Applied Technology Review : News

Bluetooth technology advancements in recent years have enabled more effective and accurate low-cost indoor positioning and location services. Today's positioning technology extends beyond detecting the closest beacon to the device to calculating the distance and direction with centimeter-level accuracy. Bluetooth indoor locating and tracking technology is low-cost, energy-efficient, and simple to deploy. This enables users to discover and monitor things and people quickly and obtain directions and other critical information within buildings and facilities like airports and shopping malls. Typically, location data can open up more options. For instance, location services technologies can be connected with others, such as IoT and analytics, to trigger specific actions based on the location of a user or object. Typical use cases include providing customers personalized messaging, running an HVAC system, and sending customized marketing material. Bluetooth's advantages include its low cost, excellent energy efficiency, independence from the network, low interference, and ease of deployment and integration into the bluetooth ecosystem. The operation of Bluetooth location services Indoor location is accomplished by using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons that are fixed on objects, walls, ceilings, and other surfaces and transmit radio signals at specified intervals. Devices located within the emission zone can then detect the signs, assisting in determining whether the two (emitter and receiver) are within range of one another. While a single beacon is adequate to confirm an object's presence, it cannot determine its precise location. Generally, location accuracy rises as the number of beacons grows. After establishing that two objects are in close proximity, the bluetooth location services can determine the distance between them using the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). Typically, BLE beacons lack built-in location intelligence and rely on standard protocols to identify what they send. For instance, standard protocols such as iBeacon and Eddystone convey the unique identifiers of the beacons; they also transmit power and other identifiable information. A typical deployment entails storing the beacons' physical coordinates in an external database or mobile application. This guarantees that the values transmitted by the beacons are transformed into real-world coordinates. It is feasible to estimate a device's approximate location by comparing signal values, beacon coordinates, and the RSSI. RSSI is a metric that indicates the strength of the beacon's signal. When the distance is excellent, the value is low; the value is greater when the space is short. Specific systems employ trilateration to improve their accuracy. As the name implies, trilateration takes a minimum of three beacons to determine the precise position. ...Read more

Many firms are forced to include security solutions into their business models, and remote security solutions often make the most sense and provide the highest return on investment. Thieves, trespassers, and vandals frequently target commercial establishments, building sites, equipment and storage yards, trade booths, and display exhibits. Additionally, security threats do not end there. Several of the most significant dangers are already embedded within the organization and actively exploiting it. Modern video surveillance and remote security are the two most effective tools organizations have at their disposal for deterring criminals and preventing loss of income and productivity. The advantages of remote security systems are as follows: Operate 24 Hours a Day: Remote security cameras enable customers to check in and interact with their security feeds 24 hours a day, from any location, in real-time, via their digital device. Remote security agents watch feeds to determine threat levels, interact directly with intruders, and notify law enforcement immediately. When the light quality is poor, infrared and thermal imaging features monitor body heat. Advanced analytics can read license plates, allowing for more accurate tracking of suspicious individuals. 360-degree views from a height of 20 feet provide unmatched site coverage. By installing video surveillance, companies feel secure knowing that criminals do not have the upper hand. Increased Resistance to Accidents and Fraud: Accidents can occur in any workplace. Finding out what caused them—and whether an organization is responsible—is significantly facilitated by having trustworthy surveillance footage. Insurance companies will appreciate additional evidence. The accounting department will be relieved to learn that false worker's compensation claims will be significantly more difficult to file. Clear visual recordings can assist law enforcement in identifying and prosecuting internal or external criminal activity. Humans deceive one another, and witnesses forget. Companies can protect their property and reputation by recording and storing evidence to make or break a case. Rapid Installation and Deployment Flexibility: Video surveillance may be set up in minutes, owing to wireless technology not relying on adjacent power outlets to determine its location. Mobile video units can be deployed similarly rapidly and on-demand on any site for as long as required. See Also: Real Estate Business Review  ...Read more

  The digitization of South-East Asia's economy during the pandemic is being experienced unevenly. The growth in digital services has favoured individual consumers, not SMEs FREMONT, CA : The pandemic has wreaked havoc on major economies in Southeast Asia, which are still trying to recover from new outbreaks, virus strains, and a fragmented vaccination roll-out. However, as damaging as these limitations have been, they are also proving to be a beneficial driving factor for millions of customers to adapt to new ways of spending and embrace internet commerce, resulting in irreversible changes in consumer behaviour. According to Bain & Company and Facebook study, eight out of ten customers in Southeast Asia are currently online. To put that number in context, the number of new digital consumers added in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam in just one year is equal to the whole population of the United Kingdom. The economy of Southeast Asia has been propelled by digital financial services in particular. The significant rise in digital customers has been fueled by the rise of digital payments and greater internet access during the pandemic. The growing trend away from cash payments and increased use of e-commerce, as well as the continued development of new payment mechanisms, particularly for e-wallets and prepaid cards, are expected to push online payments in the region to approach USD1 trillion by 2025. However, the benefits of becoming digital are not being felt equally by all sectors of the economy, which can be seen as a challenge as well as an opportunity. Millions of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia confront severe impediments to digital technology access and use, preventing them from reaping the full benefits of participation in the new economy and realizing their full potential. SMEs are critical to the Philippine economy, accounting for 99.5 percent of all enterprises and employing 63 percent of the workforce. However, they underperform, accounting for only 36 percent of the economy's value-added services. If SMEs are unable to transition to digital, the gap is projected to widen as economies and cultures throughout the world adopt new methods of conducting business. ...Read more