Precision is often just one part of the desired outcome when it comes to real-time location systems (RTLS). When efficiently covering large areas while minimizing infrastructure costs, Chirp Spread Spectrum (CSS) truly shines. This innovative technology has been specifically designed for large-scale and demanding environments, combining RTLS, ranging, and bidirectional communication into a single solution.
Why Consider Chirp?
Superior Range: Chirp covers 100 to 500 meters with ease but can reach up to 1,000 meters under optimal conditions. This exceptional range makes Chirp ideal for expansive facilities like warehouses, factories, recycling plants, mines, and open fields. Where conventional RTLS systems often reach their limits, Chirp reliably delivers location data where it's needed.
Minimal Infrastructure: Chirp significantly reduces the need for RTLS anchors, often by a factor of 3 to 5 compared to other technologies. This not only results in cost savings but also reduces the effort required for installation and maintenance. This streamlined solution offers both technical and economic advantages.
Robust and Versatile: Chirp operates reliably both indoors and outdoors without the need for a spectrum license. The technology is highly resilient to challenging environmental conditions and delivers stable results even under extreme circumstances.
Ranging: One of Chirp's standout features is its ability to precisely measure distances between objects. This function is particularly useful in applications like collision avoidance systems, where accurate distance measurements are crucial. Chirp reliably meets this challenge, even in harsh environments where other technologies may struggle.
Bidirectional Communication: Chirp enables the real-time transmission of data packets such as events, IDs, or sensor data. This bidirectional communication capability is a key advantage in many industrial processes, allowing for seamless integration and quick response times. It captures positions, distances and other data and sends the information in both directions to directly influence machine controls or safety processes.
Test Chirp – With Our New Ranging Demo
Experience the impressive capabilities of Chirp technology with our specially developed ranging demo. This demo is designed to showcase the benefits of Chirp in your work environment and demonstrate this technology's possibilities in real-world conditions.
The Preferred Choice for Tracking of Large Assets Across Wide Areas
Chirp is particularly suited for industrial applications that aim to monitor large areas and accurately track larger assets. The key to Chirp's effectiveness lies in addressing these challenges, especially compared to other technologies that may offer higher precision but require trade-offs in other areas.
Dependable Tracking for Large-Scale Industrial Needs: While Chirp may not provide centimeter-level accuracy, its tracking accuracy of 1 to 2 meters is more than sufficient for industrial applications requiring wide area coverage and tracking of larger assets. With seamless operation in both indoor and outdoor locations, Chirp’s level of accuracy ensures efficient tracking of vehicles, machinery, and containers without the need for ultra-high precision.
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Low Power Consumption: Chirp is characterized by its low power consumption, making it particularly suitable for battery-powered applications. In environments where continuous and reliable tracking is necessary, this low energy requirement allows for operation over longer periods without frequent battery changes or recharges.
High Channel Capacity: Thanks to its high channel capacity, Chirp can manage many devices simultaneously and reliably. This ensures that even in dense networks, there is no overload or signal interference. This maximizes the efficiency and reliability of your RTLS infrastructure, which in turn improves the overall performance of your industrial processes.
Use Cases for Chirp: Efficient and Integrative Solutions for Industry and Mining
Manufacturing and Warehousing
RTLS Tracking for Large Objects and Vehicles:
Chirp enables large areas to be covered with minimal infrastructure, leading to significant savings in installation and maintenance costs. By integrating Chirp into existing RTLS solutions, companies can receive precise location data in real-time, increasing efficiency in large facilities.
Collision Avoidance Systems (CAS) with Ranging:
Using a peer-to-peer approach, distances can be measured directly between objects without the need for fixed anchor points. This technology offers a flexible and cost-effective implementation, particularly in dynamic and harsh environments. When a collision is imminent, acoustic warnings or visual alerts can be triggered in the vehicle if integrated. This allows collisions to be prevented in real time, something that traditional RTLS systems would struggle to achieve due to latency.
Safety Applications – Personnel Tracking:
Chirp plays a central role in safety applications, especially in real-time tracking of personnel in hazardous work environments such as manufacturing and recycling. Transponders equipped with Chirp allow workers to be continuously monitored, ensuring they do not enter dangerous areas. Integrating Chirp into safety solutions allows for monitoring employee positions and triggering automatic protective measures, such as shutting down machines when workers approach a danger zone.
Protection Systems for Conveyors and Presses:
Protection systems that automatically shut down equipment when an employee enters a defined danger zone are essential in many industrial environments. Chirp can be integrated into these systems to optimize monitoring. The technology enables precise monitoring and allows for bidirectional communication, where relevant data packets, such as events or sensor data, are transmitted in real time to issue timely warnings and prevent accidents.
Transponder Systems for Worker Safety:
Chirp can be integrated into transponder systems, such as wrist transponders that automatically stop machines when workers approach dangerous areas or chopper protection systems that stop the machine when workers get too close to the cutting tool. Chirp enables precise real-time tracking of workers and the transmission of safety data, significantly reducing the risk of accidents.
Mining
Collision Avoidance in Mining:
In mining, avoiding collisions between personnel and vehicles or between vehicles themselves is of the utmost importance. Chirp enables these collisions to be prevented by measuring and monitoring the distance between the involved objects in real-time. By integrating Chirp into collision avoidance systems, precise real-time monitoring is ensured, effectively preventing accidents.
Personnel Protection on Conveyors:
In mining environments where conveyors play a central role, Chirp can be integrated into systems that monitor the descent of running conveyors. These systems automatically stop the belt when danger arises. Chirp enables precise tracking of personnel, allowing safety measures to be implemented on time to prevent accidents.
Protection Systems for Crushing Plants:
In crushing plants, where the risk to workers is particularly high, Chirp ensures greater safety through precise positioning and bidirectional communication. The technology can be integrated into protection systems that automatically shut down the conveyor when danger arises. Chirp helps accurately track workers' positions and transmit relevant safety data in real-time to maximize safety in the facility.
Area Monitoring in Mining:
Chirp is also used in mining to monitor dangerous areas, particularly to detect the presence of people in risk zones, such as during rockfalls. By seamlessly integrating Chirp into area monitoring systems, companies can ensure continuous and reliable monitoring that prevents accidents and increases the safety of their workers. For example, Chirp is well suited to increase safety in longwall coal mining, especially when the hydrologic longwall shield moves forwards as the shearer cuts the coal, and the roof supports move into the newly cleared space. As mining continues, the goaf (the empty space left behind) grows and collapses under the weight of the rock above. However, between the individual shields, rocks may fall onto workers, hence Chirp helps here to prevent shields moving as long as workers are in range.
Emergency Location of Personnel:
After seismic events or accidents in mining, it is crucial to quickly locate and rescue trapped individuals. Chirp enables locating workers by providing precise positioning and enables the transmission of rescue information in real-time. Integrating Chirp into location systems, such as the Inpixon RTLS Platform, ensures quick and efficient response in critical situations to save lives and minimize the risk of further injuries.
Customized Solutions for Your Business: From Turnkey Packages to Custom Development
Chirp offers tailored solutions for different customer needs, depending on the application and integration requirements.
Turnkey for Full Solution Enterprise Customers:
Chirp solutions include a platform, tags, and anchors that all work seamlessly together to provide end-to-end monitoring and location tracking. This is the perfect choice for companies looking for a ready-to-use solution that can be easily integrated into existing business processes.
Integrators and OEMs:
Chirp offers the flexibility to develop your own solutions, providing access to chips, modules, PCBs, and anchors, allowing you to build customized systems that meet specific requirements. This option is ideal for companies that want to develop their own solutions and integrate them into existing systems, whether to expand existing technologies or create new, innovative applications. Inpixon offers the right support and tools to successfully implement your tracking and communication solutions, whether you need a turnkey solution or want to develop your own technology.
Chirp Component Comparison: The Right Technology for Your Needs
Choosing the right Chirp components depends on your project's specific requirements. The following component comparison chart provides a clear overview of the many options available from Inpixon.
Accuracy and Range of RTLS Tags in Technology Comparison
The Chirp spread spectrum (CSS) technology is positioned in a balanced area compared to other RTLS technologies, combining moderate accuracy with exceptional range. In the following comparison chart, which illustrates various technologies such as Active RFID, Wi-Fi, UWB, and BLE, Chirp stands out as a solution that excels in range while also offering sufficient accuracy for a wide range of industrial applications. This combination makes Chirp a versatile option that is particularly valuable in scenarios where wide area coverage is more important than centimeter-level precision.
The Time is Now
With over 2.8 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses in private industry and 5,486 fatal work-related injuries across all sectors in 2022, it’s crucial to embrace modern safety solutions. Advanced technology like real-time monitoring and collision avoidance systems can play a transformative role in preventing accidents before they happen.
Chirp offers the tools you need to stay ahead of potential risks, safeguard your workforce, and drive operational efficiency. Experience the power of Chirp in action by requesting your demo today, and elevate your business with cutting-edge safety technology!