EW Allarmi
From choosing the components to the firmware, the app and the website: a complete IoT system that protects hives from theft and tracks their weight, even with no WiFi and for years without recharging.
The context
Hives vanish at night, far from everything. It took a system that raises the alarm at once, with no mains power and no WiFi.
According to the Italian Beekeepers’ Federation (FAI), over 22,000 hives are stolen in Italy every season. By the time the beekeeper notices the next morning, they are long gone. Apiaries are also scattered across fields and woods, so checking stores and yields means going there in person, hive by hive.
For EW Allarmi we handled the whole project: an anti-theft device with GPS, a smart scale and a platform that brings together the data from every hive.
The journey
Four stages, from component to customer.
- 01
IoT hardware research
Before writing a line of code we searched for the most suitable components: board, LTE-M cellular modem, GPS, accelerometer, sensors and load cell all had to work in remote areas and use very little power.
- 02
Firmware and testing, over and over
Proprietary C++ firmware, rewritten and tested through 29 versions, with field trials in real apiaries: power use, false alarms and communication between components were refined version after version.
- 03
The app
An installable web app: hive map, navigation to the apiary, weight and climate charts, thresholds and alarms. Alongside it, a desktop app for configuring devices in batches.
- 04
The website
The website explains the problem and presents the two products, Alarm E-Hives and the E-Weight scale, with specifications, how they work and the platform.
The challenge
The knots to untie.
- 01
Electronics that wouldn’t talk
The scale module couldn’t communicate with the main board: weeks of diagnosis with an oscilloscope until the solution turned up, hidden in the datasheet.
- 02
Years on a single battery
Board and modem had to go into true deep sleep and wake only when needed: under 50 µA at rest.
- 03
False alarms
Recognising a theft without going off in a gust of wind: detection with five sensitivity levels and a 30-second confirmation.
- 04
Use in the field
Device data that isn’t always uniform, several companies with separate data, and an interface that is readable outdoors, even with gloves on.
Tailored solutions
What we developed.
- 01
Alarm E-Hives
Anti-theft device with accelerometer and GPS: an SMS with a Google Maps link within 2 minutes and the position updated every minute while the hive is moving. Magnetic fixing, no screws.
- 02
E-Weight scale
24-bit ADC and ±10 g accuracy over 100 kg. Weighings run at dawn and dusk, calculated every day from the hive’s actual GPS position.
- 03
Proprietary firmware
Independent anti-theft and scale modes, persistent configuration and commands by SMS or USB: it works even without the app.
- 04
Production configurator
A desktop app that recognises the device, loads the firmware, configures it and records IMEI, SIM, version and logs, with no technical skills needed.
- 05
Platform and app
Hive positions on a map with guided navigation, weight trends, temperature and humidity, per-device thresholds, battery levels and message history, on computer or smartphone. An admin panel manages users, companies, apiaries and devices.
- 06
Installed in minutes
From box to hive in under 10 minutes: no technician, no WiFi, IoT SIM already in the device.
Results
- 29firmware versions tested, including in real apiaries
- <50 µApower draw at rest: it wakes only when needed
- >4 yearsestimated battery life on a single battery
- 130hives in operation
- 30customers already using it
- 600hours of development
Let’s talk
The next one
could be yours.
Tell us about your project: we’ll show you how we would approach it, with clear timescales and costs.