Fujitsu Releases New, Enhanced Version of Battery-Free Beacon PulsarGum

Fujitsu today announced that it has enhanced the features of Fujitsu IoT Solution Battery-free Beacon PulsarGum, and will begin sales of the new version today in Japan. Leveraging the research of Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd., the new version can be powered by one-tenth the light of the previous version. It is therefore easier to use in a wider range of locations, such as low-lit manufacturing facilities, the corridors of buildings, and distribution warehouses.

Providing this product promotes further improvements in the front-line operations of customers, contributing to the creation of new value.

Background

With the spread of the Internet-of-Things, there is increasing consideration of operational transformations through the deployment of IoT devices in a wide range of operations and industries. One type of IoT device - a beacon - is being widely used because it is easy to deploy. When newly installing beacons in a customer's work environment, however, securing a power source for each beacon and the time and effort required for installation were major issues.

Fujitsu has offered PulsarGum, a battery-free beacon that has been used on the front lines. It does not require batteries to be replaced because it runs on a solar cell, and it is also lightweight and easy to install. It was envisioned that the previous version would be used near a source of light, but some customers said they wanted to use the beacons in places where lighting is more subdued, such as in manufacturing facilities, the corridors of buildings, and distribution warehouses.

Features of the New Product

The radio waves emitted by the PulsarGum battery-free beacon are received by devices, such as smartphones, for connection to Fujitsu Cloud Service K5 IoT Platform, a service platform for using IoT data. The analysis of that data supports customer activities to improve their operational front lines, enabling them to grasp the locations and flows of people and things, and thereby analyze their operations to improve productivity.

1. Can be used in a wider array of settings

   The solar cell in the beacon device has been miniaturized and made multi-layered, and its power source circuit has been improved, enabling stable operations in one-tenth the light of the previous version. As a result, the beacon can be used in a wider range of front-line settings, such as hallways, where lighting is subdued, or near outside lights at night.

2. Can be used outdoors

   Because protective features have been built in the circuits of the device, the beacon is able to run stably even when there is an excessive supply of power from direct exposure to sunlight. As a result, it can be attached without worry to outside structures or equipment.

Main Specifications

Pricing and Availability

Sales Target

150,000 units by the end of fiscal 2020 (Fujitsu's fiscal year runs to the end of March).

Related Websites

IoT - Fujitsu Technology and Service Vision