Beacons offer a range of new possibilities with location oriented technology. We are already aware of the Beacon advantages in shopping and tracking of objects in several other industries. But, that is not all that this unique technology amounts to. With an increasing number of new applications are being discovered by individuals and enterprises Beacon is continuing to amuse us.
Though retail sector by and large has already equipped itself with sophisticated in-store location services through Beacons, the larger scope and potential of Beacon still remains untapped for the service sector. Nevertheless, promising mobile app developers are building now feature rich Beacon apps to tap into this opportunity. Let us introduce here below 8 most sophisticated uses of Beacons you can ever think of.
1. Auto locking and auto unlocking your Macbook
Just think of the exceptional ease and smartness while just with your going out of the room automatically making your Macbook getting locked. Yes, it is a really awesome possibility that can save enough of your time in locking it and again unlocking it when you arrive at your desk. The iBeacon placed on your desk catches your proximity and accordingly helps to lock and to unlock the computer without requiring manual intervention. By using both Geohopper for iOS and Geohopper for Mac it shares your location information from the iBeacon to Mac and accordingly locking and unlocking gets done.
2. Identifying passengers from airport security queue
Several big airlines and several top airports in many countries are seriously considering the new possibility of using Beacons to identify passengers getting stuck I long security queue and take appropriate measures to help them get their flights on time. Several of these airlines and airport authorities have already begun testing the placing of beacons and their output in clearing the crowd stuck passengers to help them board flights they are destined for. This obviously will help many people in finding a helpline to avoid missing their flights.
3. Authorize access to cars, buildings, and more
There are several authorization technologies we already have that can help us lock and unlock cars remotely with ease. The use of Beacons in that respect is the latest and most important addition to this league of new technologies to control access. The technology can also work superbly in unlocking our apartment or house doors. Further to add to our surprise, some Beacon enthusiasts even used the technology to control access to users to a shared computer. With Beacons now besides all location and proximity based operation, you can control access to many of your personal things.
4. Taking a remote webcam photo
Suppose you have left your home with your webcam and the computer being on. By using proximity around an iBeacon you can at any point of time trigger the webcam to take a photo and then email it to your ID itself. The idea is a novel one to make a great security measure while you are not at home.
Setting the webcam to do the task is really simple and we can guide you. Just buy a good webcam with the capability of grabbing a screenshot. Now just create a webhook on one of the web servers able to take the image and send mail containing it back to the caller. Once you set the Beacon with your webcam at home, at any given point of time you can make a call and receive by email the photo taken by the webcam at home. It is pretty good security and remote observation measure.
5. Remember to take out the garbage
How many times you forgot to go downstairs to empty your garbage can when the pickup van arrived. Yes, we forget quite often and we silently tell ourselves to remember the next time. Well, this pretty but often annoying crisis can be solved by Beacons. You can just fix a beacon with the garbage can and make the Beacon informed about the garbage pickup day and timing. Just on that specific day at the précis time through the BLE auto-connection it sends you a helpful reminder to take the can out. To further make the move smarter you can combine it with GPS location detection feature through your phone so that your phone app will be aware whether you have moved it or not and in case you did your job it can abstain from reminding you.
6. Tracking almost anything
All industries are trying to find out ways to affix beacons to everything of importance for moving their goods like pallets, carts, and all movable equipment. They find Beacons a new way of transforming the way to track products and their locations. From airline cargo containers to movable computers-on-wheels in healthcare facilities to warehouse pallets, to big equipment in construction sites like bulldozers, all now can be given the smart location sensor of Beacons to track movement. This will minimize risk in many sectors besides increasing efficiency to the highest level.
7. Post location tweets
With people increasingly showing interest in letting their followers and social friends know about their whereabouts, you can even utilize Beacons to share your location when you do not find time to do it yourself. So, by sensing your proximity the iBeacon can direct an automatic posting to Twitter to let people know your whereabouts. It is a great way to let people know your proud visit in an event or a location. While we always like to share our proud moments on social pages, Beacons can help you go an extra mile by sharing the location.
8. LED lights with Beacons
Light makers are also coming with LED lights with Beacons to automate lighting to the advantage of shoppers, users, and power saving. With Beacons integrated into lights, there is no need of spending more power on standalone Beacons. The lights with Beacons can capture the proximity and location information and by relaying these can boost sales, promotion and make better sales approach.
