Murata announced that its MBN52832 embedded Bluetooth® module is now compatible with VitaNet Suite, the secure IoT platform developed by California-based VitaNet, creating the first solution for automatic identification and authentication of Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE)-compatible IoT devices.
The addition of VitaNet's middleware to Murata's module will allow manufacturers of BLE-enabled IoT devices to easily convert industrial components into secure IoT devices, enabling a variety of features including remote status monitoring and automated data capture, which are strategic given the issues surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need to reduce manual plant interventions.
VitaNet Suite and the MBN52832 module: Features
VitaNet Suite is a platform-based service consisting of middleware that runs on each gateway and IoT device and the support required for protocol conversion from the cloud. VitaNet's patented technology converts protocols between IP networks and non-IP Bluetooth® devices, enabling for the first time the connection of hundreds of IoT devices that can perform bi-directional encrypted communications through a single gateway.
The MBN52832 Bluetooth® Low Energy module enables ultra-low power connection for data communication. It comprises the BLE chipset from NordicBLE chipset, the RF front end and a quartz housed in an extremely small package. The integrated Arm Cortex-M4 core with 64kB of RAM and 512kB of flash is a high-performance engine capable of supporting a variety of interfaces for a wide range of IoT applications, including those in the medical, healthcare and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) sectors.
How the combined Murata-VitaNet solution works
The combined MBN52832-VitaNet solution applies a QR code containing device information to pumps, motors and other industrial devices, eliminating the need for LCD panels or operation buttons previously required for Bluetooth® operation. The VitaNet Authentication Key is only required once, during system initialization, and cached VitaNet Authentication Key information is used during subsequent operations. This is the first time that security and pairing functionality has been automated and integrated with the AES-128 based packet encryption supported by the Bluetooth® standard.
The integration of the Murata module allows for bi-directional communication with IoT devices from a cloud server, thus enabling secure remote management and control of a large number of IoT devices, including active monitoring (to check whether a system is operating smoothly or not), automated data capture, and numerous other operational tasks.