Semtech collaborates for insulated vaccine carrier

Semtech Corporation has announced that Internet of Things (IoT) architecture provider, Everynet, is collaborating with telecommunications supplier, Telkom Indonesia,to provide an insulated vaccine carrier to track and monitor vaccine temperature to decrease waste, improve customer confidence and increase inoculation rates via a LoRaWAN network. As vaccines must be stored at specific temperatures to maintain their efficacy, the insulated vaccine carrier utilising LoRaWAN, offers an end-to-end system that gathers a continuous and consistent data stream in real time.

“Over the last two years, Everynet has been laying the groundwork along with our partner, Telkom Indonesia to deploy a public LoRaWAN network in Indonesia,” said Ali Fahmi, Indonesia Country Manager, Everynet. “The end result now features over 200 Indonesian cities with LoRaWAN coverage, with plans to further expand the coverage to more cities. The LoRaWAN network is ready to deliver simple, highly efficient, flexible, and secure IoT solutions throughout Indonesia.”

The insulated vaccine carrier leverages a LoRaWAN national network in Indonesia, the best option to avoid expensive front-end investments related to infrastructure buildup and maintenance. In addition, LoRaWAN connectivity maintains the highest security levels and quality of connection for this use case. Overall, the solution is cost-efficient and allows to continuously maintain temperature stability for safer vaccines, decreasing the waste of this life-saving resource.

"The insulated vaccine carrier is leveraging IoT and LoRaWAN to send accurate data and log the temperature systematically during distribution.

This relay of data will assist to guarantee the quality of the vaccine to comply with the regulation from Ministry of Health in Indonesia," said Edi Witjara, Director of Enterprise and Business Service, Telkom Indonesia. In addition, Ibnu Alinursafa, senior manager IoT platform, Telkom Indonesia said, “The LoRa-based insulated vaccine carrier accelerates the vaccination program across Indonesia and is providing a quality service for the end customer.”

COVID-19 vaccines require deep freeze conditions to be maintained in the supply chain in order to ensure their efficacy. To maintain a proper environment for the vaccine, the vaccine temperature must be constantly monitored, recorded and reported throughout all steps of the supply chain. Due to the flexibility of the LoRaWAN standard, the insulated vaccine carrier is a completely wireless, automated monitoring system. Whenever an anomaly in the data stream is detected, such as a drop or raise in temperature, a notification is sent to the end user who can immediately take corrective action.

“Everynet and Telkom Indonesia’s successful implementation of the LoRaWAN standard for the insulated vaccine carrier is a great way to maintain the safe delivery of vaccines, which are critical in the fight against COVID-19 and other deadly diseases,” said Marc Pégulu, Vice President of IoT Product Marketing and Strategy for Semtech’s Wireless and Sensing Products Group. “Now, critical aspects of the vaccine supply chain can be monitored at all times, highlighting a real life LoRaWAN use for a critical need that is making the planet, and its citizens, healthier in a smarter manner.”