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Kontakt.io’s Latest Product Reveal: Common Questions Answered

You probably know about Kontakt.io’s big product reveal last week with four new products that will soon form the foundation of proximity solutions everywhere. As soon as we started telling the world about the Beacon Pro, Card Beacon, Gateway and Location Engine on our live-stream presentation, excited questions about them filled our social media pages. It was great to see such a huge response and we’ve put together some of the most important and commonly asked questions and their answers to make it easy to learn more about this huge step forward in the industrial applications of beacon technology.


1. How do I integrate my architectural floor plans with tracking information I get from Gateway?

On the ‘Location’ tab on your Panel, choose or create a venue and assign a Gateway to it. You will be prompted to upload a map or floor plan and then set the scale. After that, just drag the appropriate device to the point that represents the physical location of the Gateway.

2. How many Gateways do I need for accurate positioning?

At the room level, one Gateway per room is sufficient. For future trilateration applications, four Gateways will be needed.

3. What are the intervals of Gateway’s data harvest?

Gateway collects data in real time rather than at intervals.

4. What are the available triggers in the Location Engine?

Currently, there are two – Beacon Detected for when beacons enter into range and Beacon Lost for when they exit – but others may be added soon.

5. Will Gateway pick up external RFID devices?

No, we do not currently offer RFID capabilities through Gateway.

6. Can Gateway configure older generation beacons?

No, Gateway does not have any configuration capabilities.

7. How long will can the Beacon Pro battery last with X signal frequency and Y signal strength?

The Beacon Pro’s battery life at a default setting of a 350 MS interval and 24-hour usage is 60 months. This can be extended through the use of its USB capabilities and using the sensor-based power saving mode.

8. Can Card Beacon batteries be changed?

No, they cannot. However, an on-off switch and a motion sensor make it possible to extend the battery life by powering down when not in use.

9. What data does Gateway send to the cloud?

Information about remaining battery life, dwell time, location as well as the number and IDs of any Kontakt.io beacons within its range.

10. Is Location Engine provided for free as part of Gateway?

Yes, until the end of this year.

11. Are the same customization options available for new beacons as for the previous generation?  

Card Beacons will offer entirely new and unique customization options. With a minimum order of 24 pieces, you can customize one entire side of the Card Beacon with company logos, employee pictures or just about anything you want. You send us the graphics and we send you great looking, super-cool customized passports to the IoT!
Beacon Pro will also be customizable, with options for the colored band on the edge of the device.

12. Do Card Beacons have any sensors?

Yes, Card Beacons have a motion sensor. When it detects that the card has not moved in 60 seconds, it reduces power consumption and extends battery life.

13. Is Card Beacon splash-proof?

The Card Beacon has an on-off switch, which makes it impossible for it to be truly splash-proof. However, the card will function properly after exposure to “normal” wet environmental conditions like rain.

14. Is Beacon Pro firmware updated via Gateway?

No. It will be updated via Bluetooth in the same way you update your beacons.


We hope this helps to answer some of the questions that popped up right after we pulled back the curtain on our new generation proximity tools. This is far from a complete list of the questions we’ve received so far and we will provide more answers on other aspects of the new product launch as they become available. 
Keep an eye here on the blog, leave your questions in the comments below or feel free to contact our Customer Support at any time to learn more about these exciting new additions to the Kontakt.io lineup!