Project
SquaredIoT Platform
An end-to-end IoT control platform: device firmware, cloud, mobile app, and dashboard. Aquagate is the first device shipping on it.
PLATFORMIoT Platform3 months2024
Project
An end-to-end IoT control platform: device firmware, cloud, mobile app, and dashboard. Aquagate is the first device shipping on it.
Development to Google Play launch
Device family shipping on the platform (Aquagate)
Average time from install to first live reading
Live and actively maintained alongside device firmware
The challenge
We needed a single control layer behind our IoT hardware. As Squared expanded its device range, customers needed one place to pair, configure, and monitor every Squared device in real time, without per-device tooling or technical knowledge.
The platform had to span the full stack: device firmware that speaks a common protocol, a cloud that brokers state and commands, and clients on phone, tablet, and web. QR-code pairing had to onboard a device instantly, and MQTT had to keep sensor data and actuator state live across all surfaces.
Security was non-negotiable: all data had to stay private, with no third-party sharing. The clients also had to be free, discoverable on Google Play, and maintainable alongside ongoing firmware releases as new device families (starting with Aquagate) shipped on the platform.
Client
Squared Computing
Industry
IoT Platform
Duration
3 months
Delivered
2024
Discipline
PLATFORM
Platform onboarding & clients
Device onboarding was designed to be a single step: point the camera at the QR code on any Squared device and it appears in the client immediately, no IP addresses, no manual credential entry.
The clients share a single design language: device list, live readings, and controls work the same on phone, tablet, and web. Adding a new device family (Aquagate today, more later) is a server-side declaration, not a per-app build.
We iterated through multiple prototypes with real users before locking the onboarding flow, cutting the average time from install to first live reading to under 60 seconds.
Real-time monitoring
MQTT keeps the app and device in constant sync. Sensor readings, actuator states, and connectivity status update in real time, no polling, no stale data.
Each device card shows a live feed of its key metrics, colour-coded for at-a-glance status. Tap into a device for a full dashboard with historical readings and manual controls.
The MQTT client handles intermittent connectivity gracefully, queuing commands locally and replaying them on reconnect, so actions taken offline are never lost.
Security & privacy
All communication between clients and devices is encrypted end-to-end. No sensor data, device names, or usage analytics are shared with third parties, everything stays within the Squared ecosystem.
Device credentials are stored securely using Android's Keystore system on mobile. QR-code pairings include a per-device secret that prevents unauthorised access even if the code is photographed.
The app is rated 3+ on Google Play, reflecting a deliberate choice to keep permissions minimal: camera for pairing and network access for MQTT, nothing else.
Technology used
Custom firmware · MQTT client
MQTT broker · State + commands
Android · Tablet · Web
QR Code · Instant onboarding
Android Keystore · E2E encryption
Google Play · Free
Related work
Work with us
Every project starts with a conversation. Tell us your constraints and goals, hardware, firmware, or full stack, and we'll tell you how we'd approach it.