Mister Beacon

Meet the leading designer and maker of Bluetooth beacons in Italy, BlueUp. Partnered with Quuppa for next generation angle-of-arrival location, and supporting iBeacon and Eddystone, BlueUp offers beacons of all shapes and sizes, gateways, along with software and cloud services. As the number of beacons grow and they gain more and more visibility, new applications constantly appear and are even changing the way we talk about “beacons” or “tags”. This week we talk with Alessio Cucini, who has seen the evolution of the beacon market since launching BlueUp in 2014. Optimistic about the direction of the beacon market, Alessio discusses the shift in applications and terminology, iBeacon versus Eddystone, and encryption versus static IDs.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Asif Khan, Founder and President of the Location Based Marketing Association (LBMA), defines location based marketing as the intersection of people, places, and media. Asif through the LBMA shares the best of what is possible and inspires companies to think differently about the technology available to them. On this episode of Mr. Beacon, we talk pilots, surveys, trends, and end with a 3 layer cake that reveals what is essential to an effective location based marketing solution.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

ThinkInside is working with some of the most successful retailers and manufacturers in the world. Making physical space “smart” is their vision. CEO Iacopo Carreras discusses how his platform captures large volumes of very precise location data, which is used for operational advantage and to unlock insights into behavior. Problems with flow, layout, engagement, and sales can all be uncovered when looking at the complete buyers’ journey in the store, starting form when they pick up their basket, till after their purchase is made. The benefits extend beyond category management, product placement, and asset optimization. With Bluetooth technology integrated into the infrastructure of the building, wayfinding, interactive shopping lists, and proximity marketing all become available to anyone with a smartphone.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We all can relate to the feeling of an uncomfortable wristband, one that was fastened too tight, continuously scratching our wrists, or even too loose and falling off altogether. Personal identification, whether it be in healthcare, hospitality, or recreation, has yet to see many improvements either for the user or provider. Idion aims to change this by creating a skin-applied, hypoallergenic, and flexible personal identifier and platform using radio frequency technology. Michael Gilvary, co-founder and COO, partnered with Dr. Peter Costantino, Chair of Head and Neck Surgery at Northwell to design this revolutionary solution. For patients/users, Idion can provide a comfortable, safe method of identification with an additional value-add of aiding the user with relevant and personalized information, education, and services like navigation. For healthcare providers, this skin-applied solution offers a way of overcoming the significant problems associated with misidentification in hospitals and can provide ways o

From sporting goods to luxury items to cosmetics, there a massive problem with counterfeiting. This 1.7 billion dollar problem is a weighty pain point in most verticals. The health and safety consequences are serious, and misrepresentation of the brand image and quality is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of negative ramifications. On this week’s episode, we talk to Ross Mandel, CEO of VerifyItNow, about the business he built around finding a solution to this problem. We discuss the growth of VerifyitNow from brand protection to asset tracking to a lost and found platform, and the opportunities and limitations of the technology behind it - NFC, Bluetooth, and Google Nearby. Watch as Ross illustrates how you can “product your brand, reduce loss, increase customer confidence, and build brand loyalty” with their anti-counterfeit and verification system.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A UK based nonprofit has created the first internationally recognized standard for accessible audio navigation - helping visually impaired people travel independently, removing barriers to employment and interacting with friends and family. With the number of visually impaired estimated to be 295 million and increasing, Wayfindr saw a lack of accessibility solutions and a lack of consistency which was impacting young people in particular. In order to fix the fragmentation created by different offerings, they created an open standard for indoor navigation (ITU-T F.921). This enables venues, such as a metro station, to create detailed audio navigation instruction with help from Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons. We talk to Tiernan Kenny, Head of Communications, Public Affairs, and Standards at Wayfindr about the advantages and limitations of different indoor location metrics, how their standard can help the visually impaired and beyond, and why all venues should be implementing audio wayfinding today. 

This week on Mr. Beacon we are talking to a pioneer in the beacon space, Nathan Dunn, CEO of BlueCats. BlueCats has seen the progression of the real time location services industry first hand, starting with Ultra Wide Band technology followed by a integration of Bluetooth beacons and then the advent of iBeacon. The value of real time visibility was first realized in retail, focusing on how people were led to purchase decisions. BlueCat’s solutions have since spread over many verticals such as sports, industrial warehousing and outdoor asset tracking, as well as hospitality. Backed with years of experience, Nathan discusses the challenges RTLS has faced as it evolved as well as giving us insight into what qualifies a project to be better suited for UWB or for beacons.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Grizzly Analytics is recognized as one of the world’s leading analysts focused on location technologies and IoT, based on their technical expertise and hands on approach to evaluating vendor claims.On this episode of Mr. Beacon, we talk with Bruce Krulwich, Grizzly’s founder, about the current landscape of location technologies, how the different offerings are evolving, and expectations of the future. We talk Bluetooth beacons, Ultra Wide Band, Ultrasound, SLAM, Machine Vision, and more.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gavin Neate has made several careers out of helping others. After ten years of service in The Royal Air Force, he spent 18 years as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor. Then he founded Neatebox, building on his knowledge and experience of working with those who are visually impaired. Since starting Neatebox, he has launched two products using beacon technology, ‘Button’ and ‘Welcome’. Both aim to help in the day to day life of the 13 million people with disabilities”. In this episode, we talk to Gavin, see the apps in action, find out about their impact, how they work, how to get involved … and as always, what kind of music he likes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With the European Union’s new data protection law going into effect imminently, it's driving a flurry of changes from businesses based inside and outside the EU, racing to comply and avoid new levels of financial penalties. Jarno Vanto, a cybersecurity lawyer and partner at the law firm Polsinelli, gives us insight on what The General Data Protection Regulation entails, who it applies to, and the implications of not complying. Here is what you need to know before May 25, 2018.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Connecthings is in the business of enabling public transport solutions for Smart Cities using a combination of Beacons, NFC and QR Code technologies. We talk to their CEO, Laetitia Gazel Anthoine, about how her company has achieved success in an area where few have survived.For more interviews and articles from the author of Beacon Technologies see https://www.mister-beacon.com/interviews  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If your pipes could speak, what would they tell you? If your bottle of whiskey could ask questions, what would it ask you? FeelIt’s advancements in sensor technology are enabling objects to become “smarter” - reaching new levels of self-awareness. CEO and co-founder, Gady Konvalina describes the Nanotechnology-based sensors they have created with the ability to sense structural formation, movement, and weight. With the help of beacons and cloud services, these sensors can give pipes the ability to tell manufacturers when they are going to leak or can send a smartphone alert when the whiskey is low, asking if you would like to reorder. Catch a full discussion about this disruptive technology and a demo of the sensors on this week’s episode of Mr. Beacon.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Most people these days are familiar with the Internet of Things, at least in concept – but when we speak of the web of things, we are speaking of an entirely different, though related issue. On this episode of Mr. Beacon, Stephen talks with Dominique Guinard, CTO of Evrythng, a company that helps brands create and establish digital links with their products. There are many reasons for this kind of technological integration into physical products and the two of them discuss the issues behind a unique identifier approach to product development and distribution. This is a fascinating conversation about where the world of products is headed, so make sure you listen.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

RFID vs Bluetooth - It's a debate that will go on for some time as the technologies continue to improve and change. In this conversation with Mike Kastner we dive into the controversy to discover if there are any ways that we can understand the two technologies comparatively without feeling that we have to jettison either one. It's a lively conversation that focuses on the pros and cons of each technology and the wide range of applications that can be considered for each one. If you or your company is looking for the right technology to meet a new situation you're facing, this episode should be very helpful for you.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Personal Asset Tracking has been one of the great success stories of the Beacosystem. Companies like Stick-N-Find, Trackr and Tile were some of the first vendors and they have been selling many millions of beacons. Haystack Magic is a new challenger to the approach these incumbents have used, with a software solution that uses lower cost general purpose beacons. The Haystack Magic user interface is designed to use the way the human mind works to track things.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As we consider what is known as The Internet of Things, RAIN RFID is one of the technologies that will undoubtedly be an integral part of IOT moving forward. Will there be a day when actual things such as sweaters and socks are identified via electronic technologies?  Steve Halliday, president of the RAIN IFID Association says he has no doubt about it. In this great conversation, Steve shares a great deal of information about what RAIN is capable of doing now and looks into the future to explain possibilities that are not too far off. It's an intriguing conversation that's well worth the time it takes for you to listen.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Can you even imagine any reason your motor oil would need to be a connected product? To stretch your thinking a bit more, how about pharmaceuticals? These are some of the cutting edge examples of how connectivity in packaging and everyday products is making a difference both to the consumer and the cost and production inherent in bringing those products to market.In this episode of Mr. Beacon, Steve talks with Marcin Pilarz, CEO of Talkin’ Things, a company that integrates connected technologies with everyday products. In this conversation you will hear why this particular application of NFC technology is beneficial, the particular hurdles encountered when implementing it - especially with well-established brands, and how the industry is poised to grow in the next few years.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Creating an app that can be the remote control for a venue is an art and a science. Venuetize have developed and acquired technologies for just that purpose that are unusual and distinctive. Venuetize's CTO has unparalleled experience in creating successful mobile apps that predate the advent of the Apple App Store. Listen to his case studies and lessons learned.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A wave of multi-level marketing (MLM) firms are creating beacon offerings, putting Bluetooth beacons in the hands of business people completely unfamiliar with the technology. We find out what's happening, who is using the technology, the problems and the opportunities by talking to Victoria Gonzalez, a solopreneur who has been figuring out how to make beacons work for her small businesses.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Water.io is a pioneer in augmenting packaging with Bluetooth sensors, opening up new user experiences and business models while giving us a preview of what is to come. We talk to Kobi Bentkovski, CEO and co-founder, about how their system works and the implications of this transformation in how products are delivered.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.