Privacy and security
We measure the desk, not the person.
This page is for everyone who has to ask questions before the start: data protection, IT security, HR and employee representatives. Here you find what is recorded, where the data goes and who sees it.
Scope
Everything on this page applies to the thingdust solution: thingdust sensors, the radio network with gateways and the thingdust dashboard. It does not apply to integrations of partners – for these, the technology and terms of the respective provider apply. reservd, the reservation solution by thingdust, does not record any personal data either. More under Integrations.
What is recorded
Occupied or free. Nothing more.
The sensor contains a passive infrared sensor. It reacts to moving heat and reports a state for its desk or room.
What we record
- Occupancy state per desk or room, with time stamp
- The name of the space, e.g. "3rd floor · Zone B · Desk 12"
- Technical sensor values: battery level, signal quality
- At dashboard sign-in: your company e-mail for the access code
What we don't record
- Images, video, audio
- Names or staff numbers – the platform does not allow such labels
- Who sits at which desk or how anyone moves through the building
- Phones, laptops, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals
- Working hours, attendance or performance of individual employees
Integrations
Different technology, separate terms. Everything above applies only to the thingdust solution, not to integrations of partners. One example: Xovis counters for open areas are optical 3D sensors (camera) above the entrances. They process everything on the device and only pass on counts – no images are stored or transmitted. They need power and a network connection (PoE, Wi-Fi or a dedicated thingdust router) and are installed and quoted separately. More under Integrations.
Data flow
From sensor to dashboard, bypassing your network.
Detects "occupied"
The sensor evaluates on its own and only transmits the state. It has no internet access.
PIR · battery-poweredLoRaWAN
Small data packets by radio to the gateway on the floor. LoRaWAN encrypts the transmission by default.
AES-128 as per the LoRaWAN standardMobile network
The gateway transmits via its own SIM card. It only needs power – no Wi-Fi, no LAN, no firewall rules.
one socket per floorthingdust
Storage and analysis on the thingdust platform. Swiss Made software.
Microsoft Azure, Western Europe · Swiss hosting on requestYour access
Dashboard and live display in the browser, encrypted via HTTPS. On request via API into your systems.
API · e-mail reportsAccess
Who sees the data.
You decide who has access. There are no passwords that could be lost or shared.
- Dashboard
- A dedicated link per customer. Sign-in with your company e-mail plus an access code that is valid only once.
- Approval
- Only e-mail addresses or domains you approve receive a code.
- Live display
- Public link or QR code without login. It only shows free desks and rooms, no history.
- thingdust team
- Access for operation, support and the agreed analysis.
- API
- Access for your systems on request.
Legal
Swiss law, clear contracts.
- Legal basis
- Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP). The solution is built to meet the requirements of the GDPR as well.
- Personal reference
- None. For personally assigned desks we apply an additional anonymisation process so that no conclusions about individuals are possible there either.
- Data ownership
- The measurement data belongs to you. You always have access to the raw data and can download it yourself as CSV in the dashboard.
- Retention
- At your request we delete the data immediately, otherwise after the agreed period.
Informing employees
Inform openly, before the first sensor goes up.
Experience shows: where people are informed early and clearly, there is hardly any resistance. The figures often make discussions about space more objective.
Involve employee representatives
We are happy to explain the sensor and data flow in person – with a sensor to hold.
Inform everyone
With our template: why we measure, what is recorded and what isn't, and for how long.
Name a contact
Questions go to a person on your side or directly to us. A notice in the office helps.
Share the results
People who know what happened with the figures are happy to take part next time.
Documents
Everything for your assessment.
- Data protection information for your DPO and HR
- Template for informing employees (German and English)
- Technical data sheet for IT