This document discusses Bluetooth low energy beacons and their potential uses and opportunities. It begins with an introduction to beacons and discusses some common myths. It then covers beacon hardware components like firmware and security considerations. Several case studies of existing beacon uses are presented, such as at museums. Finally, the document discusses potential future applications of beacons and asks where the reader might apply beacon technology.
2. Building for a World of Beacons
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Platform that connects three things: user
experiences, content and beacons.
Leading independent site focused
exclusively on beacons.
Who and Why
3. Building for a World of Beacons
3 Who and Why
We’re beacon ‘agnostic’.
We’re looking for smart people.
We’re collaborating with organizations in
Canada, Australia, US and Europe.
12. Building for a World of Beacons
12 Beacon 101
Ah! So that’s an iBeacon!
13. Building for a World of Beacons
13 Beacon 101
Yeah, not so fast.
All iBeacons are BLE beacons.
All BLE beacons are beacons.
Not all beacons are BLE.
Not all BLE are beacons.
14. Building for a World of Beacons
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Powering a new era of wearable, contextual and
sensor-based computing.
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15
What is it? The server contains a
number of attributes, and
the GATT Profile defines
how to use the Attribute
Protocol to discover, read,
write and obtain indications.
These features support a
service-based architecture.
The services are used as
defined in the profile
specifications. GATT
enables you to expose
service and characteristics
defined in the profile
specification.
20. Bonus Slide 1:
Bold Prediction
While beacons work with Android,
Google/Samsung et al will also launch
a very different ‘flavor’ of beacon.
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Imagine a beacon on a car in a dealership. Your phone “hears” the beacon and
then calculates how close it is. As you approach the car, different pieces of
content are displayed based on proximity to the vehicle.
Example: A Car Dealership
When you approach the car, your app
automatically changes and displays its
price, features and other information.
iBeacon
iBeacon 101
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22
A single beacon can trigger multiple interactions. A message when you arrive at
the dealer; a video as you approach the car; a “request assistance” button when
you stand next to it.
Example: A Car Dealership
Interaction #3
Interaction #2
Interaction #1
iBeacon
iBeacon 101
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WHAT IF? You add other ‘stuff’?
iBeacon 101
Temperature
WiFi
Accelerometers
Connected devices
Google Glass
Wearables
!
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27 Hardware
02 # Number of bytes that follow in first AD structure
01 # Flags AD type
1A # Flags value 0x1A = 000011010
bit 0 (OFF) LE Limited Discoverable Mode
bit 1 (ON) LE General Discoverable Mode
bit 2 (OFF) BR/EDR Not Supported
bit 3 (ON) Simultaneous LE and BR/EDR to Same Device
Capable (controller)
bit 4 (ON) Simultaneous LE and BR/EDR to Same Device
Capable (Host)
1A # Number of bytes that follow in second (and last) AD
structure
FF # Manufacturer specific data AD type
4C 00 # Company identifier code (0x004C == Apple)
02 # Byte 0 of iBeacon advertisement indicator
15 # Byte 1 of iBeacon advertisement indicator
e2 c5 6d b5 df fb 48 d2 b0 60 d0 f5 a7 10 96 e0 # iBeacon
proximity uuid
00 00 # major
00 00 # minor
c5 # The 2's complement of the calibrated Tx Power
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28 Hardware
But it’s the FIRMWARE (oh, and battery)
that counts
Battery conservation/sleep mode/timers
Advertising interval
TX Power
Security wrapper (if any)
Firmware updates
Tuning functions
!
!
!
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29 Hardware
NO, it’s the INSTALLATION that counts
RF Interference
Signal Range
Variability over time
Fleet management
Beacon assignment
!
!
!
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30 Hardware
NO, it’s the SECURITY that counts
Hacking the Firmware
Beacon Spoofing
Duplicate UUIDs
Beacon Hijacking
!
!
!
31. Bonus Slide 2:
Bold Prediction
The security layer will be the prime driver of
hub/node deployments in the months to come.
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32 Hardware
NO, it’s USER ACCEPTANCE that counts
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33 Hardware
NO, it’s USER DOWNLOADS that count
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34 iBeacon Myths
Which brings us to SOME MYTHS
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35 iBeacon Myths
I need to send someone around to
LOAD CONTENT
onto my beacons
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36 iBeacon Myths
Beacons
TRACK PEOPLE
and are really just surveillance devices.
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37 iBeacon Myths
Beacons
TRIANGULATE
location.
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38 iBeacon Myths
No one ever turns
BLUETOOTH ON
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39 iBeacon Myths
No one will want to be
SPAMMED
with all these messages they’ll get.
40. Sure. So the question is - what
value will you bring to users?