Tag: smart

G-SMART: ADR – Aeroporti di Roma chooses our system for IoT monitoring and benchmarking of trolley collection areas.

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An IoT infrastructure for the active and continuous monitoring of the trolley collection areas at Fiumicino International Airport.

G-SMART is the GSE tracking system that combines different technologies (RFID, Bluetooth, ADS-B, GPS) to create the best performing solution depending on the application scenario.

IPS – indoor positioning systems – are systems that allow objects to be detected inside buildings where satellite navigation does not work very well/is not necessary; they work with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standards, as well as passive RFID technologies.

These systems are based on beacon or tag installed directly on the assets to be tracked; specific readers receive signals from these devices and send them to the server which processes the data obtained and makes it immediately available to the user, including information on the position of the object.

For the ADR project the system will use RFID technology for the identification and counting of baggage trolleys at the storage stations (bays) in Terminals T1 and T3 of Fiumicino International Airport, with the aim of reducing operational inefficiencies and to avoid inconveniences to the passenger relating to the search for a trolley to transport luggage.

RFID technology allows to monitor a large number of assets simultaneously and create a simple but efficient system with a reduced need for maintenance.

For the Rome Fiumicino airport we will create an IoT infrastructure made up of more than 5000 RFID tags applied directly to the trolleys (adequately mounted to avoid signal interference due to ferrous material), and an appropriate number of readers and antennas.

The data is shown in real time on a georeferenced map while a special Warning system sends alerts to operators if the number of trolleys in the bay reaches the minimum thresholds set; for each alert, a short video will be recorded from the streaming of the cameras which will then be associated with the warning notification.

The web-based software will also allow you to view and export the history of trolley movements between areas (this indicator generates the right KPIs to analyze and improve benchmarking between storage areas) and to export statistics, graphs and reports to daily management and planning support.

Finally, an improvement function is envisaged with a proactive estimate of the number of trolleys needed in the bay based on the flow of arriving passengers and baggage by connecting the tracking system to the ADR management systems.

With more than 44.4 million passengers in 2023, ADR knows how much a trolley tracking system can positively impact operational management and the Passenger Experience; in fact, a fluid trolley supply process reduces the risk of inefficiencies and delays for the passenger to a minimum, contributing to the achievement of those high performances which are worth the title of BEST AIRPORT IN EUROPE for 7 times.

IoT: the paradigma that makes world smarter

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With Internet of Things (IoT) we refer to the process of connecting physical objects of daily use to the Internet; potentially, each object can acquire its own identity in the digital world.

The idea behind the IoT is to make objects “intelligent” by interconnecting them, in order to exchange information owned, collected and / or processed.

A borderless paradigma

The Internet of Things is a paradigm that does not know, potentially, application boundaries: from cars that communicate with the road infrastructure to prevent accidents (smart mobility), to household appliances that coordinate to optimize the use of power ( smart home), to the production plants that exchange data with the products for the management of their life cycle, etc.

Each object can be made intelligent, that is, connected and communicating. By becoming “talking”, things allow us to inaugurate a horizon of new services capable of improving the quality of our life and our work. Everything becomes smart: more intelligent, more comfortable and more useful.

The starring in the IoT network

The undisputed protagonists of IoT systems are sensors, that is all those devices that allow to collect data that are then analyzed and processed in order to produce the knowledge necessary to react and make decisions. Decisions that can also be made by the objects themselves (eg: Smart Building).

There is a wide range of devices that can be inserted into an IoT network: from video cameras, to light detectors, to motion and proximity sensors to sound sensors, and so on.

The data collected by the sensors are aggregated by the gateway which, through the network, transmits them to other devices; in order to “talk”, the sensors must be connected.

The connection at the base of the IoT network

Traditional networks, which we normally rely on to obtain connectivity (Wi-Fi or 3G / 4G) bring with them various problems; to better understand, we report some wireless technologies in a graph, grouping them by range of action and bandwidth.

Cellular communications (such as 2G, 3G, 4G, indicated in the orange area) transfer medium to large amounts of data over a wide range of coverage; they are certainly suitable for outdoor use. For the purposes of the IoT network, however, the cost of the technology appears excessive.

The wireless technologies (in green) are also suitable for communications of medium to large amounts of data but within a range of a few meters, therefore ideal for indoors. They do not require a subscription and therefore have a reduced cost. However they do affect the battery life which should be changed too often.

LoRa, on the other hand, is a Low power wide area technology, which facilitates the development of networks in which nodes require “low mobility” and very limited data exchange, and are characterized by very low energy consumption.

LoRa becomes LoRaWAN when to the physical layer we add the MAC (Media Access Control) layer necessary to extend the communication to the internet.

What is LoRaWAN?

The LoRa Alliance describes LoRaWan as “a Low Power, Wide Area (LPWA) network protocol designed to wirelessly connect battery-powered ‘objects’ to the Internet in regional, national or global networks and addresses the key requirements of the Internet of Things (IoT) such as two-way communication, end-to-end security, mobility and location services. “. The LoRaWAN protocol is a Low Power Wide Area Networking (LPWAN) communication protocol that runs on LoRa. The LoRaWAN specification is open so that anyone can set up and manage a LoRa network.

Main features:

  • Long range: allows a throw of up to 50 km.
  • Low battery consumption: LoRa technology allows to obtain a sensor battery life of over 10 years.
  • Bi-directional communication.
  • Geolocation: allows localization without the need for GPS.
  • Cost reduction: infrastructure, maintenance costs, the cost of sensors.
  • Interoperability: any LoRaWan sensor can be connected to an existing network.
  • Security: data is end-to-end encrypted.

Solutions by Softech

The IoT sensors developed by Softech communicate via the LoRaWAN protocol and are equipped with specific software for analyzing the data collected from a cognitive and / or predictive point of view.

In our portfolio of IoT solutions, systems dedicated to SMART CITY, thanks to which it is possible to detect data: on traffic, on the use of a certain service, on air quality, on vibrations and noises … but also data relating to the geolocation of infrastructures (such as parking for the disabled, charging stations for electric vehicles, etc.) or on the frequency of transit of means of transport or access to a digital platform, etc.

In particular, we have devised a SMART PARKING system that is particularly innovative because it is not intended for monitoring stalls, but aimed at facilitating control by the competent authorities and making the city areas safe.

Moreover

With the appropriate adjustments, the IoT can also be used for developments with a view to SMART BUILDING: and this is exactly what our SARA IoT system does, which allows you to monitor multiple factors (not only environmental ones) inside the airports, and to activate intelligent responses when certain thresholds are reached. The system can also be applied to contexts other than the airport, such as public offices and smart buildings.

Also on the motorway, with the same technology, we have created a system for SAFETY in parking areas which is characterized by reduced costs, ease of installation and the possibility of integration with sensors for other functions (click here to find out more).

SMART PARKING: KEYDRIVER FOR SMART CITIES

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A smart city is an urban area in which, thanks to the use of digital technologies and more generally of technological innovation, it is possible to optimize and improve the infrastructures and services to citizens, making them more efficient.

According to a classification made by the University of Vienna, there are 6 factors that distinguish a smart city, that is:

  • Smart economy
  • Smart living
  • Smart environment
  • Smart mobility
  • Smart people
  • Smart governance

KEYWORD: CONNECTIVITY

The combination of smart city and connectivity will lead to a new frontier of mobility in which data-driven technologies will make the difference.

Technological innovation and, in particular, the Internet of Things (IoT) has opened the doors to countless possibilities; Sensor networks and Long Range technologies (LoRaWAN) are the basis of the smart revolution in every area of city management (think of smart lighting systems, smart metering, etc.).

But intelligence also means guaranteeing the inhabitants a more sustainable city and infrastructures capable of improving the quality of their life, which means greater attention to the environment, but also to mobility.

According to the EPA (European Parking Association), 30% of urban pollution depends on traffic due to the search for parking. Not only CO2 emissions are increasing but also the stress of motorists who are estimated to spend between 2.5 and 10 days a year looking for a parking space, with an average annual waste of diesel fuel of about € 310.

SMART PARKING is the solution

To cope with the situation, it is possible to use one of the many smart parking systems available on the market, some of which are also very complex and able to integrate with parking surveillance and payment systems, with a consequent financial commitment on the part of the buyer.

But the benefits are significant and can already be obtained with a low cost but technologically advanced system such as our Open Parking.

Born in collaboration with some municipal bodies, the project involves the installation on the stalls of special magnetic technology sensors, able to read the presence or absence of a vehicle on the stall and send the communication to a central platform using the low range network ( LoRa).

The information is provided to users in charge of control, but also to surveillance and to citizens who, through an app, will be able to easily identify free stalls and be guided along the route. They will also be able to report any dangerous conditions on the stall, infringements by other users or malfunction of the app.

The advantages deriving from the installation of Open Parking are even more relevant if related to the economic investment required: low consumption, low maintenance required, and long battery life mean that in addition to being smart, Open Parking is also a solution low cost.

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