Here you can find descriptions and instructions for each module of niotix. Modules in niotix are single, small applications that realize individual use cases based on the digital twin and IoT data.

Warning App

One of the first modules to extend the functionality of niotix is the Warnings App. With this web application, you can visualize sensor data and trigger alarms on a simple status monitor. For example, the warning app can monitor the indoor climate on a tablet or smartphone and inform people present when the CO2 level is exceeded.

For this purpose, the warning app offers two separate views:

The “Warning Monitor” is the overview page for the end-user, on which the status is displayed. In addition to the concrete value, the status is visualized via the background color. When an alarm value is exceeded, a sound can also be emitted.
In the “Administration”, the person responsible for the administration can configure which digital twins and which data points are displayed in the warning monitor.

User permissions for Warning App

To use the Warning App, it must be enabled by DIGIMONDO for the user.

Users get access to the Warnings App if they have the permission “IsWarnapp.read”. Only then will the “Warning Monitor” appear in the main menu under the “Modules” menu item.

Users with the permissions “IsWarnapp.manage” and “DigitalTwin.list” can configure and activate the Warning App. Once a user has these permissions, he can access the submenus “Warning Monitor” and “Administration” in the module.

Configure Warning App

The “Administration” submenu takes you to the page where you can configure the Warnings App for a Digital Twin in your account. In the first step, select the Digital Twin for which you want to configure the alert app from the tree hierarchy.

Once you have selected a Digital Twin, you can add the logo and alert sound displayed for that Digital Twin in the Alert Monitor in the “File Attachments” section:

Upload your own audio file in mp3, acc, WebM, FLAC, or wav format, which will play in case of an alarm in the alert monitor.
You can also add an image in jpg, png, or gif format that will display in the application at the bottom right (e.g., your organization’s logo).

If no audio file or image has been stored, either the corresponding data in the parent twin will be used, if available, or will only play a standard alert horn.

In the section “Warning App Data States” you can then configure the data points displayed in the Warning Monitor. All data points of the selected digital twin, which are of type “valuetype=number” are displayed. If there are several data points of the same type in the selected twin, they will all be displayed. Click on the “Type” field in each case to specify what this data point is to be used for:

“Warn State”: this data point is used as the value displayed and monitored on the warning monitor. This can be e.g. the CO2 value or the temperature of a sensor. For the Warn State, you can use “Minimum Value” and “Maximum Value” to define which status icon the Warn Monitor will display and when the alarm sound is played (in case of the “Maximum Value”). With “Threshold Values,” you can define further individual gradations of the background colors by comma-separated values. If a gauge with colors and thresholds has already been created in the twin for the data point, these will be adopted in the warning app.
“Alarm High” (or “Upper Limit”): If this type is assigned to a data point, the maximum value for the status icon and the alarm sound will adjust dynamically. I.e., the maximum value depends on this data point.
“Alarm Low” (or “Lower Limit”): If this type is assigned to a data point, the minimum value for the status symbol adapts dynamically. I.e., the minimum value depends on this data state.

Note: If you have selected a data point and save the configuration for the Warnings Monitor, the associated data points in the Digital Twin will be permanently renamed and the Digital Twin will get the tag “warnapp-sensor”.

How to use the Warning App

When you click on “Warning Monitor”, the web application opens and shows the current status with the defined color. If you have been assigned “digitaltwin.list” in addition to the “IsWarnapp.read” permission, you can choose between different digital twins associated with your account in the upper left corner of the Warnings App. If this is not the case, you will only see the browser with a predefined twin that cannot be changed. You can disable or enable the alert sound with a click in the top right corner.

Note: When you use the alert app for the first time, you have to press the play button displayed in the middle of the screen to allow the browser to play the audio file.

Asset Management

The “Asset Management” module enables asset tracking, the precise tracking of physical, mobile objects (assets) in indoor and outdoor areas. With the help of appropriate sensor technology, you can determine the current location of an object or even complete movement patterns.

The module thus creates complete transparency about the locations and movement patterns of objects. This allows you to make processes more efficient, save time and money, analyze asset usage and much more.

Under the Asset Management module, there are three subsections: Asset List, Zone List and Asset Map. In these three menu items you can set up asset tracking.

User Permissions for the Asset Management Module

In order to use the module, it has to be unlocked for the user of DIGIMONDO.

Users get access to the module if they have the permission “IsAssetMgmtUser”. Only then will “Asset Management” appear in the main menu under the “Modules” menu item.

Presettings in Digital Twins for using Asset Management

To make the best use of the Asset Tracking module, you need to set up and build your Digital Twins accordingly.

Setting up the types of twins for Asset Management

The module requires you to set up different types of Digital Twins. You set the following types on the twin’s details page under the “Information” tab to make them usable for the module: “Building”, “Floor”, “Zone” or “Trackable” (asset). In the drop-down menu you will find, among others, the types mentioned above.

Twin type Building

This type is used for indoor tracking. It does not require any special settings other than the twin type, buildings are only there to group the floors logically.

Twin type Floor

This type is used for indoor tracking. It allows you to create different levels in a building with the same footprint. You can upload floor plans or architectural plans as file attachments of the digital twin and integrate them directly into the map view using an assistant. This way you get an optimized view of the interior of a building and can identify different rooms.

How to build a twin with the type Floor:

Set the type “Floor” on the details page of the twin under the “Information” tab and upload a floor plan as a file attachment.
Click on the “Save” button.
Go to the “Details” tab and enter either the address of the building or the coordinates with longitude and latitude.
To define this twin as a floor of a building for indoor tracking, you need to specify the floor this twin represents (e.g. 1,2 or 3). This way the twin can be identified externally as a three-dimensional location and you can switch between the different floors in the map view with a slider.
As an “overlay image” the image previously uploaded as a file attachment is displayed. You can select it as floor plan.
If you know the southwest and northeast coordinates of the building, you can enter them. The image must be oriented to the north, it cannot be rotated.
If you do not have these coordinates, use the overlay wizard.

Twin type zone

Zones are visualized with virtual polygons (“geofences”) and represent, for example, rooms, groups of rooms or other areas of interest for a use case. These subsequently enable location-based “geofence” rules, through which, for example, notifications are triggered when an object has entered or left a zone, or has been in a zone for a certain time.

In order for the zone to be listed as a zone in the Asset Tracking module, you must assign the corresponding Digital Twin to the Zone type. For indoor tracking, you first select the floor under “Details” to create a precise drawing of the polygon.

The floor is then displayed with a floor plan and the polygon can be drawn along the walls, for example.

For outdoor tracking, you don’t have to select a floor and can create the polygon directly on the map. Save your settings by clicking the button.

Twin type trackables

The trackables represent in the module the (mobile) objects or assets to be tracked. In order for the assets to be displayed in the list of the Asset Management module, they must be assigned the twin type “trackables” under the tab “Information”. The position of the assets on a floor or zone is automatically determined by the associated sensor.

Recommended twin structure for asset management

For transparency in the twins hierarchy and in the module, the following twins structure is recommended:

Building 1
- Floor 1
  - Zone 1
  - Zone 2
  - Zone 3
- Floor 2
- Floor 3
- Floor 4
Building 2

Since the trackables are mobile and can always change their position, you can simply place them under the respective building.

In the outdoor area buildings and floors are omitted. Zones are created directly on the world map, so that a position is automatically interpreted as “outdoor”.

Asset Management

Under the Asset Management module there are three sub-items: Asset List, Zone List and Asset Map.

Asset List

This list gives a quick overview of the existing assets. These are digital twins that have been created as type “Trackables”.

The following information can be found in the asset list:

Title: The user-assigned name of an asset, ex: Container P8288-XFC54-SF01
ID: The automatically generated ID of the digital twin.
Category: For a better overview and grouping you can give assets a tag, e.g. “Transport equipment”.
Geoinformation (Floor/ Zone): Specifies the location where the asset is located. If no zone has been defined for the location, only the floor will be displayed. The exact location can then be checked in the Asset Detail view.
Last Seen: Under this column, the exact time when the asset tag (sensor) last sent a message to the system is displayed.
Operational Status: the status of the asset can be set manually. Ex: Asset is in operation, Asset is in maintenance, etc. Suggestions can be found in the dropdown and you can define your own operating statuses in the text field depending on the application case.
Device Status: This status refers to the asset tag linked to the asset to get real-time sensor information and check if e.g. the battery is empty or the sensor is still sending data packets.

You can filter the asset list by accounts or sub-accounts with the button in the upper right corner. With the button on the right, you can reset the filter. Next to the account filter, there are two buttons to filter the list by outdoor assets and by indoor assets.

You can search the list by selecting the column you want to search in the first field in the two-part search bar. In the second field you enter your search terms.

You can sort the asset list by title, ID, floor, last seen using the arrow in the title bar next to each term.

Editing Assets

You can edit an asset directly from the list. Click on the edit button at the end of the line, a new window will open.

Here you can change the following information:

Title: You can change the name of the asset directly in the Asset Management module without having to call up the Digital Twin.
Tag/Category: Here you can assign one or more categories to the asset by selecting it from the drop-down menu or simply entering a new category in the text field. Note: To set the new tag, you have to click once outside the text field after entering it.
Operational Status: Here you can set the status of the asset by selecting it from the drop-down menu or by entering a new status in the text field.

Linking an IoT Data Hub device: You can link an IoT Data Hub device for the device status in the asset list. For this purpose, the Device EUI must be specified.

Note: By default, the first device of an IoT Data Hub data point is used. If no such data point exists (e.g. only connector links are used), a device can optionally be explicitly linked here.

Asset Detail View: Click the View button on the right side of the row or alternatively in the complete row to open the Asset Detail View. Note: If you click directly on the floor or zone in the row, the detail view of the floor or zone will open.

The Asset Detail view is slightly different from the detail page of a Digital Twin:

Dashboard: The dashboard shows the asset information: ID, operational status, last seen, geo position.
Details: Similar to the details page of a twin. In addition, you will see the information if the asset is located in a defined zone.

It lists all twins with type “zone” where this Digital Twin was last located.
Asset Information: As in the edit view, the operational status is displayed here or can be changed if necessary. If the asset is linked to an IoT Hub device, you will find the EUI information and a direct link to the Device view in this view.

Zone list

This list gives a quick overview of the existing zones. These are digital twins that have been created as type “zone”.

You can find the following information in the zone list:

Title: Name of a zone, Ex: Goods Receipt 3
ID: The automatically generated ID of the digital twin.
Category: For a better overview and grouping you can give zones a tag, e.g. “Logistics”.
Geoinformation (Floor): Floor on which the zone is located.
Building: Building where the zone is located.
Assets: number of assets that are in the zone. If there are assets in the zone, you will see the information sign “i” next to the number. With one click you will see the names and IDs of the assets.
Hierarchy Level: This column shows on which hierarchy level the twin of the “zone” type is located in the structure.
Account: This indicates the account to which the zone belongs.

You can filter the asset list by accounts or subaccounts using the button in the upper right corner. The button to the right resets the filter.

You can search the list by selecting the column you want to search in the first field of the two-part search bar. In the second field, you enter your search terms.

You can sort the asset list by title, ID, floor, hierarchy level and account using the arrow in the title bar next to the respective term.

Zones Detail View: By clicking on the row of the selected zone you will be taken to the detail view. This view has the same functions as the detail page of the digital twin.

Asset Map

In this view, you can see zones and assets on a map. When you first open it, you will see all the outdoor assets and zones of all the accounts you have access to.

You can adjust the settings at the bottom of the map menu to change the map view. Filter by a specific account to show only that account’s assets and zones on the map.

Indoor Mode: In the map view, you can also switch to indoor mode if you want to see a building with multiple floors.

Click on the Building and Floor Switcher at the bottom left and activate Indoor Mode to see the indoor assets and zones on the map. Once a building is selected, it will automatically zoom in on the map. Then you can select a floor to see only the assets and zones that are located on a specific floor.

Public Dashboard

With the Public Dashboard module, it is able to share Digital Twins in the form of a URL or as an iframe with people who don’t have access to your niotix instance.

If the module is activated for the respective account, a new button appears to the left of the action buttons.

By clicking on this button it is possible to generate a link for sharing the Digital Twin.

This creates a new API key, which can be found under Settings / Accounts / Api Keys. If the URL is to be deactivated again, this API key must be deleted. This is also possible in the interface itself via the button. Once this key has been deleted, it is not possible to reactivate it.

For sharing, you can choose between the dashboard and the map view. For each option, the html code can be marked and copied to embed the Digital Twin on your website, and the URL can be copied to the clipboard by clicking on the button.

URL parameters:

The URL parameters make it possible to share settings on the appearance of the Public Dashboard via URL. When the shared URL or iframe is opened, the previously selected settings are applied directly to the shared map.

The following setting options are available:

markerstyle: There are two different versions of markers. This URL parameter can be used to switch between these two styles.
hidebar: Hides the control bar at the bottom of the window when set to true, e.g. for full screen/iframe applications..
indoor: If the twin type “Floor” was selected for the twin to be divided and an overlay was created, it is also possible to display this in the Public Dashboard. For this purpose, the URL parameter indoor=true must be activated..
pitch: This parameter sets the angle at which the map is viewed from above. 0 is the 90° view of the map from above, whereby 60 corresponds to a strongly inclined angle.
bearing: By default, the map is oriented north, i.e. the north is displayed at the top and the south at the bottom. This angle can be set via the parameter “bearing”.
clusterdistance: In order not to overload the map view, it is helpful to group data points if they are too close to each other on the map. The distance at which several data points merge into a cluster is defined via “clusterdistance”.
zoomlock: To prevent viewers from zooming in on a point on the map so that the digital twin itself is no longer visible, the zoomlock can be activated. The distance of the individual data points determines from which zoom this zoomlock is activated.