California-based InPlay has expanded its collaboration with Hubble Network to enable smart labels and wireless sensors with global tracking capabilities across terrestrial and space-based infrastructure.

Building on the recently announced partnership combining InPlay’s NanoBeacon technology with Hubble’s satellite-powered Bluetooth network, the companies are now extending their joint offering to support sensing and intelligent data capture through InPlay’s IN120 platform.

The combination leverages Hubble’s global network of more than 95 million gateways and satellite connectivity to deliver continuous visibility of assets anywhere in the world, without the need for dedicated infrastructure or cellular connectivity.

The IN120 builds on the success of InPlay’s NanoBeacon family, known for low power consumption, compact form factor and programming-free deployment, and a high-precision temperature sensor (±1˚C), while introducing a patent-pending data logging capability.

This enables continuous capture of sensor data throughout an asset’s journey as well as time-sequenced condition monitoring for applications such as cold chain and logistics. It provides reliable preservation of critical data across complex, real-world environments.

Low-power operation is compatible with thin batteries and energy-constrained designs. There is also support for battery-less energy harvesting applications, enabling flexible, maintenance-free deployments.

In addition, IN120 has a minimalist design with nearly zero eBoM, requiring only a single external component, reducing system complexity, size and overall manufacturing costs.

The smart labels and sensors not only provide location visibility but also deliver a complete history of environmental conditions, enhancing traceability, compliance and decision-making.

Unlike traditional tracking technologies that rely on either short-range RFID or costly cellular infrastructure, the InPlay-Hubble offering delivers seamless hybrid connectivity across terrestrial Bluetooth gateways and Hubble’s satellite network. This means global coverage without infrastructure deployment, enabling instant scalability.

The RFID-like cost is enabled by simplified design and low component requirements, while providing enhanced visibility beyond passive systems.

“With IN120, our collaboration with Hubble Network unlocks a new level of visibility into physical assets,” said Jason Wu, CEO of InPlay. “Our patent-pending data logging technology, combined with an ultra-minimalist architecture, allows customers to deploy smart labels at scale with both rich data insight and compelling cost efficiency.”

The expanded partnership targets applications such as: cold chain and pharmaceutical monitoring; smart packaging and logistics tracking; returnable transport items; industrial IoT and condition monitoring; and asset tracking in remote or infrastructure-limited regions.

By combining global connectivity with robust data capture and an optimised hardware design, it enables end-to-end visibility across both location and condition.

“For decades, RFID forced companies to build infrastructure around the tag,” said Alex Haro, CEO of Hubble Network. “With IN120 and Hubble’s network, the world becomes the infrastructure. A smart label can now leave a warehouse, cross an ocean and arrive at its destination with a complete record of every condition it experienced along the way, without a single dedicated reader or gateway in between.”

The collaboration reflects a broader shift in the IoT landscape towards low-cost, massively scalable, infrastructure-free connectivity. By integrating NanoBeacon devices with Hubble’s network, InPlay says it is helping redefine how businesses monitor, track and manage physical assets worldwide.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, InPlay (www.inplay-tech.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Trackonomy Systems, is a fabless semiconductor company specialising in low-power wireless connectivity. Its flagship NanoBeacon SoC platform enables developers to build smart labels, and active RFID and wireless sensors without firmware development, reducing cost and accelerating time to market.

Seattle-based Hubble Network (www.hubble.com) is a global Bluetooth connectivity network. By overlaying an expansive terrestrial footprint with a proprietary satellite constellation, Hubble enables standard Bluetooth devices to transmit data globally without cellular modems or complex infrastructure.