SlideShare a Scribd company logo
Building Proximity-Aware 
Apps with Beacons 
David Helms 
Chief Product Officer 
Radius Networks, Inc. 
@davidhelms 
@radiusnetworks
It’s the Internet of Things! 
Get out from behind the glass 
with proximity-aware mobile 
apps!
What’s a proximity-aware 
mobile app? 
A proximity-aware mobile app 
presents content or executes 
procedures when it nears a place 
or a thing.
What is a beacon? 
● Bluetooth v4.0 Low Energy 
transmitter 
● Used to mark a place or a 
thing 
● Compatible mobile devices 
can uniquely identify and 
determine proximity to a 
beacon 
● Typical range of 25m to 40m
What information does a 
beacon transmit? 
Beacon advertisements contain… 
● Identifier - Represents a specific 
place or thing 
● Measured Power Value - Represents 
the signal strength of the beacon at 
1m distance.
How do proximity-aware 
mobile apps use 
beacons? 
● The mobile app must specify 
the beacons to be monitored 
● App will be notified of region 
enter and region exit events, 
even when the app is in the 
background or terminated. 
● Can range for proximity zone 
while in region by comparing 
actual signal strength to 
measured power value.
What mobile devices 
work with beacons? 
● Apple iPhones, iPads & iPod 
Touches 
○ Bluetooth 4.0 hardware support 
○ iOS 7 or higher 
● Android phones & tablets 
○ Bluetooth 4.0 hardware support 
○ Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or higher
Is user privacy protected 
when using beacons? 
● Users have legitimate concerns about 
the use of their location information. 
● Beacons are transmit-only and do not 
receive or collect signals from mobile 
devices. 
● The use of beacons is inherently opt-in 
and requires users to take affirmative 
steps to allow proximity-aware apps to 
use their location information.
Beacons are inherently 
opt-in. 
1. Users must decide to keep 
Bluetooth enabled on their mobile 
device. 
2. Users must choose to install a 
proximity-aware mobile app on their 
device. 
3. Users must explicitly agree to allow 
a proximity-aware mobile app to use 
their location information.
Are there different kinds 
of beacons? 
● iBeacon is the most popular beacon 
type. Defined by Apple for use with 
iOS mobile devices. 
● AltBeacon is a complementary, 
open-source alternative introduced 
by Radius Networks for non-iOS 
mobile devices. 
future iBeacon alternatives ? 
● Other major mobile vendors hint at
What is a multi-beacon? 
● Multi-beacons solve the fragmentation 
problem of multiple, incompatible beacon 
advertisement types. 
● A multi-beacon transmits multiple beacon 
advertisement formats concurrently. 
● Proximity services are delivered equally to 
iOS and Android devices. 
● RadBeacons from Radius Networks are multi-beacons 
supporting both iBeacon and 
AltBeacon.
Let’s see some real 
beacons. 
● RadBeacon from Radius Networks 
○ USB powered 
○ Coin-cell battery powered 
○ AA battery powered 
● Other beacon providers 
○ Estimote 
○ Gimbal 
○ Kontakt 
○ ...and lots more
What’s the future of 
beacons & proximity 
technologies? 
● Corporate market 
○ Beacon deployments > 10,000 
units 
○ Powered and long-life battery 
○ Ruggedized & weatherproof 
○ Remote monitoring & 
configuration 
● Consumer market 
○ Cheap / Disposable 
○ Unmanaged 
● Integration into traditional 
equipment 
○ Wi-Fi access point hotspots 
○ Point-of-sale terminals 
○ Fuel dispensers 
○ Self-service kiosks 
● More iBeacon alternatives 
● Long-range Bluetooth beacons 
● NFC beacons
What’s up with Radius 
Networks? 
Campaign & Content Management 
Cloud Platform Services 
Beacon Fleet Management 
Cloud Platform Services 
Radius Networks makes the 
mobile proximity technologies, 
tools and services that help 
developers, designers and digital 
marketers deliver magical 
solutions to their users. The World’s Best Beacons 
Mobile Proximity Developer Tools 
Mobile Proximity SDKs
At the shop 
Reward customers with loyalty 
points and special offers. 
Provide efficient, alternative ways 
to request assistance and pay for 
purchases.
At the museum 
Personalize each exhibit 
experience based on the museum 
visitor’s age and interests.
In the hospital 
Present a patient’s chart to a 
doctor or nurse upon entering 
that patient’s room.
In the classroom 
Log attendance and present 
relevant study materials for class.
At the stadium 
Offer in-game seat upgrades for 
unused premium seats. 
Create new sponsorship 
opportunities for additional team 
and venue revenue.
At the conference 
Turn the show floor into an 
interactive experience to 
encourage foot traffic and 
increase value to exhibitors.
On the train 
Present an electronic ticket 
automatically as the conductor 
approaches.
In the airport 
Receive a notification as your bag 
is about to be delivered on the 
carousel.
At the hotel 
Prompt a personal greeting from 
the hotel staff on the arrival of a 
guest. 
Present the option for self-service 
registration and bypass the front 
desk.
Building Proximity-Aware 
Apps with Beacons 
David Helms 
Chief Product Officer 
Radius Networks, Inc. 
@davidhelms 
@radiusnetworks

More Related Content

Building Proximity-Aware Apps with Beacons - MODEV IOT + Wearables 2014

  • 1. Building Proximity-Aware Apps with Beacons David Helms Chief Product Officer Radius Networks, Inc. @davidhelms @radiusnetworks
  • 2. It’s the Internet of Things! Get out from behind the glass with proximity-aware mobile apps!
  • 3. What’s a proximity-aware mobile app? A proximity-aware mobile app presents content or executes procedures when it nears a place or a thing.
  • 4. What is a beacon? ● Bluetooth v4.0 Low Energy transmitter ● Used to mark a place or a thing ● Compatible mobile devices can uniquely identify and determine proximity to a beacon ● Typical range of 25m to 40m
  • 5. What information does a beacon transmit? Beacon advertisements contain… ● Identifier - Represents a specific place or thing ● Measured Power Value - Represents the signal strength of the beacon at 1m distance.
  • 6. How do proximity-aware mobile apps use beacons? ● The mobile app must specify the beacons to be monitored ● App will be notified of region enter and region exit events, even when the app is in the background or terminated. ● Can range for proximity zone while in region by comparing actual signal strength to measured power value.
  • 7. What mobile devices work with beacons? ● Apple iPhones, iPads & iPod Touches ○ Bluetooth 4.0 hardware support ○ iOS 7 or higher ● Android phones & tablets ○ Bluetooth 4.0 hardware support ○ Android 4.3 Jelly Bean or higher
  • 8. Is user privacy protected when using beacons? ● Users have legitimate concerns about the use of their location information. ● Beacons are transmit-only and do not receive or collect signals from mobile devices. ● The use of beacons is inherently opt-in and requires users to take affirmative steps to allow proximity-aware apps to use their location information.
  • 9. Beacons are inherently opt-in. 1. Users must decide to keep Bluetooth enabled on their mobile device. 2. Users must choose to install a proximity-aware mobile app on their device. 3. Users must explicitly agree to allow a proximity-aware mobile app to use their location information.
  • 10. Are there different kinds of beacons? ● iBeacon is the most popular beacon type. Defined by Apple for use with iOS mobile devices. ● AltBeacon is a complementary, open-source alternative introduced by Radius Networks for non-iOS mobile devices. future iBeacon alternatives ? ● Other major mobile vendors hint at
  • 11. What is a multi-beacon? ● Multi-beacons solve the fragmentation problem of multiple, incompatible beacon advertisement types. ● A multi-beacon transmits multiple beacon advertisement formats concurrently. ● Proximity services are delivered equally to iOS and Android devices. ● RadBeacons from Radius Networks are multi-beacons supporting both iBeacon and AltBeacon.
  • 12. Let’s see some real beacons. ● RadBeacon from Radius Networks ○ USB powered ○ Coin-cell battery powered ○ AA battery powered ● Other beacon providers ○ Estimote ○ Gimbal ○ Kontakt ○ ...and lots more
  • 13. What’s the future of beacons & proximity technologies? ● Corporate market ○ Beacon deployments > 10,000 units ○ Powered and long-life battery ○ Ruggedized & weatherproof ○ Remote monitoring & configuration ● Consumer market ○ Cheap / Disposable ○ Unmanaged ● Integration into traditional equipment ○ Wi-Fi access point hotspots ○ Point-of-sale terminals ○ Fuel dispensers ○ Self-service kiosks ● More iBeacon alternatives ● Long-range Bluetooth beacons ● NFC beacons
  • 14. What’s up with Radius Networks? Campaign & Content Management Cloud Platform Services Beacon Fleet Management Cloud Platform Services Radius Networks makes the mobile proximity technologies, tools and services that help developers, designers and digital marketers deliver magical solutions to their users. The World’s Best Beacons Mobile Proximity Developer Tools Mobile Proximity SDKs
  • 15. At the shop Reward customers with loyalty points and special offers. Provide efficient, alternative ways to request assistance and pay for purchases.
  • 16. At the museum Personalize each exhibit experience based on the museum visitor’s age and interests.
  • 17. In the hospital Present a patient’s chart to a doctor or nurse upon entering that patient’s room.
  • 18. In the classroom Log attendance and present relevant study materials for class.
  • 19. At the stadium Offer in-game seat upgrades for unused premium seats. Create new sponsorship opportunities for additional team and venue revenue.
  • 20. At the conference Turn the show floor into an interactive experience to encourage foot traffic and increase value to exhibitors.
  • 21. On the train Present an electronic ticket automatically as the conductor approaches.
  • 22. In the airport Receive a notification as your bag is about to be delivered on the carousel.
  • 23. At the hotel Prompt a personal greeting from the hotel staff on the arrival of a guest. Present the option for self-service registration and bypass the front desk.
  • 24. Building Proximity-Aware Apps with Beacons David Helms Chief Product Officer Radius Networks, Inc. @davidhelms @radiusnetworks