IoT solutions embrace hardware, software and services

RUTRONIK SMART will provide specific support to manufacturers of devices on the Internet of Things. The focus is on smaller, often portable, devices in four different market areas. 

• Lifestyle: examples are wearable electronics and other sport, fitness and game applications, beacon and indoor navigation solutions. 
• Home comfort: including solutions for home automation, lighting and heating control and white goods.
• Health care: for example patient monitoring, hearing aids, diagnostic weighing scales. 
• Safety: including surveillance and alarm systems, track and trace solutions, and smoke detectors.

Products that are capable of globally exchanging and processing data are generally designated as SMART. Rutronik supplies three solutions for the Internet connection that is required for such devices - mobile radio, WiFi and by smart phone, via several different short-range radio network interfaces such as Bluetooth SMART and the classic Bluetooth, NFC, ANT or WiFi, such as supplied by Nordic, STMicroelectronics, Microchip, Telit or Redpine Signals.

SMART applications also must be able to record the environment. RUTRONIK SMART has a wide range of sensors from which to choose, including MEMS sensors from market and innovative leaders Bosch Sensortec and STMicroelectronics. For example they supply acceleration and pressure sensors, gyroscopes, microphones, magnetometers and sensor hubs, also known as application specific sensor nodes (ASSNs).

With an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope and a magnetometer with microcontroller inside the housing, they have up to nine degrees of freedom (DoF). Optical sensor solutions from Osram and Vishay, magnetic sensors from Infineon and Micronas, as well as MEMS acceleration sensors from Rohm/Kionix, complete the full portfolio of these products.

SMART applications are also coordinated by a microcontroller. Rutronik markets these under the label RUTRONIK SMART, with products from STMicroelectronics, Microchip, Renesas and Epson, to which are added solutions integrated into the radio chip or sensor.

SMART applications are frequently mobile solutions and are therefore battery-powered. RUTRONIK SMART supplies energy-efficient power supply systems from STMicroelectronics, Microchip, Intersil and Panasonic.

And for Rutronik, SMART must also always be safe. Integral safety concepts cover many aspects and levels ranging from encoding, tunnel connections, data redundancy and sufficient storage space, to robust systems built to SIL standards.

The product range is completed with additional components such as switches, cabled connectivity, special plug-in connectors, sockets and many more. Experts from each product section are able to help customers select the best components and offer development support for the device in question. Under the label of RUTRONIK SMART they work very closely together to produce consistent solutions.

“The Internet of Things is already here. With RUTRONIK SMART we intend, together with our customers, to extend it even further and exploit all its possibilities,” explained Andreas Mangler, pictured, Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications at Rutronik. “It is no easy matter to implement low power applications or a perfect safety concept. We are able to provide comprehensive assistance to our customers, because for every component and for every application we have not only the right components, but also the relevant experts on hand. So, despite being a broadliner, we often have more specialised knowledge than many specialist distributors.”