Uchida Yoko

Challenge: Bringing IoT Into the Classroom

For many schools and universities, adopting connected teaching tools is an appealing way to modernize education. Uchida Yoko’s Internet 100 Boxes, which house IoT sensors and cameras to measure factors like temperature and humidity, offered a way to bring real-time data directly into the classroom as part of the curriculum.

However, deploying these systems at scale came with challenges. Many facilities were concerned about the cost of laying out dedicated network infrastructure, particularly in outdoor or remote areas where wiring would be impractical or costly. At the same time, manually tracking thousands of devices to ensure proper operation would be inefficient and expensive.

These barriers threatened to slow the adoption of a system that could otherwise transform teaching and provide students with a direct connection to real-world data.

Solution: Cellular Connectivity for Seamless Deployment

To overcome these challenges, Uchida Yoko turned to cellular IoT connectivity. By equipping each Internet 100 Box with Soracom Air SIMs, the company could bypass the need for costly new infrastructure while ensuring reliable data transmission from sensors and cameras across a wide geographic range.

The cellular approach also gave schools flexibility: whether installed in a remote outdoor location or an urban campus, the devices could connect immediately without additional setup. This made scaling the solution far simpler and reduced the burden on school IT teams.

Equally important, Soracom’s pay-as-you-go pricing structure ensured that the project would remain affordable as it grew, keeping long-term operational costs under control while supporting thousands of deployed sensors.

Why Soracom: Flexibility, Visibility, and Control

Soracom’s platform provided Uchida Yoko with the ability to fine-tune connectivity to match their needs. Since most sensor data is lightweight, Soracom’s adjustable data speeds helped minimize costs without sacrificing performance.

In addition, the Soracom User Console allowed Uchida Yoko to remotely monitor the communication status of each sensor and camera. If an issue arose, they could quickly determine whether it was caused by the hardware, the network, or the device itself. This ability to isolate and address problems remotely reduced downtime and kept classrooms running smoothly.

By combining flexible connectivity with strong management tools, Soracom gave Uchida Yoko confidence in scaling their IoT-powered teaching materials nationwide.

Future Plans: Redefining Learning with Real-Time Data

Looking ahead, Uchida Yoko plans to expand its investment in IoT-powered education. By leveraging real-time data, they aim to give students richer, hands-on learning experiences that connect theory with practice.

Their vision is to transform classrooms into dynamic environments where environmental conditions, IoT technology, and interactive lessons combine to create a more engaging way of learning. With Soracom as a partner, Uchida Yoko is well positioned to lead this shift toward smarter, data-driven education.