iBeacons are small, low-cost, Bluetooth-enabled devices that can be used to transmit signals that can be “seen” by mobile phones or other scanning devices. They have a range of up to 300 meters and can be used in a wide variety of applications. In general, the usages cases for iBeacons can be broken down into a few broad categories:
Smart Home Automation: iBeacons can be used to trigger actions in a home or office when a person or vehicle enters or leaves a specific room or area. Typically, these setups utilize a central automation system such as Home Assistant or Hubitat. But these type of automations are also possible using only smartphone apps such as PushCut, Tasker, or Automate. DIYers can build all sorts of useful iBeacon automation projects using Arduinos and ESPs.
Asset Tracking: Recently gaining a lot of momentum in the business world, iBeacons can be used to track the location of valuable assets, such as equipment or vehicles or even work-in-progress bins, within a production or storage facility. In these usage cases, a BLE gateway is used for the scanning function, with the data captured often being uploaded in real time to the cloud for business managers to use in decision-making and daily management.
Indoor Navigation: iBeacons can be placed in different locations within a building to help people navigate through indoor spaces, such as malls, museum, or airports. Custom apps are required on the smartphones of each user/visitor.
Personalized Experiences: iBeacons can be used to provide personalized experiences for customers in various settings, such as museums or theme parks. Custom apps are required on the smartphones of each user/visitor.
Healthcare and Elderly Care Facilities: iBeacons can be used in hospitals and other healthcare facilities to track equipment, monitor patient activity, and provide location-based information. In some cases, beacons are installed in fixed locations, and smartphones with custom apps act as the scanner. In other cases, the patients or doctors carry beacons with them, and BLE scanners keep track of their movement and locations.
Overall, iBeacons offer a versatile and cost-effective way to enhance location-based systems and improve communication and engagement with customers, employees, and assets.