Challenges Implementing RTLS for Asset Tracking | WISER Systems, Inc.'s Logan Maxwell

IoT For All Podcast · 12 Jul 2021 · 30m

What this episode covers

Logan Maxwell, an early employee and Director of Solutions Engineering at WISER Systems, discusses the company's evolution from a research grant to a commercial Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) provider using Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology. He details specific deployments, including tracking city buses in Columbus, Ohio, and managing truck yard logistics for distribution centers, highlighting the shift from COVID-era social distancing use cases to permanent asset tracking. Maxwell also addresses the challenges of implementing RTLS in metallic environments, the disconnect between IoT marketing hype and practical ROI, and the critical importance of integrating location data with operational workflows.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Lights Out · 49m

    You Can't Automate What You Can't Find: RTLS and the Data Foundation for Lights-Out | Ep. 47

    Mitch Tucker of HID explains how Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) provide the data foundation necessary for lights-out manufacturing and Industry 5.0. He argues that shops must first standardize processes through Gemba walks and 5S before implementing RTLS to solve the costly problem of 'tribal knowledge' and search time. The discussion covers scaling from simple RFID to ultra-wideband, using location data for safety and digital twins, and the ethical considerations of worker tracking.

  • EE Times Current · 21m

    Tracking & Locationing Technologies from Renesas

    Annie Ru, a product marketing engineer at Renesas, explains the evolution from simple asset tracking to intelligent, real-time 'locationing' using Renesas Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) System on Chips (SoCs). She details three core technologies: CrowdSourced Locationing (CSL) for global consumer tracking, Atlas for high-scale industrial triangulation, and Wira for precise wireless ranging in RF-hostile environments. Ru highlights real-world applications, including Carnival Cruise Lines using Atlas and Wira for guest services and safety, and demonstrates how these solutions enable new use cases like conference attendee tracking and smart retail theft prevention.

  • Over the Air · 32m

    From B2C to B2B IoT with Davyeon Ross, Co-Founder & President at ShotTracker Inc

    Davyeon Ross, Co-Founder and President of ShotTracker, explains the company's strategic pivot from a B2C crowdfunding model to a B2B IoT provider for professional sports. He details the technical challenges of embedding sensors in basketballs and player uniforms, specifically focusing on the transition from Bluetooth Low Energy to Ultra-Wideband (UWB) to achieve sub-4cm accuracy in noisy arena environments. Ross highlights the engineering feat of integrating a rechargeable sensor into a regulation basketball without altering its weight distribution or ballistics, and discusses how this data enables real-time automated broadcasting analytics.

  • Over the Air · 23m

    From Niche to Global: Navigating Ultra-Rugged IoT with Beontag

    Ricardo Lobo, CEO of Beontag, explains how the company transitioned from a niche R&D-focused startup to a global brand by solving ultra-rugged IoT problems that major players ignored, such as reading through metal and liquids. He details the engineering challenges of embedding UHF sensors inside tires, which must survive vulcanization heat and pressure, and discusses the strategic balance between high-margin custom engineering and high-volume label manufacturing. Lobo also outlines future trends in the industry, including shrinking chip sizes, the push for penny-cost tags, and the convergence of UHF with Bluetooth Low Energy and 5G for real-time localization.

  • EE Times Current · 22m

    5G & Jetpacks | UWB Rises from the Dead | Bob Swan Profile

    Brian Santo and Rick Merritt discuss the slow rollout of 5G smartphones and network infrastructure, noting that Qualcomm's early chip advantage is being offset by shrinking handset volumes and carrier hesitation. Junko Yushida and Dylan McGrath explain how Ultra-Wideband (UWB) has been rebranded as FiRa, shifting from high-speed data transmission to precise indoor positioning and secure access control, backed by companies like NXP and Samsung. Finally, Dylan McGrath profiles Intel CEO Bob Swan, who explains Intel's strategic pivot from a PC-centric to a data-centric business model and defends his non-engineering background as a strength for leading 70,000 engineers.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by IoT For All Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.