SkyBitz Releases New Asset Tracking System
Remote access tracking company SkyBitz helps trucking and hauling giants such as J.B. Hunt and C.R. England track their trailers through mobile global location system (GLS) devices, an advancement on GPS tools. SkyBitz also supplies its mobile tracking terminals to the emergency response, oil and gas, chemical and intermodal industries. The Sterling, Va.-based company is currently tracking 200,000 assets for 600 companies.
By Avery Fellow | February 2, 2010
SkyBitz just launched its GLS400 Mobile Terminal, furthering its lead in the remote asset tracking market. The device is attached to unpowered assets, and tracks them using global location system (GLS) technology, a "spin on GPS," said Craig Montgomery, senor vice president of marketing at SkyBitz. Unlike traditional GPS devices, which require energy-draining chips, a GLS device feeds location data to off-site servers, which translates to power savings.
"We grab certain pieces of information from the satellite network and run calculations, not on the device, but back in our server base, which allows our product to run for up to five years on just AA batteries," Montgomery said. "It’s a lot more efficient from a green standpoint," Montgomery said. "You’re not running an engine and you’re not consuming fuel."
The GLS400 is made with Lexan polycarbonate, a thermoplastic found in astronaut helmets, windshields and NASCAR cars. The device contains no metallic components, which reduces the risk of corrosion. And, it’s easy to install. "It takes four screws and two brackets," Montgomery said.
The device is able to withstand everything from sea spray in ports to harsh salt and chemicals used to deice trucks during the winters. "We’re already battle tested in one of the toughest industries out there, the trucking industry," Montgomery said. "So, we can move this construct into other areas in the M2M space."
SkyBitz also makes door and cargo sensors to determine not only where an asset is located, but also whether someone has broken into it and removed the contents. SkyBitz’s background software system, InSight, gives customers an online log in to view their assets.
For fun, SkyBitz recently deployed the technology in its own workplace,. The office sent a product manager to Philadelphia with lunch orders and a cooler in the back of his truck mounted with SkyBitz tracking and door sensors.
"We knew when all the hoagies were put in the cooler," Montgomery said. "We saw when it was sealed. And then entire company could watch him driving down from Philadelphia. He arrived in front of the office at noon. We knew the minute he was turning the corner, and we all walked outside and had a huge picnic. It was ‘Dude, where’s my hoagie?’ day."
Read More News