Interview with Daniel Bossert
1. What can real-time indoor localization do for the industry?
What is omlox?
- omlox is an open standard for real-time localization systems*, developed by Profibus & Profinet International.
- omlox ensures interoperability between UWB devices from different vendors and allows the addition of other positioning technologies.
- omlox standardizes UWB and allows it to be augmented with RFID, BLE, GPS, 5G and Wi-Fi, making devices from different vendors interoperable.
- omlox creates an open ecosystem for the integration of multi-vendor systems.
- Data can be processed both on-premises and in the cloud.
Daniel Bossert: In industry, it is important to be able to visualize the flow of goods or production processes. The automation of these processes is a key factor for companies to remain competitive. An important part of this automation is accurate localization.
In today’s production environments, where products are becoming more complex and batch sizes are getting smaller, the visibility of production processes is often lost. Especially in manufacturing, processes such as work progress analysis, automatic reservation of storage locations, and optimization of transport routes are supported by real-time localization.
In the smart factory, real-time localization enables flexible manufacturing by enabling small batch sizes to be handled efficiently and cost-effectively. Compared to other localization technologies, UWB is characterized by precise and reliable positioning of mobile objects even in complex industrial environments.
* A real-time localization system is also referred to as an RTLS.
Daniel Bossert: In industry, it is important to be able to visualize the flow of goods or production processes. The automation of these processes is a key factor for companies to remain competitive. An important part of this automation is accurate localization.
In today’s production environments, where products are becoming more complex and batch sizes are getting smaller, the visibility of production processes is often lost. Especially in manufacturing, processes such as work progress analysis, automatic reservation of storage locations, and optimization of transport routes are supported by real-time localization.
In the smart factory, real-time localization enables flexible manufacturing by enabling small batch sizes to be handled efficiently and cost-effectively. Compared to other localization technologies, UWB is characterized by precise and reliable positioning of mobile objects even in complex industrial environments.
* A real-time localization system is also referred to as an RTLS.
What is omlox?
- omlox is an open standard for real-time localization systems*, developed by Profibus & Profinet International.
- omlox ensures interoperability between UWB devices from different vendors and allows the addition of other positioning technologies.
- omlox standardizes UWB and allows it to be augmented with RFID, BLE, GPS, 5G and Wi-Fi, making devices from different vendors interoperable.
- omlox creates an open ecosystem for the integration of multi-vendor systems.
- Data can be processed both on-premises and in the cloud.
“The industry standard omlox simplifies the integration of a real-time location system for the customer and enables easy scalability.”
Daniel Bossert – Chief Customer Officer, TRUMPF Tracking Technologies
2. Keyword “retrofit”. How much does it cost to modernize an existing production process?
Daniel Bossert: The amount of effort required depends heavily on the digitization solution. Analyzing machine data to determine downtime or plan maintenance requires synchronization of different machine types and high data quality to obtain reliable results. This is a rather complex retrofit.
“Localization technologies, on the other hand, are comparatively easy to integrate into existing industrial environments and offer immediate benefits for digitization.”
Daniel Bossert – Chief Customer Officer, TRUMPF Tracking Technologies
3. What are the components of an RTLS solution with omlox?
omlox application areas
- Transparent material flow and work tracking in industry
- Real-time tracking of goods and autonomous vehicles in logistics
- Localization of medical devices and persons
- Location-based services, such as automatic space reservation
Daniel Bossert: An RTLS solution with omlox consists of four main layers. The top layer is the application layer, which can be used to communicate with applications such as MES or ERP systems.
The second layer is the middleware, the so-called omlox hub, which contains the software component. This layer harmonizes all position data regardless of the location technology used – be it UWB, RFID, GPS, Bluetooth or LiDAR systems – and thus acts as a single source of truth for all position data.
A key aspect of omlox is its technology diagnostics, which allows location data from different technologies to be standardized and converted into a standardized format. Basic RTLS functions, such as geo-fencing, are integrated into the omlox hub layer and no longer need to be implemented in the individual applications above it.
The omlox core zone is located below this layer and realizes the UWB-based and standardized positioning. This means that the unified coordinate system can be used virtually anywhere. All mobile assets in a production environment can be precisely tracked using tags from different manufacturers in different variants, e.g. with E-Ink display, external power supply or integration into other products.
The position is determined by the locating engine, a specially developed software program. The omlox-core-zone specification describes the omlox-air interface, which ensures interoperability between the infrastructure and the tag and enables easy integration of tags from different manufacturers.
Daniel Bossert: An RTLS solution with omlox consists of four main layers. The top layer is the application layer, which can be used to communicate with applications such as MES or ERP systems.
The second layer is the middleware, the so-called omlox hub, which contains the software component. This layer harmonizes all position data regardless of the location technology used – be it UWB, RFID, GPS, Bluetooth or LiDAR systems – and thus acts as a single source of truth for all position data.
A key aspect of omlox is its technology diagnostics, which allows location data from different technologies to be standardized and converted into a standardized format. Basic RTLS functions, such as geo-fencing, are integrated into the omlox hub layer and no longer need to be implemented in the individual applications above it.
The omlox core zone is located below this layer and realizes the UWB-based and standardized positioning. This means that the unified coordinate system can be used virtually anywhere. All mobile assets in a production environment can be precisely tracked using tags from different manufacturers in different variants, e.g. with E-Ink display, external power supply or integration into other products.
The position is determined by the locating engine, a specially developed software program. The omlox-core-zone specification describes the omlox-air interface, which ensures interoperability between the infrastructure and the tag and enables easy integration of tags from different manufacturers.
omlox application areas
- Transparent material flow and work tracking in industry
- Real-time tracking of goods and autonomous vehicles in logistics
- Localization of medical devices and persons
- Location-based services, such as automatic space reservation
4. How does an RTLS technology like Omlox establish itself in the market – and how is it accepted?
Daniel Bossert: In practice, many companies start with a single use case, often in the form of a small lighthouse project. As the issue grows in importance, the question becomes how to scale it across the enterprise.
“In the meantime, omlox has been widely adopted and is used internationally by large companies. We are increasingly being approached by experienced RTLS users who are moving away from their proprietary systems and demanding omlox as an open solution.”
Daniel Bossert – Chief Customer Officer, TRUMPF Tracking Technologies
5. What developments do you see in RTLS for indoor applications?
Daniel Bossert: A major focus for RTLS in indoor applications is to further integrate the technology into the building infrastructure. The systems should not just run “on top” but become an integral part of the environment.
More and more manufacturers are already integrating omlox into their end devices, extending the range of omlox tags or even offering their software applications via the standardized omlox interface.
This in turn allows us to focus more on specific omlox applications together with our business partners. The added value and potential of omlox has also been recognized in the automotive sector, with the result that cross-manufacturer applications are also being implemented with omlox.
“At LogiMAT 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany (March 11-13, 2025 – Hall 4, Booth 4F37) we will demonstrate omlox solutions live together with our partners. Visit us or contact me now.”
Daniel Bossert – Chief Customer Officer, TRUMPF Tracking Technologies
In the long term, I think it is important to work with other standards as well. This will help us to avoid further isolated solutions and create even deeper integration in the applications for customers. A good example is the interaction between VDA 5050* and omlox in the area of automated guided vehicles and mobile asset tracking.
* VDA 5050 is a standardized interface for communication between Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Fleet Management Systems (FMS). It was developed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) in cooperation with the Association of German Engineers (VDI) to create a uniform protocol for interoperability between different AGVs from different manufacturers.
