A Suffolk business has created a system to allow companies to quickly develop applications for devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT).

Dotmatix, which is based at the Innovation Martlesham tech cluster near Ipswich, has developed an IoT platform with a web-based drag and drop programming interface which, according to co-founder Edward Forwood, means businesses can “create and deploy simple or very complex IoT applications in hours or days rather than weeks or months”.

So far the tool has been used to develop applications for a number of organisations including a company in Norfolk which makes motor mechanic training rigs. Using IoT technology, tutors can now remotely introduce faults into training engines that students then have to identify and remedy.

Dotmatix has also developed a new way of monitoring and controlling the fermentation process of beer in breweries. Without putting any extra sensors in fermentation tanks, the Dotmatix system sends brewers real-time temperature and present gravity readings, which can be viewed remotely on a tablet or smartphone.

Mr Forwood said: “It can save brewers a lot of time and hassle. Traditionally, they would have to visit the site regularly, including weekends, draw off some beer, measure its gravity and adjust the temperature if needed. Now they can just use their smartphone to check readings and change settings remotely.

“When the brew is finished they can print off graphs of the readings, which helps them with consistency and quality control.

“We believe this will help craft brewers save time and improve quality. There are some 1,800 craft brewers in the UK alone.”

Mr Forwood, who set up the company several years ago with his business partner David Griffiths, added that the Dotmatix platform can be used to develop applications for many other industrial processes including electric motor control, heating control and water, oil and water use monitoring.