Sensors on Pallets: Tracking Location and Ensuring Food Safety
One innovative way to track the location of pallets and ensure food safety is by attaching smart tags with sensors. This is especially important in Europe where consumers are increasingly concerned about the origin of their food. Companies are required to comply with regulations regarding the transportation of food, including maintaining proper temperatures. These smart tags can easily be attached to pallets, providing a cost-effective solution even for a large number of pallets moving around.
Challenges in Connecting Devices with Different Technologies
While using sensors on pallets has its benefits, one of the challenges is ensuring that these devices can connect to different technologies as they move from trucks to logistics hubs, warehouses, and retail stores. This seamless connectivity is crucial for effective tracking and monitoring of the pallets throughout the supply chain.
Wirelessly Powered Sensors and Cloud-Based Monitoring
Companies like Energous are leveraging wireless power technology to offer an ambient IoT platform for tracking pallets. Their e-Sense Tag, priced at around $5 each, offers a durable and reprogrammable solution for monitoring pallets over a long period of time. This technology, which was once considered science fiction, is now being actively deployed in industries such as retail IoT and logistics, revolutionizing the way pallet tracking is done.
By embracing innovative solutions like wirelessly powered sensors and cloud-based monitoring, companies can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of tracking pallets throughout the supply chain, ensuring compliance with regulations and maintaining food safety standards.