An Overview of omlox Technology

  • Post category:TECH TIPS
  • Reading time:2 mins read

Omlox is an open and interoperable standard for a real-time location system (RTLS) in industry. The focus of omlox is to define open interfaces for an interoperable localization system. omlox enables interoperability and flexibility amongst different trackable providers within single or multiple tracking zones. Omlox consists of two parts: omlox hub and omlox core zone and defines their interfaces.

omlox Core Zone

The omlox core zone works in conjunction with open interfaces and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. The UWB radio standard is often used for indoor locating tasks in factories, such as navigating automated guided vehicles (AGV), autonomous mobile robots (AMR) or drones, and locating materials or orders. On the one side, the omlox air-interface connects products (e.g. AMRs) and infrastructure (e.g. satellites). On the other side, the omlox hub API connects the core zone with the hub. Interoperability allows companies to easily network all omlox-enabled UWB products, regardless of the manufacturer.

Why use UWB?

  • High accuracy & precision (< 10cm)
  • Low sensitivity to interference (4GHz)
  • High data transmission rates
  • Low power consumption
  • Guaranteed interoperability

omlox Hub

In addition to UWB, other locating technologies such as RFID, 5G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS are often used in production, delivery, and storage. The omlox hub enables interoperability and flexibility across these different complementary zones. Applications such as production control systems, goods tracking, and navigation can therefore be networked across zones.

What are the benefits?

  • Open and interoperable (no lock-in effect)
  • Display of all elements in a smart factory map
  • Seamless indoor and outdoor tracking of assets across technology boundaries
  • Use of existing locating services (brownfield & retrofit)
  • Significantly lower amortization costs; elimination of expensive integration projects
  • Easy to implement (plug and play)
  • Broad consortium with a wide range of products

Visit the omlox Technology Page: us.profinet.com/omlox