At the AAPM 2018 annual meeting, attendees received a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) beacon that was used to track attendance at sessions for continuing education and SAM (Self Assessment Module) credits.
The website stamped on the beacon redirects to a company called Gimbal where you can purchase the beacons for $5 each or get a whole case of 1650 for the same unit price. They also provide web based software for managing the beacons. The manual for the beacon contains some specs, instructions for using the beacon with the Gimbal software, and links to API docs for creating apps to use with the beacon.
The beacon opens pretty easily using a quarter. Most of the beacon’s innards are taken up by a CR2032 coin cell that powers a tiny little circuit board underneath a plastic cover.
A bit of careful prying to release the cover (also held down by a couple dabs of adhesive) reveals the circuit board. Three contact pads presumably for testing/programming are easily visible.
Not much identifying info on the little IC at the heart of the beacon.
4348695
2500D0A
2AJ
P36V G4
Guessing the first number would be a product identifier with the next line (2500D0A) maybe being a date code. Google led me to a reasonably informative post about the beacons.
Seems to be a fairly simple device and beacons in general might be something fun and interesting to get into.
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