Kontakt.io Plugin + Cisco Spaces
This guide explains how to deploy Portal Beam devices for room occupancy and environmental outcomes in Cisco Spaces. During deployment, you will claim your Kontakt.io order in Cisco Spaces, activate the required plugins, install and mount each Portal Beam, associate each device with its workspace in Space Manager, and validate the data in Rich Maps.
After deployment is complete, you can view room occupancy and environmental data in Cisco Spaces Rich Maps.
Topics include:
Make sure the following prerequisites are complete.
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Cisco Spaces account setup is complete with a license that enables IoT Wireless Services.
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Cisco Spaces: IoT Services (Wireless) prerequisites are met.
This includes controllers added and active, Access Points connected and added to Maps, IoT Manage Streams enabled, and Access Points synchronized.
Refer to the IoT Services Configuration Guide (Wireless) for complete details and instructions.
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Cisco Spaces Location Hierarchy is configured and 3D Rich Maps are created.
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Log in to your Cisco Spaces account.
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Navigate to IoT Services > Manage > select a location > Claim devices.
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Select BLE Devices > Floor Beacons > Next.
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From Onboard Devices, enter the Kontakt.io Order ID (it is case sensitive) > Next.
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Verify the Kontakt.io devices were successfully claimed. From Device Management, go the Devices tab > Floor Beacons > Claimed beacons > verify the devices are listed.
Kontakt.io devices are identified as Floor beacons.
To activate the Kontakt.io Plugin, contact your Cisco Spaces account manager.
The Kontakt.io Device Management Plugin lets you use the Kio Setup Manager mobile app to install and manage Portal Beams claimed in Cisco Spaces. The plugin only applies to Kontakt.io Portal Beams claimed within Cisco Spaces.
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Log in to your Cisco Spaces account.
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From your Cisco Spaces account, go to IoT Services > Device Management.
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From the top menu, select Devices > select the Mac Address of a device > from the Beacon Configuration section, select Advance Configuration > select Confirm.
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From the Server API Key section, select Copy to clipboard. You'll need this API Key in the next step.
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From a web browser, open the Kontakt.io Device Management Plugin URL specific to your Cisco Spaces account region. If you're not already signed in to Cisco Spaces, you'll be prompted to sign in.
United States region: https://plugin-app.cloud.us.kontakt.io/device-management/
Europe region: https://plugin-app.cloud.uk.kontakt.io/device-management/
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From the Add Devices menu, select Device Federation.
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Paste the Cisco Spaces Device Manager Server Key.
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To confirm the plugin activation, from the Inventory menu, select Infrastructure > verify the Portal Beams are listed.
Tip
Bookmark your region's Kontakt.io Device Management Plugin URL.
After the Portal Beams are installed from the Kio Setup Manager mobile app, you can use this plugin to view and manage device settings and review the last thermal image uploaded from the app.
Before you begin installation, review the Portal Beam placement and coverage area guidelines and ceiling mount instructions.
If you are installing two Portal Beams in the same room location, there are distance and orientation mounting requirements. During install, the Kio Setup Manager app guides you through these requirements.
Use the Kio Setup Manager mobile app to install a Portal Beam. During installation, you will assign the device location, mount the beam, capture a real-time thermal image to verify coverage, and configure Exclusion Zones if needed.
Exclusion Zones are user-defined areas within a Portal Beam's field of view that are ignored by the Kontakt.io Occupancy Engine. These zones can include non-human, stationary objects with high background temperatures, such as TVs, light fixtures, windows, or other electrical equipment. Additionally, an exclusion zone can be a specific area within a large room where occupancy detection is not required. Exclusion Zones can only be managed from the Kio Setup Manager mobile app.
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Download the Kio Setup Manager mobile app. If you already have the app, be sure to check for updates.
To download the app, go to the App Store or Google Play. Search for Kio Setup Manager.
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Device compatibility: iPhone or iPad: iOS version 17 or later | Android phone or tablet: version 8 or later
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Device connectivity: Bluetooth enabled and an internet connection over Wi-Fi or cellular data
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Turn on the Portal Beam. On the underside of the Portal Beam, move the battery switch to the ON position.
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From your mobile device, open the Kio Setup Manager > from the Sign in Method, tap Cisco Spaces Account.
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You're directed to Cisco Spaces sign in. Enter your Cisco Spaces credentials > select the account.
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From the bottom menu, tap Devices.
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From the list of Nearby Devices, locate the Portal Beam by its MAC address or Unique ID
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Tap the Portal Beam to view its management menu options.
(Optional) To verify the Portal Beam selected, tap Show Details > tap Flash LED. From its front-side, a colored LED flashes briefly.
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From the menu, tap Install Device. From Choose location > tap the campus, building, floor, and room where the Portal Beam will be installed.
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Tap Next and prepare to mount the Portal Beam.
Then if...
(A) it is the first Portal Beam installed in the room: provide the installation height > tap Next and mount the beam. Once mounted, continue to the next step.
(B) it is an additional Portal Beam being installed in the same location the app automatically detects the existing beam assigned to the room > tap Next.
Prepare to mount the second Portal Beam at the same height as the existing beam and at the distance required between the two beams provided in the below screen — 102. 72 in (8.9 ft, 2.7 m).
Tap Next. From the Mounting orientation illustration displayed, mount the second Portal Beam as detailed in the screen > once mounted, tap Next.
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From Verify Thermal Camera > tap Capture Image.
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From the top section of the captured image, tap the cloud icon.
The thermal image is uploaded to the Portal Beam's Occupancy settings within the Kontakt.io Device Management Plugin. This image is a helpful troubleshooting resource.
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From the captured image, verify if any hot objects were detected.
If there are any non-human, stationary hot objects detected or areas you want to exclude from occupancy detection, you can configure these as Exclusion Zones (tap Add Exclusion Zone). It's recommended to set windows within the room as exclusion zones, especially when there is direct sunlight into the room.
After configuring the Exclusion Zones, tap Next.
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View the device note that will be saved in its profile — you can add additional information > tap Next.
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Once complete, the app displays Installation Success! — this is your confirmation the install is complete.
This step results visually experiencing the Portal Beam's real-time room occupancy and environmental data from your Rich Maps.
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From your Cisco Spaces Home page, navigate to the Space Manager app.
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Go to Space Management > locate and select the workspace where the Portal Beam is installed.
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From the workspace profile, go to the IoT sensors section, select Add Devices.
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From the Service Type, select BLE.
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From the list, select the Portal Beam > select Next to associate the beam to the workspace.
As the final deployment step, we recommend validating the Portal Beam outcomes from your Rich Maps. You'll complete this at the room location where the Portal Beam is mounted and will require two people.
From your Cisco Spaces home page, select Location & Maps > Rich Maps > perform the below steps to validate the real-time outcomes.