Asset monitor pairs nRF9151 cellular with DECT NR+ fallback

Azzurro Digitale has launched the MATIX Box, an IoT enterprise asset monitoring device that fits directly onto industrial machinery to track cycles, uptime and downtime via a built-in accelerometer.

The device is built around Nordic Semiconductor's nRF9151 module, which provides LTE-M, NB-IoT and DECT NR+ connectivity to send data to the cloud. In facilities without cellular coverage, such as shielded buildings or remote sites, the module's DECT NR+ capability lets the device instead relay data over a local private network using few gateways, according to Nordic.

A second Nordic component, the nRF54L15 multiprotocol SoC, handles Bluetooth LE beacon scanning for indoor location and short-range links to satellite sensor nodes measuring temperature, pressure and flow. This lets users monitor equipment condition and location even when assets sit at third-party suppliers, Nordic states.

Power and deployment claims

Azzurro Digitale CTO Marco Barbetta said the nRF9151's cellular and DECT NR+ connectivity makes the device plug-and-play, since it needs no local network infrastructure on the customer side, and added that because the device communicates only with the cloud rather than being directly exposed to the internet, it is less vulnerable to attack than solutions relying on corporate Wi-Fi or customer IT systems, with data protected via encrypted SSL connections.

The MATIX Box runs from a LiSOCl2 primary cell paired with a lithium pulse capacitor to supply the current spikes needed for LTE radio transmission. Nordic states this combination, together with the nRF9151's low power consumption, allows up to two years of operation before battery replacement, removing any wiring or charging requirement.

Vendor productivity claim

Barbetta described the MATIX Box as a customer-ready product that Azzurro Digitale states is proven to lower maintenance costs and downtime, and to deliver up to 15 percent higher productivity with fewer production defects. These figures are Azzurro Digitale's own claims and have not been independently verified.