Bluetooth beacons are unassuming small devices. When they are paired with business applications, their real potential starts to shine. Read how this powerful duo, ALIS, can improve operations across diverse environments, from supermarkets to nuclear power plants.
ALIS, our new asset localization and identification system, leverages Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. Developed within resco.Labs, ALIS is designed to guide field workers and help them execute their work orders.
The beacons have been tested at multiple sites. Read the anonymized use cases based on real-life scenarios that highlight their versatility and underscore their capacity to add value across various environments.
Use case #1: Supermarket
At a supermarket chain, everything needs to be streamlined. Our daughter company, Nivy Watch, deployed a system for managing tasks and activities of employees using a smartwatch and Bluetooth beacons. This integration allows management to use real-time data to ensure resources are used efficiently.
The project started with placing beacons and handing out the watches to employees.
Soon it was revealed that the employees were spending a lot of time at the machine for recycling bottles. Instead of doing their jobs, they tended to a machine that often malfunctioned. It became apparent it needed to be replaced.
Also, employees spent significant time checking the fridge and freezer temperature. The cooling devices must go through regular checks to ensure the temperature levels are correctly set and the contents are kept within defined food-safe limits.
Thanks to placing a beacon with a temperature sensor into each cooling device, temperature levels are automatically monitored 24 hours a day. Possible accidents have been minimized to almost zero.
When a cooling device requires a service check, the beacon paired with inspections software not only directs the technician to its precise location but also provides access to the necessary documentation.
By using the Nivy Watch system and the beacons, supermarket management could identify multiple weak spots, identify opportunities for automating processes, and save time and resources.
Use case #2: Nuclear power plant
We were involved in talks about improving the operations of all kinds of premises. One of them was a nuclear power plant.
Initially, the assignment was to improve security. Service members are supposed to perform a security check on the same circuit every hour. They must document their presence at several checkpoints to ensure everything runs smoothly.
In the past, they scanned a QR code at each checkpoint. Unfortunately, this system can be sidestepped by taking pictures of the QR codes, printing them out, and scanning them, pretending you are the serviceman on patrol.
Using the beacons can significantly improve security because the designated person needs to be physically present at the asset to log the checkpoint into the system. If someone attempts to remove or tamper with the beacon, its sensor can pick up suspicious activity and notify the manager.
While solving the security problem, we encountered other situations where beacons might be helpful. The equipment at a nuclear power plant must undergo many regulatory checks, and external contractors often perform these.
When the contractor comes to the premises, she must find her way in labyrinthine corridors and shafts spanning multiple floors. She relies on employees to show her the way, but the environment can get very noisy, and sometimes there is no one around to give directions.
If there is a beacon at an asset, say, a turbine, the contractor can easily find her way to it. It helps her make sure she is inspecting the right asset and has the documentation at hand. In a plant with thousands of assets, this might save a significant amount of time.
Many of the assets need continuous monitoring of moisture, vibrations, CO2 levels, etc. Workers read the values, write them down, and enter them into the system. This ensures people working at the plant are safe and assured everything works as supposed, and it also cuts downtime. With the beacons, much of the monitoring can be done automatically.
It is remarkable how simple Bluetooth beacons with the right software can improve the functioning of a highly complex system.
Order an ALIS developer kit
Do you have an idea about a similar use case? You can order an ALIS developer kit.
Try the beacons in real-life scenarios. We will be glad to help you develop a solution to your problem or the problem of your clients.