Maximising Life on the Edge
We’ve seen an explosion of innovative ways in which the Internet of Things can be harnessed to solve real-world problems. These range from keeping tabs on high-value engineering equipment to monitoring sea-faring support vessels in the energy sector. But the transport and logistics industries have long been and continue to be at the vanguard of embracing technological innovation when it comes to smart asset tracking.
It's essential that users in the transport, logistics and intermodal sectors always know the location of their assets and shipments, especially if the items travel long distances on their way to distribution partners and customers. The need for uninterrupted connectivity is particularly acute when the shipments in question are dangerous and or highly explosive such as petrochemicals.
For effective tracking of assets and cargo in motion, including while travelling across remote locations, on land or sea, coverage ubiquity and dependability are only possible through satellite communications.
Fortunately, today's advanced tracking technology solutions that harness the Internet of Things, with the latest IoT hardware and software, as well as space-based technology, ensure that assets and cargo can be monitored reliably even when the asset or cargo travels beyond the reach of conventional telecom networks.
Integrity 150: First Solar Powered Asset Tracking Device with Edge Smart Data Processing
The Integrity 150 satellite solar-powered asset tracking device from Globalstar monitors assets of any kind, whether fixed or mobile, including shipping containers, rail tank car, cryo tanks, transport trailers, engineering machinery and vehicle fleets.
Featuring Globalstar’s industry-leading low-power design, it offers the longest battery and shelf life available. Integrity 150 is packed with functionality. Integrated into the product is a GPS receiver, accelerometer, Arm CPU on Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF5xxx SoC.
With its low-power design built for the world’s most challenging environments, the Integrity 150 reliably delivers secure data and location reporting with unprecedented payload options.
Customizable messaging capability, tamper detection and BLE5 Bluetooth connectivity for a wide variety of sensors all feature in the Integrity 150. Its flash memory offers a generous 8MB of storage for application data and firmware updates.
Because it’s based on open-source common architecture, developers can readily create custom AI-driven applications that transmit smart data from the edge. The standards-based architecture means that new features and platform upgrades can reliably access the same hardware interfaces, APIs, and applications as previous versions with no specialised coding.
Like all of Globalstar's products and solutions, integrity 150 delivers ubiquitous, reliable satellite communications that can transform businesses thanks to the power of satellite IoT.
Edge computing means lower costs
Because it processes smart data at the edge, Integrity 150 enables huge savings and operational efficiencies. Users send only the data they need over the highly reliable Globalstar LEO satellite network to the customer endpoint – significantly reducing transmission costs. Generating smart data at the edge also transforms transmission efficiency and performance, all yielding lower costs and enhanced operations.
Integrity 150’s onboard power and movement sensors can, for example, gather and report engine runtime accumulation and validate equipment operation to enable more cost-effective maintenance and greater uptime. Gains in productivity, additional revenue potential, maintenance costs, and more uptime all result.
The onboard processing capacity make it possible to fully automate remote processes to save money, increase productivity, improve margins and enhance safety.
With solar power, the economics of IoT tracking are re-written
Integrity 150 offers ultra-low maintenance and cost-efficient tracking thanks to solar power. The device will operate continuously for many months while reporting twice a day without the need for any exposure to sunlight. In addition, it has the longest-lasting battery (10+ years) and shelf life available. The solution therefore overcomes the challenge of delivering accurate ubiquitous tracking in unpowered environments such as tanks and railcars.
Benefits for whole supply chain
Integrity 150 leverages IoT tracking to do much more than simply provide positioning data. Thanks to the Internet of Things, the whole supply chain can benefit from rich data emanating from the device, leading to informed business decisions.
Integrity 150 satellite asset tracking enables companies to monitor the location and status of equipment or cargo in near real-time. By knowing how each asset is being used at any given time, the user has the opportunity to enhance return on investment and optimisation of assets. They can export data into their applications and accurately track data for billing purposes.
Accurate delivery times, more efficient use of assets, and granular location information can all lead to a more streamlined and customer-centric supply chain. Satellite connectivity, and solar power, ensure these vital data streams from Integrity 150 are always true, robust far-reaching and continuous.
A variety of technologies and solutions exist in the market which promise always-on low-power tracking capability for assets and cargo. These are based on distribution technologies including GSM and proprietary radio and local or wide area network (LAN/WAN). However only by employing the latest satellite communications can users be sure that the connectivity with their shipments and the assets which convey them will be uninterrupted, whatever the weather or environment.
Any data stream is only as good as its weakest link. For any operator transporting shipments across borders and long distances, only satellite technology can ensure they always now their assets’ location.
The Integrity 150 satellite IoT tracking device from Globalstar takes asset tracking even further, delivering value for users, as well as for partners and customers, all thanks to solar powered smart computing at the edge.
 | Article By:
Gavan Murphy |