PhotonSync uses similar technology to that of NASA’s Mars rover. Photo: NASA

JourneyApps, a low-code app platform for industrial companies, has deployed a feature to transfer data between end-user devices without any connectivity — whether cellular, WiFi/LAN, or Bluetooth. The company created PhotonSync to address the need of industrial field workers who have to transfer data between users in areas where there may be no internet connectivity or local network available.

PhotonSync uses animated QR codes to transfer data from one device to another, using similar technology to that used on NASA’s Mars exploration rovers to communicate with the Earth — known as fountain codes. It can transfer data between devices running different operating systems like iOS, Android, Windows, or others. One example of use is shift handovers between oilfield service companies, when data needs to be transferred when there’s often no cellular internet, satellite internet or WiFi. 

“Think of PhotonSync as a cross-platform version of Apple’s AirDrop,” JourneyApps Chief Product Officer Kobie Botha said. “It lets field workers share data and enables them to execute their work more efficiently, saving precious time.”