Thingsee BEAM

Installation Video

Overview

Thingsee BEAM is a battery-powered Time-of-Flight (ToF) laser distance sensor designed for measuring fill levels in dispensers, trash bins, shelves, and other applications requiring accurate distance measurement.

Key capabilities:

• ToF laser distance measurement: Measures distance to solid surfaces (40mm - 4000mm range)
• High accuracy: ±25mm typical (depending on ambient light and target reflectance)
• Adjustable beam width: 15-27 degree cone (ROI - Region of Interest)
• Battery-powered: 2× AAA alkaline batteries, multi-year lifespan
• Wirepas Mesh connectivity: Wireless data transmission to Haltian Operations Cloud
• Versatile installation: Above or below target surface, ±6° angle tolerance

Common Use Cases

1. Dispenser Fill-Level Monitoring

Applications:

• Paper towel dispensers in restrooms
• Soap dispensers (with liquid accessory)
• Hand sanitizer dispensers
• Tissue box monitoring

Benefits:

• Proactive refill scheduling (reduce empty dispensers)
• Optimize maintenance routes (refill only when needed)
• Usage analytics (identify high-traffic areas)

2. Trash Bin Fill-Level Monitoring

Applications:

• Office waste bins
• Public trash receptacles
• Recycling containers
• Compost bins

Benefits:

• Efficient waste collection (empty only when full)
• Prevent overflowing bins (improve cleanliness)
• Route optimization (data-driven collection schedules)

3. Shelf Fill-Level Monitoring

Applications:

• Retail shelf stock monitoring
• Warehouse inventory tracking
• Vending machine stock levels
• Parts bins in manufacturing

Benefits:

• Real-time inventory visibility
• Automatic reorder triggers (low stock alerts)
• Reduce out-of-stock situations

4. Distance Measurement Applications

Other uses:

• Parking space occupancy (vehicle presence detection)
• Loading dock monitoring (truck presence)
• Tank level monitoring (liquids with accessory)
• Height measurement (stacked materials)

How Thingsee BEAM Works

ToF laser technology:

1. Laser emission: Sensor emits infrared laser pulse toward target surface
2. Reflection: Laser bounces off solid surface and returns to sensor
3. Time measurement: Sensor measures time for laser to return (time-of-flight)
4. Distance calculation: Time converted to distance (speed of light × time / 2)
5. Data transmission: Distance value sent via Wirepas mesh to gateway and cloud

Adjustable beam width:

• Narrow beam (15°): Precise measurement in confined spaces
• Wide beam (27°): Broader detection area for larger targets
• Beam width adjustable via configuration (contact Haltian support)

Technical Highlights

What Makes Thingsee BEAM Different

vs. Ultrasonic sensors:

• Higher accuracy: ToF laser ±25mm vs. ultrasonic ±5-10cm typical
• Smaller beam: Narrow laser cone vs. wide ultrasonic cone (better for small targets)
• Faster response: Laser speed-of-light vs. sound wave travel time

vs. Manual checking:

• Continuous monitoring: Real-time data 24/7 vs. periodic manual inspections
• Data-driven: Historical trends, usage patterns vs. subjective observation
• Labor savings: Automated alerts vs. manual inventory/refill checks

Important Considerations

Target Surface Requirements

✅ Works well with:

• Solid, matte surfaces (paper, cardboard, wood)
• White or light-colored targets (better reflectance)
• Stable, non-moving targets (trash, inventory)

❌ May have issues with:

• Glossy surfaces: Mirror-like reflections can scatter laser (metal, glass, polished plastic)
• Transparent materials: Laser passes through (clear plastic, water without accessory)
• Dark surfaces: Low reflectance reduces signal strength (black objects may measure longer distances)
• Moving targets: Constantly changing distance (use for static applications)

Installation Angle

Optimal:

• 90° perpendicular to target surface (laser beam straight down/up)
• ±6° tolerance (sensor can handle slight angles without accuracy loss)

Avoid:

• Steep angles (> ±6°) cause measurement errors
• Angled glossy surfaces (laser reflects away, not back to sensor)

Ambient Lighting

ToF laser sensitivity:

• Bright sunlight: Can interfere with laser measurements (infrared wavelength)
• Indoor lighting: Generally OK (office lights, LEDs compatible)
• Recommendation: Avoid direct sunlight on sensor or target area

Quick Start Guide

1. Pre-Installation

• Verify Wirepas gateway operational (within ~20m of sensor location)
• Identify target surface (dispenser, bin, shelf)
• Verify target surface is solid and non-glossy
• Measure expected distance range (40mm-4000mm)
• Plan sensor placement (above or below target, 90° angle)

2. Installation

• Pull battery security tab (red LED flashes once)
• Clean mounting surface with IPA solvent (isopropyl alcohol)
• Remove tape paper cover from sensor backside
• Press sensor firmly onto surface (5 seconds minimum)
• Verify sensor positioned at 90° angle to target
• Verify minimum distance (40mm from target)

3. Verification

• Sensor joins Wirepas mesh (check IoT Studio within 10 minutes)
• Distance measurement appears in IoT Studio
• Baseline measurement reasonable (compare to manual measurement)
• Test with fill-level change (add/remove items, verify distance changes)

4. Configuration

• Default beam width and reporting interval set at factory
• Custom configuration: Contact Haltian support for:
  • Beam width adjustment (narrow vs. wide)
  • Reporting interval changes (more/less frequent measurements)
  • Threshold alerts (notify when distance < X mm, indicating full)

Data and Analytics

Measurement value:

• distance: Distance from sensor to target surface (millimeters)
• timestamp: When measurement occurred (ISO 8601 format)

Typical payload example:

{
  "measurementDistance": [
    {
      "deviceId": "abc123...",
      "distance": 350,
      "measuredAt": "2026-01-20T14:30:00.000+00:00"
    }
  ]
}

Fill-level calculation:

• Baseline: Distance when full (sensor to full dispenser/bin)
• Current: Real-time distance measurement
• Fill level %: (Current - Baseline) / (Empty - Baseline) × 100
• Example: Bin full = 100mm, empty = 800mm, current = 450mm → Fill level = 50%

Integrations

Common use cases:

• Building management systems (BMS): Integrate fill-level data for facility management
• Maintenance scheduling: Auto-create work orders when bins full or dispensers low
• Inventory systems: Real-time stock levels from shelf monitoring
• Analytics dashboards: Visualize usage patterns, trends, and predictive maintenance

Data access:

• Haltian IoT Studio (web interface, real-time and historical data)
• REST API (programmatic access for third-party integrations)
• Webhooks (push notifications on threshold events)

Documentation Structure

This guide is organized into focused sections:

1. Installation: Physical installation procedures, mounting methods, angle adjustment
2. Operation: How ToF laser works, measurement behavior, battery management
3. Configuration: Beam width, reporting intervals, threshold alerts (via Haltian support)
4. Specifications: Complete technical specs, accuracy, environmental limits
5. Troubleshooting: Common issues (glossy surfaces, angle errors, inaccurate measurements)

Support Resources

User Guide PDF:

• Download Thingsee BEAM User Guide
• Includes installation visuals, use case diagrams, battery replacement

Technical Support:

• Email: support@haltian.com
• Subject: Include “Thingsee BEAM” and device ID
• Response time: 1-2 business days typical

Configuration Assistance:

• Beam width adjustments (narrow vs. wide)
• Reporting interval changes
• Threshold alerts setup
• Use case-specific guidance (dispensers, bins, shelves)

Next Steps

• New installation: Start with Installation Guide for step-by-step procedures
• Already installed: Review Operation Guide to understand measurement behavior
• Troubleshooting: See Troubleshooting Guide for common issues
• Technical details: Check Specifications for complete specs

Ready to deploy Thingsee BEAM? Begin with the Installation Guide for detailed mounting instructions and best practices.