Integrating IoT sensors to FacilityBot is quick and easy. For this demo, we use a LoRaWAN occupancy sensor connected to a LoRaWAN gateway. But actually, FacilityBot can be integrated with any type of IoT sensors. The LoRa gateway will send data to FacilityBot using MQTT. FacilityBot can then show the sensor data in Sensor Maps, where facility managers monitor the location of the sensor and its condition.
Creating the Sensor in FacilityBot
- Log in to FacilityBot.
- Create a new Sensor in Integrations -> Sensors.
- The sensor will send quite a few data points, but let’s say we are interested only in parameters called people_count_all. Let’s set this sensor to trigger a request when this parameter level is greater than or equal to 1.
- To capture the sensor data in charts, link this sensor to a meter.
Automating Creation of Request When the Sensor is Triggered
A workflow automation can be set to allow the creation of request when the sensor is triggered
- In Features -> Workflows, create a workflow to create a new request when the sensor is triggered
Configuring MQTT Connection
The Lora Gateway also acts as a Network Server.
- Log in to the network server interface to configure the MQTT connection information from FacilityBot into the network server.
- Copy and paste the Host, Port, Username, Password and Sensor Topic from FacilityBot into the network server interface.
Testing the Integration
Once the Lora Gateway and the Lora Gateway is connected to FacilityBot, we can test the integration.
- In Sensors Data -> Raw, the sensor is now sending raw data, including people_count_all and region_count every 10 minutes.
- Because the sensor is connected to 2 meters, the CO2 and TVOC data points have been captured in the meters. Charts are also automatically generated, showing the CO2 and TVOC data trends. These charts can be added to dashboards to be displayed in operations rooms.
Linking the Sensor to Sensor Maps
One way to view the data captured by the occupancy is by using our Sensor Maps.
- In Sensor Maps, add a new floorplan and add the sensor point on the map with the newly integrated occupancy sensor.
- Set the trigger condition so the color of the dot changes depending on the latest value of the sensor. Set two conditions for when the parameter people_count_all is greater than or equal to 1 and one for when the parameter people_count_all is equal to 0.
- Once done, you can place the sensor point on the floorplan where it’s located. The color of the sensor will change depending on the last data point received from the sensor
