Get smarter about 10 IoT and tracking technologies.
Gain a better understanding of what the various asset management and tracking technologies can and cannot do, and why they can be beneficial in boosting your order management. We discuss the first 10 technologies in terms of advantages and disadvantages in this article. If you’d rather hear how we can address your tracking or monitoring needs, feel free to contact us.
We prefer technology to be used to automate order processes.
There are many good reasons to use IoT and asset tracking & management.
Data provides decision-makers with information to support the best possible decisions.
What we like best are technologies that can automate order processes. By using sensors, many elements can be measured. The measurements can ensure automation of order processes when they fall within certain values. The process becomes cheaper, more accurate, and less error-prone. Employees only need to deal with the exceptions.
Examples include fill level measurements on containers, where an emptying order is automatically generated when a certain fill level is reached. Similarly, feed silos can generate automatic orders for replenishment. This way, one avoids running out of feed for livestock, for example. Express fees and related stress can be avoided.
You can read more examples here: https://stra.com/en/sensor-monitor-iot/
The first 7 technologies:
- RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)
Pros: low cost per chip, can be read at a distance and without line of sight, effective for inventory and logistics management. Cons: limited range compared to other technologies, can be disrupted by metals and liquids. - GPS (Global Positioning System)
Pros: accurate location tracking worldwide, ideal for tracking vehicles and mobile assets outdoors. Cons: higher hardware and operational costs, performs poorly indoors or under cover. - Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
Pros: low energy consumption extending battery life, good for both indoor and close-range outdoor tracking. Cons: limited range compared to GPS, requires a network of receivers for precise indoor tracking. - Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
Pros: very precise localization, up to centimeter-level accuracy, works well in complex indoor environments. Cons: higher costs compared to other technologies, requires more complex infrastructure. - Sigfox and LoRa (Long Range Low Power)
Pros: long range and low power consumption, suitable for sensors and assets spread over large geographic areas. Cons: lower data transfer speed, may not support real-time tracking effectively. - 2G/3G/4G/5G Networks
Pros: extensive coverage over large areas, enables high data transfer and real-time tracking. Cons: dependent on mobile network availability, potentially higher costs associated with data transmission. - Wi-Fi-based tracking
Pros: used in many buildings, making it ideal for indoor tracking, reasonably accurate and relatively easy to implement. Cons: coverage is limited to areas with Wi-Fi, precision may vary depending on the number of hotspots.
And 4 more technologies:
- Zigbee:
Pros: low energy consumption and long battery life, good for creating secure, reliable local networks with small data packets, ideal for home and building automation. Cons: limited range, can be disrupted by other devices operating on the same frequency (e.g., Wi-Fi). - Z-Wave:
Pros: low energy consumption and relatively long indoor range, good for home automation with robust security features, operates on a different frequency than Wi-Fi, reducing interference. Cons: less widespread than other technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which may limit compatibility, generally more expensive than other wireless technologies. - LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) other than Sigfox and LoRa, such as Weightless and MIOTY:
Pros: designed specifically for IoT, with very low power consumption and long range, suitable for applications where devices rarely send data. Cons: some of these technologies are less widespread and may have limited support and infrastructure. - 5G IoT: Pros: very fast data transfer and low latency, suitable for real-time tracking and critical applications, potential to handle a large number of devices per unit area. Cons: 5G infrastructure implementation is still ongoing and can be costly, higher energy consumption compared to other low-energy IoT technologies.
IS Big Brother watching you?
free after George Orwell, “1984”
Low-cost automation
Inexpensive and efficient technology to optimize many processes. Today, we can measure various things: location, temperature, fill level, humidity, vibration, light intensity, pressure, sound levels, air quality, chemical composition, speed, energy consumption, etc.
Optimized processes
Automated processes ensure greener operations, greater safety, and increased earnings potential.
Get leaner, go greener!
Solutionwebs’ goal is to motivate and support companies in their efforts to reduce their environmental footprint while optimizing their operations. We believe that it is possible to achieve economic growth while considering the planet, and we are dedicated to supporting companies in this important journey towards a more sustainable future.
Ready for a (non-)binding meeting?
We’d like to talk to you about which (standard) solutions we can assist you with. We offer you many years of experience and insight into what works and what doesn’t.
