Garcia says it’s the same principle as a tightly-focused laser beam. The key new wrinkle, according to Apptricity’s CEO Tim Garcia, is precise tuning within the Bluetooth spectrum. So, the burning question: How does one send a Bluetooth signal over 30-plus kilometers? Typically, Bluetooth’s distance is limited because large distances would require a prohibitive amount of power, and its use of unlicensed spectrum means that the greater the distance, the more likely it will interfere with other wireless signals. While such tags don’t require a person to actively track items, they are far more expensive, requiring a costly subscription to either a satellite or LTE network. Alternatively, companies can use satellite or LTE tags to keep track of stuff. Inventory tracking refers more to things like a retail store keeping correct product counts on the shelves, or a hospital noting how quickly it’s going through its store of gloves.Īsset and inventory tracking typically use labor-intensive techniques like barcode or passive RFID scanning, which are limited both by distance (a couple of meters at most, in both cases) and the fact that a person has to be directly involved in scanning. The company believes its beacon is a cheaper, secure alternative to established asset and inventory tracking technologies.Ī quick primer, if you’re not entirely clear on asset tracking versus inventory tracking: There’s some gray areas in the middle, but by and large, “asset tracking” refers to an IT department registering which employee has which laptop, or a construction company keeping tabs on where its backhoes are on a large construction site. Apptricity, a company that provides asset and inventory tracking technologies, has developed a Bluetooth beacon that can transmit signals over 32 kilometers (20 miles). That’s where Bluetooth has made its mark, after all-as an alternative to Wi-Fi, using unlicensed spectrum to make quick connections between devices.īut it turns out that Bluetooth can go much farther than the couple of meters for which most people rely on it. When you think about Bluetooth, you probably think about things like wireless headphones, computer mice, and other personal devices that utilize the short-range, low-power technology.
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