Pozyx Bluetooth (BLE)
Asset Tracking
Unlock Real-Time Visibility with Bluetooth Asset Tracking: Efficient, Scalable, and Cost-Effective
Imagine having real-time insights into the location and condition of your assets—anytime, anywhere. Bluetooth Asset Tracking, powered by Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), makes this possible by enabling a seamless tracking solution that’s affordable, energy-efficient, and scalable. With Pozyx’s advanced asset tracking platform, you can monitor assets both indoors and outdoors, optimize workflows, prevent losses, and improve operational efficiency.
Whether you’re tracking transport carts, equipment, or operator movements, Bluetooth Asset Tracking offers a smart solution tailored to your needs.
How Does Bluetooth Asset Tracking Work?
Bluetooth Asset Tracking is a system that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to monitor the location and status of assets in real time. BLE tracking works by transmitting radio signals in the 2.4GHz ISM band between small devices like beacons or tags attached to assets and Bluetooth receivers, which capture the data. The data is then sent to a central management system for tracking and analysis. Unlike traditional Bluetooth, BLE is designed for low power consumption, allowing tags or beacons to operate for long periods on small batteries.
Top Applications of BLE Asset Tracking
Inventory Control
Manage inventory levels for your assets such as equipment, pallets, crates, or containers in real-time.
Condition Monitoring
Monitor the location and condition of your assets including temperature, humidity, open/closed status, etc...
Increase Asset Utilization
Track the utilization rate of your assets based on how frequently they are being moved. Monitor usage and availability, and improve operational efficiency.
Cargo Monitoring
BLE tags attached to cargo track shipments in real time, providing location and condition information for perishable or sensitive goods on the road.
Bluetooth Asset Tracking with Pozyx
Pozyx delivers all essential components of a Bluetooth Asset Tracking solution, including BLE beacons or tags attached to assets and receivers (or gateways) that detect their signals. The management software then processes this data from the receivers to deliver real-time insights into asset location, movement patterns, and overall conditions.
Various ways to deploy a BLE asset tracking system with Pozyx
1. Indoor BLE Tracking and Monitoring
The Pozyx RTLS (Real-time Location System) infrastructure can capture BLE advertisement signals and calculate the position. This position is then made available over an API or sent to the Pozyx Asset Management Platform. The Pozyx RTLS can support various BLE protocols including iBeacon and Eddystone, but also proprietary frame formats. Furthermore, the RTLS infrastructure can also serve as a BLE sensor network to capture and filter sensor data transmitted by bluetooth sensors in range.
With the Pozyx RTLS positioning engine, it is possible to achieve an average BLE location accuracy of 5m, and its possible to position well over 4000 BLE tags per second in real-time on a single location server. The infrastructure supports both UWB and BLE such that both technologies can be used together.
2. Proximity-Based Indoor and Outdoor BLE Tracking
Whenever it is not desirable to install fixed infrastructure, an alternative solution is possible by using proximity-based localization. In this case, positioning accuracy will be very rough as the tag location is mapped to the location of a single device in range (which can be up to 100m) with a known location.
Two alternatives are possible:
- Using fixed BLE Beacons: A small set of battery-powered BLE beacons are installed on-site. They will transmit short signals. The trackers can then scan for BLE beacons in range. They will send this data to the cloud using a cellular technology such as 4G or 5G. These trackers typically combine GPS and Wifi scanning in order to provide seamless indoor and outdoor positioning. Update rates are limited to a few updates per hour in order to conserve batteries.
- Using BLE gateways: In designated areas, a battery-powered wireless BLE gateway is installed to capture signals from nearby BLE tags. The collected data is then transmitted to the cloud via 4G or 5G connectivity. Update rates are typically limited to a few per hour to optimize battery life and network efficiency. Equipped with built-in GPS, these gateways can also be mounted on moving vehicles to automatically detect and log all BLE tags within range.
Not sure which approach is best for your use-case? Contact our experts for help!
Pozyx Asset Tracking Software
POZYX PLATFORM
Pozyx provides comprehensive Bluetooth-based asset tracking solutions with real-time location monitoring and advanced management features.
- Asset Tag utilization and other KPI's: Tracks asset usage, location, dwell-time and other key performance indicators (KPIs) to optimize resource management and efficiency.
- Geofencing: Creates virtual boundaries to trigger alerts or actions when assets enter or leave predefined zones.
- Seamless Indoor and outdoor mapping: Ensures continuous tracking of assets as they move between indoor and outdoor environments, integrating both spaces into a single map.
- Bluetooth Location analytics and reporting: Analyzes location data to provide insights into asset movement, usage patterns, and operational efficiency with detailed reports.
- Advanced Alerts and triggers: Configurable alerts notify users of specific events, such as unauthorized movement, low battery, or geofence breaches.
- Open API's: The system allows for easy integration with your ERP, WMS or other system.
Available BLE Tags and Sensors
Pozyx offers a wide selection of third-party Bluetooth tags in different shapes and sizes to fit various applications. These tags typically feature multi-year battery life with configurable update rates, ranging from every few seconds to longer intervals depending on your use case. The system supports both BLE 4.0 and BLE 5.0 (operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM band) and accommodates multiple packet formats—including iBeacon, Eddystone, and custom formats designed to transmit additional sensor data.
BLE Tags
Available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, BLE tags are versatile tracking devices ideal for monitoring assets, equipment, and even wearables.
BLE Sensors
Smart tags equipped with built-in sensors can capture environmental data—such as temperature, humidity, and motion—as well as monitor equipment status and overall health.
Printable BLE Label
Thin, customizable labels with embedded RFID and Bluetooth that can be printed on for flexible asset identification and tracking.
When to Choose Bluetooth Tracking Over Other Technologies?
Compared to other tracking technologies like RFID, GPS, and NFC, Bluetooth offers a balance between range, cost, and energy efficiency. While GPS provides global tracking and RFID can be very accurate over short distances, Bluetooth is ideal for medium-range tracking, typically within 20 meters. However, Bluetooth tracking systems are limited by interference from physical obstacles and signal range, making them less suitable for long-range or highly precise tracking compared to alternatives like GPS.
Bluetooth-based indoor location tracking typically achieves an accuracy of about 5–10 meters. For applications requiring higher precision, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is recommended, offering positioning accuracy of around 10 centimeters. The comparison below illustrates the difference between BLE and UWB tracking in a logistics warehouse using the Pozyx RTLS. As shown, the UWB data closely matches the actual trajectory, while the BLE results show a less precise estimation.
Use the slider to see the comparison between BLE and UWB for location tracking.
Conclusion
Ready to transform your asset management strategy? Bluetooth asset tracking offers an accessible, cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. Start small, scale as needed, and watch your operational efficiency soar! Contact us today to begin your journey!
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