Semtech Corporation saw its LoRa® devices and wireless RF technology (LoRa Technology) and LinkCharge™ integrated in projects developed at the second annual Startup Weekend Ventura County on April 21-23, in Camarillo, Calif. The event focused on providing solutions to healthcare and agricultural challenges specific to the region, as well as stimulating the area’s startup community.
Semtech was the official technology sponsor of the weekend and provided a training on a LoRa-based starter kit featuring its LoRa Technology for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and LinkCharge™ wireless charging systems for all interested participants. Qualified teams were picked out of dozens of applicants to participate in the hackathon-style event organized by Dignity Health’s St. John’s Hospital and Camarillo Chamber of Commerce.
Winning projects were chosen from three different categories: Healthcare, Agriculture and People’s Choice. Two LoRa-based applications, Vital Signs and Field Vitals, were rewarded prizes to further develop their applications. Vital Signs created an application that puts sensors and charging technology in fire department uniforms (i.e. jacket or helmet) and Field Vitals developed a long range wide area network (LoRaWAN) soil sensor that monitors moisture. LoRaWAN is designed to connect low-cost, battery-operated sensors over long distances in harsh environments that were previously too challenging or cost prohibitive to connect.
“LoRa Technology is already being used in many vertical markets including agriculture, smart city, smart building, and logistics,” said Mohan Maheswaran, Semtech’s President and CEO, and judge of Startup Weekend Ventura County. “The ideas developed at this year’s startup event shows how Semtech enables next-generation IoT applications while solving real-world challenges.”
