Smart Agriculture
PITON enables smart agriculture, aquaculture, and farming.
Campus as a Lab
CIEI enables researchers, educators and students to use IoT across the entire ECU campus.

Center for IoT Engineering & Innovation

First PITON User Conference

October 13, 2026

Come curious and you will leave inspired.

A day of user-driven solutions

Join practitioners, community representatives and decision makers from across Eastern North Carolina for a day of user driven presentations and discussions on real-world IoT based solutions. PITON users share their experience driving innovative solutions addressing Water Management, Building Management, SmartAg, Environment and Health Monitoring.

Register here: https://pitonweb.com/oct-13

This is an event organized by CET’s Center for IoT Engineering and Innovation (CIEI).

In the News

Center for IoT Engineering and Innovation

The Center for IOT Engineering and Innovation (CIEI)’s mission is to enable and facilitate the research and development of IoT solutions for a wide range of domains, from environmental monitoring to water management, from smart farming to smart agriculture, frome intelligent transportation to smart cities and many more. The CIEI developed and managed Platform for IoT Open Networks (PITON) provides communities, researchers, educators, and students the tools needed to develop, test, and manage IoT solutions. PITON’s footprint covers over 1,000 square miles of Eastern North Carolina and is rapidly growing.

We believe innovation resides at the intersection of community needs, researcher curiosity, and student enthusiasm. Through PITON and our expertise, CIEI provides the technologies needed to bring bright ideas to life.

Join an expanding community of innovators, be part of a growing portfolio of projects, change the quality of life and the economic opportunities for your community and those of others.

CIEI’s Impact

$12mil in Proposals
30+ Projects Supported
19 Gateways
310+ Sensors
1400 sq. mi Coverage
80+ Students Supported

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Ciprian Popoviciu

Director
East Carolina University
College of Engineering and Technology
Science & Technology Building,
Greenville, NC 27858-4353

Upcoming Events

Sep 22

Webinar: Beyond Waste: How Lean Manufacturing Drives Efficiency, Sustainability, and Cost Savings

Lean manufacturing focuses on identifying and eliminating waste, whether in time, materials, or effort, across all aspects of an operation. While its core objective is to remove non-value-added activities and improve efficiency, lean also delivers significant environmental benefits. By streamlining processes, organizations can reduce resource consumption, minimize waste generation, and enhance overall sustainability while strengthening their competitive position. In this session, we will cover: Core principles of lean manufacturing and how they drive both operational efficiency and environmental performance through the identification and elimination of waste.Key frameworks and best practices that support continual improvement and sustainable operations.Often-overlooked environmental benefits of lean implementation, and practical strategies to leverage these tools for greater sustainability impact.

Oct 20

Webinar: Environmental Stewardship in Manufacturing

This presentation will highlight how Hyster-Yale has successfully integrated environmental stewardship into its manufacturing operations through practical pollution prevention initiatives and continuous improvement efforts. Attendees will learn about projects focused on waste reduction, energy efficiency, and employee engagement that have improved operational performance while reducing environmental impacts at the Greenville, North Carolina, facility. The session will also explore how Hyster-Yale has embedded environmental and social considerations into its governance strategies, demonstrating how cost-effective corporate responsibility can support both sustainability goals and business success. Participants will gain insights into best practices and real-world examples that can be applied within their own organizations.

Oct 29

Technical Course: Industrial Energy Management: Reducing Costs and Improving Performance

This is an intensive one-day online training designed to help manufacturing professionals identify opportunities to reduce energy costs, improve system performance, and enhance operational efficiency. The course provides a practical overview of energy management strategies focusing on some of the most energy-intensive systems found in manufacturing facilities. Topics covered include boilers and steam systems, HVAC and chillers, compressed air systems, and facility energy balance concepts. Participants will gain a better understanding of how energy is used throughout their operations and where improvement opportunities exist. Through real-world examples, discussion of common energy losses, and practical energy-saving strategies, attendees will learn how to evaluate system performance, identify inefficiencies, and prioritize actions that support both cost reduction and operational reliability. The training is ideal for plant managers, engineers, maintenance personnel, EHS professionals, energy managers, and other individuals interested in improving energy performance within industrial facilities.