@dylanseychell

Introduction to

Beacon TechnologyDylan Seychell

#io16extended - Malta

@dylanseychell

HelloI’m Dylan

GDG Malta Lead

Academic/ResearcherInteraction DesignMultimedia TechnologyE/M-Commerce

PhD Student3D Blending over

Transmission

FounderColour my TravelInnovogy

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@dylanseychell

Presentation Overview

Why Beacons?

Motivation

How to organise Beacons?

Protocols Overview

What to implement with Beacons?

UX and Beacons

Challenges

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What is a Beacon?

Little Bluetooth Low-Energy Devices throwing a signal for

devices to detect.

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10 things you need to know about Beacons

1. Platform Independent

2. NOT Internet Connected

3. Used in different scenarios

4. They broadcast, not steal data

5. They can ‘detect’ distance

6. Huge insights on customers

7. Help automate m-commerce buying

8. Aids marketing and upselling

9. Different Manufacturers

10. Available for purchase for as little as €29

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Why should we care about Beacons?

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@dylanseychell

Because our devices are saying so.We’re using Mobile/Wearables all the time to:

● Find stores (60%)● Use coupons for discounts (55%)● Check Prices of Products (70%)● Reading reviews on mobiles (53%)

Etc.

Mobile devices are at the core of our experience as consumers

Yet, they lack the ability to enhance that experience

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How does Beacon Tech work?

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Very Simple.Just visualise a lighthouse,

flashing a light, indicating it’s there.

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Bluetooth LEaka Bluetooth Smart

or Bluetooth 4.0/.1/.2

Does not require pairing

Transmits an identifier

Lower power consumption

Generally Battery Powered

Short Range of approx 70m

Transmits short data packages

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Apple’s iBeacon Protocol

● Launched in 2013

● iBeacon works with iOS and Android

● iBeacon transmits a UUID (16 digit string of numbers), Major (4 digits) and Minor (4 digits).

a. That’s it. Nothing else.

b. They aren’t mini-servers or tracking devices.

c. Beacons themselves do not track anything.

d. Apps do the tracking if that’s what they are programmed to do.

● iBeacon requires an app to receive that specific UUID to be able to engage.

● The UUID is typically the same for all iBeacons working with a specific app.

a. The “Major” and “Minor” IDs are used to identify each beacon uniquely.

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iBeacon Packet Structure

UUID(Universal Unique Identifier): Used to identify a large set of beacons.

Major: By this number you can identify a subset of beacons from the large set.

Minor: By this number you can identify an individual beacon. 12

@dylanseychell

Tx PowerThis is used to determine proximity (distance) from

the beacon.

How does this work?

TX power is defined as the strength of the signal exactly 1 meter from the device.

This has to be calibrated and hardcoded in advance.

Devices can then use this as a baseline to give a rough distance estimate

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This was not just a lighthouse.

It was the Eddystone Lighthouse.

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Which as a side-note, is this:

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Hence, the name

Released by Google in July 2015

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There are 3 Eddystone Frame-TypesEddystone-UID (App Beacon)

● Eddystone-UID requires an app to receive that specific UID for your app to be able to engage.

Eddystone-URL (Browser Beacon)

● Eddystone-URL is the beacon format for the “Physical Web”, where you put content if you want

everybody to be able to access it.

Eddystone-TLM (Telemetry)

● Eddystone-TLM bridges both App and Browser uses.

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Eddystone-UID● Eddystone-UID requires an app to receive that specific UID for your app to be able to engage.

● Eddystone is very similar to iBeacon, but it only broadcasts a 16 digit string of characters,

a. divided into a 10 character “Namespace” , e.g: EDD1EBEAC04E5DEFA017

b. and a 6 character “Instance” ID. , e.g: 0BDB87539B67 (same job of Major/Minor)

c. Typically the Namespace is used to identify an entity and the Instance an individual beacon.

● No two beacons will ever have the same UID.

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Eddystone-URL● Eddystone-URL is the beacon format for the “Physical Web”

a. https://google.github.io/physical-web/

● Eddystone-URL does NOT require a custom app but does require a beacon browser (http://www.bkon.

com/browsers).

a. Has to be a HTTPS URL

b. Recommended to encode with SHA1 … not a must but it’s a convention

● Eddystone-URL broadcasts a URL...simply links to a Web Page

● Links can be easily managed with 3rd party systems such as PHY.net.

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Eddystone-TLM● Eddystone-TLM bridges both App and Browser uses. (TLM = Telemetry)

● The main function of Eddystone is to transmit sensor and administrative data from the beacon itself.

● Currently this frame includes

a. the beacon’s battery state,

b. its temperature,

c. the time since power-on,

d. and a count of the advertising packets since power-on,

e. but it could also include other sensor data in the future.

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What can we implement with Beacons?

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@dylanseychell

Let’s check this quick demo from Estimote

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Step 1 Plan your ‘terrain’

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Step 2

1) Proximitya) The stage when the user approaches the site (store, school etc.)

2) Check-Ina) Confirming proximity by interacting with appb) Setting Payment details/methodc) Set up relationship with the app

3) Product Infoa) Browse Services/Productsb) Confirm/Buy etc.

4) Checkouta) Payment/Leaving the site

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Plan the User Experience

@dylanseychell

Case Study“Enhancing Information Systems through the

Internet of things” Abela & Seychell 2016

A dissertation on how beacon technology can improve the experience within a school and its Information System by providing information about lectures, their location while providing contextual information to the students via the mobile application.

Implemented and piloted at St Martin’s Institute of Higher Education. Supported by GDG Malta and Estimote.

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but there are HUGEchallenges to overcome

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Challenge 1Applications

What apps do you need for such a system?

Currently, 1 app per store or if you’re lucky, 1 app per chain.

Ideally, feature within the OS so there won’t be a need to install dedicated apps.

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Challenge 2Trust

Can be creepy for consumers to be provided with information overload about things they like…

But

If used well, it can provide a wonderful and seamless experience

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Bibliography

http://www.nielsen.com

http://www.estimote.com

https://bkon.com/beacons

http://www.aislelabs.com/reports/beacon-guide/

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Bluetooth

http://mindbowser.com/blog/what-is-internet-of-things-and-bluetooth-smart/

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Thank you!@dylanseychell

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