A message on the wind

16 July 2018


Etesian, makers of a self-powered anemometer, have added text messaging capabilities to their latest device.

Adding to its line of battery-free, powered-by-the-wind-it’s-measuring anemometers, Etesian Technologies has introduced BreezeMessenger. Utilising the US Verizon Wireless network, text messages warning of dangerous winds are instantly sent to critical decision makers, so that preemptive precautions can be taken.

Applications include safeguarding crane and construction sites, outdoor staging and tent sites, and wind turbine systems, among others.

Etesian Technologies’ wireless self-powered anemometers aim to be easy to install and maintain. The BreezeMessenger requires only one additional step for set up. It needs to know what phone number to send texts to. All it takes is placing a call to the BreezeMessenger from a cell phone. The BreezeMessenger will text this number in the event of dangerous winds.

Company CEO William Stein says: “I haven’t been this excited about a new product offering since introducing our original self-powered wireless wind speed system over ten years ago. The utility, convenience and essentially limitless range [provided by] the cell network, makes this a powerful tool for all safety managers responsible for keeping track of potentially destructive winds.”

The BreezeMessenger utilises the cell network, data plans starting as low as $2.80 per month. Introduction is planned for Q2 2018. Etesian plans to offer the BreezeMessenger on other networks in 2018.

For customers who want an alternative way to get wind information on their smartphone, Etesian also offers a BlueTooth anemometer, launched in 2016.

The BreezeBT sends data straight to a mobile app on a smartphone or tablet, eliminating the cost and inconvenience of a dedicated handheld display unit. The BreezeBT wirelessly collects and sends data via a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module as far as 110m, relieving the expense and labour of running cable great distances.

One example is in an industrial setting, where the anemometer ensures a safe work environment by monitoring wind speeds at sites that use large cranes. Running a cable that is somehow retractable as the boom of the crane moves up and down and changes angles is quite a complicated setup. If the battery goes dead while the crane is operating, that would halt operations until the unit is serviced. Both of these issues have been eliminated with the BreezeBT.

“To implement Bluetooth Smart quickly into the product design, Etesian looked to a certified module solution from Laird that met the ultralow power requirements to enable the Breeze BT to operate on wind-power alone. Unlike other wireless options, the ultra-low power efficiency of BLE is ideal for sensor applications. The use of Bluetooth within the BreezeBT also enables users to conveniently use their own smartphone, bypassing the additional expense of a remote display unit.

Stein adds: “Using a certified Bluetooth module was important. It made integrating the technology simpler and faster, giving us the time we needed to focus on other areas of design. Now we have a wireless, self-powered product that is simple, durable and ensures safety by providing accurate, real-time measurements in a number of hard-to-reach locations.”

Etesian’s anemometer