THE SHIPPING CONTAINER THAT LEARNED TO TELL ITS STORY

The CT 1010 uses an infrared Time-of-Flight sensor to detect the door's position and determine whether it is open or closed. The principle is similar to measuring distance using light: the device emits an infrared signal and analyzes the return signal to interpret the door's position.

It also incorporates an ambient light sensor. Together, the two signals provide information that is far more useful than a simple coordinate. Imagine a container that appears to be stationary at a terminal. Its position barely changes, yet an opening event occurs and light enters the interior. A map would indicate that nothing has happened. The container tells a different story.

ORBCOMM specifically highlights the detection of openings and closings as a function designed to identify unauthorized access to the cargo.

Temperature adds another layer. The CT 1010 incorporates an ambient temperature sensor and a far-infrared sensor capable of identifying anomalous temperature changes. ORBCOMM explains that this combination allows for the detection of thermal variations both inside and outside the container.

This is important because we are not talking about converting a dry container into a reefer or actively controlling its temperature; we are talking about detecting signals. An unexpected thermal variation can provide context for an incident, help identify anomalous conditions, and even warn of situations that warrant investigation.

A single data point simply indicates that the temperature has changed. When combined with time, location, movement, and other events, it begins to explain when and where that change occurred.

The device also contains accelerometers. The primary one is a three-axis digital accelerometer with configurable thresholds for motion detection. The system also incorporates a second accelerometer and sensors designed to record impacts and tampering with the device itself.

This makes it possible to distinguish events that a purely position-based system would struggle to capture. A container might be in the same location before and after an impact; on a map, nothing appears to have changed, but to the sensors, it has.

The same logic applies to unexpected movement or attempts to remove or tamper with the equipment. In this way, tracking begins to resemble less a sequence of coordinates and more a record of events.

The CT 1010 combines cellular connectivity, Bluetooth Low Energy, and satellite navigation to transmit location data, events, and alerts to cloud platforms or API-connected systems. If coverage is lost, it can store over 2,000 messages—equivalent to more than 90 days of operation.

To maintain connectivity during long journeys, it features a rechargeable battery with a solar panel, IP67 protection, an operating temperature range of –30°C to +70°C, and ATEX Zone 2 certification. However, its true value lies in the cross-referencing of all this data.

It is no longer enough to simply ask where the container is. We can also determine if it was opened, subjected to an impact, experienced temperature fluctuations, moved when it shouldn't have, or was tampered with. Thus, tracking evolves from a simple line between origin and destination into a comprehensive record of events during the journey.