React Mobile Releases Updated BLE Beacon Designed to Improve Location Accuracy, Increase Battery Life
Finding the right employee safety solution can be overwhelming, especially when hotels are facing deadlines to comply with state mandates and meet brand standards for adding safety technologies by the end of this year. React Mobile, the most trusted provider of panic button solutions to hotels, has released an updated proprietary beacon designed to deliver precise, up-to-the-minute location information within a multi-story building. The square, white, contemporary beacon houses a larger battery, expanding its life from three to seven years or longer, far exceeding standard Bluetooth® beacon devices. In addition, the devices have a lower price structure — nearly half the cost of any competitive solution on the market.
The React beacon consists of a small slim form factor, running on firmware developed internally by the company’s Chief Technology Officer, Zach Ryan. As an expert in Bluetooth Low Energy, embedded systems, C programming, Near Field Communication (NFC), and other communication protocols that influence lightweight and effective embedded approaches, Ryan built this beacon to address longevity, manufacturability, reliability, and firmware control. This device is capable of advertising at 0 dBm, which yields the range of room level accuracy of approximately 100 feet, and it consists of an ABS housing and PCBA mounted into an internal structure.
“In laymen’s terms, this is quite simply the most reliable and affordable beacon on the market designed specifically for the hotel and healthcare markets,” Ryan said. “Most companies do not own the design of their beacons; they rely on others to build the framework that is often not safety critical or they use off-the-shelf beacons that come from a number of suppliers. Our products are built internally for safety-critical reliability to work with panic buttons, and our code base is unmolested by third-party plug ins. Because we own the own the complete eco-system from an engineering perspective, we can reproduce it as needed and at a price point that our customers will be thrilled with in today’s economic climate.”
The React Beacon is a discreet, easy to conceal device that delivers precise room level location accuracy indoors in multi-story buildings. When a React Mobile panic button activates an alert, the device identifies the closest beacon. It reports this precise room number location information along with GPS coordinates to the React Mobile safety platform. The information updates in real time throughout an alert, providing real-time location information.
Key features of the React beacon include:
- Nordic NRF semiconductor-based microchip
- Field upgradeable with OAD/OTA firmware updates
- A broad range, approximately 100 feet
- Readily sourced and procurable
- Dimensions: 2” (H) x 2.23” (W) x 0.6” (D)
- IP53 standard and is resistant to water and dust intrusion
- Hassle-free install, with preinstalled adhesive backing
- Battery power by 2 AAA cells; Extensive battery life of up to 10 years
“I am extremely proud of the work that has gone into this updated beacon,” said Robb Monkman, React Mobile CEO. “We know that our customers around the world rely on our solutions to protect their people, and we take this responsibility seriously. This update to our beacon pushes the boundaries of existing technology and offers our customers the best geo-location technology on the market today.”
For more information on the updated React Beacon, click here.