Innovative pocket beacon sensor

Periodically measuring pocket beacons on an infrastructure project is usually a time-consuming task. With the IoT Geo PointR^® is now a thing of the past. The innovative pocket jaw sensor is a development of The IoT Company and measures precise movement and deformation in the X, Y and Z axes. After an extensive pilot at a project around the A16 near Rotterdam, the versatile device is now ready for market introduction. 

The IoT Company specializes in developing and marketing IoT sensors that function autonomously. "The application range is very broad," begins Junior Kooyman, director of The IoT Company. For example, we have developed several sensors for application in industry, agriculture and civil engineering. A good example is our sensor for cathodic protection of underground pipes. Metal that is in the ground must be protected against corrosion. By checking the issued measured value of voltage, current and coupon, it can be determined whether the cathodic protection is still working and the pipes are not affected by corrosion. Another example is a sensor for measuring external conditions when growing crops in the agricultural sector. Based on this data, predictions are made of diseases that might occur in crops. And so we provide sensors with a wide variety of applications."

Accurate positioning

Geonius Group always has an eye for automating processes and integrating new techniques into existing working methods. "In 2019, we actively started deploying IoT sensors to achieve efficiency gains in work that at that time was traditionally carried out with 'standard' sensors on monitoring wells and vibration meters, for example," says managing director Mark Rurup. "At the time, there was no party that had a pocket jaw sensor on the shelf. Via-via we got into conversation with The IoT Company." At the time, The IoT Company was working on a request from the Port of Rotterdam Authority to enable autonomous driving and coupling of tractors and trailers via accurate positioning. Says Kooyman, "By combining sensor technology with GPS, we are able to perform a position determination to as much as 8 millimeters accuracy, a technique that lends itself perfectly to measuring movement and deformation in the X, Y and Z axes on a pocket staff, for example. Thus, the idea of the IoT Geo PointR^® born."

Exact displacement

The IoT Geo PointR^® is attached to the top of the pocket beacon, transmits data through a special network and is powered by a battery. "We deliberately did not choose a solar cell, because of its susceptibility to theft and the fact that after a few months in the field they get buried in bird droppings. That comes at the expense of capacity. The battery has a lifespan of five years if one measurement per day is taken," Kooyman explained. "So that's much longer than the period a pocket staff usually has to do its job on a project. Because a pocket staff never drops straight down, the movement is measured in three directions so that the exact displacement can be calculated. Also provided is a sensor that measures the distance to the top of the sand package. The IoT Geo PointR® has been extensively and successfully tested, including six months on a laboratory scale and eight months outside in the field at a project around the A16 near Rotterdam. All collected data are analyzed, processed and displayed in a clear platform for a good picture of the projected and actual subsidence."

Rurup sees only benefits in deploying the IoT Geo PointR^®. "Measuring pocket beacons is often a stop job for surveyors. With this technique, we definitely make a quality improvement and keep our people available to take on the more difficult issues. In addition, it is a nice spin-off to take additional steps in the area of sustainability. After all, you no longer have to physically go to the pocket beacons that are often set up at remote or hard-to-reach locations in large infrastructure projects. A win-win."