Professional measurement systems such as laser distance meters, laser scanners, level-instruments, machine-control and monitoring systems are often mobile or temporarily installed and are thus ideal applications for wireless communication. The main advantage for going wireless in these applications is connectivity—without constraining cables—to existing networks, the cloud, desktops, laptops, smart phones and tablets.
Many measurement and data acquisition devices use traditional serial interfaces (UART, RS232, RS422 or RS485) or Ethernet interfaces as the means to connect to the data acquisition / human interface device. Either the connection is a serial point-to-point connection to a PC or a serial / Ethernet connection to the existing infrastructure requiring a wireless solution based on Bluetooth or WLAN (Wireless LAN) which is also commonly referred to as Wi-Fi.