Discover how Internet of Things (IoT) based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology transforms asset management. Reduce costs, improve efficiency, and gain real-time insights into your assets' location, condition, and performance.
Introduction To BLE And IoT For Asset Management
What is Internet of Things (IoT) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), and how these technologies are related to asset tracking and management.Introduction of BLE For Asset Tracking
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is a wireless communication technology designed for short-range, low-power connections. BLE is a core component of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, where devices need to periodically exchange short messages, while low power consumption and easy deployment are key requirements.Asset tracking is one of the most popular business applications of BLE. It solves one of the most pressing problems that businesses face: how to accurately track assets in real time without relying on the company employees for doing extra work.
The wireless communication between the BLE tags for assets and receiving devices allows for a hand-free, automated asset tracking. A BLE tag advertises an asset identifier, which is picked up by the BLE receiver (a scanner or a gateway). Each scanner covers a certain area - a part of the job site, a zone in the warehouse, a hospital wing, a tool crib, a service truck or an office. Receivers constantly scanning for BLE tags around them, and report any updates to the cloud software.
As a result, a company can watch for location of all their assets and the assets movement on multiple sites via a single dashboard. This allows a company to do better asset planning and allocation, ensure that equipment and tools are available where and when they are needed, prevent project delays and shortages. And if an asset is misplaced, the BLE system sends you an alert right away, preventing asset loss and theft.
❱❱ Introduction To BLE Asset Tracking
The Role Of IoT In Asset Tracking
Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of connected devices that can exchange data with each other and the internet. These devices (things) can include anything, from vehicles, tools and equipment to home appliances to farm animals. As a rule, a tag or a sensor is attached to the device that sends info on its location and conditions to the cloud software. A cloud software then processes the data and creates human-readable reports and graphs.Communication in the other direction is also possible, where a person can control devices at various sites via a single web dashboard or through a mobile app on a smartphone.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming asset tracking, offering a powerful solution to businesses seeking real time visibility and control over their valuable assets. IoT asset tracking systems consist of a network of connected devices, such as BLE, RFID, or GPS tags, and sensors, that gather and transmit data about asset location and conditions. This data is relayed through IoT gateways to the cloud software, which processes it and creates human readable reports. These reports can be accessed on demand from anywhere via the web dashboards or a mobile app on a smartphone.
IoT technology eliminates the need for manual tracking, providing automated, accurate, and timely updates. Businesses can monitor the whereabouts and status of their assets remotely. This info helps them optimize assets utilization, enhance security, and make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency and reduce costs.
❱❱ Role Of IoT In Asset Tracking
Why BLE Is A Good Choice For IoT Asset Tracking.
There is a variety of communication protocols that IoT devices use to exchange data. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) stands out as a leading choice for IoT asset tracking due to the following reasons:- Low power consumption BLE tags can work for years on the coin size battery.
- Cost-effective The lower cost of BLE tags allows for the large scale deployment. This is critical for asset tracking applications where companies often have hundreds or thousands of assets to keep track of.
- Small size and versatility BLE tags are compact and can be easily attached to various types of assets, from small tools to large equipment.
- Ease of deployment BLE asset tracking systems are typically easier to set up and manage compared to other technologies like RFID.
- Use of existing infrastructure BLE technology is supported by all major smartphones, tablets and computers. This allows companies to use existing devices for data collection from BLE tags, making the whole system easier to deploy and use.
- Scalability BLE asset tracking systems can be easily scaled to accommodate a growing number of assets.
Overall, the combination of low power consumption, cost-effectiveness, ease of deployment, versatility, and scalability make BLE a compelling choice for asset tracking across various industries and applications.
❱❱ BLE Asset Tracking Automation
BLE Asset Tracking System Components
Tags, sensors, gateways, and software are the building blocks of a BLE based IoT asset tracking system.- BLE Tags BLE tags are small, battery-powered devices that are attached to assets. The tags broadcast unique asset identifiers via Bluetooth Low Energy signals. They act as the primary source of data for asset location tracking.
- Sensors BLE tags may optionally include additional sensors, such as temperature, humidity, vibration, or accelerometer. Sensors provide real time data on asset conditions, allowing companies to detect potential problems early.
- Bluetooth IoT Gateways Gateways listen for signals from BLE tags and sensors, process data and They then collect and relay updates to a centralized cloud system.
- Cloud Software A cloud software platform is the brains of the BLE asset tracking system. It receives real time updates from gateways, and presents data to users in a user-friendly interface, via a web dashboard or a mobile app. This is where you'll see current asset location, movement history, temperature and humidity logs, data on misplaced or missing assets, and other useful reports.
❱❱ BLE Asset Tracking System Components
Practical Guide To BLE Asset Tracking
What practical steps you can take to implement BLE asset tracking system, and what options you have.
BLE Asset Tracking With Smartphones Or Tablets
One major advantage of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is its compatibility with the devices you already use, such as smartphones and tablets. This eliminates the need to purchase specialized hardware for asset tracking. By installing IoT gateway application on these devices, you can turn them into gateways that collect data from BLE tags.Employees with smartphones can also act as mobile gateways, moving between locations to quickly perform asset audit. A smartphone can detect BLE tags at 40-100 meters distance, so no scanning or locating of tags is required. One click in the mobile app will start scanning, and another click submits data to the cloud software.
Additionally, you can leverage the GPS capabilities of smartphones to track assets in transit or outdoors,as long as your assets are moved around by people. A person with a smartphone in a pocket serves as a gateway that follows an asset, constantly transmitting asset GPS coordinates to the centralized cloud platform. This allows you to monitor asset location in real time, wherever they may be.
While using smartphones or tablets offers flexibility and cost savings, it is important to note that this approach might not be suitable for all scenarios. For continuous, automated tracking in large-scale environments, dedicated BLE gateways might be a more reliable solution.
❱❱ BLE Asset Tracking With Smartphones
BLE Asset Tracking With IoT Gateways
While smartphones offer a convenient entry point into BLE asset tracking, deploying dedicated IoT gateways unlocks a new level of automation and reliability. These stationary devices act as powerful hubs, continuously scanning for BLE signals from tagged assets within their range.One gateway can collect data from hundreds of BLE tags and sensors. By strategically placing gateways throughout your facility, you can create a comprehensive tracking network that operates independently of employee devices.
One of the key advantages of modern IoT gateways is their edge processing capabilities. This means that data is processed locally on the gateway, filtered, batched, and only then transmitted to the cloud server. This approach reduces load on networks and cloud servers, lowers data storage costs, and improves responsiveness.
Discover how IoT gateways can streamline operations, enhance security, and provide unparalleled visibility into your assets.
❱❱ BLE Asset Tracking With IoT Gateways
Real Time Location System (RTLS) With BLE Gateways Or Beacons
While zone-based tracking is sufficient for many applications, Real Time Location System (RTLS) offers pinpoint accuracy for assets. RTLS uses triangulation, measuring the distance between a tagged asset and multiple BLE gateways to determine its precise location. The more gateways deployed, the higher the accuracy.A cost-effective alternative to using multiple gateways is to utilize stationary BLE beacons. In this approach, a smartphone with a BLE scanner mobile app can determine its location within a building by reading signals from the beacons. When an employee scans a QR code on an asset with their phone, the asset's location is determined based on the smartphone's position relative to the beacons.
The accuracy of BLE RTLS systems can vary depending on the number and placement of beacons, as well as environmental conditions. However, even with a relatively simple setup, BLE RTLS system can provide significant improvements in asset position accuracy as compared to the zone-based tracking.
Bluetooth Mesh - Using Existing Infrastructure For Asset Tracking
BLE Mesh, a network topology built on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), enables many-to-many device communication. Unlike traditional BLE, which typically connects two devices directly, BLE Mesh allows devices to relay messages, extending the network's range and scalability.BLE mesh is commonly used for smart lighting, HVAC, and security systems in smart buildings. With firmware modifications it can also be used for asset tracking.
By leveraging existing BLE mesh infrastructure, organizations can achieve wide coverage with minimal additional investment. The message containing asset location information is relayed through the mesh, regardless of where the asset is detected, potentially requiring only one IoT gateway to cover large areas.
While this approach offers cost-effectiveness and scalability, it's important to note that existing BLE mesh networks might require some adjustments to be optimized for asset tracking. Firmware modifications might be necessary to incorporate asset identification data and adjust message routing logic. Despite these considerations, repurposing BLE mesh for asset tracking can be a valuable solution for organizations seeking to maximize the utilization of their existing infrastructure.
Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) To Prevent Loss Of Warehouse Assets - Case Study
PositiveCarry, LLC, a delivery company, was facing a recurring nightmare – the regular loss of their expensive Zebra handheld scanners. A QR Inventory software stepped in, implementing a tailored solution using BLE tags and IoT gateways. The results were astonishing. In the year since implementing an IoT asset tracking, Positive Carry hasn't lost a single scanner.
❱❱ BLE Asset Management - Case Study.