Overview
Supermarkets around the globe rely on effective cold chain logistics to deliver goods like meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. During the course of delivery, cold chain logistics must control the compartmentalized freezer temperatures as different food require different temperatures; ensure goods are properly and systematic and stacked and stored; travel long distances with constant traffic updates for real-time route adjustments.
For such functionalities, cold chain logistics companies implement edge AI computers connected with sensors for real-time temperature monitoring, optimizes storage practices (ensure proper spacing to regulate temperature throughout), employs dynamic routing for timely deliveries, and automates predictive maintenance.inuous operations 24/7, even in adverse weather, helps maintain consistency and precision, contributing to higher-than-average output and more sustainable agricultural practices.
Challenges
Deploying a computer on a cold chain logistics truck poses several challenges.
- Withstand amplified shock/ vibration effects：The trucking in-vehicle environment is similar to normal in-vehicle environments, but in a truck, a lot of the effects areamplified. Such as vibration and shock conditions are amplified due to the bigger engine and chassis, creating more resonating energy to everything onboard the truck.
- Wide temperature operation：Whether located in the truck, freezer, or just out the truck in an enclosure, the deployed computer is bound to be tested with varying degrees of ambient temperature.
- Survive unstable power delivery：Cold logistics truck are modified trucks with multiple freezers in the back, and they use tremendous amount of electricity. For this reason, additional electronic devices onboard either need to run on their own power source, or must be ultra efficient and have a protection medium to counter electrical fluctuations when freezer generators powers up.
- Capability：The deployed computer must have the connectivity for sensors, processing power for re-routing services, and wireless communication for location tracking.
Solution
This is where Neousys industrial edge AI IoT computers can help, and one of our solution partners chose to implement Neousys POC series computers to monitor storage conditions, implement predictive maintenance, track and adjust routes on-the-fly to improve the quality of the overall logistics. Neousys POC series are rugged fanless industrial edge AI computers with a variety of I/Os for actuators/ sensors.
Accepting wide range DC input and capable of operating in true wide temperature conditions (-25°C to 70°C), the POC series alleviates, if not completely eliminates environmental challenges for implementation. The system also features LAN and supports WiFi 6/ 5, and 5G/ 4G wireless connectivity to ensure seamless real-time data transmission that is perfect for cold chain logistics. As the containers are often compartmentalized to allow transportation of different products that require different controlled conditions. For such application, the connection capability becomes vital. To control the varying parameters, Neousys POC series features serial COM ports RS-232/422/485 and USB to connect to actuators or sensors. For wireless connectivity, the mPCIe/ M.2 slots allow the installation of a 5G/ 4G, WiFi 6/ 5 or GPS modules.
