Accelerate IoT Development
We focus on Accelerating IoT Development and Driving Digital Transformation for our customers, enabling a more intelligent Internet of Things, making your operations smarter, more reliable and more efficient. Alhena is owned by Vates, who have been delivering solutions from mid-size to Fortune 500 companies since 1991. We have worked with companies like Intel, Bayer, Motorola, Arris, Verizon. Vates is the first South American company to obtain CMMI Level 5 certification taking the company to the highest level of quality knowledge and skills. Vates is also certified for ISO 9001/90003 quality engagements, ensuring the highest level of quality solutions. Additionally, Vates enjoys rich partnerships with Oracle Corporation, Microsoft, IBM, and Atlassian for bringing world-class technologies to the forefront of our powerful solutions. Vates has established its new Internet of Things Division, called Alhena to assist companies in harnessing their IoT platforms.
Focus
Portfolio
Route Optimization
Objective
A Diary Company currently manages a fleet of approximately 200 trucks of different vendors. The trucks are used to collect the milk production at different milk producers. Each truck contains a milk meter that measures and registers the amount of milk collected at each milk-manufacturing facility. The data registered by the milk meter is used in order to make payments to each milk producer. During milk collection, the truck driver enters data manually such as truck’s ID, driver, farm, among others, in the milk meter.
This manual entry of data by the truck driver during collections and the data entered to legacy system is error-prone and must be subjected to subsequent verification. Additionally, causes delays and implies lots of work for data verification.
Challenge
Since no GPS information is available, it is not possible to know the actual route and number of kilometers travelled by each truck. It is also impossible to detect unexpected stops or the actual time of the route and its sections. In general, lack of information and the fact that it is not available digitally make it difficult to take the necessary actions to optimize the integral management of the activity.
Result
- Optimize the milk collection process, reducing costs and collection times.
- Automate the milk collection data entry in its systems.
- Have real-time telemetries for the position of each truck and the amount of milk contained in the tank and its temperature.
Stack
- Azure IoT Hub, Azure App Service, Azure Event Hub, Azure Functions, Azure SQL Database.
- Google Maps Services, React, .Net Web API, SQL Server Integration Services
Smart Home
Challenge
A Telecommunications Company wants to develop an end-to-end Smart Home platform to offer to their clients. The solution must be able to control locks, light switches and cameras to more crucial tasks such as temperature control and monitoring loved ones. Also, needs to support connections between various sensors to a unique IoT Gateway, enabling the end user to gather data from these sensors as well as control them remotely.
Solution
Versatile technology that adapts to the requirements of the client by supporting robust integration of the platform of sensors from different manufacturers, and with distinct wireless communication technologies. Most of the sensors utilize z-wave technology, but this technology is standardized with other IoT Gateways and sensors. Also allows the client to customize each IoT solution by using sensors from different manufacturers (Wemo or Fibaro, for example) and different wireless communication technologies (such as WiFi o r Bluetooth) to easily integration.
Result
- The solution includes a set of out-of-the-box IoT solutions that can be implemented seamlessly and can also effortlessly accommodate a client’s unique integration needs.
- Ability to measures energy consumption of homes and checks for tele metrics such as humidity levels or temperature, all in real time for a more efficient use of energy, while minimizing costs and helping the environment in the process.
- Enables sensors in locks, windows and other areas in your home to trigger an alarm and immediately notify the user when movement is detected, or a door or window is opened.
Stack
- Solutions: React.js, React Native,
- IoT devices: Gateway: BLE compatible, WiFi / Tracked asset: Generic Beacons
- Protocols: WiFi, Zwave and Bluetooth
Monitor Health Care Assets and Patients
Challenge
A Health Care Institution in Chicago has an IoT App to monitor patients and assets in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities. They were seeking an Analytics Solution to capture and analyze the data from multiple disparate devices and generate actionable insights. Some of the insights required included: number of patients in ICU and pathology type, x-ray service availability, and patient duration in each unit.
Solution
Leveraging an agile approach first constructed using ClickView, a prototype dashboard was created to allow the client to quickly validate the key indicators (KI).
In parallel, a technology assessment was conducted to select the required platforms to build a scalable solution for data ingestion, process transformation summarization analysis.
This assessment work enabled our client with a solution tailored to their needs.
As a result, a scalable solution was designed and built using Pentaho for data integration and Jaspersoft BI for big data business intelligence capabilities.
Result
Real time information about assets and patients:
- Improved radiology and medical imaging utilization
- Increased operating room utilization rates
- Provide hospital location information to patient’s family
- Number of procedures done by physician/device (This information can be used by the clinic’s Mangers, Directors or Administrators)
Stack
- Solutions: ClickView, Pentaho, Jasper soft BI
- IoT devices: Gateway: BLE compatible, WiFi / Tracked asset: Generic Beacons
- Protocols: WiFi, HTTPS REST, BLE (iBeacon)
Big Data
Project
A prominent Communications Services Provider (CSP) needed a near real-time, big data solution for the processing and analyzing of huge amounts of data (30 million files processed per month and approximately 3TB of data/day).
Challenge
To process and analyze, in near real-time, massive amounts of data provided in different formats (structured and semi-structured) and from different sources (files, CDRs, XML, csv, etc.).
Solution
IBM Streams collects data from different sources (files – XML, CSV, ASN.1- , databases, sockets and REST Web Services). After data is collected, data is filtered, processed, decorated and grouped (sum, avg, max, min, etc.) through flows implemented in SPL (Streams Processing Language). Data is sent to different sinks (databases, HDFS, Filesystem, REST Web Service).
Apache Flink collects data from different sources (Kafka, files and REST Web Service). After collection, data is filtered, processed, decorated and grouped (sum, avg, max, min, etc.) through flows implemented in Java. Data is sent to different sinks (databases – sql and NoSql – and Filesystem)
Both solutions are implemented in cluster.
Result
The solution resulted in an effective approach to reduce costs and accelerate decision-making times for client. Decision-making times were reduced from 48-72 hours to 2-3 minutes. In addition, the solution dramatically improved our client’s ability to manage massive volumes of data.
Reviews
the project
Custom Software Dev for Logistics Company
"Their creativity, problem-solving skills, and team quality were impeccable."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I'm the President of the Latin BU and we are looking for a solution to optimize our trucks routes.
For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?
Since no GPS information is available, it is not possible to know the actual route and number of miles travelled by each truck. It is also impossible to detect unexpected stops or the actual time of the route and its sections.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We searched on Clutch for different vendors and chose them based on their past projects and total cost of the solution.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
We had a clear idea of what we want, they helped us to prioritize and divide in stages/sprints. Select the devices, develop the software, collect, process and show the data.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
The scrum master who talked with our Product Owner and three developers.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
Have real-time telemetries for the position of each truck to reduce costs and travel times.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
We work under agile methodology; we have weekly meetings and biweekly sprints.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Their creativity, problem-solving skills, and team quality were impeccable.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
We had some challenges with the hardware compatibility so they would test better during the pilot.
the project
IoT Development for Beverage Company
"I was impressed with their skill sets and their competitive pricing."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
As a Director of R&D we have several projects, and in some cases we have to contract external resources with very specific skills to be able to achieve successful outcomes.
For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?
Our challenge was the lack of talented resources. Alhena provided us with the IoT talent we were missing.
How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?
We looked for and researched different vendors and chose Alhena based on their capabilities and cost.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
Alhena provided the resources and we managed them as they became an integral part or our teams.
How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
We had three Senior .Net developers
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We finished the project on time and covering the agreed upon scope for it.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
They adapted to our agile work methodology.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
I was impressed with their skill sets and their competitive pricing.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
We are very satisfied with the service received.
the project
Website Development for UI/UX Boutique
"They were a company with experience and were quick to quote based on our budget."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Im the founder, the CEO
For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?
Development of a website for a client. It was a project that we had started with our internal team and we hired Alhena 2 developers
How did you select this agency and what were the deciding factors?
They were a company with experience and were quick to quote based on our budget.
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
We needed a solution that could give us data on certain store operations and that would be presented in a meaningful way that allows us to make changes to marketing actions.
Describe the recruitment process in detail.
They sent us the developers' resume for our IT team to select. Then they had some technical tests and personal talks.
Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?
It is a client's website and for confidentiality reasons we cannot say it, but our client is very satisfied and everything works ok
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
The external team easily adapted to our internal team working as if they were from the same company and with the expertise of having worked on different projects.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
The ease that its developers joined our team, the quality of the work
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
Everything worked fine
the project
Staff Augmentation for B2B Business
"Alhena Technologies is flexible and easy to work with."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I'm the Vicepresident of a B2B line of business
For what projects/services did your company hire Alhena Technologies?
Smart Building pilot
How did you select Alhena Technologies and what were the deciding factors?
we selected via RFS, came recommended by another company doing similar work with them in the IOT space
Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.
We used Alhena resources to move the project from a pilot stage into a production/commercialize project. Alhena resources were introduce as staff augmentation
Describe the recruitment process in detail.
We went through current state of our process and future scope. Alhena presented proposal and potential team structure
Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?
Alhena was able to easily blend into current team structure and deliver towards common goals already established
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Alhena Technologies is flexible and easy to work with.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
The uniqueness of their roles, skills, and offshore but in timezone model, cost effective
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
nothing comes to mind
With the help of the software, the client has saved money and time, thanks to Alhena Technologies. The team had weekly meetings and used Agile methodology in bi-weekly sprints during the development. Overall, the client was impressed by the team's creativity and problem-solving skills.