Asset Tracking

Streamlining operations to maximise investment in physical assets

Asset tracking provides valuable information about all kinds of physical assets – ranging from computers and other office equipment to industrial machinery, healthcare devices and retail goods and fleet management.

Knowing the location, status, maintenance condition and maintenance schedule and other important information about an organisation’s physical assets is crucial for regulatory compliance – and a healthy bottom line, as it it informs the smooth operation of complex systems.

A variety of technologies have largely replaced traditional manual asset tracking – from relatively simple and cost-effective barcodes and QR codes to Internet of Things (IoT) technology that provides real-time insights and proactive management capabilities to increase visibility, control and efficiency.

For assets that are frequently on the move, for example, global positioning system (GPS) tracking provides a robust, precise solution that can cover large areas. Meanwhile, radio frequency identification (RFID) technology uses tags and readers to enable automatic identification of assets and their location over a short distance, with real-time data collection without direct line of sight.

Real-world challenges

Compact telematics integration for enhanced vehicle monitoring

Black box telematics units have become commonplace in cars to monitor driving style and report back to insurance companies. They are based on a cellular modem, GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope and microcontroller.

The main challenge is to reduce the physical size of the device so that it will fit into tight locations within a vehicle – turning the task from a straightforward integration of individual designs into a highly complex custom development.

The co-location of multiple antennas for Bluetooth, cellular and GPS is also a complex issue, along with data handling – insurance companies want access to certain metrics without the responsibility of storing all the data, which may be sensitive.

The Plextek team’s solution was a multiband cellular antenna, integrated onto a PCB substrate, together with a custom GPS antenna. The team also developed a data warehousing solution to store the data, together with data analysis methods to extract metrics to score driver behaviour. Individual insurance companies are able to access these metrics without accessing or storing the raw data.

Enhancing maritime security: a next-gen hybrid tracking solution

Protection of coastal borders is vital to help target smugglers and prevent illegal entry. The challenge from ATLAS Telecom was to deliver an innovative marine tracking solution for vessels as part of its next-generation E-Passport programme.

Resilient and secure communications were required, with seamless operation, along with a high level of tamper resistance, power efficiency and a robust marine enclosure for protection under extreme conditions.

The Plextek team developed an advanced military-grade hybrid TETRA GPS smart tracker device to provide exact position details to optimise lifesaving response times in emergency situations, help monitor regulatory compliance and identify security violations.

Key skills

A vehicle tracking system
  • Expertise in real-time system design

    Specialising in the design of systems, such as environmental monitoring, that require non-stop operation over extensive periods. 

  • Reliability engineering

    Ensuring high system reliability for critical applications, essential where systems may not be able to be accessed once installed 

  • Low-power operation

    Experience in producing systems capable of extended operation without access to external power. 

  • Environmental protection

    Able to design reliable systems intended to operate long-term in harsh environmental conditions. 

  • GNSS

    Use of multi-constellation satellite position systems for reliable detection of position, navigation and time. 

  • Standards network radio communications

    Efficient unattended communications over 3GPP/TETRA networks including ensuring that a system of many thousand devices does not overload any individual network segment 

  • Data protection

    Ensuring compliance with industry best practice for protection of sensitive personal information, meeting all requirements of regulations such as GDPR. 

  • Antenna design

    Expert design of antennas for communication in non-optimal conditions. 

  • Cloud-based servers

    Collecting and analysing data simultaneously from tens of thousands of remote systems 

At Plextek, our asset tracking solutions are engineered to ensure optimum performance and durability across a range of challenging environments.

Dr Peter Debenham, Senior Consultant
Dr Peter Debenham

Senior Consultant

What sets us apart when it comes to asset tracking?

Plextek expertly integrates advanced technology and innovative solutions to ensure reliable, smart management of your assets in any environment, including:

  • Antenna design
  • Continuous operation
  • Low power
  • Radio communications
  • GNSS
  • 3GPP modem
  • TETRA
  • ETSI location information protocol
  • Environmental protection
  • Non-expert operation
  • Real-time data capture
  • Reliability
  • Sensor systems
  • Data protection
  • Database
  • Cloud-based servers and data gathering

Wireless communication technologies play a crucial data transmission role in asset tracking, and we can offer proven expertise in:

  • Long-term evolution (LTE)
  • Terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA)
  • Bluetooth
  • Wi-Fi
  • Ultra–wideband (UWB)
  • Near-field communication (NFC)
  • Long-range wide area network (LoRaWAN) technology
  • Zigbee and Z-Wave mesh network technologies
Contact Plextek

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Projects

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Armour Integrity Monitoring System (AIMS)
Armour Integrity Monitoring System (AIMS)

Innovating a new Armour Integrity Monitoring System (AIMS) for the UK MoD, delivering a low SWaP-C solution that dramatically streamlines logistics and enhances protection through in-field armour integrity checks.

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Developing Automated Manufacturing Systems
Developing Automated Manufacturing Systems

Delivering a pioneering predictive maintenance solution for a global healthcare product company, utilising miniature battery-powered sensor systems to optimise automated production lines and significantly reduce costly downtimes.

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Vehicle asset management system
Vehicle Asset Management System

Designing a vehicle asset management system with custom-designed, multi-band cell and GPS antenna architecture, tightly integrated onto a PCB to meet stringent performance standards for the automotive insurance market.

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Marine Tracker
Marine Tracker

The team designed an advanced military-grade hybrid TETRA GPS smart tracker for ATLAS Telecom’s E-Passport programme, enhancing coastal security through cutting-edge surveillance and autonomous threat notification.

Read More