Origin and development of the grey box

ElliTrack X is an internet-connected (mobile) datalogger that performs various measurements in the field at configurable intervals and sends the collected data to the ElliTrack.nl platform.
Personally, I’m quite proud of the role that ElliTrack X plays in our mission to offer advanced monitoring solutions.

The idea for ElliTrack X came from a request by one of our key customers, Fugro. They were looking for an integrated solution to connect their own pore pressure sensors to our ElliTrack system. This request marked the start of a development project. Our team — led by Mark (Head of R&D), Ka Chung (hardware developer), and Casper (portal engineer) — mapped out a roadmap to develop a new grey box. That box would ultimately become the ElliTrack X.

My role in this process is to sense what the customer needs. How do we solve their question, and how can we turn it into a profitable, long-term collaboration? At the same time, I keep an eye on whether this customer-specific solution can be scaled up for use by others.

Technical innovation and practical applications

The ElliTrack X makes it possible to deliver ready-to-use measurement solutions in the field without high up-front development costs. This is made possible by standardising the interfaces that allow the ElliTrack X to communicate with various types of sensor outputs, such as 4–20 mA, 0–10V and SDI-12. This means you can start measuring much faster, and at lower cost.

One key advantage: we keep this product in stock. So delivery time is short. Your logger comes off the shelf, we configure it with your chosen sensor, and you’re ready to head out into the field. And since you’ll be working within the ElliTrack portal — already familiar to our existing customers — analysing the data feels just like your previous measurement points. No need to invest in or learn a whole new digital system.

In use: existing applications in the field

Several of these grey boxes are already operational, including for:

• Protecting the energy grid in Belgium
  ElliTrack X is used to detect leaks and malfunctions in ground loops, which is crucial for protecting both the environment and critical infrastructure.
  It functions as a second layer of remote monitoring for the energy network.

• Managing a chemical landfill
  In an environment with a high risk of chemical contamination, ElliTrack X offers a reliable solution for monitoring environmental conditions.
  This makes it possible to intervene in time and prevent further damage.

Looking ahead: sustainability and customer value

The use of ElliTrack X in future projects, such as dike safety and groundwater level monitoring, shows how widely applicable and important this device is in critical environmental and infrastructure projects. ElliTrack X helps municipalities and water authorities carry out their responsibilities more effectively, using a sustainable and cost-efficient technology.

With ElliTrack X, we’re committed to continuously improving our measurement solutions — not only technically advanced, but also with a meaningful contribution to the world we live in. We’ll keep working on improvements and extensions to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

What challenge do you have for us?

The ElliTrack X gets right to the core of what we do. At heart, we’re a development company that creates smart and practical measurement solutions — for places where no infrastructure is available. With this solution, we hope to expand our product range even further.

We invite you to share your monitoring challenges with us.
Let’s work together to create solutions that are both practical and cost-effective.

Jeffrey Ensing – Business developer Leiderdorp Instruments