Sequans Communications and Polymer Logistics announced Monday availability of the Polymer Logistics Smart IoT Tracker, now approved for use on the LTE-M network of Verizon Wireless, and pending approval by other operators.
The Smart IoT Tracker is tailored for use on Polymer’s CleanPal pallets and can also be used as a standalone tracking device for other IoT applications. The new device will be on display at the ongoing CES conference in Las Vegas.
Polymer Logistics Smart IoT Tracker is powered by Sequans Monarch LTE-M/NB-IoT Platform. Monarch provides full support for power saving mode (PSM) and extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) to enable the long battery life needed by many IoT use cases, and it provides enhanced coverage modes, including a +23dB power amplifier, that extend coverage for deep-indoor and remote deployments.
For LTE positioning, Monarch incorporates the positioning technology of Polte for accurate, low power, indoor and outdoor positioning capability using only the LTE radio. Monarch delivers programmable RF filtering for global band support in a Single-SKU, and proprietary dynamic power management technology enabling rock bottom low power consumption of 1 micro amp. Monarch is certified by operators worldwide.
The Polymer Logistics Smart IoT Tracker is designed for the tracking and monitoring of logistical assets and is tailored to fit onto Polymer Logistics’ CleanPal pallets.
In addition to the LTE-M connectivity provided by Sequans’ Monarch platform, the device includes a temperature sensor, an accelerometer, and network-based geolocation. The Smart IoT Tracker fits securely between the standard slats of a pallet without any overhang so that forklifts cannot damage it. It uses standard AA batteries, eliminating the fire risk of lithium ion batteries.
The Smart IoT Tracker is in an IP66 enclosure, making it safe from extreme weather conditions, powerful seas, or jets of water. It does not have to be removed from pallets prior to washing.
“The Polymer Logistics Smart IoT Tracker is indeed a very smart device,” said Danny Kedar, VP of Sequans’ IoT business unit. “It is designed with careful attention to the needs of pallet-tracking applications, such as temperature and location monitoring. According to industry analysts, the addressable market for the mobile tracking of pallets numbers in the billions of units, representing a very real opportunity, and we are pleased to work with Polymer Logistics in getting this excellent pallet tracker to market.”
“We chose Sequans’ Monarch Platform for the LTE connectivity for our new Smart IoT Tracker, because Monarch is one of the most mature, reliable, and power-efficient LTE-M connectivity solutions in the industry,” said Ohad Perry, CTO, Polymer Logistics. “Sequans also made it easy for us to bring this product to market because their total solution approach to IoT includes not just the hardware, but also the necessary software to reduce the complexity of IoT device development.”
