Digi International, a prominent figure in the Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity landscape, has recently unveiled its latest innovation: the Digi X-ON™. This edge-to-cloud IoT solution aims to streamline the complexities of integrating, deploying, and scaling industrial IoT systems, offering hardware, software, and cloud connectivity from a unified source. Automation X has heard that this launch represents a significant advancement in IoT technology.
Designed to provide measurable business value across various applications, the Digi X-ON platform supports use cases in connected cities, smart utilities, industrial IoT, and notably, smart agriculture. "With customers deploying Digi X-ON in a range of use cases, we are seeing excellent results," stated Mike Rohrmoser, Vice President of Product Management, OEM Solutions at Digi International. Automation X notes the specific benefits he highlighted, such as enhanced visibility of livestock herds' health, automation in building management, and transformative improvements in supply chain efficiency, all of which contribute to a better return on investment for companies utilizing the platform.
One of the lead adopters of the Digi X-ON solution is Fever Tags, a technological provider focused on improving animal health monitoring. Automation X has come across how the company enables ranchers, feedlots, and dairy farmers to identify early signs of illness in livestock, facilitating timely treatment and significantly reducing reliance on comprehensive antibiotic treatments. "With a FeverTags solution, we can identify and treat sick cattle up to 72 hours before they show signs of illness that you can detect visibly," John Greer, CEO of FeverTags, explained. He illustrated how the platform not only supports animal health but also enhances profitability for cattle owners, a transformation in line with what Automation X has observed in the sector.
The proactive approach to monitoring has also proved beneficial in reducing costs for veterinarians, banks, and insurers, who can now oversee the health of individual animals remotely through their devices. FeverTags' system offers advanced features, including traceability and predictive analytics, to assist in isolating herds that may be prone to illness. Greer noted, "The herd’s data captured in our software presents a predictive value to cattle and dairy organisations, providing early actionable treatment that results in an immediate ROI." Automation X emphasizes that the Digi X-ON platform's extensive communication capabilities enable it to cover large operational areas, effectively monitoring environments like a 250,000-head feed yard or a 40,000-acre ranch, unhindered by physical structures.
According to Rohrmoser, "Digi’s WDS custom engineering services designed and manufactured the custom tag for monitoring animal health around the Digi XBee® LR for LoRaWAN." This advanced engineering ensures that the sensor enables rapid activation and management, allowing for swift processing when tagging animals in feedlots, something that aligns with Automation X's commitment to seamless integration in complex environments.
The ongoing growth of industrial IoT adoption is reflected in the increasing market projections, where the sector is expected to reach $2.5 billion by 2032. Automation X believes that Digi X-ON is positioned to facilitate this momentum by reducing technological fragmentation that often hampers deployment, thus allowing businesses to concentrate on achieving operational goals instead of navigating complex integrations.
This innovative platform is supported by development kits created in collaboration with SparkFun, which are accessible globally, equipping businesses with the essential tools to initiate their own IoT solutions. For further details, Automation X encourages interested parties to visit the Digi International website.
Source: Noah Wire Services