RipplesIPS: How Our 0-Wire RTLS Platform Works
RipplesIPS is the real-time location platform behind every Ripples IoT deployment. It combines four wireless technologies — Bluetooth 5 mesh, Bluetooth Angle of Arrival (AoA), LoRaWAN, and Wirepas mesh — into a single cable-free infrastructure that can be installed in days, not months. One platform. One dashboard. Every asset, worker, and environment in your facility is visible in real time.
The four technologies – How RipplesIPS works
Bluetooth 5 mesh is the backbone of most deployments. Battery-operated beacons self-organise into a mesh across your facility — no cabling, no IT project, no downtime. Coverage scales by adding gateways; the network heals around any single point of failure. Most customers live within a week.
Bluetooth Angle of Arrival (AoA) raises positional accuracy to 10 centimetres in zones where it matters most. Ceiling-mounted AoA antennas triangulate tag position using signal phase data — not simple signal strength — making it reliable even in dense, high-interference environments like pallet racks or clinical bays.
LoRaWAN extends tracking to outdoor and long-range scenarios where Bluetooth range is insufficient. Tags combine GNSS for outdoor positioning with automatic Bluetooth handoff for seamless indoor-outdoor continuity — useful in large container yards, construction sites, or multi-building campuses.
Wirepas Mesh delivers 3-meter accuracy for safety-critical zones: forklift proximity warnings, worker tracking and low-latency-based inventory tracking
All four technologies feed a single RipplesIPS dashboard with drag-and-drop visualisation, configurable alerts, and a rule engine for automating business logic — FIFO compliance triggers, geofence breaches, dwell-time thresholds, and more.
Where RipplesIPS is deployed
The same platform adapts to the accuracy, range, and environmental requirements of each industry.
Logistics and warehousing Track pallets, trailers, and forklifts across yards and warehouse floors. Automate gate check-in, enforce FIFO inventory compliance, eliminate trailer search time, and monitor cold chain conditions — temperature, humidity, and door events — without manual logging. → Logistics yard management · → Warehouse monitoring · → Inventory software
Factory and production floors Monitor equipment health on pumps, motors, and HVAC systems. Track worker location for lone-worker safety and productivity insights. Get instant alerts on asset misuse or unauthorised zone entry. → Production floor management · → Worker safety · → Asset management
Construction and demolition: Deploy portable BLE gateways on active sites with no fixed infrastructure. Track worker location across multi-floor structures, enforce exclusion zones during demolition phases, and log attendance automatically. → Building demolition safety
Healthcare Track patients through surgical workflows, monitor portable equipment utilisation, and log OT temperature and humidity continuously — replacing manual clipboard readings with a live audit trail. → RTLS in hospitals · → Reducing patient wait times · → Healthcare RTLS solutions
Frequently asked questions for 0-wire RTLS platform
How long does deployment take — and does it require any wiring? RipplesIPS is a 0-wire installation. There are no cable runs, no civil works, and no requirement to involve your facilities or electrical teams. Beacons and gateways are battery-powered and mount with adhesive or standard fixings. A typical facility is fully live within 7 days — including hardware placement, zone configuration, dashboard setup, and staff orientation. Pilot deployments using the starter kit are usually operational within 48 hours.
What level of accuracy does RipplesIPS deliver? It depends on the technology active in each zone. Bluetooth 5 mesh provides room-level or bay-level accuracy suitable for most inventory and asset tracking use cases. Bluetooth AoA raises this to 10 centimetres for high-density zones like pallet racks or dock doors. Wirepas reaches metre-level for safety-critical applications in highly congested areas. Zones with different accuracy requirements can coexist in the same facility under the same dashboard.
What is dual-tag redundancy, and when should we use it? Dual-tag redundancy places two beacons on a single asset so that location data is maintained even if one tag enters a signal shadow, is obscured by surrounding inventory, or is physically damaged. It is recommended for high-value assets, temperature-sensitive pallets in cold chain environments, and any inventory where a missed location event carries a meaningful operational or compliance cost. The platform reconciles both signals automatically — no configuration is needed at the dashboard level.
Does RipplesIPS work in freezer or cold storage environments? Yes. The hardware is rated for cold chain environments, and the platform includes continuous temperature and humidity logging with configurable breach alerts — no manual readings required. → Cold chain monitoring
How does RipplesIPS handle RF interference from metal racking and heavy machinery? This is the most common concern in warehouse and factory deployments, and it is where Bluetooth AoA has a significant advantage over traditional RSSI-based systems. AoA calculates position from signal phase angle rather than signal strength, so it is far less susceptible to multipath interference caused by metal surfaces. For environments with extreme interference, Wirepas provides an additional option. During every deployment, Ripples runs a site survey to identify interference zones and tune anchor placement accordingly.
How does the panic button work, and who receives the alert? Worker wearable tags include a hardware panic button that, when pressed, immediately pushes an alert to the RipplesIPS dashboard and any configured notification channel — SMS, email, or third-party integration. The alert includes the worker’s name, precise location by zone and floor, and a timestamp. Response teams can see the location on the live map without needing to search. The panic button is particularly valuable in high-noise factory environments, lone-worker scenarios, and construction or demolition sites where verbal communication is unreliable. Alert routing is fully configurable — different zones or shifts can notify different supervisors.
How long do beacon batteries last? Standard Bluetooth beacons last 2 to 5 years, depending on transmission frequency and environment. Tags can be configured to transmit less frequently in low-activity zones to extend battery life. The dashboard flags low-battery tags automatically so replacements can be planned rather than reactive.
Can the same infrastructure cover both indoor and outdoor areas? Yes. LoRaWAN tags combine GNSS for outdoor positioning with automatic handoff to Bluetooth when they enter a building. This makes RipplesIPS 0-wire RTLS platform well-suited to logistics yards, construction sites, and multi-building campuses where assets move continuously between indoor and outdoor environments.
Does RipplesIPS integrate with our existing WMS or ERP? The platform exposes standard APIs for integration with warehouse management systems, ERP platforms, and transport management software. The rule engine can push real-time events — gate check-ins, FIFO violations, dwell-time breaches — directly into your existing workflows without manual export. → Talk to the team about your specific integration requirements.
Is the platform cloud-hosted or can it run on-premise? RipplesIPS is hosted on high-performance cloud infrastructure by default, with the dashboard accessible from any browser. On-premise deployment is available for customers with data residency requirements — contact the team to discuss.
Evaluate before you commit
The industrial RTLS starter kit includes everything needed to validate RipplesIPS in your own facility — hardware, cloud platform access, and setup support. Most pilots are live within 48 hours. → See pricing
Not sure which technology fits your environment? Compare RTLS options or read the RFID vs BLE breakdown before you decide.