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Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) is a revolutionary technology that is changing the way we think about the Internet of Things (IoT). This Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology is designed for IoT devices that require low data rates and long battery life. It operates in a licensed spectrum and is optimized for low power consumption, making it ideal for devices that need to run for extended periods of time on small batteries or energy harvesting sources.

One of the most exciting applications of NB-IoT is the use of ModBerry devices. ModBerry is a range of industrial computer devices based on Raspberry Pi or similar computer boards. These devices are equipped with various sensors and communication interfaces that allow them to connect to a wide range of industrial and building automation systems. The combination of NB-IoT and ModBerry devices offers a powerful solution for a wide range of IoT applications.

ModBerry and NarrowBand-IoT applications

Building and facility management is one of the key applications of NB-IoT and ModBerry. These devices can be used to monitor and control various systems in a building, such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and security. The low power consumption of NB-IoT allows the devices to run for extended periods of time on small batteries, making them ideal for use in remote or hard-to-reach locations. This means that building managers can have real-time visibility into the systems that are critical to the operation of their buildings, and can make adjustments as needed to ensure optimal performance.

Industrial automation is another application of NB-IoT and ModBerry. These devices can be used to monitor and control various industrial systems, such as machinery, production lines, and conveyor belts. The low power consumption of NB-IoT allows the devices to run for extended periods of time on small batteries, making them ideal for use in remote or hard-to-reach locations. This means that industrial managers can have real-time visibility into the systems that are critical to the operation of their factories, and can make adjustments as needed to ensure optimal performance.

ModBerry as a Smart City controller

Smart cities is another area where NB-IoT and ModBerry can make a big impact. These devices can be used to monitor and control various systems in a city, such as traffic lights, parking, and environmental sensors. The low power consumption of NB-IoT allows the devices to run for extended periods of time on small batteries, making them ideal for use in remote or hard-to-reach locations.

ModBerry as a low-cost NB-IoT controller

The combination of NB-IoT and ModBerry devices provides a powerful solution for a wide range of IoT applications. With NB-IoT’s low power consumption and long battery life, combined with ModBerry’s flexibility and functionality, they’re ideal for a wide range of IoT applications such as building and facility management, industrial automation, and smart cities. Seeing how these technologies will evolve and improve in the future, and how they will impact our lives, is exciting.

Order now: https://www.industrial-devices.com/industrial-computers/1-46-mod-500.html

Industrial wireless communication has become an increasingly important aspect of modern manufacturing and industrial operations. With the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, wireless communication is being used for everything from sensor networks and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication to remote monitoring and control. With so many different wireless protocols available, it can be difficult to determine which one is the best fit for a particular application. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the most popular industrial wireless protocols and compare their features and capabilities.

Wi-Fi

This is a widely used protocol for wireless networking in industrial environments. It offers high bandwidth and is well-suited for applications such as data transfer and video streaming. Wi-Fi is a mature technology that is widely available and easy to use. It is also relatively inexpensive and widely supported by manufacturers. However, it is not as well-suited for low-power or low-data-rate applications and may not be the best choice for applications that require extended battery life or low-cost devices.

ZigBee

This is a low-power, low-data-rate protocol that is well-suited for applications such as sensor networks and building automation. Zigbee is a mature technology that is widely available and has a large ecosystem of devices and vendors. It is also relatively inexpensive and easy to use. However, it may not be the best choice for high-bandwidth applications or applications that require extended range.

Z-Wave

This is another low-power protocol that is used in home automation and other applications where low-bandwidth and low-power consumption are important. Z-Wave is a mature technology that is widely available and has a large ecosystem of devices and vendors. It is also relatively inexpensive and easy to use. However, it may not be the best choice for high-bandwidth applications or applications that require extended range.

Wireless protocols comparison (Speed/Range)

Thread

This is a low-power, low-data-rate protocol that is designed for use in home automation and other IoT applications. It is relatively new and is not yet as widely available or supported as other protocols. However, it is designed to be highly secure and is well-suited for applications that require low-power, low-bandwidth communication.

LoRaWAN

This is a long-range, low-power protocol that is well-suited for applications such as smart cities and industrial IoT. LoRaWAN is a relatively new technology that is not yet as widely available or supported as other protocols. However, it is designed to support long-range communications and is well-suited for applications that require low-power, low-bandwidth communication over extended ranges.

Wireless M-Bus

This is a European standard for wireless communication in metering and monitoring applications, such as smart metering and building automation. It is designed to be low-power and long-range, and it can be used in both indoor and outdoor environments. It’s well-suited for applications that require low-power and long-range communication.

NarrowBand-IoT

This is a cellular-based protocol that is designed for low-bandwidth, low-power IoT applications. It is well-suited for applications such as smart metering, asset tracking, and industrial automation. NB-IoT is a relatively new technology that is not yet as widely available or supported as other protocols, but it offers a low-power and low-bandwidth solution for IoT.

DASH7

This is an open-source protocol that is designed for use in low-power, low-data-rate applications such as sensor networks.

Ultimately, the best industrial wireless protocol will depend on the specific requirements of your application, and it’s worth consulting with experts to determine the best solution for your needs.

Nowadays, mobile Internet offers are becoming more and more popular. They are often cost-effective for those who do not download too much from the web. Usually you don’t even need to sign a contract – some operators offer fairly favorable pre-paid internet offers. Anyway, even if we want an Internet contract, sometimes the monthly fee is lower if we do not take the device.

In that case, how will we receive this Internet? The solution is simple – unfortunately we have to invest some money in the LTE modem. As a router separating the signal we will use Raspberry Pi. For a ready and complete solution we can choose ModBerry Industrial IoT devices already equipped with modem of our choosing

ModBerry M500 modem configurability

ModBerry M500 added wide range of I/Os to the board, including RS232/485 serial ports, digital and analog I/Os, 10/100Mbps Ethernet port, USB, 1-Wire and optional CAN. ModBerry series also offers additional wired interfaces and wireless communication modules with their proprietary modules called ExCard. The range of wireless modules include 3G/LTE, NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT), Wireless M-Bus, ZigBee, LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and many more.

In 2017, TECHBASE Group introduced an industrial-grade automation controller, based on popular Raspberry Pi 3 board. The device called ModBerry M500 incorporated latest Raspberry Pi SBC and TECHBASE’s standard industrial board to enhance the capabilities of market RPi3.

ModBerry M500 added wide range of I/Os to the board, including RS232/485 serial ports, digital and analog I/Os, 10/100Mbps Ethernet port, USB, 1-Wire and optional CAN. ModBerry series also offers additional wired interfaces and wireless communication modules with their proprietary modules called ExCard. The range of wireless modules include 3G/LTE, NarrowBand-IoT (NB-IoT), Wireless M-Bus, ZigBee, LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and many more.

Rasbperry Pi 4 upgrade of ModBerry M500

In 2019, with the premiere of Raspberry Pi 4, TECHBASE upgraded their ModBerry M500 device with the latest revision of this popular SBC, further enhancing the performance of their device. New 1.5GHz quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 processor (approximately 3 times better performance than previous Cortex-A53 powering Raspberry Pi 3+ Model B and Compute Module 3 and 3+). ModBerry M500 can now be configured from 2GB / 4GB LPDDR4 SDRAM options.

Revised ModBerry M500 features Gigabit Ethernet, USB3.0, two microHDMI ports supporting OpenGL ES 3.x and 4Kp60 hardware decode of HEVC video. The device is fully compatible with previous versions of Rasbperry Pi based Industrial IoT devices and accessories from TECHBASE.

M.2 SSD support for ModBerry M500

Latest software update for Raspberrry Pi 4, now available in beta, makes it possible to boot directly from USB 3.0 connected drive, without the need for an SD card. With a possibility to run the OS directly from SSD is a massive breakthrough, allowing users to improve the performance of the system and data access speed.

ModBerry M500 offers now a feature to include M.2 SSD drive in industrial-grade device. The merge of industrial interfaces and SSD-boosted Raspberry Pi 4 is a perfect solution for on-site data management and gateway application.

ModBerry M500 roadmap for 2020+

Difficult times of coronavirus outbreak in early 2020 changed the expectations for new Industrial IoT devices. Slowed market needed some adjustments to overly expanded devices with reserve of not quite necessary features for different applications – often raising the price of the device.

New addition to ModBerry M series and Industrial IoT Ecosystem offered by TECHBASE Group is the revised ModBerry M500 Lite device, to ensure the full configurability of device’s resources.

ModBerry M500 Lite features:

  • Quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 1.5GHz processor
  • 2/4GB and new 8GB LPDDR4 RAM option
  • SSD M.2 support for mass storage boot
  • Industrial-grade enclosure with DIN-rail mount
  • RTC

ModBerry M500 Lite optional resources:

  • Serial RS232/422/485 ports
  • Digital and Analog I/Os
  • Relays
  • 10/100Mbps Ethernet
  • CAN, 1-Wire
  • M-Bus Master / Slave
  • TPM Security chip
  • OLED 0.96” screen
  • SuperCap UPS

New ModBerry M500 Lite not only is a versatile device with wide array of available optional resources, but also incredible fast with quad 1.5GHz processor, up to 8GB RAM and last but not least, M.2 SSD bootable drive for system, applications and rapid data availability, without the need to bootstrap an SD card. RTC with watchdog option and additional TPM Security chip ensures data safety and breach protection.

Pricing and availability of ModBerry M500 Lite

Price of the device is yet to be specified, but it will be significantly lower than standard ModBerry M500, which can be configured here. Preliminary devices are available to order – please contact our sales department via contact form or Live Chat at https://iiot-shop.com/ to receive a quotation for the configuration needed.

In 2019, with the premiere of Raspberry Pi 4, TECHBASE upgraded their ModBerry M500 device with the latest revision of this popular SBC, further enhancing the performance of their device. New 1.5GHz quad-core 64-bit ARM Cortex-A72 processor (approximately 3 times better performance than previous Cortex-A53 powering Raspberry Pi 3+ Model B and Compute Module 3 and 3+). ModBerry M500 can now be configured from 2GB / 4GB and new 8GB option of LPDDR4 SDRAM.

Revised ModBerry M500 features Gigabit Ethernet, USB3.0, two microHDMI ports supporting OpenGL ES 3.x and 4Kp60 hardware decode of HEVC video. The device is fully compatible with previous versions of Rasbperry Pi based Industrial IoT devices and accessories from TECHBASE.

Pricing and availability of 8GB RAM and M.2/SSD options

ModBerry M500 8GB option has been added to configurator here. SSD/M.2 option is currently undergoing testing – preliminary devices are available on demand, via Live Chat or contact form at https://iiot-shop.com/