Who this is for
This service suits organisations that want physical things to report data or be controlled remotely, whatever their sector. Typical starting points include:
- A product company adding connectivity to an existing device.
- An operations team that wants to monitor equipment, environmental conditions or energy use across one or many sites.
- A business with a working prototype that now needs reliable firmware, a proper back end and a way to update devices in the field.
- An organisation with devices already deployed that are hard to maintain, insecure or no longer supported by whoever built them.
You do not need a finished specification. You do need a clear idea of the problem the connected system should solve and who will act on the data it produces.
How we approach a project
- Understand the physical reality. We ask where devices will be installed, how they are powered, what the environment is like (heat, dust, moisture, metal enclosures, basements), who installs them and who fixes them when something goes wrong. These answers shape almost every later decision.
- Define the data and the decisions. We agree what is measured or controlled, how often, how quickly someone needs to know, and what happens with the data afterwards. Collecting everything “just in case” adds cost in power, bandwidth and storage.
- Prototype the riskiest part first. That might be battery life, radio coverage on site, sensor accuracy or integration with an existing system. We test it early on real hardware rather than assuming.
- Build the full chain. Firmware, connectivity, cloud ingestion, storage, dashboards or apps, and the provisioning process that gets a new device from the box to online.
- Pilot in the field. A small deployment in real conditions shows problems that bench testing misses, such as weak signal, installer mistakes or unexpected data patterns.
- Roll out and maintain. Staged updates, health monitoring and a plan for the device lifetime, including how devices are retired and their data removed.
Decisions we help you make
Device and firmware
We help you weigh off-the-shelf modules against custom boards, and choose a microcontroller or gateway platform based on power budget, processing needs, available peripherals and long-term component availability. On the firmware side we discuss whether a real-time operating system is warranted, how configuration is stored, and how the device behaves when it loses power or network halfway through a task.
Connectivity
There is no single right answer, so we compare options against your situation:
- Wi-Fi suits devices indoors where a reliable network already exists and power is available. It carries more data but draws more power and depends on someone else’s network credentials.
- Bluetooth Low Energy works well for short-range links, such as a sensor talking to a phone or a nearby gateway, and is economical on battery.
- LoRaWAN is designed for small, infrequent messages over long distances at low power, which suits meters and remote sensors. It needs gateway coverage, either your own or a network operator’s, and it is not built for large data transfers.
- Cellular gives wide coverage without local infrastructure. Low-power cellular variants exist for IoT use, but availability varies by country and operator, and there are recurring SIM and data costs to plan for.
We look at range, data volume, power source, recurring fees and regional availability, then test the shortlist on site.
Edge or cloud processing
Some work belongs on the device or a local gateway: filtering noisy readings, reacting instantly to a threshold, or continuing to operate when the connection drops. Other work belongs in the cloud: combining data from many devices, long-term storage and heavier analysis. We help you draw that line so you are not paying to transmit data nobody uses, nor losing data you will need later.
Over-the-air updates
Devices in the field will need fixes. We plan the update path before the first unit ships: how updates are signed and verified, how a failed update is detected and rolled back, how rollouts are staged so a bad release does not reach every device at once, and how long you intend to support each hardware version.
Device security
Security for connected devices is a design decision, not an add-on. A useful reference point is the European standard ETSI EN 303 645 (version 3.1.3, published September 2024), which sets baseline cybersecurity provisions for consumer IoT. Among its provisions are no universal default passwords, a way to manage reports of vulnerabilities, keeping software updated, storing sensitive security parameters securely, and communicating securely. Even where a product is not consumer-facing or not sold in Europe, these provisions make a practical checklist for discussion.
Security and quality built in
- Unique identity per device. Each device gets its own credentials, so one compromised unit does not expose the fleet.
- Encrypted communication between device, gateway and cloud.
- Signed firmware so devices only accept updates that come from you.
- Least exposure. Debug ports, unused services and open network interfaces are closed or locked down in production builds.
- Personal data handled with care. If devices capture information about people, we collect only what is needed and provide a way to delete it.
- Testing at several levels. Unit tests for firmware logic, bench tests with real hardware, and field trials in the target environment.
- Written records. Architecture, security decisions and test results are documented so your team, or a future supplier, can understand and maintain the system.
What we need from you to start
- A short description of the problem and who will use the data or controls.
- Details of any hardware you already have or have chosen, including datasheets and existing firmware if available.
- Information about the installation sites: indoor or outdoor, available power, existing networks and how many devices you expect.
- Any systems the IoT data must connect to, such as an ERP, a maintenance tool or an existing app.
- The markets where devices will be sold or installed, so we can flag regulatory or certification questions early.
- A named person on your side who can make decisions and arrange site access for testing.
With that, we can propose a discovery phase or a focused prototype, and give you a clear view of the decisions ahead before larger commitments are made.