Définition & Utilisation des balises BLE, Balises de capteur, Étiquettes personnelles, et étiquettes d'actifs

Introduction

BLE (Bluetooth basse consommation) Mots clés, étiquettes de capteur, étiquettes du personnel, et les balises d'actifs sont les types de balises les plus couramment utilisés dans l'IoT (Internet des objets). Du badge que vous portez au travail au système de maison intelligente qui maintient un environnement confortable, ces tags sont partout. Avec tant de “Mots clés” dans les appareils IoT, this blog will explore why different tags exist and what they are used for.

BLE Tags

A BLE (Bluetooth basse consommation) étiqueter, also named a BLE beacon, Bluetooth LE tag, or BLE beacon tag, is a small device that uses BLE technology to transmit a signal at regular intervals as its technical definition. It is primarily used in indoor navigation and proximity marketing.

In indoor navigation, BLE tags or beacons are strategically placed throughout a building and continuously broadcast signals. As a person enters the building, their smartphone receives signals from the different beacons and compares the RSSI values to calculate their approximate location using trilateration. The navigation app on the phone processes the signal data to estimate the person’s location and updates it as they move, providing real-time indoor navigation. BLE beacons can also be used for proximity marketing. When a person approaches a BLE beacon, the beacon can send a notification to their smartphone. This can be used to deliver targeted marketing messages or provide information about nearby businesses and services.

Compared to weak and unavailable GPS signals, BLE beacons are ideal for indoor navigation in locations like malls, aéroports, and museums. They are designed to use very little power, which means they can run for months or even years on a small battery. With their compact size and easy deployment, BLE tags are cost-effective for many applications.

BLE Tags VS. UWB Tags: UWB (Bande ultra-large) tags offer another solution for precise location tracking using ultra-wideband technology. With centimeter-level accuracy, fast data rates, and strong interference resistance, UWB tags are ideal for high-precision tasks in large, complex environments. Cependant, BLE tags or beacons are more commonly used due to their lower power consumption, broader compatibility, et la rentabilité.

Balises de capteur

A wireless sensor tag is a device used to collect data from the environment, comme la température, humidité, lumière, mouvement, et plus. It is easy to understand how a sensor tag works. Take a temperature sensor as an example: the sensor tag collects and processes data and then transmits the data wirelessly using technologies like Bluetooth or LoRaWAN to a receiver or gateway. The received data is sent to a gateway, which uses Wi-Fi, PoE (Power over Ethernet), or 4G cellular network technology to transmit data to a cloud-based or local server where it can be analyzed and monitored in real-time.

There are many kinds of sensor tags, such as temperature sensors, capteurs d'humidité, light sensors, door sensors, millimeter wave radar sensors, water-leak sensors, PIR ( Passive Infrared) capteurs, ToF (Time of Flight) capteurs, et bien plus encore. Here are some of the most common types of IoT sensors:

Temperature sensors offer a reliable way to safeguard products and processes that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Whether it’s maintaining the cold chain for pharmaceuticals or monitoring ultra-low temperatures in scientific research, these sensors play a vital role in ensuring quality and safety.

Humidity sensors are devices used to quantify the amount of water vapor present in the air. These sensors find applications in manufacturing industries to ensure ideal production conditions, as well as in environments such as libraries and warehouses where it’s essential to monitor the humidity levels to protect stored items.

Light sensors, utilizing the photoelectric effect, convert light into electrical signals. The intensity of the incident light directly influences the output signal. These sensors are integral components in various applications, ranging from the automatic brightness control in your smartphone to sophisticated smart lighting systems that adapt to changing ambient light conditions.

Atmospheric pressure sensors, also known as barometric pressure sensors, are devices used to measure the pressure exerted by the atmosphere. They can monitor indoor pressure changes, indicating air quality in smart offices to help optimize the environment for employee comfort. Pour un positionnement en intérieur, the atmospheric pressure sensor detects pressure differences between floors to improve room-level or floor-level positioning accuracy.

Millimeter wave radar sensors can detect movement, acceleration, and angles with precision down to a fraction of a millimeter, making them ideal for short-range, high-accuracy detection. Operating in the 30 à 300 GHz frequency range, these sensors have strong anti-interference capabilities and can penetrate materials like plastic, fabric, and glass. Current applications of this technology span from autonomous driving and occupancy detection to smart lighting control and even monitoring vital signs in healthcare. While PIR (Passive Infrared) sensors can also detect environmental changes, they rely on detecting infrared radiation emitted by objects, making them better suited for tracking larger movements, like those of people and animals.

ToF (Time of Flight) capteurs can measure distance by using light or electromagnetic waves to determine the distance between the sensor and an object. With its high precision and efficient distance algorithms, ToF sensors are ideal for applications such as smart warehouse management, suivi des stocks, and smart building systems.

Water-leak sensors are specialized instruments designed to determine the height of substances like liquids, powders, or granular materials within a container or natural setting. It has a wide range of applications, including measuring the liquid level in industrial tanks, monitoring water levels in washing machines for smart homes, controlling irrigation water levels in agriculture, et plus.

Door magnetic sensors detect the open or closed state of doors and windows, converting this into digital signals and transmitting the data via BLE to a gateway connected to a cloud platform. This allows users to monitor security in real time through an app. These sensors typically feature tamper alerts, providing immediate notification of any irregularities, making them ideal for enhancing security in homes, hotels, hôpitaux, et bureaux.

Étiquettes personnelles

Personnel tags are used to identify and manage individuals. They are typically worn on the body, such as ID badges or wristbands, using technologies like BLE (Bluetooth basse consommation) or LoRaWAN to identify individuals and track their locations.

Personnel tags have a wide range of applications, including security, contrôle d'accès, and time and attendance management. They can be used to improve security by restricting access to certain areas or facilities based on authorization levels. They can also be used to increase efficiency by tracking the location of personnel and ensuring that they are where they are supposed to be. By leveraging real-time and batch data management, these tags streamline operations in various industries.

Balises d'actifs

An asset tag is a label or marker attached to physical assets to identify and track them. They are used to manage and monitor the locations, conditions, and usage of assets within an organization. Asset tags typically use technologies such as GPS (Global Positioning System) and BLE for real-time indoor and outdoor location tracking and more.

Asset tags offer versatile applications, ranging from tracking fixed assets to managing inventory and monitoring equipment maintenance. They provide valuable data into asset usage, enabling businesses to streamline operations and improve asset security.

Comparison of Different Tags

Commonalities: BLE tags, étiquettes de capteur, personnel tags and asset tags are all wireless devices used for tracking and monitoring purposes, whether it’s assets, personnel, or environmental conditions. These compact and low-power consumption devices often use BLE technology and are easy to deploy or wear.

Différences: BLE beacons transform indoor spaces into interactive environments, offering features like proximity marketing and indoor navigation. Sensor tags provide valuable insights into environmental conditions. Personnel tags enhance security and efficiency in smart offices, while asset tags optimize asset management by providing real-time location data.

Conclusion

From streamlining daily tasks like tracking inventory to bolstering security by monitoring access, tags are revolutionizing how we interact with technology. As IoT technology continues to advance, we can expect to see an even greater proliferation of tags designed to simplify our lives and operations.