For this application a Bluetooth beacon was selected and modified to suit the data needed by the client. A Bluetooth receiver station with WiFi connection was also developed.
The intended use of the beacons is to be attached to an object (tools, medical instruments, worker’s helmet, etc…). Then place some receivers distributed in a building to locate the desired object.
The signal strength of the beacon is alos reported for further processing (i.e. triangulation).
A second version of the system included an Ultra Wide Band (UWB) module, both in the beacon and the receiver, in order to compute distances more precisely.
Development highlights:
Selection of available Bluetooth beacons in the market.
Evaluation of the beacons to modify its firmware.
Develop the needed firmware for the beacons.
Design and development of the receiver station.
Integration and development for the UWB modules.
MQTT protocol implemented in the receiver stations to send the redings to the server.