u-blox AG: u-blox technologies enable AddMobile's Connected Construction Site

u-blox technologies enable AddMobile's Connected Construction Site 

Bluetooth low energy beacons optimize asset tracking on-site.

Thalwil, Switzerland and Malmö, Sweden - August 29, 2019 - u-blox (SIX:UBXN), a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies, has announced that its Bluetooth low energy module NINA-B1 has been chosen by AddMobile, Swedish provider of devices and services for construction site management, as the basis of its short-range equipment-tracking beacons, AddTrackers. This service is among the latest enhancements to the company's AddMobile Toolbox platform and involves adding radio beacons to any tools or equipment that need tracking.

The AddMobile Toolbox helps site managers control mobile work orders, log fleet vehicle mileages, secure entry to work sites, register staff as they come and go, as well as handling fleet management and equipment safety. It uses a variety of hardware to enable these Connected Construction Site's services, including stationary hubs and entrance control units with Bluetooth low energy and cellular connectivity, as well as an RFID reader, and mobile hubs with Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Bluetooth low energy and cellular connectivity.

In addition to NINA-B1, the AddMobile Toolbox features the u-blox GSM/GPRS cellular module SARA-G3 and the u-blox MAX-M8 GNSS module series.

"The AddTracker beacons and hubs rely upon a combination of GNSS positioning, cellular connectivity, and Bluetooth low energy short-range radio interfaces," said Bo Lyvall, Business Development Manager at AddMobile. "u-blox was able to provide all three key technologies for our solutions, as well as providing great local support in the Malmö area," he added.

In use, the beacons equipping tools and equipment communicate with suitably equipped smartphones or other AddMobile hardware infrastructure. When one of these devices picks up an asset's signal, the asset's unique ID and GNSS coordinates are sent to AddMobile's cloud platform, which can then show managers an image of the asset and its position on a map, list the equipment's features, and show where it is on its planned maintenance schedule.

Trackers don't have to be static. In one use case, a vehicle is fitted with a mobile hub that includes a GSM connection, GNSS positioning, and a Bluetooth low energy interface in the luggage area. Tools can be tracked on-site by static hubs, and then followed as they are put into company vans for use offsite. This means that staff scheduling offsite jobs can know the location of all their mobile personnel, and whether they have the right tools with them to undertake each task.

The company was also attracted by the cost efficiency of u-blox's offering, and what is already a vast installed base of interoperable Bluetooth low energy technology. In the future, the collaboration between AddMobile and u-blox may extend to the use of a longer-range variant of Bluetooth, to further reduce the cost of asset tracking on large and complex sites, and exploring the appropriate use of cellular technology in asset tracking.
 

About AddMobile

AddMobile develops digital solutions for construction sites and transportation. The AddMobile Toolbox platform offers several solutions for the connected construction site and is integrated with leading business systems. AddMobile was founded in 2004 and has offices in Malmö, Stockholm and Karlskrona. Sales in 2018 amounted to SEK 50 million.

For more information about AddMobile see: www.addmobile.se
 

AddMobile contacts:
Julia Rosenqvist, PR
Phone +46 40 66 33122
julia.rosenqvist@addmobile.se

Bo Lyvall, Business development
Phone +46 40 66 33104
bo.lyvall@addmobile.se
 

About u-blox

u-blox (SIX:UBXN) is a global provider of leading positioning and wireless communication technologies for the automotive, industrial, and consumer markets. Their solutions let people, vehicles, and machines determine their precise position and communicate wirelessly over cellular and short-range networks. With a broad portfolio of chips, modules, and a growing ecosystem of product supporting data services, u-blox is uniquely positioned to empower its customers to develop innovative solutions for the Internet of Things, quickly and cost-effectively. With headquarters in Thalwil, Switzerland, the company is globally present with offices in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter @ublox and YouTube
 

u‑blox media contact:
Natacha Seitz
PR Manager
Mobile +41 76 436 0788
natacha.seitz@u-blox.com