nanotron Technologies, a leader in easy-to-use solutions for location-awareness has revealed key applications for its new swarm bee ER location-aware radio module. The suffix ‘ER’ stands for ‘Enhanced Resolution’ since the new module boasts 10 cm accuracy delivered using ultra-wide band (UWB) technology.
“The new ER module provides a compelling addition to the existing swarm bee product family line-up. It’s easy to use API allows customers to very rapidly develop machine to personnel exclusion-zone applications in mining since it supports specific requirements of this type of use-case scenarios.” commented Marcel Borwitzky, Senior Product Manager at nanotron. The UWB module and the associated development kit will help ALL Decawave customers cutting time-to-market for their end-products by at least 12 months. Exclusion-Zone applications protect people from dangerous machines. The ER module is deployed both on the machine and on personnel tags worn by pedestrians. The combination of high-accuracy (10 cm) at short distances allows for precise alarms to be easily trigged at different distances. “Low power consumption in combination very low latency and good scalability is the key ingredient for success in this space.” adds Borwitzky.
The new swarm bee ER module features the standard swarm API – the common high-level software interface – is cutting development time and allows customers to easily migrate existing applications from the swarm bee LE Chirp module to UWB and vice-versa depending on the use-case requirements. Chirp radio technology supports long-range applications of several hundred meters with precision requirements of 1 m while UWB technology allows for 10 cm precision in closer proximity.
The new swarm bee ER development kit plus (DK+) provides a proven software and hardware platform for application development and comprises of three DK+ boards, swarm PC tools, and a comprehensive data package to facilitate easy and rapid development of location-aware applications. Customers benefit from several swarm tools including a node configuration device (NCD) boosting productivity if large numbers of radio nodes require configuration as part of network maintenance. Additional development boards are purchased separately if customers want to evaluate larger location-aware networks.
Swarm bee modules are available with Chirp or UWB radio technology. Both versions are sharing the common swarm API. The swarm product family targets the growing market for autonomous smart items and cuts time to market for location-aware products by 12 months. Very precise low-cost location technology can now be used without the need for RF-design capabilities or expertise on low level device drivers. Developers focus on application design.
