Software Turns Zebra Devices Into Autonomous Tracking Network
Blecon has launched the Blecon Agent, software that transforms Zebra Technologies' existing frontline devices into an autonomous Bluetooth tracking network. The solution leverages hardware already deployed with logistics workers to provide continuous asset visibility without requiring additional infrastructure investment, enabling new features through over-the-air software upgrades.
- The software was developed by Blecon, a Cambridge, U.K.-based startup founded by CEO Simon Ford, which is a registered Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner with Zebra. - The Blecon Agent is designed for cross-platform deployment and can be integrated with devices running Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, allowing for broad enterprise adoption beyond just Zebra hardware. - The agent operates passively in the background on frontline devices, continuously scanning for Bluetooth tags on assets like reusable containers or disposable smart labels on pallets without interrupting the worker's primary tasks or requiring manual interaction. - By converting existing hardware into mobile hotspots, the system is designed to eliminate the need for costly cellular trackers on every asset or the installation of new fixed-reader infrastructure in warehouses and distribution centers. - This approach turns the entire fleet of an organization's frontline devices into a large-scale, mobile Bluetooth network, capturing data in areas that were previously visibility gaps. - The technology extends beyond handheld devices and can theoretically be installed on other mobile equipment running operating systems like Windows or Linux, such as autonomous robots moving through a warehouse. - Blecon demonstrated the autonomous tracking network technology at the Manifest 2026 conference in Las Vegas. - The solution is positioned to augment the workforce by automating data collection, which allows employees to focus on higher-value activities while the system automatically detects and logs asset movements.
