Light readings provide visibility into ambient light conditions for your shipments during a trip. SmartSense captures the current brightness level as a percentage from 0% (complete darkness) to 100% (maximum light). This is especially useful for shipments where light exposure is a quality or compliance concern (e.g., pharmaceuticals, photosensitive materials, tamper detection, and cold-chain products).
Key features include:
Instant visibility – brightness appears in grids, popups, and banners
End-to-end trip coverage – brightness at every waypoint, from departure to arrival
Consistent experience – same layout and labeling as temperature and humidity
Note: If your sensor does not capture light data, the light columns and fields will remain empty.
Device requirements
Hardware
The T1R must have light sensor hardware (some customers have prototype versions of the T1R that do not have a light sensor)
The case of the T1R must be modified to expose light to the sensor
Firmware
A specific firmware version is needed to product light reading
FAQ
Do I need to configure anything to see light readings?
Customer: No additional setup is needed once it’s confirmed your sensor devices support light readings. Brightness will automatically appear alongside temperature.
SmartSense: Product Management needs to confirm hardware & firmware requirements are met.
What does the brightness percentage represent?
The percentage reflects the level detected by the sensor relative to its maximum detection level. 0% means no light was detected, 100% means maximum light level was detected.
Why is the brightness field empty for some assets?
An empty brightness field means no reading is available. This can happen if the sensor does not support a light detector, if data has not yet been received, or if the reading falls outside the current timeframe. This is normal behavior, not an error.
Can I set an alarm if brightness exceeds a threshold?
Currently, no. Brightness is read-only with no threshold rules, alarms, or alert notifications.
Where can I see brightness at each waypoint during a trip?
Click on the Voyage trips tab then navigate to the waypoint grid. On this screen, you will find the brightness in the last reading column for each recorded point. You can also click any waypoint on the map to open a popup showing light, temperature, and the device ID that captured the reading.
Does brightness appear in the asset card view?
Yes, when viewing the assets page in card view, the current brightness percentage is displayed at the bottom of each asset card.
Is brightness shown in the asset details summary at the top of the page?
Yes, the measurement banner in the upper-right corner of the asset details page includes the current brightness percentage, providing an at-a-glance view of all current sensor readings.
Which sensor devices support light readings?
Light sensing is available on select SmartSense sensor models. If you are unsure if your sensor has light sensing capabilities, contact the SmartSense support team.