IoT World is happening in San Francisco, with Samsung making a splash with a series of announcements.

CBR has pulled together the key take-aways announced so far across the Atlantic.

1. ARTIK

Samsung introduced the Artik platform, designed to speed the development of IoT devices and applications.

The ARTIK platform features a family of integrated production-ready modules, advanced software, development boards, drivers, tools, security features and cloud connectivity. The platform will be available in three different sizes – Artik 1, Artik 5, and Artik 10.

The Artik 1 includes Bluetooth Low Energy with chip antenna, a 9-axis motion sensor, a gyroscope and a magnetometer.

Artik 5 takes the form of a mini computer system board and features Wi-Fi, ZigBee wireless, and onboard 720p video decoding.

The Artik 10 is equipped with 2 GB of DRAM and 16GB of flash memory and has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HD video capabilities.

Samsung said all members of its Artik family feature embedded hardware security technology, on-board memory and advanced processing power in an open platform.

Samsung Electronics’ CSO Young Sohn said: "By leveraging Samsung’s high-volume manufacturing, advanced silicon process and packaging technologies, and extensive ecosystem, ARTIK allows developers to rapidly turn great ideas into market leading IoT products and applications.

"Industry requirements for IoT devices vary in terms of battery life, computational horse power and form factor. With this family of ARTIK offerings, Samsung is directly addressing the needs of the widest range of customers, uses and applications."

2. World’s problems

Samsung has also called upon the technology industry to use IoT to address major challenges the world faces today, emphasising the importance of open platforms and industry collaboration to accelerate development of new IoT applications and services.

Mr Sohn said: "As an industry we must join together to use the power of IoT to address challenges posed by issues such as aging population demographics, water shortages, increasing traffic congestion, pollution and major health issues.

"We need to create powerful open platforms that will harness the information generated by IoT to develop new insights and new approaches to meet the challenges we face as a society."

3. Makers Against Drought

The CSO also introduced an IoT contest challenging developers to find a solution for California’s water crisis.

With a total cash prize of $100,000, participants will have to use the ARTIK platform to develop their solution.

As part of contestants’ product, the ARTIK platform has the power and flexibility to collect data at all scales of water consumption for new insights.

Makers Against Drought happens in two stages. In the Challenge Building Period, makers submit their best solutions using ARTIK.

Finalists will be selected to complete their solution in the Finalist Building Period, leading up to the Grand Prize.