omlox - the open locating standard
omlox is the world's first open locating standard which aims to implement flexible real-time locating solutions with elements from various manufacturers without requiring any project planning. The term omlox is derived from the Latin terms "omni" = omnipresent and "locus" = location. omlox is part of Profibus & Profinet International.
omlox explained
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omlox enables unified access to location data
With the ability to integrate software such as Manufacturing Executive System (MES), asset tracking, and navigation with anti-collision, along with hardware such as drones, AGVs, and loading trucks within the domain of localization – omlox is setting a new benchmark in Industry 4.0. omlox enables interoperability and flexibility for different trackable providers within single or multiple tracking zones, which is achieved through two core components: omlox hub and omlox core zone.
omlox - the open locating standard (short version)
Become part of the omlox community!
Your benefit
- omlox is the result of collaboration within the industry in a large community
- More than 60 companies have contributed their experience & solutions in the field of real-time localization development of omlox
- Well-known hardware and software companies are involved
- omlox is hosted, developed, and promoted by PI - an organization with more than 30 years experience in the global industry
- Anyone can become a member and participate in the future development of omlox
- Furthermore, any company can use the standard, since the omlox interfaces are freely accessible
Our offer
The contribution for omlox is included in the membership fee of PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) without any additional costs.
Your advantages at a glance
- Improvement of your market position by increasing the customer value of your products
- Unlimited use of the logo and omlox patents
To become a member of comlox community, you must first be or become a member of PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI). PROFIBUS and PROFINET International is organized decentralized and we have more than 25 different Regional PI Associations (RPA). To be member of the big community you have to join one RPA. Which one you decide is your own choice.
But we suggest to look for an RPA which is close to your home country and with which language you are familiar with.
Here you will find an overview of all RPAs.
Use the filter and find the contact address to ask the decided RPA for detailed membership information.
In the case as your company is settled in Germany, Switzerland or Austria, we would recommend a membership at PROFIBUS Nutzerorganisation e.V. (PNO). Please use our online membership application form.
omlox architecture – an holistic approach for locating systems
The omlox standard as such is comprised of two main elements:
- omlox hub: A lightweight middleware that provides standardized interfaces to location data and location services – across technologies and vendors.
- omlox core zone: An open ultra-wideband system, that facilitates a plug-and-play, real-time tracking of hardware from multiple vendors.
Both elements of omlox already provide great value and flexibility while setting up a locating system or using location data for industrial use-cases individually. But the combination is even more powerful – especially in real-time use cases on a shopfloor or in a warehouse.
omlox core zone
For sure ultra-wideband (UWB) is the rising star of location technologies, being integrated in smartphones, laptops and cars these days. UWB is a radio-technology that uses short impulses on a broad frequency band. This approach is very robust when it comes to reflections on metallic surfaces and allows for a very fast and precise computation of location. But in an industrial setup UWB is even today a very fragmented landscape with small vendors that provide proprietary technologies.
This is about to change with
By specifying the wireless interface, how UWB-enabled devices like tags, tools or AGVs should communicate with an UWB infrastructure, an interoperable setup can be achieved. One omlox core zone can service multiple use cases and can locate hardware from multiple vendors. This allows for a much lower total cost of ownership and a faster return on investment.
omlox hub
An omlox hub is specified as a lightweight locating middleware with very easy to use APIs. It allows for seamless access to location data and services – no matter which location technologies are been used.
Software vendors and integrators do not have to implement custom interfaces for different vendors anymore. Location-technology providers can benefit from wide array of existing software.
An omlox hub is built on very powerful software concepts and functionalities:
| Geo-Referencing | An omlox hub provides location data in local and global coordinates – no matter wether something is inside or outside of a building. |
|---|---|
| Identity Management | An omlox hub provides consistent identy management for moving things – across locating technologies. |
| Geo-Fencing | An omlox hub supports geo-fencing functionality – independent of the locating technology. |
| Distance computation | An omlox hub can compute distances between moving objects in local and global coordinates. |
Track and trace applications
Track and trace applications locate all sorts of assets in various environment - ranging from shopfloor, warehouse to yards or even in-between different sites. The type of assets is very manifold, from products, to tools, humans or means of transportation like AGVs, forklifts, trucks, or ships. Main benefits of those track and trace applications are
the reduction of manual search times, more efficient asset usage, an up-to-date inventory, and less CAPEX.
omlox - the open locating standard: holistic fleet management / Lean AGV /AMR set-up with omlox
omlox - the open locating standard: order assembly with AR smartphone app by Holo-Light
Location-based automation
When things change their location, this is often also an indication of a certain step in a large process-chain, e.g., a product is been built in a step-based manner at different production station in a plant. Having access to location-data and been able to use geo-fencing and proximity events, can facilitate a location-based automation, for example by presenting the relevant information to a worker at a given station or by automatically generating shipment list, based on the goods on a truck.
omlox - the open locating standard: use case sustainability with omlox
Operation and maintenance
Maintaining and operating mobile assets can be a challenging task, especially when they are used in dynamic indoor environments or when compliance rules need to be applied. Having the flexibility of omlox to locate mobile assets precise via UWB or any other locating technology and using the some locating technology to give maintenance staff an orientation in unknown locations, can streamline the complete process. This especially true when applying modern user-interface technologies like AR, where workers can navigate and find things hands free.
omlox - the open locating standard: maintenance operation with HoloLens 2 AR glasses by Holo-Light
Automized, optimized and sustainable material flow
In today’s production and intralogistics more and more autonomous robots are being deployed – stationary and mobile ones. It becomes a challenge to orchestrate the movements of all the mobile elements in a streamlined and safe manner. Omlox enables a holistic overview of the position and movements of all things in those environments and allows for an optimized material flow, beyond considering only one means of transportation or on asset type. In addition, this allows also to optimize the material flow considering energy consumption and carbon-footprint.