M2B communications

M2B Communications is a Japanese technology company specializing in IoT solutions for disaster prevention. It is a subsidiary of the communications equipment manufacturer ABIT Corporation.

The company is known for its collaboration on the "Hachioji Disaster Prevention Project," which utilizes IoT technology to monitor water levels in small and medium-sized rivers to prevent flood damage. This initiative was part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' "Familiar IoT Project" support program. In partnership with its parent company ABIT, M2B Communications developed and deployed network infrastructure and wireless communication devices, including crisis management-type water level meters, to acquire and manage river water level data. For example, their "MW-001" water level meter was installed in the Kuroishi River in Shizuoka Prefecture. This device uses an ultrasonic sensor and LTE Cat.1 communication to transmit data, and it's designed to operate for at least five years without an external power source.

M2B Communications leverages Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) technology, specifically LoRaWAN, for its systems. This allows for low-power, long-range communication, which is ideal for deploying sensors in remote areas like mountains or islands where traditional cellular coverage is unavailable. The company has successfully conducted experiments using satellite backhaul for LoRaWAN gateways, enabling sensor data collection in a wide range of fields such as agriculture, resource management, and disaster prevention across Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

Keywords: IoT solutions, disaster management, LoRaWAN, water level monitoring, LPWA technology, crisis management water meter, flood prevention, remote sensing, ABIT Corporation subsidiary, Hachioji Disaster Prevention Project, satellite backhaul, wireless communication, sensor networks, environmental monitoring, smart city technology