Pycom’s multi-radio IoT device tipped to boost local app development

The arrival in New Zealand of UK based IoT device manufacturer Pycom’s latest IoT module is being tipped to kickstart a new round of IoT application development.

Pycom’s FiPy device, which goes on sale worldwide at the end of November, is claimed to be the world’s first to support five different radio communications technologies: WiFi, Bluetooth, LoRa, Sigfox and dual LTE-M (CAT M1 and NB-IoT) and to “contain all the core capability for developing the sensing devices needed by IoT applications.”

The founder of the IoT Auckland Meetup group, John McDermott, said the introduction of the FiPy into New Zealand would create opportunities for local developers, with Vodafone announcing plans for an NB-IoT network, Spark rolling out both LoRaWAN and LTE CAT-M1 networks and Australian company Thinxtra rolling out a Sigfox network.

Visiting Pycom executives will show off the device in New Zealand on 27 November at a seminar and hackathon in Auckland on November 27, hosted by the IoT Auckland Meetup group.

“New Zealand is now in a prime position to develop world leading IoT applications,” McDermott said.

“Pycom devices are an enterprise grade solution and suitable for industrial, smart city, environment as well as agricultural and many other IoT applications. Kiwi entrepreneurs will have more ability to create solutions as a result of the Pycom visit.”

The FiPy has a built-in operating system that supports MicroPython, the lightweight version of the Python web programming language. This, according to Pycom, enables developers to rapidly create new IoT applications and build fully working products.

The workshop is being hosted at  Auckland’s TechBunker on November 27 from 9am to 5pm. details at a www.meetup.com/IOT-Auckland.

The FiPy can be ordered from the Pycom web site which shows a price of €54.00, and shipping from the end of November.