Sigfox Partners with iWire and LITE-ON to Safeguard Special Olympics World Games

Following the Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019, Sigfox, IoT service provider and global 0G network operator, announced its partnership with technology provider iWire and LITE-ON Technology Corp to roll out a tracking solution that safeguarded the 10,000 athletes and delegates opting into the safety and security scheme throughout the Games.

Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019 featured 200 nations, more than 7,000 athletes, 20,000 registered volunteers and hundreds of thousands of spectators. Partnering with iWire Connect and LITE-ON, Sigfox created a solution bringing together connectivity and Wi-Fi in a device resembling a credit card. In less than three months, LITE-ON was able to develop, produce, certify and deliver 10,000 devices that run on Sigfox’s 0G network, all fitted with batteries providing up to four months of charge for an uninterrupted and reliable service throughout the week-long event.

“We’re proud to have created a simple yet innovative monitoring device that truly puts safety at the heart of technology. From tracker design to Wi-Fi and Sigfox communication modules design, the time in which we were able to deliver on the project illustrates the potential of the technology and the industrial expertise of LITE-ON synergy across its business portfolio,” said Shilung Chiang, President, Mechanical Competence Business Group, and Steven Wu, BU Head of Smart Life and Applications Business Group, LITE-ON Technology.

Throughout the course of the event, devices worn by those opting into the scheme periodically transmitted messages including the closest Wi-Fi MAC addresses to help identify the location of athletes and delegates in the event a person became lost. These MAC addresses were converted into coordinates based on Sigfox Atlas Wi-Fi services. Integrating a button, the devices were also able to send an alert if a person were to find themselves in an emergency situation or in need of assistance, immediately triggering the tracking mode to get help to the scene.

“With the Special Olympics World Games hosted in the UAE this year, we had the unique opportunity to provide energy efficient connectivity for the 10,000 people connected at the event – maximizing their safety and delivering on the region’s sustainability vision, thanks to our global network coverage,” said Ahmed Fasih Akhtar, Founder, Vice-Chairman and CEO, iWire Connect, Sigfox Operator in the UAE.