Utilize the workspace in the best way possible with OpenSensors

The Challenge

The problem is complex even if it is not obvious at first glance. The specialists at OpenSensors conducted thorough research identifying the aspects of office space usage, the possible fields of improvement, and actual ways to achieve it. Their solution helps businesses make better decisions in optimizing the office as an asset.

• Things are not always as they seem. An office may look busy and overpopulated but a deeper analysis of the space usage may prove that the meeting room is not always booked and the area around the water cooler is more occupied than some desks. Precise observation of actual human movements throughout the day gives a clearer picture of space usage and enables informed decisions.
• The work models are changing in the post-pandemic scene. Accurate people flow predictions based on real data give the management information that helps to better plan occupancy avoiding crowding. On the other hand, it gives the employees peace of mind and safety in the workplace.
• With modern technology, observation and the analytical process can be digitalized and automated, saving time and labor costs. IoT offers the unique opportunity to have sensors and other devices gather the data instead of us and provide us with solutions to help optimize the workplace.
• Reliable data makes long-term planning and growth so much easier. Scaling up is accompanied by new hires that require space. To better plan your resources and employee desk accommodation you will need precise numbers.
• If you don’t plan on expanding your team, you may think about saving in space costs. By optimizing space use, you may find that a smaller office will be sufficient for your business. That will decrease the expenses for rent and electricity, heating, and other utilities.
• The environment changes and it influences the people in it. It is important to observe the quality of the workplace in order to provide a healthy environment conducive to productive work. Gathering environmental data in both real-time and as a long-term statistic can provide valuable insight into how the work process is impacted by negative or positive factors and lead to positive actions in improving the workspace, leading to improved performance as a whole.

OpenSensors specializes in Smart Building solutions. They are focused on only one vertical right now and that allows them to concentrate their efforts and achieve better results.

To address the challenges presented above, OpenSensors designed a Network utilizing LoRa Basics™ Station where all data is forwarded to their AWS IoT Core instance. They have several Lambda functions running there, doing the post-processing of the data that connects to their platform’s front end and visualizes it. This design allows them to provide a stable service, with zero downtime and seamless failover. The client’s data is safe and secure.

The company chose this approach as this has given them the most stability. They used to utilize the Built-in LoRaWAN server model where every gateway runs its own LNS and devices were partitioned into groups and whitelisted in gateways, but it has proven less reliable for big deployments. Additionally, OpenSensors exclusively utilize Cellular for gateway backhaul as their clients have privacy concerns and want third-party devices to connect via their local network.

OpenSensors turned towards RAKwireless for providing the backbone of the network – the gateways.

WisGate Edge gateways were chosen for several reasons. They are easy to configure and offer support for Basics Station and AWS, they also have variants with the needed LTE connectivity. They are also cost-efficient and proved to be more reliable over time, compared with competitor devices used.

For sensors, the company uses various brands and types depending on the client’s needs and specific use cases.

The visualization and analytical platform for this solution is entirely homemade by the talented team of specialists that work in OpenSensors.

The solution combines the gateways, the sensors, and the platform and is manifested into three distinguished aspects which are also the services that OpenSensors provide to their clients.

• Workspace optimization - Occupancy monitoring systems that are designed to help you make better decisions when optimizing work rotations, equipment utilization, social distancing rules, and more.
• Workspace health – Analyze equipment usage, optimize HVAC, and protect the health of your employees by improving their productivity via the intelligent Air & Climate Monitoring Systems.
• Workspace booking – A solution designed for hybrid workspaces. Streamline employee booking with a booking tool for the hybrid working age with automated check-in and out and a mobile-friendly interface.

Outcome

OpenSensors are looking into the long-term use of RAK WisGate Edge gateways to build their clients' private network infrastructure. The RAK7268C fits their needs very well and they plan to implement it in current and future deployments as it has produced better results than what was used until now from other brands. There are 1000s of sensors deployed in the field that would require support for large-scale networks, some clients have more than 1000 sensors in one building, and a reliable network is a must.

The company has projects all over and is installing more gateways daily. Currently, they have big clients in cities like New York and Springfield. These are large-scale deployments with thousands of sensors for monitoring big offices in the US, Japan, Korea, Australia, the UK, and Europe.

End-users report improved space utilization, better booking of coworking and conference spaces, and overall better data retention (gateway uptime is great and the network is stable). The installers report that the gateways are easy to install (physically) and quite easy to configure, with some help from the technical staff.

The solution proves useful for businesses all over the world and the forecast is that such services are and will be essential for optimizing office space usage and overall cost reduction.