We convert your ideas into prototypes and products
Started in 2014, WeMakeIoT is the IoT division of Software Associates.
Our aim is to provide our customers with solutions for their specific problems which require IoT components as a part of that solution and also help them create value by making their business more efficient and profitable.
We create and provide customized IoT solutions and most of the IoT applications that have been developed, use technologies and components that best suit the projects. Our fully skilled, experienced team is with you throughout the project and helps in keeping the promise of providing our clients with quality services and timely delivery.
Being an early mover into the IoT space, we have helped many start-ups and SMEs in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, Singapore, and Australia, bring their innovative ideas to life. Our work deals with the areas of Asset Monitoring and Tracking, Manufacturing, Agriculture, and Transport and Logistics among others.
Focus Areas:
1. SensorVision IoT Platform
SensorVision Platform can onboard and connect any IoT device. It is used for managing all the IoT entities in an application such as the users and devices, and the data generated. The platform can ingest information from any device, store it, render visualization using several inbuilt widgets, and provide updates in real-time. The data captured in the platform over long periods of time can be utilized for Analytics and Machine Learning applications. It can be hosted either on the public cloud or on a local server.
2. IoT Solution Development
End-to-end IoT Solution Development includes Hardware Design and Development, Firmware development, Web and Mobile App Development, and Cloud Integration.
3. IoT Research and Development
We provide research in various stages of incorporating IoT into products for innovators, start-ups, and SMEs. This includes conceptual design, solution architecture, technical recommendations, and documentation.
Focus
Portfolio
Mastercard, HP, Microsoft, CBRE, Asia-Pacific Breweries, Henkel, Epson, Lenovo, ZF Windpower, Harting, Connexa
Asset Tracking and Monitoring
Requirement
Develop an indoor asset tracking system for monitoring high-value assets. The system needs to track the location and temperature of the assets and also monitor the entry of people into the asset storage room.
Solution
An end-to-end tracking system was developed using an optimal combination of hardware and software. The entry/exit door movement is detected using a door sensor. A camera is placed in such a way to capture an image when a person is detected. A motion sensor is implemented in the room to detect if any person is still present inside the room. Each asset placed inside the room is equipped with tracking tags that trigger notifications when someone tries to move it. The tags placed on the assets also measure the temperature, to ensure the fire safety of the room. The notifications such as entry/exit detection, image capture, motion detection, and TAGs information will be sent to the cloud via cellular data. All the necessary notifications and historical data can be viewed in the web application and mobile application remotely. Users can utilize the web and mobile applications to add and manage the TAGs, the users, the alert settings, and to configure device settings.
Smart Motor Starter
Requirement
The project is to develop a device for the farmer community for remotely operating the water pumps installed on the farm. The system will control and monitor the operation of
the water pump.
Solution
The system operates in the following two modes: Manual Mode and Auto Mode
In the Manual Mode, the water pump operates using the manual controller or SMS based commands. The User can directly go to the farm and switch on/off the pump using the manual controller just like a traditional irrigating system.
In the SMS based command mode, SMS sent through a mobile will control the water pump operation. An SMS gateway is set up between the cell phone and the IoT device. The farmer will send an SMS to a pre-defined number in a pre-defined format through the SMS gateway to control the ON/OFF of the water pump.
In auto mode, the current sensors will detect power availability in all three phases and if there is no 3-phase current supply, the device will continue operating by switching it to a two-phase supply.
Smart Shower - BLE
Requirement
The client is an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) based out of Europe.
The Smart Shower was a new concept in their product offering and they wanted to develop a Smart Hardware with BLE and Wi-Fi capability. The device can be controlled by an end user mobile application, an admin mobile application and using a remote control. There are two microcontrollers in the device and the data communication occurs between them.
Solution
WeMakeIoT developed the hardware integration, web architecture design and system integration.
1. Integrated the Wi-Fi and BLE modules with the device and implemented the BLE communications between the device and end user mobile application, admin mobile application and remote control.
2. Device pairing, bonding and advertising were implemented for connecting the apps with the device over BLE.
3. A web infrastructure was developed to facilitate the data transfer from device to cloud and vice versa.
4. OTA implementation for 2 different microcontroller units were brought in to facilitate Over-The-Air updates over both BLE and Wi-Fi.
5. Developed device to cloud communication to update device logs to cloud.
The solutions developed by our team enabled the client to control the device over BLE and using a remote control, remotely manage the device updates and visualize the device data from the web.
Hydroponics Automation
Requirement
The project is to automate a hydroponic system that monitor various parameters like temperature, PH, EC, flow, light intensity and control the relevant valves or relays to maintain the desired parameters. This hydroponic system will be controlled via a display.
Solution
Developed a system consisting of three different parts:
1. Micro-controller unit: main control of the digital "brain" of our system;
2. Sensors/actuators: measure and control all the data and parameters of our system;
3. Node-Red application: The user interface for data visualization and set control parameters.
The system allows control of the greenhouse environment by sensing several parameters: Water temperature, pH, EC, Light
Smart Speaker for Bird Control
Requirement
Develop a system that deters birds from large ponds, to reduce strike risks during an aircraft’s take-off or landing. The systems will be deployed near several floating docks and will play sounds to ward off birds (based on schedules). Since there is no scope for internet connections, the system must support a local network.
Solution
Built an audio management platform using a Raspberry Pi for creating a schedule-based playlist. The Raspberry Pi acts as a wireless access point, running a standalone network. This was done using the inbuilt wireless features of the Raspberry Pi 4 and configuring a static IP address for the Raspberry Pi.
Smart Swimming Pool
Requirement
The project is to develop a pool chemistry maintenance system that monitors pH and ORP as indicators of sanitizing chemical activity.
Solution
The system consists of a micro-controller unit (MCU), a set of sensors deployed across the system, and a Web application. The controller adjusts (trigger peristaltic pump) the amount of chlorine and acid added to the pool based on inputs from the pH and ORP sensors. The Web application provides a monitoring and management platform for administrators and technicians, who are responsible for pool(s).
ThingsBoard LoRa Integration
Requirement
Our client had multiple LoRa devices like leak detector sensors and PIR sensors which they wanted to integrate with the ThingsBoard IoT platform.
The first phase of this project was to set up the backend which included ThingsBoard IoT platform and Chirpstack servers.
We set up ThingsBoard on the client’s cloud server. Chirpstack is an opensource LoRaWAN technology stack. It has different components like network server, application server and gateway bridge, and we had set up these components on the cloud. Devices and device profiles were added to the LoRa application server along with the code to decode the sensor messages. Corresponding devices were created in ThingsBoard and linked to Chirpstack devices. Now, data from Chirpstack gets automatically pushed to ThingsBoard.
The second phase of project was to use a dedicated LoRaWAN gateway to send data to ThingsBoard. Initially, the client had used a temporary LoRaWAN gateway using a Raspberry Pi to pass data from sensors to cloud. We modified the firmware of an openwrt-based LoRa gateway and customized it for the client's use. This firmware is used in the router and gateway to automatically send data to the client's cloud servers.
Smart Irrigation Controller
Client Profile
The client is an agricultural automation solutions provider.
Requirement
Develop a Smart Irrigation Controller System to automate the irrigation process. It is to determine the optimum amount of water to be used for irrigation, after analysing environmental conditions. It needs to be controlled over a web page which can help it control the attached water pumps.
Solution
We developed a solution using Particle Argon to capture sensor values and integrate it with the client's web application. It has three configuration modes for setting schedules, intervals and conditions. It also has the ability to configure thresholds. The status of the pumps, the history, and the environmental conditions can be monitored on a display. All the reports are logged online and can be compared to boost productivity.
Turnaround time: 2 months
Digital Signage
The client wanted us to display digital signage 1080p short videos through a web interface and manage it through software developed for Raspberry Pi (RPi) devices. The interface needed to be in communication with one another. The web portal needed to have manager and client levels to manage the RPi devices and the playlist. The requirement also mentioned about developing an access point for setting-up internet connection in RPi.
Our team at WeMakeIoT developed web interface and a software solution to manage and display full HD (1080p) digital signage short videos in a loop. The associated Pi device will download the necessary playlist & video files and plays them back in a loop. The web portal was developed in LAMP stack and is hosted in AWS EC2 and RDS. The web application consisted of two user authentication levels, manager and the local client. The manager account will manage and assign RPi’s to local clients and client account will create and manage playlist for digital signage. We used Raspberry Pi 3 model B as the main device in which RPi images are loaded via SD card. RPi, when turned on will get automatically connected to the server. Upon authorization, RPi can play full HD videos from the playlist assigned via HDMI output.w
Gas Detection System
Requirement
Build a gas detection system in multi-storeyed buildings and be able to track the leakage of gas if any, to the floor of occurrence. The system consisted of micro-controller units (MCU), gas detection sensors, RF modules, a web application, and a mobile application. The hardware combination of the MCU, gas sensors and the RF modules were considered end nodes/repeaters. They were deployed on every floor of the buildings. The data collected from each end node/repeater was transmitted via Radio Frequency and then pushed to ThingsBoard IoT Platform.
Solution
The web application encompassed functions to monitor and manage sensor values, details of the location/position of the sensor, and sending SMS/E-mail alerts. The mobile application was developed as the user interface to view and manage sensor data.
Building Automation System
Client Profile
Our client is specialized in system integration for building automation systems. They are a forward thinking building and energy management company.
Requirement
They approached us to create a SaaS web application to remotely manage building automation controllers deployed in client sites. The SaaS application would be used for both reading data from the sensors and triggering the actuators connected to Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC).
Solution
We developed a SaaS application in a multi-tenant architecture using Node.js in the server side and MongoDB as the database
Solar energy monitoring using Particle
Client Profile
The client is a manufacturer and distributor of remote and industrial energy products as well as an integrator of IIoT products. They supply solar power systems (CESP Systems) to their customers for a wide range of applications.
Requirement
The objective of the project was to build a web platform for managing smart solar charge controllers. User Management, Device management, Sensor data visualization are some of the key features of this project.
Solution
A custom IoT web platform was developed to cater to the specialized domain that the client is operating in. This project involved extensive usage of the Particle.io cloud API’s in managing the product lifecycle. The technology stack involved in this project is Firebase, Nodejs, Angular JS, Elastic JS.
Turnaround time: 2 months
Water Trough Monitoring for Cattle Farms
Requirement
Implement a remote water trough monitoring system for a cattle farm. The system needs to facilitate remote monitoring of water levels in these troughs and send appropriate alerts upon the depletion of the water level beyond the required level.
Solution
We developed a solution that allowed the client to visualize the water levels through a mobile application and receive images of the water troughs continuously. We built a custom gateway using Raspberry Pi and LoRa shield and configured it to send the data to a web server. Images of the water trough are continuously captured with the help of a camera module, consisting of a Particle Electron microcontroller and a serial camera.
Turnaround time: 2 months
Smart Water Heater
Client Profile
The Client is a global leader in heater manufacturing
Requirement
Integrate controls into the heater, and provide remote control, monitoring, and notifications through internet connectivity.
Solution
We developed a web application to to control and maintain the exhaust temperature of the heater at the desired level as defined. There is a heater in place, which is to be controlled so as to maintain air exhaust at the desired temperature. The setpoint (of temperature and other parameters ) can be defined in the web application. The user can monitor and control all parameters from the web application.
Virtual Maintenance Contracts Platform
Client Profile
The client is a compressor manufacturer.
Requirement
Develop a virtual maintenance contracts platform. They had a gateway which used Modbus to communicate with their devices. The data coming from the devices were to be pushed to their cloud platform where it could be visualized. They also required their devices to be optimized for data usage by setting necessary thresholds.
Solution
We developed the platform as a web application and used existing NODE-RED nodes to integrate the devices with the web application.
Load Sensor
Requirement
Develop a weight measurement system that can measure weights up to 800 kilograms using 4 load cells. The device needs to calibrate the data without any errors. The parameters that need to be captured are: Temperature and humidity inside the system, status of a door (open/closed) and the load on the scale. The captured data needs to be sent to the cloud.
Solution
We developed a weighing machine based on Sparkfun’s OpenScale combinator module which aggregates the data from the load cells. We integrated it with a Particle Photon module to read the data from the combinator module and capture the required parameters (humidity, temperature, door status and load weight) to be sent to the cloud.
Turnaround time: 1 month
Web Interface to control thermal cycler
Client Profile
The Client is a manufacturer of biotechnological products.
Requirement
Develop a web interface to control a thermal cycler. The web application should be able to create a new program, save and delete programs. The creation of a program is a six-step process. At every step, the required temperature of the thermal cycler needs to be configured according to the polymers used.
Solution
We developed a web interface that enabled the client to adjust the temperature of thermal cyclers according to the polymers used. It can stop, pause and resume the thermal cycler’s operation. The interface is programmed to facilitate the addition and deletion of steps in the process. Saved programs can be stored for future use.
Particle Electron Asset Tracker
Requirement
Develop an asset tracker that acts as a mobile security solution. The system needs to ensure that assets do not enter areas beyond authorization and that they are functioning normally.
Solution
We developed a solution using a Particle Electron GPS module with asset tracker, piezo siren and a vibration sensor. It acts as a security system which sends notifications when the system is armed. On changes in vibration, a siren gets activated and notifications are sent. We developed a geofencing logic which can configure the required perimeters remotely. When the asset exits the defined perimeter, the user is notified instantly. We configured the Blynk App to act as the User Interface to monitor the status of the system. We provided a function to control the arm/disarm functions of the system.
Turnaround time: 1 month
Remote management and control of segway fleet
Requirement
Program the Particle Electron Asset Tracker V2 from particle.io to communicate and act as an intermediary between a backend system using Webhooks and another device with Bluetooth connectivity. The system needs to locate, turn on/off and read the battery level of the segways.
Solution
We developed a solution using Particle Electron that allowed the client to lock and unlock the segways from a remote location. This enabled the client to set up a Segway rental management system and to control the Segway by giving commands such as start/stop, lock and switching on the LED lights.
Turnaround time: 1 month
Bird Tracking
Requirement
Develop a solution to track and collect data from a Particle Electron 2G device and send it to the cloud. The data needs to be sent immediately when cellular connectivity is available, and needs to be stored and sent later in the absence of cellular connectivity.
Solution
We programmed Particle Electron to decode the NMEA data coming from the hornet GPS module and filter the required data. This data is sent to Particle Cloud where we have configured a webhook which will direct the data to our database. In the absence of cellular connectivity, the data gets logged on an SD card and is sent to Particle Cloud upon regaining connectivity.
Turnaround time: 1 month
Reviews
the project
Custom Software Development for Digital Marketing Agency
"They exceeded my desired deliverables and functionality."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Owner Founder of Render Impact and Specialized Production Inc. Our company creates Digital Content for Digital Signage
For what projects/services did your company hire WeMakeIoT, and what were your goals?
We wanted to develop a software solution to run on a low-cost Raspberry Pi that would playback out content easily and reliably. We have had many potential customers that could not afford Commercial Media Players which closed the door for our services. We needed a low-cost media Play with software that was easy to use to offer these clients in order for our new clients to playback out HD digital content.
How did you select WeMakeIoT and what were the deciding factors?
I looked at some of their previous project and found out they had Raspberry Pi Software development experience. I took a chance with them and was pleased with their understanding of my requirements.
Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.
I gave them specific details of what the player should do, along with rough drawings of specific screens needed. Needed was the ability to allow a tiered user privileges and playlist that allowed the user to assign content to the playlist from a cloud based storage reservoir. WeMakeIoT understood and sent me a prototype software for me to sample and I was amazed at the functionality of the demo. We hosted the cloud based software on Amazon AWS and they were fluent in working with me to set up the necessary accounts/services.
How many people from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?
I worked with Sheeba (Project Manager), Sooraj (Main Developer), and one other engineer.
Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?
By offering this product to potential clients, we increased revenue and converted new clients. Sheeba and her team were lightning fast as far as the initial deliverable. After that we reached back out to her team to continually upgrade the software which included better security, playlist capabilities and several user interface changes. I have to say, Sheeba and her team were prompt, professional and always delivered my requested updates ahead of schedule.
Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timelines.
Our company being in the United States, I thought would be a logistical nightmare with our communication... from day one Sheeba and her team never left me hanging, they messaged me as if they were down the hall, next office over. We never skipped a beat. Always available to solve any glitchs (which were mostly my lack of knowledge. haha). We messaged each other constantly and for that I was extremely impressed and gave me a sense of comfort.
What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?
Professionalism comes to mind. Always suggesting better ways to do what I waned to do. They exceeded my desired deliverables and functionality. Sheeba and I even messaged each other about our businesses and how things were going.
Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?
None. They are an A1 Company, and I will continue to work with them in the future!
the project
Staff Augmentation for Energy Company
"They genuinely care about delivering a functional product not just doing their small portion of the job."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I work for Connexa. I am in Research and Development and currently overseeing our IoT initiative. I am responsible for delegating hardware, firmware, and cloud software development. Connexa as a company got our start in Solar energy, but our main product line is now industrial automation assemblies. From designing and wiring control panels to manufacturing steel mounting structures, our goal is to cut down field labor on install. Our primary industry is oil and gas.
For what projects/services did your company hire WeMakeIoT?
We needed a way to remotely monitor the automation systems we manufacture, to give our customers access to their data and for us to be able to troubleshoot more effectively. The hardware design was already completed when we started working with Sheeba and her team so we have been primarily leveraging their expertise in UI/UX development.
What were your goals for this project?
We needed to quickly roll out the visual interface for the already existing hardware/backend service.
How did you select this vendor?
We made our choice because of their previous IoT and cloud experience. They had a portfolio of projects including ones that used the same hardware and a number of microservices we were incorporating. Rather than educating a more traditional software team on how to interact with our IoT devices, we were able to get to work immediately as there was already a solid understanding.
Describe the project in detail.
I have to stay vague on the exact scope but it entailed mainly UI development with a little bit of backend API development. My role was to scope the project, create testing standards, and then perform QC on the code turned in by SoftwareAssociates/WeMakeIot. Their team was immensely helpful in the project management/planning portion. They helped us to break the scope apart into smaller tasks and we were able to communicate everything effectively over asana. At no point did I feel confused as to what they were working on because we had complete transparency into their wworkflow with excellent communication. Every time we caught a bug or needed to refactor the scope, they gave us a new quote breaking down the time needed to complete each task so that we could approve it before they continued racking up hours.
What was the team composition?
We have 1 main developer we work closely with from SoftwareAssociates/WeMakeIot. We also have access to project managers and QC engineers as needed. During the early stages of development we had daily meetings with the entire team to make sure everyone was on the same page and development was proceeding as planned.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
We have rolled out the project to an small test group of customers and have gotten a lot of positive feedback. The application is responsive and updates can be rolled out without interrupting usage. Communication to all of our IoT devices is seamless and the app seems to be scaling without any issues.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Like I mentioned previously, communication is a strong suit. We used asana for individual tasks and the team communicated their progress there multiple times throughout the day. Slack was used for more general questions and communication. We were able to schedule meetings within a business day if necessary. Code is being transferred via gitlab, with the normal workflow being after a new feature is added their developers will submit a merge request so our internal QC can go over everything before merging into the main branches.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
We were most impressed by how similar their previous projects were to ours. We spoke with a number of software development companies that were adamant on their capabilities but had little to no experience working with hardware and embedded firmware. Even though SoftwareAssociates/WeMakeIot has not written any of our firmware it was monumental that they understood how all the puzzle pieces fit together. They genuinely care about delivering a functional product not just doing their small portion of the job.
Are there any areas for improvement?
I think the only limitations we ran into were due to Connexa's budget on the project. SoftwareAssociates/WeMakeIot had all the resources available to us but sometimes we were not able to make it fit within our budget
the project
SaaS Dev for Commercial Building Platform
"We were most impressed with their ability to learn our industry quickly."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I am the found and CEO of Kijora, Inc., a commercial building automation platform (hardware & software) that is open-source, cost-effective and extremely powerful.
For what projects/services did your company hire WeMakeIoT?
We hired WeMakeIoT to develop the cloud SaaS portion of the project from the ground up. This project requires intimate knowledge of not just back-end software development, but also the standard protocols used in building automation (BACnet, Modbus, etc.).
What were your goals for this project?
The project is ongoing and the goals keep expanding (as can be expected). WeMakeIoT hit every major deadline and has been great throughout the project.
How did you select this vendor?
We originally found WeMakeIoT via an online freelance website. They submitted their qualifications package and we realized they had experience with some of the building automation communication protocols, so it was a no-brainer to go with them.
Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.
We provided a very high-level scope of work document and since we do not have any developers on staff at Kijora, we provided little information on specifics. WeMakeIoT was able to take that information and develop a detailed work plan, timeline, and budget. I was very impressed with their professionalism and their ability to take what would be considered vague scope and work with our team to figure out exactly what needed to be developed.
What was the team composition?
There were 3 main members that I communicated with on our project (2 developers and 1 PM).
Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?
Since this is the core platform and user interface to our technology, it is absolutely critical to our business. Without the WeMakeIoT, there would be no Kijora!
How was project management arranged and how effective was it?
Throughout the project, we touched base at key milestones and we utilized a couple of methods of communication and issue tracking. WeMakeIoT was willing to work with us on using our preferred method of communication which was very beneficial and effective.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
We were most impressed with their ability to learn our industry quickly. Some of the building automation protocols and technologies are not easy to understand, but WeMakeIoT had no problems picking it up.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Any area of improvement gets provided as feedback to WeMakeIoT and they take corrective actions immediately.
the project
Firmware Improvements for Agricultural IoT Controller
"I like the quality of the work, and the have a desire to do things well and without problems."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
Our company is based in Canada since 2009 and provide IoT products to agricultural industries. I am the CEO
For what projects/services did your company hire WeMakeIoT?
We worked with WeMakeIoT company to improve the firmware of one of our product. Customers asked to integrate new features and we wanted to work with high tech company.
What were your goals for this project?
The project needed to to schedule irrigation scheduled online and offline and able to receive remotely actions.
How did you select this vendor?
At the beginning we made some search over freelancing website and we made our selection after severals discussions. We conclude that WeMakeIoT was the best business we want to work.
Describe the project and the services they provided in detail.
WeMakeIoT provide us challenge about our actual product, analyzing document, an improved firmware, documentations to use and setup, a good communication between both teams and high development skills.
What was the team composition?
We have a project manager who shares advancements and communications between the two teams. We use a centralized information exchange system to keep every discussion about the project. The team had access to our Git and inform us about development progress. Communication is easy by email, chat or Skype.
Can you share any information that demonstrates the impact that this project has had on your business?
The big impact working with WeMakeIoT is about the peace of mind of this development aspect and keep us on others things to grow our business. While the team work in our projects, we can focus on others business development.
How was project management arranged and how effective was it?
The project has been split into iteration and we was able to review each iteration until we are satisfied
What did you find most impressive about this company?
I like the quality of the work, and the have a desire to do things well and without problems.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Seriously, I don't see any major improvement
WeMakeIoT successfully delivered the software, which increased the company's revenue and the number of leads received. The team was prompt in delivering the requested outcomes. With their professionalism and skills, they exceeded the expectations of the client.