AWS debuts IoT core device location feature to support asset tracking solutions

AWS IoT Core Device Location is a new managed feature of AWS IoT Core that enables customers to choose the appropriate location technology that works within their business and engineering constraints, without relying on Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware. With location data, customers can optimise business processes, simplify and automate maintenance efforts, and unlock new business use cases such as asset tracking solutions across several industry verticals including retail, farming, transportation and more.

Location information is important for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Historically, GPS has been widely used for locating an IoT device, but not all IoT devices can be equipped with a GPS hardware due to its high power requirements, relatively larger device footprint, and higher integration costs. New technologies such as cloud-assisted Global navigation satellite system (GNSS), WiFi, and cellular triangulation have become popular alternatives to obtain location data for IoT devices. However, the challenge with these technologies is that they do not directly provide location data in a usable format.

This means you will have to first calculate the Geo-coordinates based on data received from devices running on one of these technologies, and then use a mapping service to place a dot on the map. AWS IoT Core Device Location is integrated with solutions offered by AWS Partners, such as Semtech, HERE, and MaxMind. Their technology enables the use of cloud-assisted GNSS, Wi-Fi scan, cellular triangulation, and reverse IP lookup techniques to determine Geo-coordinates for a device in a standard format. You can use the new Location Action feature from AWS IoT Core Rules Engine, launched in Oct 2022, to route the Geo-coordinates to Amazon Location Service where you can add maps and points of interest, track resources, define Geo-fencing models, and visualise device location information.

AWS IoT core Device location is generally available for AWS IoT Core. In this blog, we will look at how you can use AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN and AWS IoT Core Device Location to calculate location data (i.e. Geo-coordinates), when the devices do not have a built-in GPS module. Subsequently, we will discuss how you can use AWS IoT Rule Location action and Amazon Location Service to build a location-based application.

LoRaWAN is a Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) protocol for battery-operated, remote monitoring and control applications, standardised by LoRa Alliance. LoRaWAN technology provides robust indoor and outdoor coverage for IoT applications. Lately, LoRaWAN has been applied to a variety of applications including smart water metering, smart buildings, safety and compliance monitoring, smart agriculture, health monitoring, smart electrical metering, construction and mining operations, and smart homes.

Integration with AWS IoT core for LoRaWAN

AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN is a fully-managed feature that allows you to connect and manage wireless devices that use LoRaWAN connectivity with the AWS Cloud. Using AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN, you can setup a private LoRaWAN network by connecting the LoRaWAN devices and gateways to the AWS Cloud. This eliminates the undifferentiated work and operational burden of managing a Network Server(NS), and enables you to quickly connect and secure LoRaWAN device fleets at scale.

The sections below illustrate how devices connect and publish data to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN and AWS IoT Core Device Location, gather decoded location data from various log-stream sources, and use third party location solvers to show a dot on the map without developing custom code or application.

Figure 1 – Architecture for AWS IoT Core Device Location

The devices communicate to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN. The payload is processed by AWS IoT Core Device Location which resolves the position to give you the location of your tracker. An IoT Rule is triggered upon the incoming data from the tracker and sent to Amazon Location Service to see the location point on the map.

OEM Partners

We have partnered with three original equipment manufacturers (OEM) who have developed LoRaWAN trackers that are qualified to work AWS IoT Core Device Location without the need to write custom code or application.

RYODEN and SMK developed an edge device that uses energy harvesting feature, and lower communication costs, thanks to the use of LoRaWAN technology. This device connects to AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN from their LoRaWAN gateway to reduce the server maintenance resources. Using the GNSS Solver function, the solution is also capable of supporting the asset tracking feature.

Miromico has developed a TrackIt Kit that works with AWS IoT Core Device Location to help customers track location assets.

MIKROTIC has developed asset trackers based on AWS IoT Core Device Location. Their devices are expected to be made available for shipment in 2023.

Using AWS IoT Core Device Location

Pre-requisites

Step 1: Setup LoRaWAN gateway referring to the instructions LoRaWAN gateway in AWS IoT Core for LoRAWAN

Step 2: Provision LoRaWAN device
Add a wireless device

  1. For LoRaWAN specification, select OTAA v1.0x
  2. Provide DevEUI – The 16-digit hexadecimal DevEUI value found on your wireless device.
  3. Provide AppKey – The 32-digit hexadecimal AppKey value that your wireless device vendor provided.
  4. Provide AppEUI – The 16-digit hexadecimal AppEUI that your wireless device vendor provided.
Figure 2 – Add device details
  1. For Wireless device name, enter ‘tracker’
  2. For Wireless device profile, refer to add device profiles section
Figure 3 – Device profile

3. For Service profile, refer to add service profiles section
4. For destination, refer to add a destination section

Figure 4 – Add destination

5. Choose Next
6. In the Geo-location section, enable activate positioning
7. Select  Add device

Figure 5 – Activate positioning

Step 3: Verify device connectivity

After the device is added, navigate back to LoraWAN devices list, check if the device is sending up-links.

Figure 6 – LoraWAN devices

Step 4: Visualize your tracker

After you have added the device in AWS IoT Core for LoRaWAN, the tracker GNSS/WiFi scan will resolve and provide Geo-location output. Check the location of your tracker in the map that is embedded in the device details page shown below. Here you can see the latitude and longitude, and a blue pin on the map representing your tracker’s location.

Figure 7 – Tracker location on map

Conclusion

In this blog, we have introduced AWS IoT Core Device Location, a new managed feature that allows customers to choose the appropriate location technology that works within their business and engineering constraints, without relying on GPS hardware. Getting started with Device Location on AWS IoT Core is quick and easy. Customers can use AWS IoT console or API to calculate the Geo-coordinates by specifying the desired type of Location Solver and passing along the corresponding wireless data (e.g. GNSS scan data, MAC addresses from WiFi scan, etc.) to the location solver API. Please see developer guide for details. Once location data are calculated, customers can store them in AWS IoT Core Device Shadow or any topic of their choice.

Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @IoTNow_OR @jcIoTnow

RECENT ARTICLES

Aeris to acquire IoT business from Ericsson

Posted on: December 8, 2022

Ericsson and Aeris Communications, a provider of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions based in San Jose, California, have signed an agreement for the transfer of Ericsson’s IoT Accelerator and Connected Vehicle Cloud businesses.

Read more

Telenor IoT passes milestone of 20mn SIM cards

Posted on: December 8, 2022

Telenor, the global IoT provider and telecom operator, has experienced rapid growth over the last years and ranks among the top 3 IoT operators in Europe and among the top IoT operators in the world. The positive development is due to an accelerated pace of new customers combined with a successful growth of existing customers’

Read more
FEATURED IoT STORIES

The IoT Adoption Boom – Everything You Need to Know

Posted on: September 28, 2022

In an age when we seem to go through technology boom after technology boom, it’s hard to imagine one sticking out. However, IoT adoption, or the Internet of Things adoption, is leading the charge to dominate the next decade’s discussion around business IT. Below, we’ll discuss the current boom, what’s driving it, where it’s going,

Read more

Talking Heads: The M2M Doctor is in the House

Posted on: December 26, 2013

Mobile health is M2M at its most rewarding. So says, Dan MacDuffie CEO of Wyless (left). And he should know, his managed services company has achieved 50% yearon- year growth recently and a growing portion of that is in mHealth and Wellness services. He’s certain we’re standing on the threshold of a new generation of health services that cut delivery costs, extend the reach

Read more

Talking Heads: mHealth gains ground as one-stop shops and M2M with ‘wired safety net’ bring efficient patient monitoring

Posted on: December 23, 2013

For years analysts have touted mobile healthcare as a huge opportunity for those offering machine-to-machine communication (M2M) services. Truth be told, the progress so far has been patchy, at best. So M2M Now asked Alexander Bufalino, SEVP Global Marketing at Telit, to describe the hurdles in the way of M2M mHealth, how they are now being overcome and what

Read more

Unlocking the total value of M2M

Posted on: December 19, 2013

Do you ever wonder why people and organisations invest in machine-to-machine communications (M2M) and the Internet of Things (IoT), asks Fred Yentz? Reasons may differ somewhat across industry segments but in most cases they fall in one or more of three categories: To make money, to save money or to be compliant. ILS Technology is squarely focused on helping

Read more

Paving the way to the Internet of Things

Posted on: December 17, 2013

Combining the ARM computing engine with location-awareness and wireless connectivity It’s set to be the Perfect Storm: The rapid growth of high-speed cellular networks and the introduction of IP version 6 which has enough IP addresses for every grain of sand on Earth. Add to this mix the proliferation of the ARM embedded computing architecture, now the de facto global

Read more

What’s the ‘real deal’ on the Internet of Things?

Posted on: December 16, 2013

The ‘Internet of Things’ buzzword appears to have picked up steam during the past several months as large players such as GE and Cisco have touted their stories on the growing number of connected devices. But, as Alex Brisbourne of KORE asks, how different, if at all, is the Internet of Things when compared with other connected device markets,

Read more

M2M Now Magazine December 2013 Edition

Posted on: December 5, 2013

M2M Now magazine explores the evolving opportunities and challenges facing CSPs across this sector. Our exclusive interviews pass on some key lessons learned by those who have taken the first steps in next gen Machine to Machine (M2M) services. In the latest issue: TALKING HEADS: Alexander Bufalino of Telit tells how one-stop shops and M2M with a ‘wired

Read more