8 Applications of LoRaWAN | More Than Just Tech

With the IoT paradigm presenting itself as the future of the internet, LoRaWAN cannot be overlooked as a fundamental part of IoT. As we now know, it presents itself as the network that will be used for almost everything.

It is no longer news that IoT aims at giving any object the ability to connect to the internet and communicate with other objects over a wide distance range which makes the applications of LoRaWAN span almost all spheres of life. IoT, of course, with the aid of LoRaWAN is creating business efficiencies and improving lives all around the world.

We cannot but wonder how this will change daily living in the nearest future. After all that has been explained, it is pertinent to understand that this is more than mere technology. As it seems now, it will probably take the world to the next level.

8 Applications of LoRaWAN

Now, let’s take a journey through the applications of this great technology and see how it would be changing lives in the future.

Smart Agriculture

Agriculture is one of the most important sectors in many countries in the world. It is the essential to life and the economy.

The application of IoT with the use of LoRaWAN enables maximum efficiencies which reduces environmental impact, maximize yield and minimize expenses. From measuring environmental conditions, which influences crop production, to tracking livestock health indicators, IoT is gradually improving our agricultural system.

Since LoRa technology has low power, long range features and wireless qualities, the use of low cost sensors to send signals from the farm to the Cloud where they can be used to improve operations have been employed.

Now let’s see how LoRa technology has enabled efficiencies in the farming world.

The How

1. Smart Farming Networks: A LoRaWAN-based network to enable LoRa-based IoT solutions for smart agricultural applications has been deployed by agricultural company, Goanna Ag and Australian carrier National Narrowband Network (NNNCo).
2. Smart Cattle Ranching: LoRa enabled GPS tracker and biometric sensor can monitor a cow’s vital organs and location. It is also designed to notify ranchers in cases of abnormalities.
3. Ingestible Cattle Health Tracker: There is a LoRa-equipped capsule that can be implanted in a cow’s gastrointestinal tract for monitoring various health indicators.
4. Monitoring of Soil Moisture: As water might become more scarce in many parts of the world, LoRa-based solutions have been provided to allow farmers manage their irrigation system more effectively. Hence, we need not worry about drought as this technology could save the soil during the “less rainy” days.
5. Monitoring of Cattle Health: LoRa-equipped ear tags monitor the location and health of cattle increasing their yield and productivity.
6. Smart Soil Sensors: LoRa-based wireless sensors help detect Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) levels in the soil. This will help farmers reduce waste and maximize crop yield.
7. Other Agricultural Applications: Autonomous irrigation and the presence of IoT networks in rural areas.

Smart Cities

Wow, smart cities? Yes, smart cities. You may be wondering just how this would be possible. Well, the possibility of this is not farfetched as LoRaWAN is designed to improve everyday municipal operations.

Just by connecting services such as lighting, waste removal and many more, smart cities is very possible. Imagine a Sci-Fi movie with flying cars and all, well maybe not!

This technology is indeed, making the world a better place.

The How

1. Smart Bus Schedule: This is good news for students and workers. In fact, commuters generally, as a LoRa-based solar powered display screen showing information, such as the next bus departure, and up-to-the-minute changes in schedule, is available. This saves commuters a lot of time.
2. Smart Street Lights: A LoRa-based street lighting system reduces electricity costs to the barest minimum without affecting the city’s infrastructures and facilities. LoRa technology’s low cost and low power aims make this application effectively possible.
3. Smart Waste Management: Normally, waste is disposed of whether it is full or not. With LoRa technology, waste capacities can be evaluated, making waste management a lot easier.
4. Smart Parking: LoRa technology simplifies deploying smart parking spaces. You can share your parking status with any LoRa-enabled device. This transforms basic commercial and municipal parking spaces into smart spaces that can detect the absence, presence, arrival, and departure of a vehicle.
5. Other Smart City Applications: Smart metering, smart water leakage detection, and smart flood sensors—all of which create a more resilient environment among many others.
6. Smart Environment: LoRaWAN technology contributes to a smarter environment by monitoring flood sensors, supporting natural disaster communications, monitoring water systems, and protecting endangered species. For instance, LoRa-equipped sensors are placed in black Rhinos to monitor their movements and activities.

Smart Healthcare

LoRa technology is suitable for critical smart healthcare applications by virtue of its low power and low cost and its ability to cover a wide range. LoRa technology is indeed, improving healthcare and livelihood.

The How

1. Food Safety: LoRa technology is used to check the temperature of food, helping to prevent food spoilage and wastage. It also assists in taking inventory of losses due to hazardous food storage temperatures.
2. Hearing Aids: IoT-connected hearing aids help patients with hearing loss. They support multiple radio protocols in the 2.4 GHz band and operate on very low power.
3. Tracking of Patients with Alzheimer’s and Dementia: LoRaWAN-enabled wearable devices alert caregivers when patients with Alzheimer’s or Dementia leave a designated safe zone, ensuring maximum safety without constant supervision.
4. Wearables for Kids: LoRa-enabled bracelets and smartwatches are available to track the location of children, offering peace of mind to parents who want to know where their kids are, even when out of sight.
5. Skier Safety: LoRa-based devices make skiing safer by allowing ski students to track their location, ensuring safety and making skiing more enjoyable.
6. Medical Refrigerators: LoRa-based medical refrigerators are designed to store vaccines, medications, and blood, greatly improving medical laboratory science and storage efficiency.

Smart Homes and Buildings

The ability of LoRa technology devices to penetrate dense building materials make them the ideal platform for LoRa based smart home and building devices. Due to the long range abilities of this technology, LoRa enabled sensors can track strayed assets from home and detect danger, optimize utility usage and provide overall safety.

The How

1. Detection of Water Leakage and Damage Prevention: Damage caused by water leakage poses a significant threat to property and homeowners. LoRa-based temperature and humidity sensors can prevent water leakage and damage in homes through the simple installation of LoRa devices in susceptible areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Smart Fire Evacuation System

LoRa-enabled sensors can detect danger zones and help people navigate through these zones by indicating the quickest and safest direction out of the hazardous premises.

Home Security

LoRa-enabled security systems offer full-time protection for homes. By integrating sensors for alarms and doors with security cameras and automatic door locks, your home is in safe hands.

Smart Industrial Control

LoRa based technology can favor industrial operations by smart construction machine usage, conveyor belt sensors to detect danger, prevent failure of belt and reduce costs of maintenance. Also, smart sensors for seam tanks, backhoes, forklift, diesel tankers and trucks.

Due to its wide range abilities, LoRa based solutions can monitor industrial applications in remote areas with harsh weather conditions. It does this by overcoming distance boundaries whilst still maximizing monitoring efficiencies and overall productivity.

Smart Metering, Supply Chain and Logistics

Traditional labour intensive operations which utilizes subjective measurements by field personnel, shows the need to incorporate LoRaWAN technology into utilities. Additionally, meters are often situated in dense urban environments, indoors or even underground, making them difficult and even almost impossible to reach.

With the aid of LoRa technology, utility and metering companies can easily collect data and use personnel more efficiently to streamline operations. From introducing water metering solutions to smart metering, LoRaWAN technology is enabling companies improve efficiencies and manage costs.

Also, LoRa technology makes it easier to track highly valued assets that are in transit by affordable smart supply chain and logistics. Due to its long range, low power consumption qualities and GPS-free geo-location abilities, vehicles, cargos, trucks and other assets can be easily monitored over large geographic regions and within harsh environmental conditions.

The Future is LoRaWAN

Another fantastic news about LoRa technology is the ability to recover stolen vehicles through its tracking features.

Indeed, the future is bright with LoRaWAN technology, as global, national and regional networks have to support even trillions of devices.

LoRa can play a noteworthy role in the provision of a smart, low-cost and highly efficient network for future applications.

The concept of creating a smart planet sounds interesting but is it possible?

Yes! It is with LoRaWAN technology.