Hardware overview
Blecon tracking is built on two types of physical hardware: tags (the small BLE tags you attach to assets) and hotspots (the receivers that detect them). Together they give the platform the raw signal data it needs to calculate positions. No configuration is needed on the tags themselves.
Once detected, tags appear in Blecon Track as assets: named, trackable items with position history, alert rules, and zone assignments. The hardware does the sensing; Track does the monitoring.
Tags
Tags are the small BLE trackers, smart labels, and sensors you attach to the assets you want to track. They broadcast Bluetooth signals that hotspots detect. Blecon supports a wide range of tag types, from reusable tags with environmental sensors to ultra-thin disposable Smart Labels for item-level tracking.
Tags are passive: they need no configuration, pairing, or network connectivity. They communicate over BLE, hotspots relay the signals, and the cloud handles everything else. Because there's no pairing, hotspots don't need to know about specific tags; they simply forward all signals and the cloud decides what's relevant.
See Supported tags for the full range of tag types and hardware partners.
Hotspots
Hotspots are the receivers that detect tag signals and relay them to the Blecon cloud. There are two types:
- Fixed hotspots: Dedicated hardware mounted in your facility. Provides consistent, reliable coverage.
- Mobile hotspots: Phones, tablets, laptops, hardware hubs, or vehicles with the Blecon Agent installed. The Agent runs automatically in the background. Deploy coverage overnight by pushing it to phones your workers already carry, with zero hardware and zero extra cost.
You control exactly where your coverage goes. Mix fixed and mobile hotspots to match your environment, and reshape coverage at any time.
From hardware to asset
A tag becomes a trackable asset in Blecon Track once it's been added to your workspace. See Adding tags to Blecon Track for the options: scanning via the app, bulk import, and scan links for field registration.
Once added, the tag appears in Track as an asset with a name, type, and a full position history.
Tag IDs
Every tag has a unique identifier printed on its label. Blecon uses this ID to register and track the tag.
Planning a deployment
For guidance on how many hotspots you need and where to place them, see Deployment planning.
Hardware ecosystem
Blecon partners with leading hardware manufacturers, including Nordic Semiconductor, Zebra Technologies, Molex, MOKO SMART, Ezurio, and others, to enable Blecon support in their tags. You can choose from a wide range of off-the-shelf tags, smart labels, and sensors, and switch between manufacturers without changing your infrastructure or software.
The Blecon Agent also turns existing frontline phones and handhelds (Zebra handhelds, phones, tablets, laptops) into mobile hotspots, giving you a tracking network with zero dedicated infrastructure.
See Supported tags for the full range of tag types and hardware partners. You can order tags and hubs from the Blecon Shop.
Building a custom tag?
If you're developing custom hardware or building your own Blecon-compatible tag, contact Blecon support for access to the hardware developer documentation.