What are LoRa and LoRaWan? How are they used and are they beneficial in industrial environments?
LoRa vs LoRaWan
LoRa, which stands for “long range,” is the physical communication layer used by many devices. Although it has a long range, its bandwidth is minuscule compared to a WIFI network. It’s been used to collect weather data from multiple weather stations simultaneously from kilometers away and with minimal battery power.
LoRaWan, which stands for “long range wide area network,” is a protocol that runs on the LoRa communication layer. When a location has no cellphone reception or WIFI/Internet access, LoRaWan can travel kilometers with packets of data consistently with minimal investment.
Benefits of LoRa and LoRaWan
LoRa and LoRaWan technology make it possible to add hundreds of non-timed critical sensors to one LoRaWan gateway. Due to the bandwidth limitations, packets of data need to be sent routinely. A good example of differentiation is sending an instant text message with your phone versus sending a picture that might take more time.
Using LoRaWan serves as a perfect solution for the instantaneous inventory of bulk and measurable stock. Being able to do this will drastically enhance purchasing power and improve overhead reduction. It also eliminates the cost and troubleshooting of wiring, in addition to avoiding cellphone service charges.
