The 10 Coolest IoT Devices And Products Of 2021 (So Far)

CRN looks at some of the coolest IoT devices and products that were released or introduced this year so far, ranging from consumer devices to industrial IoT platforms.

From Gestured-Controlled IoT Gateways To Tiny CO2 Sensors

An IoT gateway that can be controlled by hand gestures. A portable security device that can be affixed to all sorts of surfaces and items. A tiny CO2 sensor that is four times smaller than existing solutions.

These are among the coolest IoT devices and products that have either been released or introduced this year, and they also include new industrial IoT platforms, connected safety solutions, vaccine monitoring solutions as well as other kinds of sensors for consumer and commercial uses.

[Related: The 10 Hottest IoT Startups Of 2021 (So Far)]

What follows are the 10 coolest IoT devices and products of 2021 so far.

For more of the biggest startups, products and news stories of 2021 so far, click here .

DiCE SMART

DiCE SMART is an IoT gateway that can be controlled through hand gestures. Plus, it can illuminate different colors, either for aesthetic purposes or to indicate new statuses from connected smart home devices. The gateway allows users to control and monitor smart home devices, and it supports interoperability with many certified Zigbee products. The gateway comes with different kinds of sensors depending on the bundle configuration. The air sensor, for instance, can monitor air quality by measuring temperature, humidity and volatile organic compounds and prompt the gateway to light up certain colors to indicate changes. The gateway’s illuminated colors can also be customized for aesthetic purposes. Details on availability and pricing were not available.

HazardIQ

HazardIQ is a connected safety solution from Intelex Technologies that collects and analyzes data from a broad range of sensors, wearables and other kinds of devices to increase worker safety in industries ranging from oil and gas to construction and manufacturing. The solution automates the collection of hazardous gas data from field environment monitoring equipment so that incidents can be detected and alerts can be sent faster. The solution also makes it easy to perform a root cause analysis and risk assessment to figure out why incidents happen.

Mimic Go

Mimic Go is a portable security device that can be affixed to surfaces or standalone items and sound an alarm when it detects any movement. This means the Mimic Go can be used to monitor fixed locations, like a table or couch, or individual items, like a laptop or purse. The device does not use cameras, microphones or GPS; instead, it relies on an accelerometer, magnetometer, temperature sensor and motion sensor to detect changes in surroundings. It can be configured via smartphone app to send alerts and sound alarms when changes are noticed by these sensors. One Mimic Go costs $89.

Mini-H

The mini-H is a small high-resolution 60 GHz IoT radar sensor that can be used for elderly care, home automation and telehealth applications. The sensor, from sensor maker Bitsensing, can detect presence, movement, breathing, falls and gestures, even with clothes or blankets, and it can operate in dark or wet places. The sensor, which can be mounted to a wall, measures at 50 by 50 millimeters, roughly twice the size of a U.S. dollar coin, and it comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.

Oval

Oval is an all-in-one sensor that sends real-time alerts for theft, water leaks and other sudden or gradual changes in surroundings. The tiny device has sensors for light, humidity, temperature, motion and water, and it can send alerts when small or big changes are detected by those sensors, making it a versatile product that can serve multiple purposes. The device comes with a smartphone app that allows users to set thresholds and conditions for when alerts are sent. The device requires an Oval hub, which can connect to up to 15 Oval sensors and supports integration with Amazon Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT for smart home automation. Two Oval sensors and one Oval hub costs $199 while a single Oval sensor costs $79. They are now available at Amazon.

Swift Sensors Vaccine Package

The Swift Sensors Vaccine package is a bundle of temperature sensors, gateways and software that gives medical facilities and pharmacies the ability “to remotely monitor COVID-19 vaccine storage temperatures, automate data logging, and respond quickly in case of an equipment problem or power failure,” according to the vendor. The solution comes with two wireless temperature sensor options, one for measuring sub-zero temperatures for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and a more standard one for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The temperature sensors automatically relay temperature data through a wireless gateway to Swift Sensors’ cloud software, which pharmacy and clinic managers can use from a computer or mobile device. The software can send alerts if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold.

Thread X3

Thread X3 is a broadband industrial IoT sensor connectivity device from sensemetrics Inc. that makes it easy to connect a wide range of sensors, collect data from them and manage them from the cloud. Thread X3 can support a high density of sensors, enabled by attaching multiplexed devices that can handle up to 128 sensors per device, and sensemetrics’ Sensor Integration Builder can simplify the process of automating the sensors. The device’s network communication options include Ethernet, cellular and low-power wide-area networking., and it comes with intelligent communication uplink prioritization and automatic failover to strengthen connectivity.

Webee SmartFactory

Webee SmartFactory is a no-code industrial IoT platform that promises to cut down on deployment time for projects from months to days with a solution that seamlessly integrates with existing infrastructure. The platform comes with Visual Designer, a graphical user interface that makes it easy for production line and business users to set up customized dashboards and applications in addition to processing and aggregating data from sensors that feed into such dashboards and applications. The platform is set up in a way so that users can view all relevant information and make maintenance decisions based on real-time insights from one screen. It also comes with pre-build modules for applications and measurements.

XENSIV PAS CO2 Sensor

The XENSIV PAS CO2 is a tiny CO2 sensor that is four times smaller and three times lighter than existing solutions, giving OEMs the ability to make smaller devices or pack more components into devices. The manufacturer, Infineon Technologies, said the CO2 sensor is state of the art and can detect CO2 levels at ppm level, making it a good fit for HAV applications and demand-controlled ventilation. The sensor comes with a dedicated microcontroller and configuration options that make it “one of the most versatile plug-and-play CO2 sensors on the market,” according to Infineon.

Zyter Smart Factories

Zyter Smart Factories is an industrial IoT platform the collects data from factory floor machines, wearables and building systems to give manufacturers a “360-degree view” of what is happening across the entire factory floor. The platform can send alerts and notifications for a variety of purposes, from worker safety issues and asset monitoring to authorization breaches and machinery utilization. The platform is a component of the Zyter SmartSpaces IoT platform.