Hardware overview
Blecon tracking is built on two types of physical hardware: devices (the tags and beacons you attach to things) and hotspots (the receivers that detect them). Together they give the platform the raw signal data it needs to calculate positions — with no configuration needed on the devices themselves.
Once detected, devices 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.
Devices
Devices are the Bluetooth beacons, 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 device types — from reusable Smart Beacons with environmental sensors to ultra-thin disposable Smart Labels for item-level tracking.
Devices are passive — they don't need 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 devices — they simply forward all signals and the cloud decides what's relevant.
See Supported devices for the full range of device types and hardware partners.
Hotspots
Hotspots are the receivers that detect device 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 devices your workers already carry — zero hardware, 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 device becomes a trackable asset in Blecon Track once it's been added to your workspace. See Adding devices to Blecon Track for the options — including scanning via the app, bulk import, and scan links for field registration.
Once added, the device appears in Track as an asset with a name, type, tags, and a full position history.
Device IDs
Every device has a unique identifier printed on its label. Blecon supports multiple ID formats:
- UUID — Standard UUID format (e.g.,
550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000) - iBeacon — UUID with major and minor values
- Bluetooth MAC — Hardware address format
- Eddystone — Google Eddystone UID format
See Supported device ID formats for the full list.
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 devices. You can choose from a wide range of off-the-shelf beacons, smart labels, and sensors, and switch between manufacturers without changing your infrastructure or software.
The Blecon Agent also turns existing frontline devices (Zebra handhelds, phones, tablets, laptops) into mobile hotspots — giving you a tracking network with zero dedicated infrastructure.
See Supported devices for the full range of device types and hardware partners. You can order devices and hubs from the Blecon Shop.
Building a custom device?
If you're developing custom hardware or building your own Blecon-compatible device, contact Blecon support for access to the device developer documentation.