Author: Support

Social Distancing Bluetooth RSSI Calibration

We previously described how social distance beacons differ from ordinary beacons. Devices advertise AND scan rather than just advertise OR scan. The principle is the same with with smartphones using the Apple/Google Exposure Notification API.

The problem with smartphones is that their transmit and receive capabilities vary widely. The received signal strength (RSSI) is inconsistent across types of smartphone and you can’t determine distance reliably. Apple and Google have mitigated this problem by attempting to create a database of calibration values (csv).

The calibration data is useful for Bluetooth developers creating solutions across devices. However, it’s of no use for 3rd party contact tracing as only Government agencies can use the Exposure Notification API and Apple is banning Covid related apps.

Read about Beacons for Workplace Social Distancing and Contact Tracing.

Using Beacons to Prevent a Lunchtime Attack

There’s a new paper on DE-auth of the Blue! Transparent De-authentication Using Bluetooth Low Energy Beacon. While the paper is behind a paywall, the paper’s abstract provides enough information to determine the intent.

When people move away from their desk, for example for lunch, they often don’t log out. It can be some time before the screen saver kicks in and logs the user out. The paper takes a look at the use of beacons to provide de-authentication when the person moves away from their desk.

De-authentication move away from desk

This is a much simpler method than previous research that used Seated Posture Biometrics (pdf).

Add GroupMe Members Using iBeacon

GroupMe is Microsoft’s free messaging application that works across HoloLens, PC and mobile devices. GroupMe is published by the Skype part of Microsoft.

We recently learnt that it’s possible to use iBeacon to add members.

This is another example of an application adding iBeacon support as a side feature as opposed to using iBeacon to drive the main purpose of the application. Applications can gain ease of use by using iBeacons for locating.

View iBeacons

Learning about Web Bluetooth

Web Bluetooth allows you to view and control Bluetooth devices from a web page.

There’s a great introduction by Niels Leenheer at Smashing Magazine. Niels is heavily into browser based solutions and has also presented about Web Bluetooth at many conferences. Visit his talks page, scroll down to ‘Fun with Bluetooth’ and click on the presentation or video icons.

Web Bluetooth only works with some browsers:

Web Browser WebBluetooth Compatibility
Web Browser WebBluetooth Compatibility

While Niels concentrates on communicating with consumer goods such as lightbulbs, robots and drones, Web Bluetooth also has uses for businesses and organisations. Web interfaces can be used to control beacons or any Bluetooth LE devices.

On Android, when created as a Progressive Web App (PWA) it behaves like an app but is created using web technologies. There’s no app packaging or signing and it can work offline. It can be optionally installed in the mobile operating system where it will look and act like any other app.

Apple’s PWA implementation doesn’t (yet) work with Bluetooth. Indeed, Apple is behind when it comes to PWA.

Do you have an Estimote Alternative?

We sometimes get asked if we have a replacement for Estimote beacons. There’s no exact replacement because Estimote manufactured ⃰ their own custom product and only allow their own beacons on their platform.

However, if your app doesn’t use the Estimote SDK and just detects iBeacon advertising using the standard iOS and Android Bluetooth libraries then you can use any iBeacon. Also see our post regarding compatibility.

⃰We purposely said ‘manufactured’ because several companies have told us that Estimote has stopped answering enquiries about purchasing beacons.

Read about the advantages of generic beacons

Safety System Using iBeacon

The Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering of TJS Engineering College, Chennai, India has a new paper on Women Safety System using iBeacon Technology.

It describes a system that uses iBeacon to provide tracking of women when out alone. As it uses iBeacon, it is presumably for use where GPS doesn’t work. Also, while not mentioned, it might equally be used for all vulnerable people including lone workers, young, old and disabled.

Women safety system using iBeacon

The system consists of a wearable belt that tracks location and sends alerts via cellular connection. It uses heartbeat, sound and pressure sensors to detect abnormal situations.

Read more about iBeacons

View iBeacons

Social Distancing Technologies Take the Fast Track Through the Hype Cycle

Gartner has a recent update to their research of hype cycles that takes into account disruption caused by the Covid pandemic.

Social Distancing Technology Hype Cycle

Five emerging trends have been identified:

  • Social Distancing Technologies
  • Composable Enterprise
  • AI-Assisted Design
  • Differential Privacy
  • Biodegradable Sensors

Social distancing technologies, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, are taking the fast track through the Hype Cycle and have high impact. Technologies rarely enter the Hype Cycle at the point where social distancing technologies has entered it

Social Distancing Tech

Wearable devices provide more reliable performance than smartphone apps because smartphones’ transmit and receive capabilities vary considerably across types of device. Using defined, known wristbands or lanyard devices eliminate the variances.

Read about Beacons for Workplace Social Distancing and Contact Tracing

Using AI Machine Learning to Infer Distance

There’s new research by Guglielmo Marconi University and University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Italy on Indoor Localization System Based on Bluetooth Low Energy for Museum Applications.

The use of location in museums allows personalised tour guidance and on-demand exhibit information to be provided. Location also allows analysis of visitor flows to better design spaces through the identification of choke points and redundant areas.

Museum Bluetooth Location

The system had visitors emit Eddystone beacon advertising received by ESP32-based devices acting as gateways to a server.

Museum Bluetooth Location System

The research is novel in that it uses AI machine learning on the received signal strength (RSSI) to infer location. This helps overcome the problems of variable signal strength experienced in indoor locations due to reflections and obstacles. It also prevents the need for fingerprinting the entire area which is time consuming and fails when the physical situation changes.

RSSI Location for Museum

The method achieved accuracy of the order of 2m and this improved to 1m with the use of more receivers.

Read about Using Beacons, iBeacons for Real-time Locating Systems (RTLS)

Learn about BeaconRTLS™