We're excited to share several important platform enhancements designed to improve your experience managing machines and data with Viam. Here's what's new this month.
Build and integrate: enhanced LoRaWAN capabilities
LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a wireless communication protocol designed to enable low-power communications for IoT devices across large areas: industrial manufacturing facilities, remote monitoring sites, etc. We continue to expand our LoRaWAN support with several new enhancements that make it easier to deploy and manage sensor networks:
Support for USB-based LoRaWAN gateways
We now support LoRaWAN gateway devices that connect to the Raspberry Pi over USB. Check out the docs for the viam:lorawan:sx1302-hat-generic model for how to specify the serial path.
Viam-supported module for the RAK7391 carrier board
Speaking of USB-based LoRaWAN gateways, we now have a specific model, viam:lorawan:rak7391, for the RAK7391, a rugged and robust Raspberry Pi carrier board that can be used as a LoRaWAN gateway device.
Calibration support for Dragino water quality sensor
For the Dragino water quality sensor, you can now calibrate the pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity, and oxidation-reduction potential probes through Viam for more accurate readings via Do commands.
Manage and troubleshoot: spotting errors just got easier
Easily detect and debug errors across your machines with our latest enhancements. The all machines dashboard now provides a quick overview of recent errors, and the machine view highlights problematic resources for faster troubleshooting. Furthermore, modules and the Viam agent now feature clear error counts. These improvements streamline issue identification and resolution, ensuring optimal machine performance.
Rename modules
You can now rename your modules and namespaces. We want to make it easy for you to keep improving your modules. You can now rename them to better reflect what they do or to correct any naming mistakes.
Move machines between locations
Organize your machines with the new ability to move them between locations within the same organization, giving you the flexibility to structure your fleet however best suits your needs. For example, you might maintain separate locations for development and production, and move machines once they’re ready for promotion. Or, if you’re mapping machines to physical sites like warehouses, you can easily update their location in the system when they’re physically transferred. This feature simplifies fleet organization, permission management, and the maintenance of distinct environments.
These platform updates represent our ongoing commitment to providing you with tools that make machine configuration and data management more efficient and reliable. Whether you're expanding your LoRaWAN sensor networks, debugging issues more effectively, or organizing your growing fleet, these improvements are designed to give you greater control and flexibility.
We encourage you to explore these new Viam features and see how they can enhance your projects.
