Learn more about our hardware and system architecture.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Heatic sensor
Field of view and effective coverage
Hive
System
Frequently Asked Questions
Heatic Sensor
What is a Heatic Sensor?
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The Heatic Sensor uses thermopile arrays for people sensing. There is an array of pixels which outputs a low-resolution image of thermal data. By using algorithms to identify areas of body heat in this thermal image, Butlr provides more detailed and accurate information such as location and number of people (including if they are not moving), direction of motion, and (in development) even pose and fall detection.
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Sensing technology comparison
The Heatic Sensor can detect all sorts of presence, and is not limited to people in motion. Passive Infrared Sensors (PIR) allow you to sense motion, almost always used to detect whether a human has moved in or out of the sensors range. Butlr Heatic Sensors can successfully detect people sleeping, sitting and lying down and their location in the space— a PIR sensor cannot. Finally, the Heatic Sensor performs significantly better in more complicated spatial scenarios with significantly higher accuracy than PIR technology.
Environmental requirements
- Avoid direct sunlights
- Indoor use
Field of view and effective coverage
Sensor modes and FPS
- Determines the sensor’s functionality and configurations.
- Activity: Provides real-time data on detections at 3 frames per second using the Butlr API’s occupancy endpoint. Detections are represented as purple dots.
- Headcount: Provides real-time 'in' and 'out' traffic data at 5 frames per second using the Butlr API’s headcount endpoint. Detections represented by orange shades on the sensor grid.
Sensor LED
|
Color Indication |
Flashing Pattern |
Meaning |
| Blue | Short flashing | Sensor starts searching for network or disconnected from Hive |
| Green | Solid for 3 seconds | Sensor connected to Hive confirmation |
| Yellow | Short flashing | Sensor pairing mode: searching for network with default NetID 1229 |
| White | Short flashing for max 40 seconds | When user click “Blink Sensor” in Hive UI to find the physical sensor in space |
Hive
What is a Hive?
The Butlr Hive consists of a Single Board Computer interfaced to the Network Manager and LCD and powered by an external adapter. The Hive receives and processes all the data sent by the connected Heatic sensors via the Network Manager. It is connected to the cloud from which real time data can be viewed on the Butlr Platform.
Hive specifications
| Single board computer (SBC) operating voltage | 5V |
| SBC Core | Quad core cortex A-72, 64 bit SOC @ 1.5Ghz |
| SBC RAM | 2 GB |
| SBC Interfaces | 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wireless LAN |
| LCD DIsplay Size | 3 x 2 inches |
| Touch technology | Resistive |
Connectivity options
- Wifi
- Ethernet
- LTE Modem
System
Network Overview
Heatic Hive and Sensors will form a mesh network when successfully connected. The system works best when the distance between devices (from Hive to Sensors or from one sensor to another) is within 33 feet (10 meters).
Sensor and Hive pairing
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NetID and Device groups
Each preconfigured device group consists of one Hive paired with a number of specific sensors. Sensors can only connect to the Hive they have been paired with. All devices in the same group share the same unique Network ID (which can be found on the label on the back of each device).
*For large deployment, for easy identification and installation , each device group has color-coded stickers and has been packed separately.
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Max Sensor network formation
To achieve the best real-time performance, each Hive should not be connected to more than 12 sensors.
Specifically, the frame rate limit per device group is 36 frames per second. Headcount sensor is set to 5 FPS, Activity sensor is set to 3 FPS. We recommending grouping devices based on proximity.
- The Hive can support a maximum of 36 packets/second for the entire network
- Depending on the configuration of the sensor, below is the formula we can use to calculate maximum number of sensors allowed: 5x + 3y + 0.125z < 36:
Where, x = No. of Headcount sensors y = No. of Activity sensors z = No. of Repeaters (NOTE: To ensure network reliability, we don’t exceed 36 packets/second for the entire network)
Frequently Asked Questions
Heatic Sensors
- How is Occupancy measured?
- What is the difference between “Occupancy” and “Headcount” data?
- Will one Heatic sensor interfere with the transmission of another Heatic sensor?
- Do people need to be moving for them to be detected?
- What is sensor "sensitivity"?
- What is the battery voltage?
- How long does the sensor battery last for?
- What are your sensor’s limitations or constraints when considering potential use cases?
- What is a Heatic sensor and what does it sense?
- How is Butlr different from a PIR sensor?
- Can the sensors detect animals or pets?
- If I install two sensors next to each other, will I show up two times in their overlapping space?
- How many people can one sensor detect simultaneously?
- Can your sensor identify individuals with elevated body temperatures?
- What is the difference between Headcount and Activity mode?
- How accurate is your sensor?
- What is your sensor's field of view and coverage area?
- See more Heatic Sensor FAQs here
Hives
- How does the Hive connect to the internet?
- How far away can a Heatic sensor be located from the Hive?
- How many sensors can be connected in one system? Are there any limits, such as in terms of quantity of detected objects or area covered?
- How many sensors can each Hive support?
- What is a Hive?
- See more Hive FAQs here