BlueSemi: Fighting Coronavirus with homegrown tech

This startup has developed a sensor-based, contactless and wireless thermal scanner that uses AI to detect body temperature

Bluesemi, founded in 2017, is a Hyderabad-based startup that works towards bringing the most advanced R&D in IoT, wearables and retail through its ‘Zero Power’ wireless devices. The company aims to create self-powered IoT devices including sensors, wearables, retail technology, connected cars and other smart devices. “The world is gearing towards a smarter and sustainable technology revolution,” says Sunil Kumar Maddikatla, founder and CEO, Bluesemi. “We align with this core belief and the basis of our innovation is Artificial Intelligence (AI), clean energy, and digital connectedness.”

Recently, Bluesemi has developed ‘SENS’— a contactless and wireless thermal scanner that uses AI to accurately detect body temperature from a distance of 15 cm. It has a personalised dashboard for security personnel to assess and review history, trends of people red-flagged, and monitor the status of the devices.“Health screening is going to become an everyday task for India post-Covid,” he says.

According to him, SENS has garnered a lot of interest with 20-plus corporate clients, and another 100-plus prospective clients. “We have run multiple pilots with a few public firms and corporate, and have received positive feedback regarding our product and technology,” he says.

The successful early traction of SENS has been one of the most important steps in this T-Hub-incubated startup’’ journey till date. Bluesemi has set a target of generating $1 million in revenue by the third quarter of 2020. It has raised seed funding of $300,000 from industry leaders such as Google, Samsung, Microsoft and KLA Tencor and is looking to raise further rounds of funding.

“We have two other products in our portfolio. EON is an alternative energy based AI-IoT device and is powered by ambient energy. Imagine a near future of not having to charge your smart watch because it will always be sustainability self-powered,” says Maddikatla.

SecureOne is the company’s key anti-counterfeiting technology. “Think of a smart-chip sticker which you simply stick on the opening/seal of a product. Paired with its native app, the user simply taps on the sticker and is informed if it is original packaging or tampered with. Our research will continue to leverage zero-power, self-sufficient energy which is not the only, but one of the primary answers to creating a smart world,” he adds.