Business Requirement:
The client needed an Internet of Things (IoT) dashboard to monitor the movement and activity of objects in digitally fenced environments like shopping malls and retail stores. The solution required a simple, user-friendly interface to configure devices and visualize data.
The purpose of the dashboard and administration panel that the client hired AccelOne to create was two-fold: the administration panel would allow the initial configuration and set up of the IoT environment while the dashboard would allow the data to be rendered in a single control panel. This panel would allow administrators to configure the devices remotely as well as monitor and visualize the data on either a macro or micro scale.
Business Solution:
AccelOne built a cloud-based dashboard and admin panel that allows users to configure Bluetooth and WiFi devices remotely and monitor real-time data on movement and activity within the fenced environments.
A variety of users and departments could access and interpret the data for application in many business operations, including security, marketing, VIP customer services, systems automation, and more.
There were three key goals of the project:
Feature a clean, simple, UX/UI dashboard for micro and macro visualization of each devices’ status and the IoT system as a whole.
Allow access by various users with different permission levels.
Enable the administration of the IoT devices themselves, which would allow a user to configure and deploy the devices.
Technical Solution:
The solution was developed using AWS cloud services, with a front-end built in React.js and a backend designed in Node.js. The dashboard included customizable widgets and real-time graphing capabilities to visualize data effectively.
Challenges
The primary challenge was organizing large amounts of real-time data into a simple, intuitive interface that allowed users to monitor and manage IoT devices with ease.
Approach
The project was planned and managed using the Agile framework. We split the project into three iterations: startup, development, and closure, which were each divided into multiple Sprints to accomplish the deliverables of each iteration.
To execute the planned solution we put together the following team configuration:
Architect & database designer
Senior front-end and back-end developers
AWS certified architect
UX/UI specialist
Once the team was assembled, we had to do extensive research to understand the purpose of each type of available Bluetooth and Wifi hardware device and all of their parameters so that we could make them compatible with our solution.
We also had to build an internal simulator to provide our product with real-time data under different variables and conditions, so that we could test the functionality of our product in the absence of an actual IoT network.
Finally, to conclude the project, we built a separate testing interface to validate that the dashboard was fully functional through the application program interface (API).
Results
The final product allowed users to configure and monitor IoT devices in real-time, improving efficiency in managing connected environments. The dashboard has been licensed by several major organizations.
AccelOne’s custom IoT dashboard provided an advanced yet user-friendly solution for managing IoT devices, empowering businesses to leverage real-time data for improved operations.
