BLE Beacon as a Contact History Recorder Social Distancing Solution for COVID-19

According to WHO, one of the worst characteristics of COVID-19, is the incubation period (also known as the pre-symptomatic period, is the time between exposure to the virus and symptom onset) is on average 5-days and can be up to 14 days.

This makes every confirmed case difficult to trace the origin of infection. And dramatic measures such as completely locking down the whole premises and test or isolation of people far more than necessary are done.   

Business runners, such as offices and factories are looking for ways to ensure safe social distance and also the solution of contact tracking.  Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transponder can be of great help.


KEY Features

• A lightweight battery-powered a beacon that automatically warns staff when they get too close (less than 2m), by light and by buzzer
• Provide an anonymous ID for the staff or the wearer
• Record up to 34000 records of the encountered ID (less than 2m), downloadable with gateway or smartphone app.
• Provide traceability of contact history if a COVID-19 case the confirmed.

PROS:

• The proximity warning DOES NOT rely on any network or smartphone.
• Continuous 6-month operation (light ON, buzzer off, non-stop), with an ON/OFF button to extend the battery life.
• Replaceable CR2477 lithium coin

For more on product specification - BLE Tag Social Distancing Solution HKRAT-BLE-M52, Contact Sales@hk-rfid.com, 

Hussar Card Tag is used for School Attendance in Singapore (Business Case Sharing)

A primary school in Singapore has recently implanted our RFID technology to the campus management of student attendance. 

With this new generation campus management system, the school has no longer needed to manually track and manage student attendance. They can now easily capture the time and attendance for classes and school automatically with the ability to access attendance history on the computer or through other smart devices.

This RFID campus management system mainly consists three parts.

1. RFID readers and antennas are installed at the pedestrian entry gates to detect the direction of student’s movement with accurate time record. 
2. Every student will be given an RFID-enabled student card. The card will be detected when the student passes through the entry gate. 
3. The system is backed up by a customized software which storing all student general information and attendance information.

Parents are also benefited from the use of this system. Notification about the location of student can be automatically sent to their parent through a mobile app. The daily attendance record is also available in the app for better and convenient tracking.

RFID reader and antenna installed at the ceiling of the entry gate.

Screen capture of Mobile App

Screen capture of web-based campus management system

Hardware for reference: Hussar Card Tag (HKRAT-CT02), Hussar Slim Tag (HKRAT-NT02), Empress EM02 ethernet reader, Empress EM02 Handheld android mobile, directional 2.4GHz antenna


For details, please contact sales@hk-rfid.com

[Product Preview] Industrial android smartphone with nRF51822 module for BT Low Power device; EM02-C5D

For industrial and construction sites, where you need a robust smartphone to read BT Low Power data, this IP65 rugged smartphone is a perfect tool. It is a standard rugged android smartphone equipped with a 2.4GHz module empowered by Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822 chipset.

This EM02-C5D belongs to Empress family, it reads all Empress-family transponder. It is also a bluetooth smart device, it reads bluetooth low power or BT4.0 above protocols from any bluetooth smart device, for example, fitbit, jawbone wristbands.

The 2.4GHz chip antenna on module works smoothly with the smartphone GPS, Wifi and 3G, providing a reading range of 40 meters (0dB transponder).

The rugged IP65 body makes it perfect for harsh industrial environment. It brings Internet of Thing (IoT) technologies to the Oil and Gas field operation (not a ATEX device), easily integrate items information (ID) with smartphone standard features like GPS location, Camera, meter sensor data, etc; and upload through 3G data network to server.

See more at Electronic Fuel Delivery System

Production code: Product code: HKRAR-EM02-C5D

Demo video of EM02-C5D, read more at active RFID reader page.

Garrison BT02 Beacon Tag supports Eddystone URL

How to push a simple URL to smartphones? That is a billion dollar question.

QRcode still remains popular even though it requires rarely-installed scan-apps. Many users might not realize that many install messaging apps like LINE or WECHAT can scan QR code too. But until the day all camera apps have scanner feature built-in, it won't take off as the most popular method.

Android Smartphone has the next-best method called NFC, which is useful to pick up URL without any APP; that leaves the lonely and helpless iPhone users.

It is a well-known fact that all street promoters who are delivering FREE ice-cream in return for loading a URL or pressing LIKE a Facebook page or installing an APP, hates iPhone very very much. It is extremely hard to push a message on iphone even with iBeacon technologies, APP-support is a luxury for a short marketing campaign. The most common method is manual key-in search words in itune store.

Now street marketing got a new better method for iphone users; by using Eddystone URL and commonly installed app "Chrome".

At the moment, Chrome is the only browser that supports Eddystone URL beacons. BUT, it won't be long for other OS or App or Browser in the same ecological system doing the same. Why not? they got to have something for their endless update, right?

For iphone users who believe they approached a Eddystone beacons broadcasting URL, and for the promoters who are broadcasting a URL, this is what will happen;

A demo for a iphone to get a URL, by just check on Notification, in Chrome section.



The beacon in the screen: HKRAT-BT02

The Setup procedure is simple:  link.

MODBUS supported now: Empress 2.4GHz Reader (PN:HKRAR-EM02) now supports MODBUS as extended firmware feature

Empress Reader is now supporting MODBUS by acting as agent to respond to Master’s command. All Temperature/humidity wireless sensors (TT02 or HT02) can now act as Slave, reporting to the reader, who then respond to MODBUS’s enquiry (Master). The machine addresses specification will be available in technical document soon.

This is one of the commonly-requested features in environment monitoring and control applications. Modbus is commonly used in PLCs (programmable logic controllers) for industrial applications for many years. 

Please go visit our website for more detail about environmental monitoring.

Keep in mind;

-          Max 100 devices (Slave) is supported

-          This is a requested feature, and not a BUILT-IN feature in ordinary firmware YET. Please specify before placing orders.

-          Firmware upgrade method will be provided, for distributor’s stock items.

-          Readers are serial port, RS232; For RS485 users, a simple converter can be provided.

-          Readers are powered by 5V 2A DC, instead of 12V.

Preview on new features for EM02 latest firmware, BTLE added.

Apart from Empress series transponder such as Hussar/Garrison/Tempcorder series, now Empress EM02 readers can also gather the beacon signal from BTLE devices, especially useful for scanning IDs from wearables such as Fitbit, Jawbone, etc.

Empress EM02 is a FCC CE certified reader, has long been used as data gatherer for telemetry business applications together with Empress series transponders. With the latest upgrade, by simply switching setting by software command, it can read bluetooth device's ID, meaning the reader can now work alone in many other business applications. This reader can be used as gateway for Bluetooth smart devices (BT4.0 or above), which is popular in smartwatch, wearable, health activity recorder, mobile phone apps, etc.

BT4.0 or BTLE USB dongles are common and they can do the same, they are best for small scale development and demo test. However, this EM02 reader provides more options in project implementation, in terms of choice of extendable antenna and network connectivity.

This EM02 is also perfect for projects which requires reading proprietary devices and BTLE devices at the same time (DUAL mode), for example, reading meter readings (proprietary) and staff ID (BTLE) at the same time. See the video for live explanation.

For sales issue, please contact sales@hk-rfid.com
For support issue, please contact support@hk-rfid.com
For products, please check our website www.hk-rfid.com

Case study - Trolley management in thailand airport trial using Garrison Tag

In 2014 Oct, an airport in Thailand has completed an trial using Empress 2.4Ghz Active RFID system on their Trolley management. Empress POE readers, Garrison  Rugged Tag (RT02) and Responsive Tag (ZT02) were used.

These tags (transponders) emits very low power 2.4GHz signal that contains an item ID and battery status, every 3 seconds. The readers installed around airport area and car park can pick up the signal, and alert the operators to get the trolley back. The reading range is 50-80m indoor and more than 120m in open outdoor area. 

Garrison Tag (RT02) is the simplest but rugged form factor, with a very predictable battery life for preventive maintenance. Responsive Tag (ZT02) provides extra features such as LED blinking and release-trigger (trigger when someone trying to pick up the transponder). Both models are battery replaceable, running on a CR2450 lithium coin.

The stationary readers are a integrated-design (antenna and reader in a water-proof enclosure), communicates and get power on single ether-net cable (POE). This reader just keep listening to signal 24-7 and report to server on the tag-IDs, battery status, the RSSI (a signal strength value) and their own device address to the server. Handheld Readers are also used for operators in support centre for associating tag-to-trolley and maintenance purpose.

This simple ultra-low power 2.4GHz tracking system uses proprietary protocol, which is free from WIFI or Bluetooth jamming and attack. 

The whole backend system for trial is built by a Thailand partner who can build the system from zero to complete within 2 weeks. The trial was a great success.

Preview the iBeacon in Industrial-grade Waterproof Enclosure and 2x Battery Life

This post provides a product preview on RR02 (tentative code, means Rugged Recorder), the iBeacon in Industrial-grade Waterproof Enclosure and parallelling-double CR123A Batteries, 3000mAH in total.

 

Features:

1. Nordic semiconductor 256k IC, nRF51822 BT4.0, bluetooth low energy BLE, iBeacon Firmware
2. IP68 waterproof enclosure
3. Replaceable CR123A x 2pcs, 3000mAH in total
4. AES security coprocessor
5. Stable performance and maintenance-free
6. Detect ON/OFF on 1 input
7. Optional Power input 12-28V 
8. +4 dB RF power, reading range up to 200m

Theoretically, how long can 2 CR123A cells last?

	Beacon Interval
	0.1s	0.2s	0.5s	1s	1.5s	2s	2.5s
Days	499.0	993.6	2452.2	4801.6	7054.5	9216.9	11294.0
Months	16.6	33.1	81.7	160.0	235.2	307.2	376.5
Years	1.4	2.8	6.8	13.3	19.6	25.6	31.4

(Bolded figures do not include the effect that may result from battery aging and leakage current)

Let us know more about your thoughts on extra features. Contact us by email : info@hk-rfid.com

Apps-in-a-Box : Raspberry Pi x RFID [Beta] [Lab]

We are so excited to introduce you all an innovative approach to use RFID reader products, by connecting Raspberry Pi to RFID readers. We are developing a tentative project named: IMPRESS platform, which is a web-service on Raspberry Pi, talking with Empress RFID readers, and others.

The basic idea is running your applications on Raspberry Pi just like any PC, and let it control a or multiple brainless RFID readers. We offer a web-interface just like household WiFi router for reader settings, as well as basic business applications.

If you are not sure what Raspberry Pi is, please visit following reference link; What is Raspberry Pi?

Video is on the way, but first please read the details explained in Q&A manner; 

Q: Why connect Raspberry Pi to RFID readers?

A: By doing so, you can have

• much cheaper "self-maintained mini-computer" (less than USD 40) that talks with your RFID readers, without any skill-set to handle RFID's protocol and calling APIs, etc.
• a website to configure the readers and do a lot more business applications;
• a lot more choices on connectivity, such as, LAN, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, SD-Card, Video ouput HDMI, etc.; instead of ordering expensive RFID reader options. 

Q: What can Raspberry Pi do with the data get from RFID readers?

A: Raspberry Pi can 

1) Auto record and deliver to server, send email 

2) Send email or trigger outputs, alarms or camera, etc

3) Process more logic such as record the first/last seen ID, their time and duration, and missing IDs

4) Mapping meaningless long ID with more meaningful names, such as student names, employee names, etc., may be export a report.

Q: What kind of readers will be support?

A: Our IMPRESS-Preloaded Raspberry Pi will support

1. Empress 2.4GHz Active RFID readers from HK-RFID [primarily]
2. Bluetooth Low Energy (iBeacon) readers
3. NFC readers
4. Other client requested RFID equipment

Q: What kind of applications or services will offer on this IMPRESS web platform?

A: Apart from basic setting of readers, we will offer several most popular RFID applications, depends on the license purchased from users

1. Attendance
2. Prohibited zone (access control)
3. Signage or media-content trigger
4. EAS anti-theft
5. Sensor data
6. Inventory list

Q: How to make it work?

A: You just need to 

1. Purchase the IMPRESS-SDK kit which include a Raspberry Pi and a Empress 2.4GHz Active RFID-kit from HK-RFID, 
2. Enjoy the unboxing, connect up Raspberry Pi with any HDMI display and reader, configure the network settings on a browser
3. Set your business applications and there you go

Q: How many readers each Raspberry Pi can support?

A: ONE

Q: When will it be available?

A: 2014 Fall, please contact us if you want to follow our development progress or Pre-order. We welcome any comment and partnership, or proposal of co-development.

Email:

General Enquiries:         info@hk-rfid.com

Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation

Brilliant! Tag your rental bikes!

It is the era of paperless operation. Bike rental business should be able to catch up with the trend! And...RFID can help!

With Garrison Responsive Tags, no more hand-written or paper rental records are needed. Empress RFID readers and the smart system will do that for you.

It’s awesome yet simple! What you need is just-

- Garrison Responsive Tags tagged bikes

- Empress Handheld Active Reader

- A smart system

It offers

Unique Bike IDs - each bike is entitled an unique ID with the tag for trace and check

Improved Security - you can track the bike within defined distance

Paperless Record - the system do the e-recording for you

Errors Minimization - clear and systematic records of clients information with bike ID

What are you waiting for? Go get the impressive technology for your rental business today!