Panasonic is working with connected asset management software and services provider Yotta to provide an end-to-end way for environmental services organisations to manage their infrastructure.

UK firm Yotta’s Alloy application and Japanese tech giant Panasonic’s rugged Android Toughbook devices can help organisations use data and IoT sensor and control technologies to transform the way they deliver services. These services can include waste and recycling, green space maintenance, street cleansing, highways, fleet and estate management, and environmental health inspections and licensing.

The Alloy platform seamlessly integrates processes by connecting assets – anything from streetlights and rubbish bins to individual premises or trees in the park – to systems and people to optimise operational performance and improve efficiencies. For example, Alloy can receive service requests, automatically trigger approval and review processes, and generate work orders that are optimised based on the availability of equipment, vehicles, people and the location of the job.

“Connected asset management is the foundation for managing modern smart communities and the starting point for local authorities and other organisations looking to transform the way they efficiently and effectively deliver their services,” said Anique Bravenboer, alliance manager, at Yotta. “Whether it’s the real-time management of rubbish collections, maintaining street lamps or protecting trees, the Alloy application is perfectly designed to handle complex sets of data and requirements and make it simpler for people to manage, from those in the control rooms to those on the streets.”

The mobile workforce, equipped with Toughbook Android tablets or handhelds, can then receive their automated work schedule, with optimised routes, reporting and feedback functionality using a device that is designed to withstand the physical rigours of a busy mobile workforce. The devices have rugged protection, daylight viewable screens, and a range of functionality and peripherals designed to make the lives of mobile workers easier.

“Devices such as the rugged Panasonic Toughbook A3 Android tablet are the ideal companion tool for the mobile worker and Alloy,” said Stefan Petterson, European channel manager for Panasonic. “Its reputation for rugged, yet ergonomic design, excellent viewing screen in all daylight conditions, and range of connectivity, in-vehicle and configurable options means it’s perfectly placed to be tailored to any service requirement.”

For waste and recycling, in-cab software can track progress and receive updates from collection crews. Automatic responses to service requests can be programmed and it can issue alerts to service users. It imports datasets and information from other service areas that might affect waste management workflow, for example scheduled road works or transportation service schedules.

In green spaces, users can create standardised jobs and inspections, attribute time and resources to specific tasks, and enable maintenance management budgets to be easily tracked and managed.

For fleet management, mobile teams can have access to real-time data and connection to headquarters. Workflow managers can assign activities to the nearest vehicle or operative, schedule regular inspections and fleet maintenance activities and the budgets associated to each vehicle and service area, and manage hire vehicles ensuring all relevant documentation is held against the assets.

In highways management applications, it provides access to information about schedules of work and provides real-time progress reports. Time spent and repair costs can be integrated directly with billing systems. Images and videos capture evidence of the state of assets for record keeping purposes.

For environmental health and licensing, it can record and manage schedules for visits and cleansing.

Mobile users can carry out scheduled and ad-hoc inspections, as well as managing workflows for environmental service requests such as food hygiene, noise and statutory nuisance, local authority pollution control, and licensing.

Yotta is a connected asset management software and services provider. It empowers organisations to make more informed decisions by ensuring its systems, assets and people are connected, and the data they produce are structured and captured to provide operational as well as strategic insight.

Alloy equips clients with data visualisation, workflow management tools, and enterprise-strength and user-specific capabilities.