The "Telic Solar" is a solar-powered IoT unit specifically designed for use with containers, swap bodies, and other mobile or stationary capital assets where no external power supply is available.
Operating entirely autonomously, the "Telic Solar" provides precise positioning data alongside internal and wirelessly connected sensor readings, with subsequent data transmission via mobile networks. This ensures full visibility of the location, condition, and movements of your mobile assets at all times.
In this article, we examine the extensive features of the "Telic Solar," the challenges faced during its development, and what makes this device stand out.
Development Challenges
Telic AG has been developing and manufacturing solar telematics products in high volumes for over 12 years. The "Telic Solar" represents the fourth generation of Telic's solar telematics devices, refined and enhanced in critical areas over the years.
Specific Dimensions
To ensure the "Telic Solar" could be securely mounted on the exterior walls of containers while remaining protected from impacts, the primary design requirement was to make the device as flat as possible. Ultimately, we succeeded in developing the "Telic Solar" with an ultra-slim profile of just 20 mm, allowing it to fit seamlessly into almost all container profiles without protruding beyond the corrugated wall design characteristic of containers.
The dimensions of the "Telic Solar" are specifically tailored to match the typical trapezoidal sheet metal cladding used on standard swap bodies and containers. Its height and width fit perfectly into the preformed recesses, known as corrugations, while the ultra-slim 20 mm thickness ensures that the asset's external contours remain unchanged.
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Wireless Reception of Sensor Data from Inside the Asset
A growing need in the logistics sector is enriching location data with sensor information from within assets, such as door or roller shutter monitoring. The "Telic Solar" can receive BLE and WLAN sensor data from within assets. Equipped with a specialized BLE/WLAN antenna with directional characteristics, the device captures sensor signals (advertising data) through a circular opening in the asset wall, unaffected by the cargo. A custom seal ensures the asset remains watertight regardless of the "Telic Solar's" installation.
Robust Housing
Another critical aspect of development was creating a highly robust, pressure-resistant, and waterproof housing to withstand extreme environmental conditions.
The "Telic Solar's" housing is a monolithic unit with no screws or joints between parts. Its compact design eliminates external openings and connectors. The device's upper surface consists almost entirely of a solar panel made from 3 mm tempered solar glass, sealed and bonded using specialized techniques. The "Telic Solar" meets the IP6K9K protection class standards.
What Makes the "Telic Solar" Unique
Manufactured in Germany, the "Telic Solar" boasts multiple unique features tailored to the logistics industry's specific demands.
The IoT unit boasts an exceptionally slim profile of just 20 mm. Its housing dimensions have been meticulously designed to meet the specific requirements of the transport and logistics industry. As a result, the "Telic Solar" fits seamlessly into the recessed sections of container exterior walls without protruding. This design not only provides robust protection against potential damage but also ensures that it does not interfere with regular operational processes.
The built-in Bluetooth directional antenna connects to sensors inside the container, enabling the collection of additional data beyond location, such as door status, humidity, temperature, or even smoke detection. These sensor readings are transmitted via mobile networks alongside the location data.
Use Cases for the Telic Solar
Containers and swap bodies are typically sealed during transport and only opened upon arrival at their destination. Door sensors transmit status information via BLE to the "Telic Solar," allowing unauthorized openings during transit to be detected in real-time. This data, including the location and time of the incident, is promptly transmitted to the server or control center for immediate action.
Temperature Monitoring
Monitoring and controlling the temperature during transport ensures sensitive cargo remains intact and of the highest quality upon arrival. Items like perishable foods, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics, flowers, and plants must not be exposed to temperatures outside their specified ranges. Internal temperature monitoring enables early detection of deviations, allowing swift action to prevent potential damage.
Smoke Detection
Smoke detectors help identify potential fires or smoke development early, preventing cargo damage and enhancing safety for personnel at ports, on ships, or in storage facilities. Early detection ensures timely responses and the implementation of necessary safety measures.
Shock and Tilt Detection
Monitoring mechanical shock or tilt provides insights into potential mishandling or transport issues that could damage cargo. Data on threshold breaches, along with location and timestamps, allows optimization of loading and transport processes, reducing losses and identifying possible sources of damage.
Functionality in Low-Light Conditions
The integrated battery is recharged by the powerful 4-watt solar panel. Just one hour of sunlight is sufficient to meet the energy demands of an entire day under normal operating conditions. The battery is designed to allow the "Telic Solar" to continue functioning for several weeks even without direct sunlight.
The "Telic Solar" can automatically adjust the frequency of data collection and transmission—and consequently its energy consumption—to adapt to the surrounding environmental conditions. This ensures that the battery does not deplete, maintaining uninterrupted operation.
Flexible Installation
Installing the "Telic Solar" is simple and versatile. It can be mounted using screws, rivets, or industrial magnets on metallic surfaces. Custom mounting solutions can be designed, produced, and delivered according to specific requirements.
Compatibility, Data Security, and Provisioning
The "Telic Solar" is offered as a hardware product. Provisioning, including SIM chip activation, is completed during production.
Data is transmitted directly to customers' cloud services using the standardized MQTT protocol (e.g., MS Azure IoT Hub or AWS). Security certificates required for encrypted TLS data transmission are generated during production and signed with customer-specific enrollment certificates to ensure unique fleet identification.
