Wi-Fi to modern cellular solutions for unattended devices like vending machines and kiosks. He details OptConnect's strategic pivot to private networks following the Heartbleed vulnerability and their current focus on 'Max Aware,' a hardware platform that enables edge instrumentation and anomaly detection for customers deploying at scale. Baird also highlights the growing IoT ecosystem in Utah, citing companies like Traeger and Monit as examples of successful connected product innovation.

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 07m

    An Interview with Maarten Engelen

    Maarten Engelen, CTO of Hiber, explains how his company leverages low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide global IoT connectivity for remote applications. He details the technical trade-offs in satellite design, including orbital decay, thermal cycling, and the use of star trackers for attitude determination, as well as the regulatory complexities of securing frequency licenses. Engelen also describes the Hiber modem module, highlighting its ultra-low power consumption, small form factor, and the strategy of handling all international certifications to simplify deployment for customers in industries like agriculture and logistics.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by IoT For All Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.