Asset Tracking using Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh instead of UWB
In current market there are a variety of wireless location technologies that can be used in different asset tracking platforms like WIFI, Bluetooth, GPS, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Although there are different benefits to each, one of the best options enterprises can use for indoor commercial asset tracking is Bluetooth. It has improved over the years by providing an even longer-lasting battery life while maintaining its precision value-add. Bluetooth Low Energy with SenseGiz’s Mesh based solution, is the go-to choice for commercial-grade asset tracking because of its low cost and long battery life. Let’s take a deeper look at why enterprises should consider Bluetooth LE over UWB for commercial asset tracking.
SenseGiz Mesh is a proprietary mesh network based on Bluetooth Low Energy that allows for many-to-many communication over Bluetooth like Coin to Gateway, Coin to Coin, Coin to Find etc. Each device connected to the mesh network is called a node. The nodes use messages to communicate with each other. Managed Flooding and Asymmetrical Structure techniques are used to control mesh traffic and make it power efficient. Our BLE mesh is a self healing and self learning mesh network, which reduces the need for high number of gateways.
UWB is a short-range, radio technology that operates at high frequencies. The system uses hundreds of megahertz to transmit messages to give accuracy of an asset’s location within a range of 10-30 cm. This technology seems appealing because of its precision, but there’s more to consider when employing a UWB solution for a company. Devices operating through UWB only provide this type of precision when assets have a clear line of sight from tag to location transmission device (such as a beacon or mobile phone) and are close together. This is a complicated solution to implement, which causes it to be more expensive.
Bluetooth is a form of wireless location technology designed especially for short-range communication. Bluetooth is similar to WIFI in the sense that it allows devices to communicate with each other, but Bluetooth exchanges small amounts of data. For example, say you want to broadcast an asset tag’s location to an IoT platform. The amount of data you need to transfer is minimal, so Bluetooth works well for indoor positioning use cases and can significantly save on battery life. Today, most smartphones and tablets are Bluetooth compatible, which means they can seamlessly communicate with Bluetooth- enabled devices.
Accuracy: Bluetooth enables companies to track assets based on specific asset location needs. By placing Bluetooth beacons throughout an indoor facility, companies can track assets within a specific area, or more closely identify location by adding more beacons. Unlike UWB, there is no need for a clear path between tags and beacons to communicate location with each other. More beacons enable better accuracy, but it’s up to your specific needs how many to use. UWB has greater precision, but if your use case can work with meter-level accuracy instead of foot level accuracy, Bluetooth is the path for you.
Low Cost: Bluetooth has a more effective commercial infrastructure compared to UWB. A Bluetooth system takes just 5 minutes to set up which allows it to be implemented at a lower cost and helps users obtain a quicker ROI. The longer-lasting batteries also help to drive down cost as companies won’t have to purchase and change them constantly. More complex systems, can drive up company cost significantly through having to purchase batteries more frequently. Another increase in cost comes from needing more transmission devices than Bluetooth, as tagged assets using UWB need a clear line of sight in order to work properly. Tag costs are also significantly different – standard UWB tags in low volumes can cost as much as $70/tag, while Bluetooth tags can range from $10-$15/tag. Since tags are one of the major costs of an asset tracking system, reducing the tag cost can drive down costs over 80%!
Long Battery Life: Bluetooth transmits a small amount of data and only updates as often as you need. This allows companies to track assets without changing batteries for up to 5 years. UWB consumes significantly more energy because of the amount of data being transmitted, which causes a much shorter battery life. This makes it more troublesome for companies, as they would constantly need to change batteries in hundreds if not thousands of asset tracking tags.
SenseGiz platform for Asset Tracking solution
SenseGiz uses Bluetooth to keep a balance between low cost, long-lasting battery life, and higher accuracy between +5 or -5. This has increased ROI for many companies across different industries. The reliability of FIND device gives companies peace of mind knowing their assets are always accounted for. Organizations of all types – from manufacturing and construction companies to hospitals, emergency management agencies, and fulfilment centres – own or lease all sorts of assets that are essential to everyday business operations, and tracking them with the SenseGiz solution takes the stress out of knowing where assets are located in real-time.
Bluetooth is a reliable technology for asset management. With proximity-based technology, companies can easily locate assets as they don’t need a clear path to the COIN in order to give an accurate location reading. It provides an asset’s location by adhering to the nearest COIN, which allows users to customize their FINDs tags and expand as needed.
Why SenseGiz?
Turn Around Time (TAT) Monitoring
Monitors the total time spent by an asset in various zones as well as overall premises.
Interval Monitoring
Monitoring downtime of assets & fleet. Raise alert if any asset doesn’t reach the desired location within a stipulated time.
Inactivity Monitoring
Alerts will be triggered when assets are left stranded or unattended beyond a certain time.
Trip Count
Can give the number of trips done by a particular asset, fleet, forklift etc in a day.
Reusability of FINDs
You can reuse the same FIND to various assets in a day without overwriting the data of the asset to which the previous FIND was assigned.
Wrapping It Up
Deciding what asset tracking solution to use for your company’s needs can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. At SenseGiz, we can help customize a solution to fit your business- specific needs to help you save time and money.