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Internet of Things Sweden – IoT Sweden – is a strategic innovation programme that supports and funds innovative IoT project in public-sector all-over Sweden.

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<p>Catrin Ditz currently works at Storsthlm as a Process Manager and digital strategist. In that assignment, she leads the cooperation between the 26 municipalities in the Stockholm County as well as stakeholders such as the County Administrative Board, Region Stockholm, The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) and other government authorities.</p>
<p>Internet of Things Sweden is a Strategic Innovation Programme that supports and finances innovative IoT projects in the public sector across the country.</p>
<p>“It feels very nice to welcome Catrin Ditz as Programme Manager for IoT Sweden. Her broad network and knowledge of digitisation and collaboration will strengthen both our Programme Office and IoT Sweden&#8217;s work abroad, said Kristin Blom, acting Programme Manager at IoT Sweden.”</p>
<h2>Experience in the public sector</h2>
<p>Catrin Ditz has a Master&#8217;s degree in engineering from KTH with a specialisation in industrial economics. She has also worked as CIO at Uppsala municipality for four years.</p>
<p>“I have a good understanding of the public sector challenges and opportunities when it comes to digitisation. A lot is about collaboration and finding the right ways to let knowledge flow between different professional categories, areas of expertise and sectors, said Catrin Ditz.”</p>
<p>Catrin Ditz starts as Programme Manager at IoT Sweden 15 August. She will be employed at the Uppsala University Innovation Partnership Office (UU Samverkan), which hosts the Strategic Programme IoT Sweden.</p>
<p><em>IoT Sweden is financed by Vinnova, the Swedish Energy Agency and Formas.</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


IoT Sweden welcomes Catrin Ditz as new program manager. She has long experience of working with collaboration and digitization within public administration.

Catrin Ditz new Programme Manager at IoT Sweden - IoT Sverige

Catrin Ditz new Programme Manager at IoT Sweden

IoT Sverige vill öka användningen av sakernas internet i offentlig sektor.

IoT Sverige

<p>There is a gathering down on the ice track at Södra hamnplan. Luleå Municipality is the project owner of Arctic IoT, a prototype development project funded by IoT Sweden. On this day, project manager Urban Persson has gathered all the parties involved in the project. They will meet with Business Sweden and IoT Sweden to discuss development and internationalisation together.</p>
<p>“Arctic IoT is a collaborative project between the public sector, academia and industry. Several of Luleå&#8217;s top tech companies are involved in the project, and for them it is, of course, interesting to look beyond Sweden&#8217;s borders,” says Urban Persson, Business Architect at the Digital Development Unit at Innovation &amp; Development Luleå Municipality.</p>
<figure id="attachment_16944" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16944" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16944 size-large" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea-1024x512.jpg" alt="Sparkar i Luleå" width="640" height="320" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea-300x150.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea-768x384.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparkar-i-Lulea.jpg 1810w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16944" class="wp-caption-text">Kicksleds available at Luleå&#8217;s 10 km long ice track.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Connected and popular ice track</h3>
<p>The ice track has become a popular visitor and recreational area. On nice days, it is full of people who come here to skate, ride kicksleds, take walks and barbecue at one of the municipality&#8217;s fire pits.</p>
<p>“The ice track means a lot to the people of Luleå, and actually served as inspiration for this project. We started thinking about how we can use digital means to develop it and make it even more accessible,” says Michael Nilsson, Project Manager at the Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.</p>
<p>The thoughts resulted in the prototype development project Arctic IoT. The goal is to develop an app where visitors will be able to see various information before, during and after their visit to the ice track.</p>
<figure id="attachment_16968" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16968" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16968 size-large" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen-1024x677.jpg" alt="Isbanan i Luleå på kvällen" width="640" height="423" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen-300x198.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen-768x508.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen-1536x1015.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Isbanan-pa-kvallen.jpg 1545w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16968" class="wp-caption-text">The Arctic IoT project has tested several successful sensor solutions in the Arctic climate. However, one test that was not fully successful was measuring ice thickness with a specialised ground penetrating radar solution.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Testing several different solutions</h3>
<p>The project is currently in an intensive phase, where different sensor solutions are being tested in the Arctic climate. Two weather stations have been set up to measure humidity, wind speed and how cold it is. Other types of sensors are located at the municipality&#8217;s fire pits, one measuring heat and another measuring how much wood is left in the wood boxes. There are also sensors that measure the water temperature in an ice hole for winter swimmers. In the adjacent sauna, there are heat sensors that signal whether it is heated or not.</p>
<p>A particularly popular initiative is the municipality&#8217;s kicksleds along the ice track, which can be borrowed free of charge and are now also connected.</p>
<p>“We&#8217;ve equipped the kicksleds with sensors, and our prototype app provides real-time information on whether a kicksled is free or in use and where it is located on the ice track,” explains Urban Persson.</p>
<p>The visualisation is done using the municipality&#8217;s own map tool as a basis. On the map, all facilities are labelled with GPS positions.</p>
<h3>Problems with weather changes</h3>
<p>The unique aspect of the project is the testing of sensor solutions in an Arctic climate. How does the technology cope with snow and cold? So far, the project team can conclude that the cold itself has not created significant problems, although it is a little early to know how aspects such as battery life are affected. However, rapid weather changes, from zero degrees and rain to below zero and wind, have affected the technology.</p>
<p>“Ice and snow formation has on a few occasions created problems for our weather stations, for example, and the sensors that count the number of visitors have also been affected,” says Urban Persson.</p>
<figure id="attachment_16962" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16962" style="width: 272px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-16962" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Vaderstation-272x300.jpg" alt="Väderstation IoT " width="272" height="300" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Vaderstation-272x300.jpg 272w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Vaderstation-768x847.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Vaderstation.jpg 798w" sizes="(max-width: 272px) 100vw, 272px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16962" class="wp-caption-text">How does the technology cope with snow and cold? Weather changes, from zero degrees and rain to below zero and wind, have affected the weather stations. </figcaption></figure>
<h3>Finding new approaches with IoT</h3>
<p>The project also has a more general goal – to learn more about the technology, and find new approaches and areas of use for IoT. Luleå Municipality has previously tested IoT solutions in park management and for lifebuoys. This project creates further insights and more integrated solutions that can be used in other areas in the future.</p>
<p>“For example, we’ve talked about applying IoT solutions to measure snow depth or snow weight on roofs. Even using IoT in different ways in welfare, for example through security-creating technology in elderly care,” says Hanna Westergaard, Head of the Digital Development Unit at Innovation and Development, Luleå Municipality.</p>
<figure id="attachment_16956" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16956" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16956 size-large" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang-1024x471.jpg" alt="Sparksiluett solnedgång" width="640" height="294" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang-1024x471.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang-300x138.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang-768x353.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang-1536x707.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Sparksiluett-solnedgang.jpg 1973w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16956" class="wp-caption-text">Connected kicksled in sunset.</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Scaling up – a make-or-break issue</h3>
<p>When the project ends, a plan is needed to take the insights further. Scaling up is a make-or-break issue for many innovation projects. It is also something that the Arctic IoT project has already started talking about.</p>
<p>“It is about taking insights from the project further. Finding strategies for sharing and synchronising data. Only then will the municipality be able to benefit from the technology in a meaningful way,” says Hanna Westergaard.</p>
<h3>Collected expertise</h3>
<p>In addition to Luleå Municipality, the project includes, Luleå University of Technology, the companies Grepit and ThingWave, and the municipal company Lunet. All parties contribute with different skills sets and inputs, which is a strength of the project. The project team sees great opportunities to build on the lessons learned.</p>
<p>“The next step may be to also connect AI (Artificial Intelligence) for even smarter solutions now that we have started collecting data,” says Michael Nilsson.<br />
“Why not open up Luleå as a test bed for other external actors who want to test IoT solutions in a tough climate and in our environments,” Hanna Westergaard speculates further.</p>
<p>The project runs until October 2023.</p>
<figure id="attachment_16926" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-16926" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-16926 size-large" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam-1024x687.jpg" alt="Projektteam Arctic IoT" width="640" height="429" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam-1024x687.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam-300x201.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam-768x515.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam-1536x1030.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Projektteam.jpg 1590w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-16926" class="wp-caption-text">The team wants to test more IoT solutions, such as measuring snow depth and snow weight linked to the maintenance of municipal properties. Pictured from left to right: Michael Nilsson, Luleå University of Technology, Hanna Westergaard and Urban Persson, Luleå Municipality.</figcaption></figure>


Arctic IoT is a collaborative project between the public sector, academia and industry, funded by IoT Sweden.

Testing IoT in an Arctic climate - IoT Sverige

Testing IoT in an Arctic climate

<p>Stakeholders from both the public and the private sectors participate in order to share knowledge, networking and learn about new innovations.</p>
<p>IoT Sweden is one of the representatives in the Swedish delegation TeamSweden for Transfiere 2023. The expo, which is organised for the 12th year in a row, is Spain&#8217;s major forum where various stakeholders gather around research, development and innovation.</p>
<h2>Sweden and Finland are special guests</h2>
<p>IoT Sweden has been selected to represent TeamSweden together with <a href="https://www.business-sweden.com/">Business Sweden</a>, <a href="https://www.regionvasterbotten.se/">the county of Västerbotten</a>, <a href="https://www.ericsson.com/en">Ericsson</a>, <a href="http://www.ri.se/en/">RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)</a>, <a href="https://sensative.com/">Sensative</a>, <a href="https://www.ivl.se/english/ivl/about-ivl/international.html">IVL</a> and <a href="https://www.alfalaval.se/en">AlfaLaval</a>. In addition to Sweden, Finland is also participating with a delegation.</p>
<p>“There is an interest in how we work with digitisation in the Nordic countries. The similarities between Sweden and the rest of Europe are greater than the differences. Organisation and governance separate us, but we share common challenges and there is great value to learn from each other”, says Olle Bergdahl, Programme Director at IoT Sweden.</p>
<figure id="attachment_10918" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10918" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-10918" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-768x432.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-10918" class="wp-caption-text">Olle Bergdahl, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Networking with Spanish cities</h2>
<p>IoT Sweden participates, among other things, in a panel discussion about The Nordic Way – Innovation and Digitisation for Sustainable Societies. In addition, IoT Sweden will discuss with Spanish cities the work with innovative IoT solutions in the public sector that is ongoing. Spain is one of the first countries in Europe to implement a national standard for innovation management.</p>
<p>“However, we also want to showcase IoT Sweden&#8217;s project portfolio and we know that there is a great interest in all our exciting projects. Perhaps especially in the areas of digitisation and sustainability, e-health and smart cities”, says Olle Bergdahl.</p>
<p>Transfiere takes place in Málaga 14-17 February.</p>
<h2>Read more</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://transfiere.fycma.com/?lang=en">Transfiere 2023</a></li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


IoT Sweden will participate in Transfiere in Málaga 14–17 February. Transfiere is Spain's major expo for research, development and innovation. 

IoT Sweden part of Team Sweden at Transfiere - IoT Sverige

IoT Sweden part of Team Sweden at Transfiere

<p>Smart City Lab is sprung from the project City as a Platform (CaaP) which was part of another Strategic Innovation Programme, <a href="https://en.viablecities.se/">Viable Cities</a>. Smart City Lab aims at increasing the use of IoT data in the public sector.</p>
<h3>Gap between guidelines and practical everyday life</h3>
<p>An important experience from the City as a Platform project is that there is a gap between guidelines from national authorities on the one hand, and the municipalities&#8217; practical everyday life on the other hand, especially around components linked to the soft digital infrastructure. It is this gap that the Smart City Lab aims to bridge.</p>
<p>“Many municipalities use IoT data in their operations, however, there are few examples of IoT data being shared outside the suppliers&#8217; systems, thus contributing and benefitting other purposes than what was originally intended,&#8221; said Claus Popp Larsen, Project Manager for Smart City Lab.</p>
<figure id="attachment_12037" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12037" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-12037" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ClausRISE-bild-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ClausRISE-bild-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ClausRISE-bild-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ClausRISE-bild-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ClausRISE-bild.jpg 1505w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-12037" class="wp-caption-text">Clause Popp Larsen</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Silos inhibit data-driven development</h3>
<p>Today there is a discrepancy in data management that limits data-driven development and the scaling-up of use of IoT in Swedish municipalities. A low degree of digital maturity is the standard situation in many, if not all, municipalities resulting in locked-in and unstructured data as well as in a lack of prevailing, agreed standards regarding data format etc.</p>
<p>“There is still too much work in &#8220;silos&#8221; within administrations and municipal companies. We want to help municipalities move forward. We want to increase collaborations, sharing of experiences and avoiding reinventing the wheel every time”, said Claus Popp Larsen.</p>
<p>Listen to Episode 4 about Smart City Lab. Available where podcasts live, for example here:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://iotsweden.podbean.com/">Podbean</a></li>
<li><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-iot-public-sector-podcast/id1667876226">Apple Podcasts</a></li>
<li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZMypc5V2pmosUF5c2hkAD">Spotify</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-the-iot-public-sector-podc-107902589/?utm_source=sendgrid&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=PB-sendgrid-emails">iHeart Radio</a></li>
</ul>


In the latest episode we discuss smart cities with one of the Project Managers of Smart City Lab: Claus Popp Larsen.

New podcast episode: Smart City Lab - IoT Sverige

New podcast episode: Smart City Lab

<p>“With my engineering background from Ericsson’s mobile phone system development work in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I belong to the first generation of IoTers. At that time, IoT was mainly about adding GSM functionality to various applications, such as alarms. A very stripped down mobile phone, in short. The developments since then have been astonishing and so exciting. Since my time at Ericsson, I have worked in various roles within the Swedish innovation system. As an investor, as an entrepreneur and as a management consultant.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_15433" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15433" style="width: 258px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-15433" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Magnus-Fransson-webb-258x300.jpg" alt="Magnus Fransson" width="258" height="300" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Magnus-Fransson-webb-258x300.jpg 258w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Magnus-Fransson-webb.jpg 402w" sizes="(max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-15433" class="wp-caption-text">Magnus Fransson</figcaption></figure>
<h3>What is top of the agenda when it comes to IoT Sweden’s internationalisation efforts?</h3>
<p>“Since the start, we have had around 200 businesses and companies involved in our projects. Among these, there are many with great potential to grow internationally as well. Together with Business Sweden and others, we want to support this journey. We have therefore just initiated a programme, a road trip, to meet these businesses and companies. In March, the first trip will be to Luleå and Skellefteå.”</p>
<h3>An overall goal of IoT Sweden as a strategic innovation programme is to increase Sweden’s competitive power internationally. What will it take to succeed?</h3>
<p>“Sweden has a fine tradition of creating competitive products and services, where collaboration between academia, the public, the private sector and civil society actually works in practice. At the same time, we are a small country with a small domestic market – a challenge in one sense, but also our good fortune. A key factor for success as a Swedish company is to look outwards, especially if you are a company in an R&amp;D-intensive landscape, which IoT is. These companies need to grow and sharpen their competitive edge internationally in order to be competitive in the Swedish market.”</p>
<p>“Similarly, you would think that Sweden would be an unattractive country for international companies to invest in, just because we are so small. But it turns out that we are a very interesting market to develop in. We are an advanced market in which companies can foster competitive international solutions. We must never lose this, and we must remain open to accommodating these companies.”</p>
<h3>What challenges do you see?</h3>
<p>“Time, as always, is a finite resource.”</p>
<h3>What is the concrete approach?</h3>
<p>“For IoT Sweden as a programme, it is about continuing to build networks, create relationships and share knowledge, in as close a dialogue as possible with the projects we work with.”</p>
<h3>You are also an author and have written the book Investera i Norden [Investing in the Nordics], which is about the struggle for global investment funds. Is the Nordic region attractive to foreign investors?</h3>
<p>“The Nordic region is an exciting and advanced market, with countries that have a similar history, culture and political system. It is a market that many in the outside world probably consider to be a single market, the Nordic market. A great springboard for business. And in that context, it is much better to showcase 30 million Nordic people rather than 10 million Swedes. I do not think that an international investor attaches so much importance to whether they end up in Denmark or Sweden. We are basically the same country and the sample people, aren’t we? We are more likely to be the ones who point out the small differences rather than the infinite similarities. That is what the book is about, developing and exploring the similarities; building bridges rather than digging ditches.”</p>
<hr />
<h2>Entrepreneurs – we want to meet you!</h2>
<p>Are you an entrepreneur who has participated in the IoT Sweden project? Are you curious to meet IoT Sweden and Business Sweden? Read more and sign up to take part:</p>
<p><strong>We will be on site in:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://iotsverige.se/kalendarium/foretagstraff-i-lulea-mot-iot-sverige-och-business-sweden">Luleå on 9 march (link to calender in swedish)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://iotsverige.se/kalendarium/foretagstraff-i-skelleftea-mot-iot-sverige-och-business-sweden">Skellefteå on 10 march (link to calender in swedish)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://iotsverige.se/kalendarium/foretagstraff-i-lund-mot-iot-sverige-och-business-sweden">Lund on 11 may (link to calender in swedish)</a></li>
</ul>


"A key factor for success as a Swedish company is to look outwards, especially if you are a company in an R&D-intensive landscape, which IoT is."

Meet Magnus Fransson who has recently taken over the role as the Director of Internationalisation at IoT Sweden.

“Sweden has great potential to grow internationally” - IoT Sverige

“Sweden has great potential to grow internationally”

<p>&#8211; There is still a large and untapped potential when it comes to the use of IoT within municipalities and regions. We believe we can contribute knowledge, experience and hopefully a large portion of inspiration in our new podcast, said Olle Bergdahl, Programme Director at IoT Sweden.</p>
<figure id="attachment_2484" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2484" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-2484" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg" alt="Olle Bergdahl. Foto: Mikael Wallerstedt" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-768x432.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2484" class="wp-caption-text">Olle Bergdahl. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt</figcaption></figure>
<p>IoT Sweden is one of 17 national Strategic Innovation Programmes that work towards finding solutions to global societal challenges and contributing to Sweden&#8217;s competitiveness internationally. The new podcast will feature IoT Sweden&#8217;s current and previous projects an their opportunities and challenges. The podcast is primarily aimed at municipalities and regions, but also private companies, authorities and other organisations that drive issues around IoT and digitisation in general.</p>
<p>&#8211; The unique thing about our podcast is that it specifically centres around IoT in the public sector. We hope that many will find it interesting, said Olle Bergdahl.</p>
<p>IoT Sweden will produce podcast episodes in both English and Swedish. The first three pilot episodes are all in English.</p>
<h2>You can listen to the podcast here:</h2>
<p><a href="https://iotsverige.se/en/podcast">• IoT Sweden&#8217;s website </a> <br />
<a href="https://iotsweden.podbean.com/">• Podbean</a><br />
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-iot-public-sector-podcast/id1667876226">• Apple Podcasts</a><br />
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0ZMypc5V2pmosUF5c2hkAD">• Spotify</a><br />
<a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/338-the-iot-public-sector-podc-107902589/?utm_source=sendgrid&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=PB-sendgrid-emails">• iHeart Radio</a></p>


This podcast will centre around how innovative IoT projects in the public sector can contribute to solutions on global societal challenges.

IoT Sweden launches new podcast - IoT Sverige

IoT Sweden launches new podcast

Recent blog post by Östen Frånberg on Standardised IoT

<p>It is with great sadness and loss that IoT Sweden announces the news that Östen Frånberg has left us. Östen was a legend within the organisation and was one of the brains behind IoT Sweden&#8217;s original innovation agenda, he was also the programme&#8217;s first Programme Director in 2014-2015. Until six months ago, Östen was still active and led IoT Sweden&#8217;s working group for standards and platforms.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-15502 alignleft" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Osten-foto-ISOC2-204x300.jpg" alt="" width="204" height="300" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Osten-foto-ISOC2-204x300.jpg 204w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Osten-foto-ISOC2.jpg 345w" sizes="(max-width: 204px) 100vw, 204px" />When the Internet came to Sweden, there were no rules for how different protocols should be handled, nor for e-mail handling or domain handling, and Östen Frånberg was one of those who were involved in pushing forward standards for all of this. Through his work in the Basnät 90 grouping, Östen was involved in and pushed forward the development of a private, commercial internet in Sweden, an internet that did not piggy-back on the academic world where the internet first spread. Östen’s interest in the Internet developed further to include the Internet of Things when it arrived &#8211; and here, too, the interest was particularly focused on standards and platforms.</p>
<p>-Östen had an enormous commitment and network both nationally and internationally in matters relating to technology and internet development. Through his long professional life, he has created many important pieces of the puzzle for our history. Östen was always generous with his time and knowledge. I am grateful that I got to know him and I will miss our conversations and his genuine commitment, said Olle Bergdahl, Programme Director at IoT Sweden.</p>
<p>Östen was for many years chairman of the Swedish standardisation committee for IoT. As a representative of Sweden within international standardisation for IoT and Digital Twins, he made many invaluable contributions. He also built a very large trust capital and many good relationships through his solid knowledge, good diplomacy and friendly appearance.</p>
<p>-For us who had the privilege of having Östen as a mentor for several years, he leaves a particularly large void. At the same time, we will always remember him with great joy and gratitude for what he meant and everything he generously shared, says Torbjörn Lahrin, who is the person who now leads IoT Sweden&#8217;s working group for standards and platforms and has worked closely with Östen for many years.</p>
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<p>´</p>
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Östen Frånberg – an internet pioneer has passed away - IoT Sverige

Östen Frånberg – an internet pioneer has passed away

<p>The Smart City Expo 2022 in Barcelona was a wonderful three days of lectures, exhibit stands, companies, countries, regions and cities, not to mention visitors. It was difficult to get a proper overview, so to create some structure I went around to the stands representing countries, regions or sometimes individual cities and asked three questions.</p>
<p>&#8211; What are your most successful implementations of IoT or smart city solutions?<br />
&#8211; What impacts have they had?<br />
&#8211; Have you measured the impacts and have figures on them?</p>
<p>Before we get to the results of that survey, I can say that the representation from cities at an expo specifically about smart cities was poor. Out of a total of 850 exhibitors, I managed to find 22 cities. While these certainly were not all of them, they were the only ones I managed to find. Several of them were in a single stand for a region or country. Sweden was represented by Stockholm and Helsingborg, where the capital had its own stand next to the big collective stand for the Nordics+ (Latvia was also part of it), which is where Helsingborg could be found.</p>
<h2>All cities are doing pilots and PoCs</h2>
<p>Generally speaking, there were very few successful implementations. Virtually all cities are doing pilots and PoCs. None could point to clear impacts, with the exception of the City of Helsingborg and the City of Stockholm, where the latter also shares them openly on its Smart and Connected City website in an exemplary way. This shows how immature the whole concept of smart cities is. Almost everyone is in a play period of doing lots of things without much control, goal or purpose beyond “learning”. Given the enormous potential and not negligible costs of IoT, it is not justifiable. Especially as cities have not readily shared what they have learned, so the knowledge is not spread in a good way.</p>
<p>It is very clear that Swedish cities are relatively far ahead in terms of benefits and impacts, but this may be partly because I found it easier to have a dialogue with them. However, the fact that almost no other cities could present clear benefits is very worrying.</p>
<p>A minimum requirement for starting a pilot/PoC nowadays should be a pre-identified and clear process for making decisions on possible scaling. Few if any seem to have this in place, and without this structure we will not see any significant impact either, only costs. I want to be clear that I do not have a problem with smaller test projects to verify a hypothetical benefit or to learn something specific, but it needs to be tied in with a larger benefit perspective in a structured way. Again, Stockholm is an exception and even Helsingborg thinks holistically in an impressive way.</p>
<figure id="attachment_15103" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-15103" style="width: 640px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-15103 size-large" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-1024x676.jpg" alt="Smart City Expo, Barcelona" width="640" height="423" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-1024x676.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-300x198.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-768x507.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-1536x1014.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Smart-City-Expo-i-Barcelona-2048x1351.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-15103" class="wp-caption-text">Smart City Expo, Barcelona</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Exceptions that confirm the rule</h2>
<p>There were some interesting cities that are worth highlighting and discussing.</p>
<h3>Stockholm</h3>
<p>Stockholm has been working for a long time on projects within the Smart and Connected City programme. The impacts it highlights are that it has learned how to procure and implement IoT through its structured work on, among other things, smart lighting, traffic management and locks. Future deployments will be smooth and relatively easy thanks to this.</p>
<p>In the work with smart locks, a business case, needs analysis and method for benefit calculation including a template in Excel have been developed, which is much more than any other municipality has been able to present. It also published a report in 2020 on lessons learned and recommendations for introducing smart locks to increase the chances of achieving all the benefits described in the project. Claes Johannesson of the City of Stockholm highlights that one of the most important benefits achieved is reduced frustration among staff. Key management was previously perceived as a major problem.</p>
<p>For smart lighting, the city has been working with impact targets in the economic, ecological and social fields. The report with project experiences and recommendations discusses the benefits that can be achieved.</p>
<p>Smart traffic management is the third PoC in the Smart and Connected City programme. Here too there are economic, ecological and social impact targets, and the outcomes for these are also presented in the report. It is not at the level of numbers, but rather presents the overall level of reasoning. The report, which was published in 2020, shows a number of benefits that smart traffic management can bring if implemented more widely.</p>
<p>Stockholm has also worked earnestly to hand over its PoCs to the operational organisations, which will then decide whether or not they want to implement them on a major scale. A very important component that many miss. For full transparency, I worked in a sister project on Open and Shared Data in the Smart and Connected City programme and have more insight here than in other cities’ work.</p>
<h3>Helsingborg</h3>
<p>One of the cities that has been working with IoT and smart cities for a long time in a structured and deep way, and shares the knowledge it has gained on the page Innovation in Helsingborg. Many of the benefits they see from the work are difficult to quantify, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>Better working environment and increased safety for employees</li>
<li>Knowledge of actual conditions and operating history before the municipality takes over the operation of the outdoor environment from a developer</li>
<li>Ability to plan operations based on data, not guesswork</li>
<li>Impacts often come later and IoT is a bit too new to have seen all the impacts yet</li>
<li>Data helps us identify which questions need to be answered</li>
</ul>
<p>Health and safety come from the use of sensors that measure moisture and irrigation needs of trees in the central median of a 2+2 lane road. It costs about SEK 6,000/hour in vehicle costs to water the trees, and workers are at risk when performing this job. Sensor data allows watering only when really needed, thereby minimising costs and risks. The cost of replacing dead trees in the municipality is reported to be about SEK 15 million/year. If this cost can be reduced, it is also a benefit.</p>
<p>Knowledge of operating history is based on the fact that when a new area is built, the developer is often responsible for communal environments for a few years before they are transferred to municipal management. Continuous measurements allow the municipality to see whether the builder has fulfilled its obligations.</p>
<p>Great future opportunities are seen in relation to reducing costs, improving quality and simplifying management by being able to make more data-driven decisions.</p>
<p>Helsingborg is in the process of replacing 33,000 lighting points. The old ones are 40-45 years old, so they are very energy inefficient and it is difficult to find spare parts. The new luminaires will be LED and will also act as nodes in an IoT network to connect nodes in the physical space. Dense nodes allow cheaper technologies to be used for connectivity. For example, a chip for Bluetooth costs about SEK 150, while one for Lora costs about SEK 1,500. If IoT is to be scaled, the cost must be kept as low as possible.</p>
<p>The cost of lighting up the city is usually around SEK 12 million/year but has increased to SEK 24 million with increased electricity prices. This has led to the planned introduction date for smart lighting being reduced from 10 years to 5 years, as the smart lighting is estimated to save 70% in electricity costs. The payback period was estimated at 10 years with the lower electricity prices, but will be even faster with the current prices.</p>
<h3>Curridabat</h3>
<p>The first city I talked to raised hopes that I would find out a lot of exciting information I did not know about. Unfortunately, as I said, it was one of the exceptions to the rule. The city in question was Curridabat, located in Costa Rica. They have been working on smart city solutions, but with a different approach than the one I am used to, which is refreshing. Their goals and metrics are biodiversity, not economy, efficiency or satisfaction. They have established environmental zones, where plants are planted to attract insects and thus increase diversity. They have established the zones and carried out an initial measurement of biomass and diversity. In the coming year, this will be monitored to see progress against defined KPIs. Here, I think that IoT can probably be used to measure diversity. Maybe through cameras or possibly microphones. They are also working on measuring water levels in the river to get an early warning of flooding, which is a recurring problem, and they are in the process of measuring air quality.</p>
<h3>Tampere</h3>
<p>Here we have one of the shining exceptions. Tampere says it has figures on the impact of a test project to predict road maintenance needs. These are said to be presented in a final report, which I have not yet received, unfortunately. They also use sensors to measure when it is time to sand roads.</p>
<h3><strong>Guelph</strong> and<strong> county of Wellington</strong></h3>
<p>My visit to the Guelph stand, which was part of the Canadian stand, made me realise that we are often at the forefront here in Sweden and Europe. In the last few years, they had implemented a project to collect compostable waste from households and businesses instead of dumping it in landfills. I do not even remember when we did NOT compost where I live, and it took me a while to understand what they were talking about. I assumed there was something about their project that went over my head, because it seemed so basic.</p>
<p>One interesting story was a cookie manufacturing company that used to pay to throw away all the crumbs produced, but now instead sells them to a company that makes sauces. The sauce company used to import crumbs from abroad. Quite simply a win-win in the local circular economy.</p>
<h3>Tel Aviv</h3>
<p>Shared parking is the concept being worked on here. If a car without a permit parks in a shared parking space, a fine is issued automatically. According to preliminary analyses, this has changed the behaviour of road users significantly in the short term. No formal figures have yet been produced.</p>
<h2>Miscellaneous</h2>
<p>Frankfurt has transparency and access to data as its main goal. Tokyo reportedly has figures on impact, but I never managed to get hold of the right person at the stand. It was a bit tricky to talk to the Asian countries, as their English is rarely good and they often have corporate representatives speaking for the public sector, which was not really what I was after.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 14px;">Written by: Björn Hagström</span></em></p>
<hr />
<h3>Björn Hagström</h3>
<p>Expert in Information Management and Open Data, Smart City Lab.</p>
<p>Björn Hagström runs a network within the IoT Sweden project Smart City Lab and has experience from several IoT projects. Björn also works a lot with information management in general, with a focus on open and shared data, and has been involved in developing most of the support that the Agency for Digital Government (DIGG) has in this area. Björn also previously spent 14 years working as part of Örebro Municipality.</p>
<figure id="attachment_14721" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-14721" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-14721" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small-300x200.jpg" alt="Björn Hagström" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small-768x511.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/björnhagström_9881-fotograf-Fredrik-Bronner-CC-BY-small.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-14721" class="wp-caption-text">Björn Hagström, foto: Fredrik Bronner</figcaption></figure>


A survey at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona 2022.

What impacts do cities achieve with their Smart City initiatives? - IoT Sverige

What impacts do cities achieve with their Smart City initiatives?

<p>The use of common standards is of paramount importance for the public sector to fully exploit the opportunities of IoT in their operations. Municipalities and regions are already well advanced in their use of IoT. Connected public transport, smart waste management and solutions in healthcare are just a few examples of how IoT is used on a daily basis around the country.</p>
<p>At the same time, there is huge untapped potential. The constant lock-in effects (that systems can only be used for one purpose) that municipalities and regions struggle with can be avoided by using common standards. Public sector and industry users in Sweden should therefore demand that suppliers of IoT products and services always use international standards. In short, it is about gaining access to a wider range to choose from, as competition ultimately leads to better prices and performance for IoT products and services.</p>
<h2>Facilitating IoT procurement</h2>
<p>One group acting with IoT Sweden is the Working Group for Standards and Platforms. One of our main goals is to make it easier for municipalities and regions to procure and implement IoT in their operations. It often takes a pretty good technical understanding to be able to successfully navigate these issues.</p>
<p>Municipalities do not always have the technical expertise themselves and become dependent on consultants, who in turn may not have a clear picture of all their needs. This is why it becomes so important that the platforms used are based on internationally standardised technologies.</p>
<p>International standardisation aims to provide users with products and systems that are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Interchangeable.</li>
<li>Affordable with good performance.</li>
<li>Interoperable (interoperability means that systems can “work together” by accessing and using each other’s information).</li>
</ul>
<h2>A good example from the mobile phone industry</h2>
<p>To understand the importance of using international standards, I would like to relate to developments in the mobile phone industry. In the 1980s, Nordisk mobiltelefoni, NMT, came out with the first generation of mobile phones. Since then, we have seen an avalanche of technology development and use from GSM, LTE/4G to today’s 5G.</p>
<p>Today, billions of users have mobile phones with access to good coverage and affordable consumer prices. The price of an international call today is a fraction of the cost of an NMT call. This development would not have been possible without the use of common international standards.</p>
<h2>How we work with standards in the Working Group</h2>
<p>There are already well-developed and published international standards for IoT today. The Working Group is gathering knowledge about these, which will then be presented and discussed. The development of a guide is in the pipeline, which will include Swedish IoT vocabulary.</p>
<p>The formal standardisation in Sweden is handled by TK IoT under SEK, Svensk Elstandard, with whom the Working Group has close contact. Standards approved by CEN are introduced through EU directives that are implemented in Sweden. Standards approved by ISO/IEC that are adopted and used in Sweden are made into a Swedish Standard and issued a so-called SS number.</p>
<h2>Swedish companies are needed internationally</h2>
<p>Swedish companies clearly have a great responsibility when it comes to the use of international standards. Large Swedish companies that manufacture IoT products and services, such as Ericsson, ABB, Vattenfall, SAAB, Volvo and Atlas Copco, are of course involved in the work on standards. But they can and should focus even more on international standards in particular, which is a key issue.</p>
<p>Academic foundations and organisations, such as the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), Svensk Elstandard (SEK), the Swedish Institute for Standards (SiS), and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), are and should be further engaged to provide support and to spread knowledge about international standards through seminars and other types of events and media.</p>
<p>We invite you to become involved in our network<br />
Are you interested and want to know more about our work on standards and platforms? Please feel free to contact any of us in the Working Group for Standards and Platforms.</p>
<p><em>Written by Östen Frånberg</em></p>
<h2>Bio</h2>
<figure id="attachment_11089" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11089" style="width: 231px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-11089 size-medium" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Östen-Frånberg-231x300.jpg" alt="" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Östen-Frånberg-231x300.jpg 231w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Östen-Frånberg.jpg 347w" sizes="(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-11089" class="wp-caption-text">Östen Frånberg</figcaption></figure>
<p>Östen Frånberg is part of IoT Sweden’s Working Group for Standards and Platforms. He has extensive experience in international IoT standardisation. Östen is one of Sweden’s internet pioneers and over the years has been professionally active in both academia and industry. A selection of his positions and assignments include Technical Director at Ericsson with research in the field of infrastructure. Former board chair and founder of the Swedish Internet Foundation, project manager at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, former programme director and co-founder of IoT Sweden. </p>


Increased use of standards strengthens Sweden’s competitive power internationally. Read this article written by Östen Frånberg.

“Demand standardised IoT” - IoT Sverige

“Demand standardised IoT”

<p>Internet of Things (IoT) is an important part of the ongoing digital transformation of our society. Through IoT, new innovative solutions have been made possible in areas such as community building; climate; health; and medical care. The goal of IoT Sweden&#8217;s call for 2022 is to help more municipalities and regions to use IoT in innovative ways in their operations.</p>
<p>&#8211; IoT has already a widespread use in the public sector featuring smart solutions in healthcare, schools, community building and more. However, there is still great potential for new innovations and also to scale up the use of IoT, said Olle Bergdahl, programme manager at IoT Sweden.</p>
<h2>Focus on three areas </h2>
<p>IoT Sweden has so far funded over a hundred innovative IoT projects. This year&#8217;s call focuses in particular on three areas of need; equal access to health; safe public environments; and quick facilitation of the climate transition. </p>
<p>&#8211; These are three important areas that affect all people and where we see that IoT plays a key role in contributing to the goal of a more equal, sustainable and secure society, said Olle Bergdahl.</p>
<figure id="attachment_10918" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10918" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-10918" src="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-300x169.jpg 300w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-768x432.jpg 768w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://api.iotsverige.se/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Olle-Bergdahl-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-10918" class="wp-caption-text">Olle Bergdahl, programme manager. Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Companies can apply for funding</h2>
<p>IoT Sweden&#8217;s innovation projects always take place in collaboration between the public and the private sectors as well as with research and innovation actors. New for this year is that private companies can also apply for funding to run Preparatory projects. IoT Sweden sees the importance of a strong collaboration between industry and the public sector in order to be able to create innovation and drive development forward.</p>
<p>Other project types that are financed are Prototype development projects and Implementation projects. The total budget for IoT Sweden&#8217;s call is 30 million SEK. The last day to apply is 1 December 2022.</p>
<p><a href="https://iotsverige.se/finansiering/aktuell-utlysning?lang=sv">More information (in Swedish)</a></p>


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