December the 7th, 2020 - One Zagreb-based company, Aduro Idea, came up with a very interesting solution to a pressing pandemic-dominated issue back during the summer months, and it could put Croatia on the map in a very interesting way indeed.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Lucija Spiljak writes, during the turbulent year of the coronavirus pandemic when distance is more the rule than the recommendation, one Croatian company called Aduro Idea introduced an IT system back in mid-August that will allow for the counting of people both indoors and outdoors by measuring signal oscillations in a WiFi electromagnetic field, according to Sinisa Nikolic.

The primary purpose is conceived for the security area, from mass security alarm systems that say whether or not there are people in a particular room or in a territory, to specialised applications in the form of state border protection in preventing illegal crossings.

''When measuring signal oscillation, we use only a simple WiFi transceiver that operates on a 2.4 GHz frequency that is public, and thus available to everyone. We use different techniques for signal analysis, from statistical analysis to machine learning,'' Nikolic explains.

But the application can be varied; it can aid in the creation of smart buildings that optimise their energy consumption based on the number of people inside, retailers can better plan their business operations based on information about which parts of the stores are the most frequented; and smart cities can better plan their resources based on estimates of which parts of the city are more visited or populated.

''Counting individuals in a crowd is a key piece of technology for crowd control and public safety. Information such as the number, density or distribution of participants provides effective safety guidelines for public places such as stations, shopping malls and open squares, especially in these emerging circumstances,'' he said.

Aduro Idea's plans are currently in their development phase in which they will try to prove the possibility of counting people indoors and outdoors in such a manner. Then, they'll start making a concrete product that will be able, says Nikolic, to "look through the walls", and thanks to their product, Croatia would be the first in the world to be able to count people by watching WiFi signals and their oscillations.

"In the first phase, we need different methods to come up with a precise system for measuring the number of people in a place, and in the second phase, we'll use the obtained research results as the final product in the form of software and hardware components.

Since the project started, the data we receive in weekly measurements shows some promising results, which is very motivating for the entire development team ", explains Nikolic, adding that the first part of measurement and modelling is planned to be completed by the end of January 2021. Aduro Idea is also being assisted in this venture by two scientists from the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Science.

Upon completion of the project, the plan is to invest approximately eight million kuna in it, in which the Call for development of new products and services arising from research and development activities - phase II of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development was important.

Aduro Idea was otherwise founded back in 2007 by Nenad Raca, and the initial focus was on software development for telecom operators. The field of activity has expanded to the media industry, catering, logistics and distribution.

Aduro Idea's primary area of ​​expertise is the development of integration interfaces, extensive data processing and analysis, process automation, sales systems for telecommunications and the custom development of business software solutions, and their development is based on cloud technologies (Amazon and Google).

Last year, the European technology magazine CIO Applications Europe ranked this innovative Zagreb company among the ''Top 10 Telecom Solution Providers in Europe in 2019'' that lead the next generation of technology leaders, having the greatest impact on the development of the telecommunications industry.

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As Poslovni Dnevnik/Suzana Varosanec writes on the 28th of November, 2019, the Zagreb-based IT company Aduro Idea (Aduro Ideja) presented a brand new business solution for renters and private users in Zagreb.

The product is a smart lock called the NCF SmartLock. Digitising the process allows front doors to be opened via a smartphone (or with an unlock code), giving renters a tool that allows guests to open the door by sending what is known as a digital key. It is given for a fixed period of time, and after it expires, the door can no longer be opened.

Aduro Idea is led by director Nenad Raca, who also owns the company. According to him, the project for the commercialisation of the NCF SmartLock business solution is worth as much as 1.9 million kuna, which, with an amount of around 900 thousand kuna, was co-financed under the call for the "commercialisation of entrepreneurship innovation" with ESIF funds under the competitiveness and cohesion operational program 2014-2020.

"The project began back in April 2018, and today we have a Croatian product that can be attached to any cylinder. The NFC SmartLock is designed and constructed entirely from the minds of our engineers. In addition to the software part, where we're most ''at home'', we've also developed electronic and mechanical solutions, all in collaboration with the Croatian distributor of global lock brands,'' stated Raca.

For starters, the smart feature is only to do with unlocking and locking the door with the use of a mobile phone, but according to Aduro Idea's further announcements, various upgrades are coming soon - from the smart ring to the opening doors using face recognition. The competitive advantage of this business solution is reflected in the speed of its implementation, and Aduro Idea has explained that installation takes only two or three minutes for locksmiths. Interestingly, the Zagreb-based IT company intends to link locksmiths to interested customers with targeted distribution.

"We're entering onto the market in January and the final preparations are underway, linking up with agencies to offer renters this business improvement solution is coming next season. We plan to integrate with eVisitor, and when everything is technologically rounded off, the effect will be to create a different and more discrete experience for both parties, the renter won't have to meet with the guest if he doesn't want to,'' says Raca, adding that talks are being held with potential manufacturers in case there is a need for large volume production.

Zagreb's Aduro Idea, with close to 4 million kuna in revenue in 2018, is developing software solutions for foreign clients in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, New Zealand, USA and Denmark. They are expanding their business and currently employ just under twenty people. The net salary of the most experienced employees is 15,000 kuna or more, and everyone receives various bonuses.

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