Eddystone has emerged as a cross-platform Bluetooth beacon format through its open development by Google beginning in 2015. This guide will provide an overview of Eddystone and key steps for building Eddystone-compatible hardware beacons and apps.
Introducing Eddystone Like iBeacon, Eddystone enables beacons to broadcast Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signals detectable by mobile devices. However, Eddystone offers multiple frame types beyond just ID broadcasting.
The key frames are:
- UID – Equivalent to iBeacon ID with namespace and instance identifiers
- URL – Broadcasts a web URL to open on detection
- TLM – Transmits telemetry data like battery level
- EID – Ephemeral identifier that periodically rotates
This multi-frame approach provides expanded capabilities over single-frame formats like iBeacon.
Developing Eddystone Beacon Hardware To build an Eddystone beacon, a BLE module is configured to broadcast UID or URL frames. Modules like Nordic’s nRF52 series directly support Eddystone broadcasts. An antenna, battery and casing complete the beacon package.
For apps to detect Eddystone frames, the Physical Web libraries are added. On Android, this is directly integrated into Google Play Services. For iOS, a third party library like Apple’s Core Bluetooth must be used.
Transmitting and Detecting Eddystone Frames The Eddystone Service ID is what identifies a BLE transmission as an Eddystone frame. Apps scan for this service ID to detect proximity to an Eddystone beacon.
UID frames work much like iBeacon IDs for proximity and location monitoring. URL frames trigger a web page to open when detected. EID frames enable ephemeral identifiers that change over time.
TLM frames transmit sensor telemetry from the beacon, containing data like battery voltage. By decoding TLM data, apps can remotely monitor beacon status.
Use Cases Eddystone provides capabilities beyond just proximity detection. Some examples include:
- Opened web pages based on entering specific locations
- In-store navigation by following URL breadcrumbs
- Beacon status monitoring through TLM data
- Contactless access control via EID rotation
Conclusion With its extensible frame types and cross-platform support, Eddystone enables a wide range of contextual use cases. Developers have powerful options for building location-aware experiences by creatively leveraging Eddystone’s broadcasting capabilities. As with iBeacon, we are just scratching the surface of what Eddystone can ultimately enable as adoption continues growing.
