OpenRemote, the open source IoT platform, helps businesses and developers innovate while lowering expenses and enabling complete control over their connected products.
Connected products now enable devices, sensors and systems to exchange information without interruption. However, this comes with challenges like high expenses, complicated system integration and restricted management capabilities of standard IoT platforms.
Organisations can create adaptable connected products through OpenRemote’s open source IoT platform. This platform provides the essential tools and automation functions that help developers achieve their IoT goals.
What is OpenRemote?
The widespread implementation of connected products faces critical challenges: vendor lock-in, high integration costs, fragmented data, and privacy risks. Proprietary platforms restrict flexibility and slow down innovation by limiting interoperability and product scalability. To address these barriers, organisations prefer open, customisable IoT platforms that preserve data sovereignty, reduce costs, and accelerate experimentation. Open source IoT ecosystems foster adaptability, transparency, and community-driven innovation, creating a sustainable path forward. Platforms like OpenRemote exemplify this approach by combining openness and scalability with strong community engagement, ensuring organisations can innovate securely and efficiently while overcoming the constraints of proprietary solutions.
OpenRemote enables businesses to speed up their innovation process while making it simpler to create connected products. Organisations have the freedom to test new concepts and merge different systems through its open architecture. This architecture helps academic institutions, businesses and startups to join forces for platform development which results in continuous innovation.
The key components of OpenRemote are:
Device and protocol integration
The system enables standard protocol connections for various devices through MQTT, Modbus, BACnet and REST APIs. It allows users to add new devices and legacy systems through standard interfaces, which eliminates the need for complex modifications.
Data management and dashboards
The system enables real-time data collection and visualisation as well as analysis of information from various devices spread across different sites. It helps users create personalised dashboards, which generate valuable data insights that support organisations in their decision-making process.
Rules engine for automation
The rules engine enables product automation by creating intelligent behaviours, which can be used for workflow automation. This engine allows users to create intelligent automation due to its ability to run complex logic and ‘fire off’ alerts and/or adjust device parameters.
User management and access control
Roles and permissioned access to users are provided to make sure teams, stakeholders, and end users have appropriate levels of security. This feature is important for enterprises that manage multiple deployments and need compliance management.
Why choose OpenRemote?
OpenRemote delivers distinct advantages over conventional IoT platforms, making it highly suitable for enterprises, developers, and innovators seeking efficient connected-product solutions. Its flexibility lies in broad protocol and device support, enabling seamless integration between legacy infrastructure and modern IoT sensors without complex workarounds. With its open source foundation, OpenRemote ensures vendor independence, system transparency, and accelerated innovation through global community contributions and continuous improvements. The platform also offers scalability, allowing smooth progression from prototype to full enterprise deployment without re-architecture. Its cost efficiency stems from the absence of licensing fees, enabling organisations to redirect budgets towards innovation rather than software costs. Furthermore, OpenRemote emphasises data ownership, ensuring collected data remains with the organisation to meet compliance, security, and decision-making needs. By combining openness, adaptability, and community-driven collaboration, OpenRemote empowers businesses to innovate faster, optimise operations, and scale IoT solutions sustainably, avoiding the limitations of proprietary systems.
Real world applications of OpenRemote
Smart cities
OpenRemote helps cities achieve better energy management, air quality monitoring and urban transportation control. The automation of citywide street lighting through real-time traffic data enables lower energy expenses and enhances public safety.
Healthcare
Healthcare facilities can implement secure patient monitoring systems through OpenRemote as it can help track vehicles and optimise routes for better logistics. The system enables real-time vital sign tracking and remote healthcare services for patient data protection.
Mobility and transport
OpenRemote helps logistics companies improve fuel management and maintain precise delivery times.
Smart homes and buildings
The platform enables building managers and home owners to create automated intelligent spaces by controlling HVAC systems, lighting and access management, leading to better comfort and reduced energy usage.
Agriculture
Farmers use OpenRemote to monitor soil conditions, track crop performance, and manage irrigation systems. This leads to better water conservation and higher agricultural output.
How to build a product with OpenRemote
OpenRemote gives users of all skill levels access to development tools and automation features that simplify connected product development.
Here’s how you can go about building a product with OpenRemote.
Define your product vision
The first step is a clear product vision that describes both what problems your solution solves, and ‘what value’ it provides for the users. A properly defined product vision focuses on solving specific problems and delivering value to users.
Connect your devices
OpenRemote enables device integration by supporting multiple communication protocols. This allows users to connect sensors, actuators and other equipment without programming complexities or proprietary restrictions.
Map your data
The collected data becomes accessible for visualisation and analysis through dashboards that enable users to extract meaningful insights. Visual elements and notification systems help users recognise patterns and detect irregularities.
Set rules and automation
System automation enables users to create intelligent workflows that execute actions through real-time data processing. For example, it enables users to perform HVAC system adjustments based on occupancy changes and trigger irrigation when soil moisture reaches specific levels.
Deploy and scale
The deployment process enables you to transition from prototype development to commercial production. OpenRemote enables deployment growth through controlled device, location and user additions to maintain operational continuity.
Iterate and innovate
The open source nature of OpenRemote allows developers to continuously improve their products through ongoing development and optimisation. Your solution remains competitive and future-ready because you can test new features, integrate emerging technologies and respond to user feedback at a fast pace.
OpenRemote gives developers the ability to test new ideas while continuously improving their products, which results in scalable solutions.
The community and ecosystem
OpenRemote maintains its growth through its worldwide community base. The platform improves continuously through collaborative efforts between members from academic institutions, startups and enterprises that work together to develop new features and resolve problems.
The open source nature of the platform transforms potential obstacles into development opportunities. Developers have unrestricted freedom to test new ideas while benefiting from community-shared solutions and adding improvements that help the entire user base.
The ecosystem provides an innovative space where members can share concepts and execute new standards to expand the potential of connected products. Businesses and developers involved with this community receive vital resources, advice and collaboration opportunities, all of which can improve their chances of success with their projects.
In essence, OpenRemote is a community-driven platform. Innovation, knowledge sharing and adaptability are essentials for all the IoT projects based on it.
The future
As IoT evolves into more advanced and diverse applications, OpenRemote is positioned to drive the next wave of connected product innovation. Its open source architecture provides flexibility for organisations and developers to experiment with emerging technologies while retaining control over deployment and integration. A key strength is AI and predictive analytics, enabling use cases such as energy consumption forecasting, traffic optimisation, and predictive maintenance to enhance operational efficiency. OpenRemote also advances sustainability by supporting smart energy management, climate-aware operations, and eco-friendly solution design. Its strong interoperability ensures seamless integration across heterogeneous devices, protocols, and platforms, reducing fragmentation in complex IoT ecosystems. The platform’s community-driven model encourages collaboration, accelerating scalable innovation while addressing real-world requirements.
By adopting OpenRemote, organisations gain a competitive edge, deploying intelligent, future-ready IoT solutions that contribute to a stronger and more open ecosystem, while maintaining adaptability and leadership in the rapidly advancing IoT landscape.
