Data Solutions
The Internet of Things (IoT) is dramatically changing the business of geotechnical monitoring through the integration of truly smart instruments that integrate sensing elements, signal processing, telemetry with abundant local and cloud-based storage. The consequence is a more user-friendly experience, improved reliability, improved data security and above all, reduced cost. YieldPoint’s digital strategy leverages these opportunities for geotechnical engineers.
Networking and Telemetry
BluGateways are battery powered telemetry devices that fully integrate the functionality of a data-logger and network communication .
They can aggregate instrument readings from (i) BT5 beacons (ii) YP wired RS485 instruments and (iii) VW instruments. Local BT5 clusters of instruments can “beacon” data to a gateway over a range of 100m LoS. All functionality is managed by YieldPoint’s BluPoint Android App.
Most recently, YieldPoint has also introduced the Blu900 mesh telemetry system for which the data transmission network comprises a 900MHz backbone with Blu900 nodes that can listen to a cluster of BT5 beacons.
YieldPoint’s latest line of BluGateways provide data-logging and data backhaul over Ethernet, WiFi, and Cellular (LTE-M) communication.
Blu900Gateway-WiFi/Ethernet
Geotechnical data loggers
All YieldPoint BluGateway devices incorporate data-logging and data upload over Ethernet, WiFi, and Cellular (LTE-M) communication. The system can aggregate instrument readings from (i) BT5 beacons (ii) YP wired RS485 instruments and (iii) VW instruments. Local BT5 clusters of instruments can “beacon” data to a gateway over a range of 100m LoS. All functionality is managed by YieldPoint’s BluPoint Android App.
Our various data-loggers for geotechnical monitoring bring easy and modular capability and scalability to the largest monitoring program. Compatibility is guaranteed (no configuration required) with all instruments in our product-line for rock movement and ground support behavior monitoring. Gone are the days of analog data-loggers that tend to be expensive, require a cable connection for downloads and are more difficult to configure, often involving expertise to create a proprietary script or program.
YieldPoint data-logging from digital geotechnical instruments solves specific problems such as:
- Inaccuracies related to changes in geotechnical readings with lead-wire length
- Instability due to water ingress affecting analog signals
- Errors related to temperature changes
- Human errors in the application of calibration coefficients
- Errors related to the mapping of instruments to data-logger ports
- Lead-wire vulnerability
- BT5 provides wireless isolation resulting in more robust solutions.
Manual readout unit for geotechnical instruments
Manual readings of ground support behaviour data or rock deformation data are important to verify that instruments are operational during installation. They are also useful when a dataset is showing unexpected or irregular readings. YieldPoint has two solutions: the d-Reader and d-Tablet.
d-Reader is a simple, powered instant readout unit that requires zero configuration to operate any of our geotechnical instruments. No button to press: the unit powers the instrument upon simple connection and instanjtly displays battery level, instrument serial ID, instrument type and the apprtopriate readings, all on a loop.
d-Tablet can also be used to download geotechnical data from d-Loggers when a laptop computer would be impractical.
