Saving lives with iBeacons
(Extended Remix Version)
Evan K. Stone
Lead iOS Developer
Cloud City Development // San Francisco
“An integrated design and so.ware consultancy specializing in web and mobile apps…”
Hello, AltConf!
The Purpose
Saving Lives with iBeacons
Will have some technical info
But really…
this talk is actually about…
thinking creaJvely
thinking in ways to improve
lives of those around us
thinking in ways that could
save the life of one person
Designers and Developers
working together!
Designing and building
amazing soluJons
CollaboraJng to help others
Dreaming of new ways to use
technologies like iBeacons
Not just for the sake of
innovaJon…
But to really help people.
Maybe even save a life.
The Jdal wave is upon us.
The Internet of Things
(IoT)
Especially in the last year
Flash flood of new devices
Renewed interest in iBeacons
What are iBeacons?
Bluetooth Low Energy
devices
They basically do one thing.
They broadcast some numbers
at regular intervals.
“AdverJsement”
Payload
3 Things
UUID
D9B9EC1F-3925-43D0-80A9-1E39D4CEA95C
Major Value
42
Minor Value
7
Allows categorizaJon and
idenJficaJon
UUID: OrganizaJon/LocaJon
Major Value: Category
Minor Value: Item
Key Concept:
You have to know the values
to map them
(or know how to get them)
Bundled locally
Retrieved from server
(bonus points for using locaJon)
Minimum hardware requirements
for BLE development
(including iBeacons)
iPhone 4S (or later)
iPod touch (5th generaJon)
iPad (3rd generaJon or later)
iPad mini (or later)
iOS 7+
(1.66%)
Side Note…
iOS Devices
can be iBeacons too!
AirLocate
hlps://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/AirLocate/IntroducJon/Intro.html
(you will have to make some modificaJons because it’s broken…)
😬
Devices
EsJmote
Gimbal
(this is what we used for the project I’ll show you in a bit…)
Many Others
Typical Scenarios
for iBeacons
Museums
hlps://www.brooklynmuseum.org/community/
blogosphere/tag/ibeacon/
Art InstallaJons
Retail Shops
Stadiums
CreaJve SoluJons…
Put a beacon in your luggage.
Play Treasure Hunt
Get creaJve! Have fun!
Developing with iBeacons
Geong the right Framework
iBeacons are BLE devices, right?
Yes, but…
In this context we use
Core LocaJon!
huh?
It makes sense when you think
about it.
iBeacons are proximity devices.
“I am near you.”
OK… so how do I use
Core LocaJon?
Three Steps
Create a CLLocaJonManager
Set the CLLocaJonManager’s
delegate
Create a CLBeaconRegion
var proximityUUID: NSUUID { get }
CLBeaconMajorValue
CLBeaconMinorValue
Get AuthorizaJon to use
LocaJon Services
Use requestWhenInUseAuthorization()
whenever it makes sense to do so
Start Ranging!
locationManager.startRangingBeaconsInRegion(beaconRegion)
Beacons will be caught in the
didRangeBeacons delegate method
Demo
TARDISBeacon
Geong back to saving lives…
How can iBeacons save lives?
Is it really that far-fetched?
At MIT, Lille Devices Labs has been
educaJng medical professionals
about the Maker Movement
They have been traveling around the
world showing them DIY concepts
and techniques
Teaching them that these techniques can
help them develop tools and soluJons that
would either be too costly or not available
They don’t know these tools and
techniques exist.
hlp://www.popup-labs.com/
“Finding the stealth ingenuity of nurses”
hlp://www.makernurse.org
Medical Maker Kits
Medical Make App
Why so important?
Let’s take one example…
Asthma.
14 million Americans affected by Asthma
albuterol inhalers cost ~$70 out of
pocket and with insurance coverage
range from $0-40
Some would benefit from a
Smart Inhaler
Tracks and monitors their usage
Cost?
About $1000 a year.
Medical Make Demo
iBeacons allow medical professionals
to explore the materials
–Anna Young, Pop Up Labs
“Demys?fies medical technology
and devices.”
The Maker Studios show them
how to get started!
They can build a Smart Inhaler
at a fracJon of the cost.
At least one of the 14 million
Asthma sufferers could benefit
from a Smart Inhaler.
With Maker Kits and DIY
hopefully that person
will get one.
If we can save just one of those
who would be taken by Asthma
this year it will be worth it.
And that’s how we save lives
with iBeacons.
Evan K. Stone
web: hGp://www.cloudcity.io
cloud city blog: hGp://blog.cloudcity.io
blog: hGp://www.interac?velogic.net
twiGer: @interac?vlogic

Saving Lives with iBeacons (Extended Remix Version)