VoBo endpoints are powerful bridges that connect wired sensors to LoRaWAN® networks. Designed to support both analog, digital, and serial signals, VoBos enable a wide range of industrial sensors to communicate wirelessly with LoRaWAN®, making data collection more flexible and efficient.
In this article, we’ll explore the types of sensors compatible with VoBo devices. We’ll also discuss the main use cases and highlight specific VoBo models built for particular sensor applications.
Why VoBo Sensor Compatibility Matters: LoRaWAN® Integration
VoBo is an endpoint bridge for LoRaWAN® that converts new or existing sensors signal into LoRaWAN® transmitters, enabling low-power data transmission across long distances or in noisy industrial plants.
Many industries utilize legacy sensors that have been left unconnected to any network. The data from these stranded sensors may be collected manually or not at all, making it difficult to collect historical data to develop insights or take action. Vobo bridges these sensors to a wireless LoRaWAN® network, allowing companies to continue using their legacy sensors while collecting the data needed for analysis and digitalization.
A VoBo collects data from its connected sensors and transmits that data wirelessly to the LoRaWAN® gateway. This is essential for industries that rely on data to drive their business. It supports decision-making, predictive maintenance, and system optimization.
Integrating new and legacy sensors to LoRaWAN® enables the data collection needed for process improvement. VoBo is compatible with a wide range of sensors, transmitters, and other devices.
VoBo Sensor Compatibility
VoBo endpoint bridges are designed to be sensor-agnostic. This means they can connect to a wide variety of sensors, regardless of the brand or type. In this section, we’ll look at the key categories of sensors that VoBo endpoints can read and see their common use cases.
Analog Sensors
Analog sensors are commonly used across various industries to monitor a wide range of parameters. They provide an analog output signal that’s proportional to the measured property.
Common properties measured include:
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Flow
- Level
- Distance
- Concentration
- Current, voltage
These sensors measure the environmental or process conditions of the equipment or system being monitored. They allow the collection of data useful when the variation of a measured parameter needs to be tracked and analyzed.
Current Sensors
Widely adopted in industrial automation, 4-20mA sensors provide reliable long-distance signaling with a tolerance for high noise environments.
Common use cases include:
- Pressure and differential pressure
- Flow rate
- Level sensors
- Concentration
VoBo interprets the current signal and converts it into engineering units for remote monitoring.
Voltage Sensors
VoBo devices can read analog signals with a range of 0-5V and 0-10V, providing flexibility in your voltage sensor options.
Common use cases include:
- Pressure and differential pressure
- Self-exciting current transducers
- Light sensors
Thermocouple Sensors
Thermocouples provide temperature data in demanding environments. They are widely used in industries where temperature monitoring is crucial.
Common use cases include:
- High-temperature process monitoring
- Equipment condition monitoring
- Kilns and furnaces
- Food and chemical production
Discrete Sensors
Discrete sensors output binary signals, such as open/closed, on/off, or high/low, which VoBo can read.
Common use cases include:
- Mechanical switch state
- Reed switch pulse counting
- Limit switches in mechanical systems
- Mechanical and solid-state relay state
- VoBo can monitor these discrete signals and, with the use of the Wake-up input channel, can trigger a measurement and transmit cycle or activate the Analytics function.
Pulse Meters
Pulse outputs from flow meters, energy meters, or other pulse-generating devices can be counted and logged by VoBo.
Common use cases include:
- Water, gas, or electricity meters
- Production counters
- Utility monitoring
Environmental Sensors
Environmental monitoring is critical in many industrial settings. VoBo endpoint bridges are compatible with many types of environmental sensors to help improve and maintain the industrial environment.
Common use cases include:
- Temperature and humidity monitoring
- Precipitation
- Wind speed
- Soil moisture measurement
- Light level sensing
- CO2 and air quality detection
Modbus® RTU Compatibility
Most VoBo endpoint bridges include an RS-485 serial input for reading Modbus® RTU devices. This protocol is widely used in industrial automation for its reliability and standardized structure. VoBo allows data from Modbus® RTU devices to be transmitted over LoRaWAN®, making Modbus® even more useful in today’s industry.
Common use cases include:
- Flow meters
- Industrial process controllers
- Motor drives
- Modbus®-enabled sensors
Connect VoBo to More Sensors Through Interfaces
Even if a sensor doesn’t connect directly to VoBo out of the box, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be used with VoBo. Interfaces and adapters exist for a wide range of sensors, allowing them to be connected to VoBo endpoint bridges. This expands the connectivity of VoBo to nearly any sensor or transmitter.
VoBo Model Overview
Each VoBo model is optimized for specific types of sensors and applications:
- VoBo GP-1 and HL-1 – supporting a wide range of analog, discrete, and Modbus® RTU sensors and devices. It includes a digital interrupt channel that can wake the VoBo.
- 3 Analog Inputs – 4-20mA, 0-5V, 0-10V
- 3 Digital Inputs – dry contact and voltage
- 1 Digital Interrupt Input – dry contact wake-up
- 1 Serial Input – RS485 Modbus® RTU
- VoBo TC – Designed specifically for thermocouples, and it’s capable of reading up to 12 thermocouple inputs.
- 12 Selectable thermocouple inputs
- Supports Type B, E, J, K, N, S, R, and T
- Reports in °C or mV
VoBos coming soon:
- VoBo XP – Designed to read a wide variety of analog and digital sensors, including 4-20mA, 0-5V, and 0-10V, discrete (digital) switches, and Modbus® RTU serial devices. It has 4 relay drivers controlled by downlink, analytics, or can be locked out.
Conclusion
VoBo endpoint bridges provide a robust and flexible method for connecting almost any sensor to a LoRaWAN® network. VoBo supports analog, digital, and serial connections. With VoBo, you can monitor the properties that are important to process quality, efficiency, safety, compliance, and asset condition in a hazardous environment. VoBo is the bridge to wirelessly connect wired sensors to any LoRaWAN® network.
For more information, visit the VoBo endpoints page or contact info@volleyboast.com.