Nevada-based IoT firm iMatrix Systems has launched a range of temperature and humidity sensors for use in cold-chain and HVAC systems.

The Neo sensors can be used in food and produce storage, transport monitoring, pharmaceutical and agriculture applications.

They measure temperature between -40 and 125˚C and relative humidity between 0 and 100 per cent, and are for where precise control of temperature and humidity is essential for ensuring product quality and reducing energy costs.

“This series of products can quickly and accurately measure changes in temperature and humidity, making them ideal for use in dynamic refrigeration environments, like cold storage and refrigerated transportation,” said Greg Phillips, CEO of iMatrix. “This helps ensure that items are stored in optimal conditions, reducing spoilage and improving product quality.”

The sensors use Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF52832 SoC, its 64MHz, 32bit Arm Cortex M4 processor with floating point unit (FPU) providing computational resource to oversee the sensors and capture the temperature and humidity data.

Using the Bluetooth LE connectivity of the SoC’s 2.4GHz multiprotocol radio, these data are relayed to a gateway and in turn to the iMatrix cloud where users can review sensor data in near real time, enabling them to take remedial action in the event temperature or humidity levels fall outside acceptable tolerances. From the cloud platform, users can also access data analysis and visualisation tools, as well as perform device registration, firmware updates and remote configuration.

The sensors can last for up to three years between battery replacements, thanks, in part, to the low power characteristics of the Nordic SoC, including the 2.4GHz radio’s 5.5mA peak RX and TX currents and fully-automatic power management system.

“Overall, the nRF52832’s combination of energy efficiency, processing power, memory capacity, wireless connectivity and ease of use made it an attractive option,” said Phillips. “This SoC is also supported by a comprehensive SDK [software development kit] that includes drivers, libraries and sample code to help product designers get started with software development. The SDK includes tools for debugging, profiling and optimising code, making it easier to develop high-quality software for the chip.”

IMatrix Systems is an industrial IoT provider founded in 2018 and emerged from stealth in 2021. The company’s cloud platform and dedicated sensors apply to markets in healthcare, residential and commercial buildings, restaurants and hospitality, critical infrastructure, hydroponics, soil monitoring, and management. The company offers products for cold-chain markets and is based in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with offices around the USA.