Pod SIM cards direct MetAlert SmartSole

  • November 7, 2022
  • Steve Rogerson

California-based MetAlert has selected Pod Group’s Eno One IoT SIM cards for its two-way GPS SmartSole wearable medical monitoring device.

SmartSole is integrated into an orthotic insole allowing discreet and unobtrusive tracking and remote monitoring of Alzheimer’s, dementia and autism sufferers.

The GPS SmartSole invisible tracking and monitoring device is available in more than 35 countries, uses cellular networks to communicate with the cloud and send alerts to a mobile app or online portal, enabling the location of the wearer to be traced. Boundaries called geozones can be set up to alert the caregiver via email or text if the wearer strays beyond a safe zone.

“Pod is proud to play a crucial role in contributing to improving the quality of life and safety of people around the world,” said Alessio Piussi, Pod Group’s director for strategic partnership development. “This is a clear example of how Eno One can help reduce the complexity of rolling out global, mission-critical IoT applications, providing cost-effective, reliable and future-proofed connectivity.”

The Eno One eSIM includes an embedded chip inserted into the device to improve hardware robustness. It offers global coverage over different technologies, such as 4G LTE, Cat-M and LTE-M, allowing the SmartSole to tap into the low-power cellular options to increase battery life up to seven days.

“The Pod Group partnership is a critical component for the launch of our SmartSole Plus, a mobile hot spot connected to other wearable devices,” said Patrick Bertagna, MetAlert CEO. “This level of 4G and IoT connectivity technology will become very valuable to MetAlert due to the amount of biometric and location data, which will need to be transmitted quickly, securely and inexpensively across the globe.”

Simple global deployment is crucial to MetAlert, which ships its SmartSoles across the world. With the Eno One global network covering 185 countries, MetAlert no longer has to worry about dealing with different providers in different geographies; instead, connectivity is managed via one contract.

Every Eno eSIM comes pre-configured with a bootstrap profile, meaning MetAlert no longer has to configure each device manually for a different destination. The eSIM is also provided on a neutral remote SIM provisioning (RSP) platform. MetAlert owns the eSIM and is not locked into one vendor. On-SIM applets such as zero-touch provisioning mean that upon booting up, the device automatically connects to the nearest network and downloads a dedicated local profile.

The design of the SmartSole uses the floor as a reflector to strengthen GPS signals, circumventing the difficult conditions created by locating the device under the foot. This has led to it being used in nursing homes and national care agencies across Europe, and it is supported by local Alzheimer associations as well as multiple police, search and rescue organisations.