Critical Environmental Monitoring. Simplified.
We believe that everyone deserves to know as much as possible about a new technology as essential as wireless remote continuous monitoring before they engage with a company's representative. We've captured the most common questions prospects and customers ask, and answered in simple, straightforward language to help you understand how Sonicu serves your facility, your team and your needs.
Your Questions Answered, Your Team & Facility Safer
Remote wireless temperature monitoring is far more than temperature probes and excursion alerts.
Our customers grow with us over time to monitor humidity, air pressure differential and even noise and our reports are customized to make compliance reporting a snap.
Best of all, our American-based support staff are always ready to help you when an issue arises.
HOW DO I INSTALL SONICU PRODUCTS?
We offer professional installation.
However, Sonicu devices are easy to install and most often are installed by the customer using our Implementation Wizard tool and the Sonicu Academy quick start guides.
Either way, installation will be a snap.
And every Sonicu product deployed as part of software subscription is covered by our hardware warranty, protecting you from future hardware investments.
WHAT CAN I LEARN AT SONICU ACADEMY?
Sonicu Academy is where our customers learn how to maximize their investment in their environmental monitoring.
From installation and onboarding to automating their essential compliance reports and buffering their alerts , we’ve made it easy for you to leverage every aspect of our solution.
And our team of customer success managers are here for any advanced queries that aren’t covered in the academy
WHAT CRITICAL ASSETS CAN I PROTECT WITH TEMPERATURE MONITORING?
Sonicu specializes in all temperature applications, from vaccines, medications, food warmers, -80 freezers, Cryogenic storage and more.
Wireless remote monitoring is flexible and scalable to whatever your monitoring needs are.
WHAT OTHER CONDITIONS AND/OR SITUATIONS CAN I MONITOR?
You can monitor power failures, equipment status, door open/close, and more.
Any commercially available sensor can be added to the Sonicu platform.
And all are available in a seamless offering that scales easily across your facility.
WHAT OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTS CAN I MONITOR WITH SONICU’S PROPRIETARY SOLUTION?
- Air pressure
- Humidity
- Noise
- Ambient Temperature
Our customers seek to have one platform to monitor all critical environmental factors.
DO I NEED SUPPORT FROM MY IT DEPARTMENT TO DEPLOY ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING?
No, SoniCloud is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) which allows you to access from any web-enabled device (laptop, PC, Smartphone) without the need for local servers or IT resources.
We’re happy to collaborate with your IT department to educate and inform on how our system works, but Sonicu is deployed without taxing your internal information infrastructure. Since we don't hold any patient or personnel information, we aren't subject to many typical IT constraints.
The Sonicu platform can also communicate with cellular technology as well as local servers, providing additional redundancy and protection against power and network outages.
HOW DO I AUTOMATE MY COMPLIANCE REPORTING?
Sonicu understands the requirements for regulatory compliance and helps our clients comply with VFC/CDC, Joint Commission, HFAB, FDA, USDA, BoP, AABB, local/ state government agencies and more.
Say goodbye to cumbersome manual reporting and hello to compliance automation that ensures your facility is always audit ready.
Sonicu has virtually all the templates and information just a few clicks away to ensure you're ready for virtually any inspection or audit.
HOW DO I RECEIVE TEMPERATURE EXCURSION ALERTS?
Alerts are delivered via email, text and mobile app push notifications. Sonicu will work with your team to create tailored alert buffering to avoid the dreaded “ignored car alarm” effect.
Buffering your alarms and alerts will ensure you receive the right amount of alerts to take action to protect your assets and people .
HOW DO I ENSURE MY SENSORS ARE NIST COMPLIANT?
Sonicu provides NIST certification on all of our digital sensors and probes.
In addition, our SNAP calibration program provides an easy and cost-effective way to ensure ongoing NIST certification. The vast majority of our customers leverage our SNAP program to ensure calibration while saving precious time and energy.
You no longer have to worry about your NIST compliance. We can own that process for you.
HOW MUCH MONEY CAN MY TEAM SAVE LEVERAGING SONICU TECHNOLOGY?
Experience shows that our customers save an average of one Full Time Employee’s time (salary) for every 100 hospital beds.
That’s why large hospital systems like IU Health have grown from a few dozen sensors and probes to thousands across their network, allowing them to re-allocate dozens of employees to higher value tasks.
The savings is realized in less time spent on manual logging, completing tedious reporting and the cost of lost assets due to temperature excursions.
HOW DO I WORK WITH CUSTOMER SUPPORT?
Sonicu has a US based customer support center for live customer and tech support.
Additionally, our web-based Sonicu Academy has videos, quick start guides, and training documents to support our customers.
IS SONICU AVAILABLE IN MY AREA?
Sonicu covers the entire United States. Today we support more than 500 customers in every state.
International inquiries are handled through our corporate office.
Contact sales@sonicu.com for more information.
HOW DO I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES?
Sonicu is here to help answer any questions you might have.
Email info@sonicu.com for more information.
Are maintenance options offered?
Sonicu provides unlimited US-based support and training as part of our standard service level. Advanced service level agreements are available and can be tailored to the customers.
Who performs the calibration?
All sensors include NIST certifications accessible with your SoniCloud subscription. We also offer a SNAP calibration program to automate your NIST certification.
The majority of Sonic customers are enrolled in our SNAP program, allowing them to focus on their core responsibilities and leave NIST calibration to Sonicu.
Are major and minor software upgrades included?
All software updates are included. We are constantly updating and innovating our software to deliver better features focused on a more convenient user experience and stronger return on investment. Also, as reports are added to SoniCloud based on shifting compliance requirements, those are made available to all SoniCloud users. SoniCloud subscriptions include unlimited users, reports, alarms, and training or support.
How will new installations be invoiced and implemented?
Our standard terms are Net 30 from shipment. Implementation is handled by a dedicated Customer Success team that coordinates each step from installation to training.
Customers without existing credit may require a down payment.and the Sonicu academy/quick start guides etc.
Either way, installation will be a snap.
What devices or services are included with the installations? What devices or services are not part of the installations? What additional fees will be required?
Sonicu has a kit approach and all the materials required for your monitoring will be included.
The required meters, sensors, and other hardware is dependent on what needs to be monitored. Items not covered included on-site room modifications.
That is included in any quotes that are provided, and all hardware is under an extensive warranty. Additional fees may include the SNAP calibration program.
How will new installations be invoiced and implemented?
Our standard terms are Net 30 from shipment. Implementation is handled by a dedicated
Customer Success team that coordinates each step from installation to training.
Customers without existing credit may require a down payment.
How much money can my team save with remote wireless temperature and environmental monitoring?
Experience shows that our customers save an average of one Full Time Employee’s time (salary) for every 100 hospital beds.
That’s why large hospital systems like IU Health have grown from a few dozen sensors and probes to thousands across their network, allowing them to re-allocate dozens of employees to higher value tasks.
The savings is realized in less time spent on manual logging, completing tedious reporting and the cost of lost assets due to temperature excursions.
Does Sonicu offer a service agreement?
SoniCloud subscription includes our standard service package, including unlimited remote support and training.
We can tailor a more advanced service package depending on your requirements.
Hardware is covered under warranty for as long as you have an active SoniCloud subscription.
How many software licenses are required? Per site / Per user / Per system, etc?
Sonicu requires a subscription based on the number of monitoring data points. The larger the volume of points, the lower the total price per point.
Sonicu also offers Enterprise 100, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 point level pricing. Additional discounts are added for 3- or 5-year terms.
Sonicu allows for unlimited users; our pricing for software is based on how many monitored data points are on your site.
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Does your device monitor ambient temperature and room humidity? Work in refrigerators? Freezers? Ultra-Low Temp Freezers (-80C), liquid nitrogen tanks? Incubators?"
Sonicu monitors all of the above. Sonicu has digital sensors for all types of temperature applications:
- -20, -80, Cryo, LN2,
- Warm buffered, and more
- Humidity & Ambient Room Conditions
- Differential pressure monitoring
- Leak Detection
- Door Closure
- CO2, and more
Sonicu also has the ability to pull data from any other commercially available sensor with 4-20mA output.
Our Customers: In their Own Words
Martha Rardin, Director, Nutrition & Dietetics, Hendricks Regional Hospital, invested in a Sonicu solution to monitor temperature, ambient room conditions, air pressure differential, and noise across multiple buildings in the entire hospital system.
She turned to Sonicu to strengthen the culture of safety the hospital has invested in for decades.
You can learn more about her solution in this case study.
Does your device monitor ambient temperature and room humidity? Work in refrigerators? Freezers? Ultra-Low Temp Freezers (-80C), liquid nitrogen tanks? Incubators?"
Sonicu monitors all of the above. Sonicu has digital sensors for all types of temperature applications: -20, -80, Cryo, LN2, Warm buffered, and more.
Sonicu also provides environmental sensors for Humidity, Ambient Room Conditions, Differential pressure monitoring, Leak Detection, Door Closure, CO2, and more.
Sonicu also has the ability to pull data from any other commercially available sensor with 4-20mA output.
Are your sensors wireless or hard-wired?
Everything we monitor is transmitted to our cloud based software wirelessly.
There are multiple data transmission options for connectivity to the cloud.
Wi-Fi, Cellular, Ethernet, and Ethernet to Cellular failover are standard options.
Is your system Cloud hosted?
We're a cloud platform hosted on Enterprise AWS, providing Sonicu customers the reliability, redundancy, and security of the world's leading cloud hosting company.
Does your system have alarms that are generated and logged when the temperature is outside the range specified; sensor or transmitter connection is lost; internet is down, battery is low, sensors not providing data, and when conditions are back to normal?
Everything listed here can trigger notifications. Sonicu provides tiered alarms to users or groups of users so that alarms can be escalated if not responded to in a time limit you set.
Sonicu also provides alarm snoozing, and buffering to avoid alarm fatigue by your staff.
Does the Sonicu system have e-mail and GSM alert capabilities. Is it one or the other, or can it be a variety?
Sonicu allows users to receive any combination of alerts via phone call, SMS text, email, or push notifications.
What safeguards are in place to ensure that in the event of an internet outage, no data or functionality is lost?
Offline Alarms will notify customers of internet outages. However, rest assured this alone does not cause data loss or create gaps in data.
Sonicu devices store years of sensor data!
Our DataSync feature ensures lossless data when connectivity is restored.
Additionally, customers using SoniLink Hubs can choose to transmit data via Ethernet with Cell Failover to ensure internet outages do not impact any functionality of the system.
Is there visualization of the monitored conditions and of alarm status per individual sensor and room?
SoniCloud Dashboard helps customers visualize their facility in multiple ways, including floor plan views showing the actual location of monitored points and active alarm status.
Sonicu also offers local displays on all of our hardware that allow local alarming and indication.
Is there visualization of temperature curves?
You can view real-time temperatures in SoniCloud and can zoom in or out from the exact time of the reading to weeks or even months of temperature curves.
Can the temperature and environmental monitoring data be exported in different formats (pdf, csv, xml)?
Sonicu can export data into pdf, csv, and xml formats.
We also have integration with Power BI to take your data so you can integrate the data into larger dashboards and reporting.
Are the reports web-based?
Reports are web-based and can be printed on-demand or auto-generated and emailed to subscribed users at set intervals.
You can learn more about reports HERE>
Can the alarm recipients work through a "notification tree" where the alarm is escalated after some time if it's not addressed?
Alarms can be escalated to multiple people or groups of people.
Alarm comments from all users can be viewed in real time for group collaboration.
Does your system allow for alert acquittal and the possibility to annotate the software commenting on the alert?
You can silence, snooze, or resolve alarms and leave comments on any alarm. These corrective actions are captured that into audit-ready compliance reports.
We make sure your alarms are tailored to your unique facility and situation.
How are the login and passwords secured?
Sonicu’s password policy system is configurable by the client and includes the ability to force password minimum length as well as password complexity.
Sonicu also has a client-configurable password reset feature that requires passwords to be reset on aclient-defined interval of days.
All passwords in the Sonicu system are salted and stored encrypted (via the Blowfish encryption cypher) in the Sonicu database, ensuring that passwords are secure and cannot be easily decrypted in the unlikely event of a data breach.
Is the user able to add/remove, enable/disable sensors, transmitters, and receivers?
Admin users can add and remove points, disable them, etc.
View users are locked out of those permissions.
Can you restrict user access by role? So not everyone can be deactivated, for example?
Sonicu allows clients to control permissions by both privileges and roles. Users will only be allowed access to Sonicu system that they have privileges to view.
Admin users control these permissions.
Who will be able to manage the monitors, IT or pharmacy or nutrition or quality?
That is completely up to the individual client.
Sonicu can recommend “Best Practices” for the most efficient management of the system to help tailor a plan that best suits your operations.
Does the user have the ability to configure the frequency of temperature data recording (refresh periodicity) and the frequency of data reporting?
Admin users can change the parameters for points of monitoring.
This includes the data transmission intervals, and the reporting functions.
Can the user configure alarm settings based on temperature levels but also for a duration above a certain temperature threshold?
Admin users would set threshold alarms as well as caution limits and alarm buffers.
All changes to alarm settings are recorded in the audit trail.
Can the user configure the list of alert recipients according to the type of alarm and/or the time of the alarm (e.g. alarms during biobank working hours vs non-working hours)?
Admin users would determine groups and set alarm response criteria for them.
This can be set up based on time of day, days of the week, etc.
Can the user configure the content of alarm messages according to the type of sensor and alarm (e.g. room temperature alarm, freezer temperature, loss of connexion)?
Yes, once an alarm is triggered, you're notified of the exact alarm being triggered.
If floor plans are provided, you can also view where exactly in the facility that alarm is happening.
Can the system produce an audit trail of configuration changes?
Yes, the Sonicu system records every alarm setting change, login logs and more.
The Sonicu system was designed to help our clients meet strict regulatory requirements related to system controls.
Are you compliant with the FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11?
Yes, Sonicu partners with Amazon Web Services, the leader in cloud computing, to provide a data acquisition, record keeping and reporting, and sensor calibration platform that helps our customers in healthcare, life science, pharma (GxP), and food industries meet the stringent regulatory requirements of Joint Commission, CDC, AABB, AATB, CAP, BoP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, and ISO 17025.
Does your system archive all monitoring data and reports for at least 10 years?
Yes, the client owns all data from the time they become a Sonicu customer through their life as a Sonicu customer.
Are reports web-based, user-friendly, with an interactive dashboard with color codes for devices/areas monitored?
Reports are user-friendly and web-based. Sonicu reports are audit-ready for compliance purposes.
Customers rely on Sonicu reports to answer audits and inspections for FDA, CDC, Joint Commission, Board of Pharmacy, and local health departments.
If your inspector is focused on temperature integrity, the odds are strong that we will be able to answer their questions.
Does it display an unlimited number of workstations and screens?
Yes, Sonicu does not limit the number of users or access to the system.
Clients can leverage an unlimited number of workstations, screens to display their Sonicu dashboard.
Do you have the capability to see the status of temperatures and call up graphs on your smartphone?
Yes, via the Sonicu mobile app or through the browser on your smartphone.
Our customers rely on the SoniCloud mobile app to stay connected to their monitoring solution at work, home, and wherever they go.
What are the hours for support for questions and or troubleshooting?
SonicCoud is hosted on Enterprise AWS - Sonicu engineering supports the uptime of our SoniCloud platform 24/7.
Clients may initiate a support ticket at any time via the support tab on their SoniCloud dashboard.
Live US-based customer support and training are available during standard business hours.
Our support team is trained to help customers solve problems in real-time and are familiar with the most common hardware and software issues that can impact performance.
Upon installation, is there configuration of the monitoring software according to local needs, calibration of sensors (by accredited supplier), testing, and validation of the system?
Sonicu provides configuration of the monitoring software via our Implementation Software.
All Sonicu sensors are shipped with NIST calibration certificates.
Sonicu offers professional services for both installation and IQ/OQ services to provide full validation of the system.
How is training supported at implementation for new installation?
Sonicu prides itself on our onboarding and training processes.
We lead web-based training for customer Admin users of our system via dedicated Customer Success Managers.
Training is provided for new clients, or anytime the client has additional Admin users that need training.
Sonicu has a software based installation Wizard to guide new setup of Sonicu sensors, alarming and morethat process as well.
Sonicu Academy provides 24/7 online access to FAQ’s, videos and tutorials for additional training.
Do you offer a temperature mapping solution for facilities that require it?
Yes, we offer temperature mapping solutions through our certified partner.
Real Solutions is our partner for temperature mapping projects.
Are Sonicu sensor calibrated at the relevant temperatures, e.e. 15 degrees C, 4 Celsius, 20 Celsius, negative 80 C?
Yes, Sonicu sensors are shipped with NIST calibration certificates.
As part of our process, sensors are calibrated at the relevant temperatures for the applications they are monitoring.
Do you offer remote surveillance and alerts based on abnormal temperatures? (indicating imminent freezer compressor failure)?
Sonicu provides you a system with advanced alarms and analytics to help you be aware of abnormalities with your equipment.
In addition, our reporting platform provides reports that help pinpoint problematic equipment that is not maintaining normal temperature ranges.
Our standard service level agreement does not provide Sonicu staff actively monitoring this on your behalf but this could be incorporated into an Advanced Service Level Agreement (ASLA)
Do you track your customer support resolution cases?
Yes, we track our customer support resolution cases both by time to resolve and by sentiment.
Our industry-leading customer retention is a result of our firm commitment to American-based customer service delivered by experts who know our customers and their challenges.
IT QUESTIONS >>>
With multiple ways to connect and a redundant system built to help healthcare and laboratory information security managers feel confident their system will not be made vulnerable, Sonicu has the answers to your most common IT questions.
Does your system require additional equipment such as servers, PCs, etc. to operate the temperature monitoring software?
SoniCloud provides a hosted software solution to eliminate the need for local servers and maintenance to your servers. Sonicu provides a turnkey solution with no additional software or equipment needed.
Sonicu can integrate with 3rd party software via a cloud API or via a hardware integration to most existing BAS/BMS platforms.
Once fully implemented, how long does it take to add on additional devices? New locations?
Sonicu stocks all of our digital sensors and devices. Customers can add new equipment easily at anytime. Sonicu performs QA and calibration on all hardware before it ships to our customers.
Can your system work remotely to log in and access all records in real-time from a PC and smartphone?
You will be able to log in to different systems regardless of their geographical location.
Sonicu allows you to aggregate data from an unlimited number of disparate locations into a consolidated dashboard and access them from our Mobile App or any modern browser.
Do you provide professional installation on all applicable storage container types and in all monitored areas?
We can deliver, install and implement your remote wireless temperature and environmental monitoring solution to virtually any location or application, including storage containers.
However, Sonicu devices are easy to install and most often are installed by the customer using our Implementation Wizard tool and the Sonicu academy/quick start guides etc.
Either way, installation will be a snap as this VIDEO shows.
DELIVERABLES QUESTIONS >>>
From invoicing and installation to configuration and post-install check ins, we've build systems engineered to make the onboarding process simple and to ensure your return on investment.
How and when do you invoice us?
Sites are not invoiced until your order is tested, calibrated, and shipped.
If you chose Sonicu professional installation invoicing will be done at the time we receive the order. Sonic remits invoices via email as standard process.
Customers that want to initiate electronic payments may work with our accounting team to set this up. Please know that Sonicu may require a downpayment for larger orders or customers without credit.
From large hospital systems to boutique biotech firms and more than 500 distinct customers in between, Sonicu has evolved into one of the leading providers of monitoring solutions thanks to our reliable hardware, intuitive software and powerful return on investment.
When coupled with our commitment to delivering robust customer service, Sonicu delivers a comprehensive remote wireless temperature and environmental monitoring solution that saves our customers time and money while delivering peace of mind that their precious assets are protected.
Are you in compliance with Sections 208 and 514 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, Public Law 117-103, enacted March 15, 2022?
As required by Section 208 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 and Section 889 of the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), our products do not include components or parts from Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua and their subsidiaries and affiliates. We comply with this requirement.
Is there a way to determine how the data travels to AWS and how the database is configured security wise in AWS? If I understand it correctly, Iveric will only have read access to the database in AWS via the portal.
Data transmission protocols depend on if it is a Wifi or SoniLink device. SoniLink uses LoraWAN(which in turn uses secure web sockets) to transmit that data over the internet. View this link from AWS for more information about how AWS implements the LoRaWAN protocol for secure data transmission.
https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/connect-iot-lorawan-security.html
Is data sent direct from devices over our network via TLS v1.2 or v1.3 straight to AWS database?
If the device is WiFi, then we can configure it to use HTTPS, which uses TLS 1.2 to transmit the packets securely to an AWS-managed application load balancer, and from there the data will generally be placed on a message queue to be processed and inserted into our databases.
No customers have direct access to our databases, the data is provided to them through our application interface. Meaning they won't have access to the raw data to run queries against, they can only view the data as we provide it to them in our application. All device data is read-only and unable to be edited through our application.
What kind of database is being used and is it stored/backed up geo-redundantly?
Sonicu uses Multi-AZ enabled MySQL databases on AWS RDS. This means redundant database infrastructure is maintained across multiple data centers.
The databases are backed up on a daily bases using RDS Snapshots.
What kind of encryption is used on the database in AWS?
All Sonicu database data is encrypted at rest using industry-standard AES-256 data encryption using AWS EBS encryption.
Is the AWS Audit Manager available for us to run or request reports on the data?
SoniCloud includes a full suite of rich reporting features to be used for generating automated compliance reporting.
Our team can work with you to ensure you have the right reports to satisfy all compliance needs.
ASSET PRESERVATION: CONNECT, DETECT, PROTECT YOUR CRITICAL ASSETS
From life-saving vaccines to groundbreaking research, Sonicu protects your work with priceless assets that demand unflinching protection. From operating rooms to NICU wards, your patients demand the highest level of care.
In a world rife with risks, from ransomware to power outages, we’ve developed a technology service that monitors temperatures, air differential, humidity and noise and embedded powerful redundancies, battery back-ups and alerts that can reach you from the operating room to your kitchen table.
COMPLIANCE AUTOMATION: TWO-CLICK INSPECTION READINESS
We understand the rigor of your regulatory environment and have built a software suite that can automate virtually every report required to remain compliant.
Say goodbye to the hours of manually completing dense forms and hoping your team didn’t make an honest mistake and hello to what we call compliance automation.
You deserve to spend your time focusing on mission critical facets of your role, not checking boxes that our technology can seamlessly deliver to you anywhere at any time.
REDUCE LABOR: SLASH MANUAL LOGGING
By connecting sensors and probes to the Internet and replacing legacy monitoring systems, health care systems are able to slash labor time and associated costs with an employee literally walking around your facility to collect temperature readings.
Always on monitoring slashes labor costs, removes the opportunity for human error and provides 24/7 readings, not just the single moment when your team members made the reading.
You can expect to save the time and money associated with one full time employee for every 100 beds in your facility. And gain the incalculable peace of mind from always-on wireless remote monitoring.
AMERICAN MADE CUSTOMER SERVICE: TAILORED TO YOUR NEEDS
Yours is among the most essential of all essential jobs. And you deserve to have a friendly, supportive and local voice on the other end of the phone when an issue arises.
The AWS Cloud is robust, flexible and secure while our hardware and software bundle is trusted by more than 500 customers in all 50 states. But sometimes hiccups happen and our customer service team is always here to support your operations.
From troubleshooting alarms to tailoring reports to fit your specific needs, your customer success manager will always be ready to listen and help.