FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Company

Why Pozyx?

Pozyx delivers real-time location systems (RTLS) for indoor tracking based on ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to position people and assets. Pozyx offers RTLS UWB Enterprise kits and solutions for permanent installations. The Creator kit remains available for hobbyists and small scale university test projects. Pozyx has been in business since 2015 and has over 10 years of UWB experience. Pozyx helps to shape the industry through membership and active participation in standardization initiatives such as Omlox.

Does Pozyx work with (local) partners?

Yes we do.

Pozyx has a global eco-system of trusted preferred partners that each have their expertise and proven skills in specific industries, solutions and applications and geographies.

The certified and authorized partners know the Pozyx products and offering through and through, they have a trained staff and have experience to implement Pozyx RTLS projects and use cases.

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Enterprise

What do I need for positioning in the Enterprise system?

An Enterprise RTLS exists of 3 components:

Tags, which are devices of which the position will be tracked. They send out a signal which will be used to calculate their position.
A network of anchors, which are devices mounted on fixed locations. They capture the signal from the tags and forward these signals to the gateway. Anchors are connected to a switch or the gateway using ethernet cables.
A gateway: The brains of the RTLS. This device will calculate a position based on the input it receives from the anchors.

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How many tags does a Pozyx Enterprise system support?

The enterprise system supports a virtually unlimited number of tags, it is developed for scalability and robustness. Note however that the total update rate is limited to 1200 positions per second. Meaning that, if you have 1200 tags, the maximal update rate for a single tag is 1Hz.

Creator

What do I need for positioning in the Creator kit?

Tags, which are devices of which the position will be tracked.
A network of anchors, which are devices mounted on fixed locations. They communicate with the tags and allow them to calculate their position.
A computer / Raspberry Pi / Arduino, this device will control the RTLS

Note that you can use either our Creator controller, which is a full visual interface, or work code based in Python/Arduino. For the usage of the creator controller an internet connection is also required.

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How many tags and anchors does a Creator Pozyx system support?

With a Creator kit, you can easily track multiple tags simultaneously. Keep in mind that more tags will result in a lower update rate per tag. In the Creator kits’ wireless TWR protocol, the update rate of max 60 Hz is divided between all tags equally. The actual update rate to divide will depend on the chosen settings and involves a trade-off between reliability and speed. For Creator setups we thus advise the use of maximum 5 tags for high update rate applications and 10 tags for low update rate applications.
The maximum number of supported anchors is 16, if you want to use more anchors we refer to our Enterprise system.

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How can I power my Developer Tag?

The Developer Tags, used in both the Enterprise and Creator systems, come delivered with a 1200 mAh power bank. In Creator mode, developer tags use 180 mAh. Creator Kit tags and anchors both use about 180 mA at max update rate, regardless of voltage. You can connect a battery of 3.3 to 9 V to the DC jack, use the 5 V pin or the micro USB port to power your Pozyx device (tag or anchor – but anchors do not have a 5 V pin). Alternatively, you can also connect a 3.3 V battery to the VDD pin. Do NOT power Pozyx products directly on the VDD pin with over 3.3 V as this pin, as well as the 3.3 V pin, bypass the voltage regulator and your device will break if a voltage over 3.3 V is supplied here. When the tag is connected to an Arduino Uno board as a shield, you can power the Uno board with a 5 to 12 V battery.

Is Pozyx related to Arduino?

No, but our developer tags are all designed to be able to shield onto an Arduino Uno, Mega or Nano. Both Creator and Enterprise systems have applications where Arduino can be used to develop custom solutions and integrations. However, Pozyx is in no way based on Arduino and you NEVER require the use of an Arduino.

Does Pozyx work with Raspberry Pi?

Yes, in two ways. Pozyx developer tags connect to the Raspberry Pi via the included micro USB cable. On Raspberry Pi Creator setups, you can simply use our Python library to read out the tag’s position or for advanced custom development. Another alternative in both Creator and Enterprise setups is to simply use a micro USB cable from the Raspberry Pi to power the tag and access the tag’s position via our local cloud MQTT API. A Raspberry Pi can also be used to customize the payload of the UWB message and custom sensor data so other data could be sent from a tag to the positioning server.

On which Arduino boards can the developer tag shield?

Pozyx developer tags are standalone hardware and do not need an Arduino to operate, nor are they based in any way on Arduino. For the majority of applications the best practice is to use our MQTT API rather than a library. However for some cases, the use of an Arduino with our Arduino library provides the ability for advanced customization. Pozyx developer tags can therefore shield to the Arduino Uno, Mega, and Nano. We have extensive documentation that explains the usage of the Arduino library in more detail on our Arduino Library documentation and our documentation.

Technology

What technology does Pozyx use?

Pozyx uses ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. UWB is a technology specifically designed for transmitting information across a wide bandwidth. Using a large channel bandwidth with short pulses, UWB signals can be captured with high precision. This makes the signal very robust and makes UWB especially well suited for ultra-accurate positioning (precision up to 10cm).

What positioning techniques does Pozyx support?

The Pozyx Enterprise system supports TDOA. The Pozyx Creator system supports wireless TWR (two-way ranging. The development of a high performance wired TWR, inverse TDOA, AOA, hybrids and more is ongoing. Contact sales@pozyx.io if you are looking for specific information on this topic.

What is the accuracy of UWB?

The accuracy of Pozyx is 10 cm in line-of-sight (LOS) conditions. In non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions, the accuracy tends to vary between 10 and 30 cm, depending on the type and amount of material that is obstructing the signal. To acquire accurate tracking a minimum of 4 anchors is required for 2D positioning and at least 6 anchors placed at varying heights is recommended for 3D positioning. Adding more anchors will increase the robustness of the system in case of obstruction and will allow to cover larger areas.

Does Pozyx work indoor and outdoors?

The Pozyx RTLS works both indoor and outdoors. However, ultra-wideband (UWB) is focused on indoor applications. In most countries UWB is not regulated for outdoor use, but special exemptions may be granted. Contact us for more information about ultra-wideband regulations.

What do I need for positioning?

Positioning is always defined relative to fixed infrastructure elements (anchors). Any setup needs a minimum of 4 anchors to do accurate positioning. Tags are placed on the objects to be tracked and positioned. Enterprise kits contain all elements required to kick-off an RTLS solution, including a pre-configured positioning server.

What are anchors? What are tags?

Pozyx positioning solutions always consist of at least two parts: anchors and tags. Anchors are modules with a fixed and known position. Tags are the devices that can move around freely and whose position you want to know. Anchors are always static (their relative position towards other anchors stays the same) and tags are dynamic. The anchors can be compared to the satellites in GPS positioning. The tags can be seen in the same analogy as the GPS system in your car.

What is the range of the Pozyx system?

The maximal theoretical range of the UWB signal depends on the configured transmit power level. However, in practice the range of the system is also influenced by external factors such as line-of-sight conditions (LOS), obstruction type etc. Taking the legal power levels in mind, Pozyx setups usually require one anchor per 150 – 300 m².

Is Pozyx FCC certified?

The Pozyx Enterprise system is fully FCC certified.

Does Pozyx interfere with Bluetooth or other RF technologies?

The UWB signal will always be lower than the noise level of other RF technologies in the same spectrum, which means it will never interfere. Thanks to the large bandwidth, data can still be transmitted and received correctly even at these low power levels.

What batteries does the Pozyx system use?

Enterprise Anchors can be powered with PoE+ or with the DC jack and the included power adapter. They cannot be battery powered.

Industrial tags are powered with a CR2477 coin cell, which is a replaceable battery of 3 V and 1000 mAh.

Wearable tags are powered with a CR2450 coin cell, which is a replaceable battery of 3V and 600 mAh.

The developer tags used in both the Enterprise and Creator systems come delivered with a 1200 mAh powerbank. In Enterprise mode they use between 0.1 and 10 mAh.

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What is the update rate of Pozyx?

Our Enterprise System is built for performance and supports a total (over all tags) update rate of up to 2200 Hz. For example, 220 tags that give positions at a rate of 10 updates per second (10 Hz) or alternatively a total of 2200 tags positioning at 1 Hz update rate. The Creator System supports an update rate of up to 60 Hz (over all tags).

Webshop

What payment options are supported?

We support the following payment options:

Wire transfer: Select wire transfer during the payment process. You will receive a quote with payment instructions. Transfer the amount due from your bank to ours: POZYX NV IBAN: BE40 7360 1689 7363 BIC: KREDBEBB After the money is transferred (which usually takes a few days) we send you a confirmation email and will proceed with the fulfillment of your order.
Credit card: We accept credit card payments from all the major credit card companies. All your credit card information is encrypted and securely processed with Stripe, a major payment processor. Your credit card information never touches our servers. As soon as Stripe has processed your payment we will ship your order.
PayPal Checkout can be performed with PayPal. Selecting this option redirects you to the PayPal website where you can enter your PayPal credentials OR enter your credit card information. As soon as PayPal has processed your payment we will ship your order.

How do you ship my order?

We use TNT/UPS & DHL as our global shipping carriers which allows us to ship to nearly any country in the world. We try to ship any new orders within 5 working days. Upon Shipment you will receive a link by email to track your shipment. Your parcel will be delivered on business days during the day. Shipping can take 2-5 working days. Please note that the receiver is responsible for paying import duties that apply.

Can you ship my order in express?

We generally don't ship in express as we have outbound shipments every week (Wednesday). Express shipment is possible though if you are willing to pay more and depending on the cut-off times of our shipping carrier. Please contact sales@pozyx.io for more information.

Which payment terms are provided?

The standard payment is at order.

We do not provide any payment terms to new clients. Please contact sales@pozyx.io if you are a returning client and are looking for specific payment terms.

How does Pozyx support price quotes and purchase orders (POs)?

If you are looking for a quote select "pay with wire transfer" as your payment option. You will receive a price quote in your e-mail inbox. A quote is non-binding. Alternatively you can fill in a PO-number in the appropriate field in the check-out process. Your PO number will be printed on your invoice. You are free to select your preferred payment option.

Which tax rules apply?

Inside Europe Inside the European Union our goods are subject to value added tax (VAT). The VAT rate is equal to the rate in the exporting country (i.e. 21% because Pozyx NV is located in Belgium). Companies outside Belgium with a valid VAT number are not charged VAT. Your applicable VAT rate is calculated during check-out. Belgian companies are charged VAT which they can deduct. For more information please check cross-border VAT. Outside the European Union, no value added tax is due (VAT). However, at the point of import the goods may be subject to local import taxes and import duties. In most countries the duties on electronic goods are zero-rated (0%). Please check with your local authorities for specific information.

What are the different shipping options?

Goods are by default always exported on an Exworks base. This means that Pozyx is accountable for the shipment upon arrival at destination. Everything at destination (import charges or other fees) needs to be handled by the customer. It is also possible to deliver on DDP base, let us know if you want this. we will put the charges for the DDP delivery in the quote.

Under what HS code does Pozyx needs to be cleared for customs?

Pozyx hardware should be cleared as an electronic integrated circuit using the harmonized code: 8542.31.900

Does Pozyx grant discounts for educational projects?

The Pozyx Creator kits are already priced at a very attractive price-point. We therefore don't provide any discounts. Contact sales@pozyx.io if you are looking for reseller prices and/or volume discounts.

Can I choose which tags are in my Enterprise Kit?

Yes, this can be chosen in the order process.

Are the IP66/67 included in the enterprise kit?

The Enterprise Kit standardly comes with the IP20 header. The IP66/67 header can be chosen instead during the order process.

Are the cables and switches included in the kits?

No, they are not.