Tag Archives: Indoor Asset Tracking

NHS evaluates RTLS for its hospital

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Princess Alexandria Hospital
NHS conducted a trial of RTLS for one of their affiliated hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital at Essex, UK.  This post is distillation from their study results.

About the Hospital

  • 451 beds
  • 4,000 staff

source: NHS

Why RTLS?

  • To improve asset tracking and patient flow by incorporating real time location data into their work flow
  • Stated objectives:
    • allow for the automatic location tracking (by room) and logging of medical assets
    • provide a holistic view of wait times for equipment or demonstrate better use of equipment shared between areas
    • support improvements to device maintenance and patient flow monitoring

RTLS Technology Adopted

Active RFID tag with WiFi for data transfer

Result – A magnitude improvement

After adopting RTLS, the average time spent locating missing devices was found to decrease from an hour on average to 10 minutes.  Before tagging a task used to take 8 hours / a week. After tagging that task was reduced to 1 hour / week.

Full NHS study report is available here.

Want to run a RTLS trial in your hospital?

INDTRAC RTLS platform has incorporated many of the best practices and beside real time location tracking, it supports auto-monitoring temperature for sensitive zones viz. stores. It also incorporates smart alarm system where real time alerts are delivered to designated people. Smart alarms integrates your existing electrical sirens in the hospital to enable localized siren activation. For example the administrator can configure the system so that a for an emergency local to a ward, local siren is activated.
Moreover, to make it easily usable, entire solution is available as smartphone App.

Please call us for a quick demo.

RFID or BLE for your Hospital RTLS?

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BLE or RFID? - Things to consider before you decide for your hospital

A hospital RTLS primarily is a software that uses wireless technologies e.g. RFID, BLE or UWB, to provide you real time indoor location intelligence (for example, which asset is currently in which zone?) for your hospitals. Most RTLS vendors tie their software to a specific technology, which means deciding vendor itself selects the technology. But is the optimal? Would you not like to understand the cost-benefits independently before you let your vendor choose for you?

When it comes to hospital RTLS, hospitals in US have predominantly adopted RTLS based on RFID though cost is very high. It's also true that RFID (especially active RFID) based RTLS is there for a very long time. BLE in fact is a recent addition. Interesting thing is both BLE and active RFID uses 2.4 GHz band but while BLE standard is open, active RFID is often proprietary and therefore costlier.

Understanding RFID

RFID is wireless radio frequency (RF) based standard and works on multiple RF bands, designated as LF (Low Frequency), HF (High Frequency) and UHF (Ultra High Frequency). Accuracy and speed increases from LF to UHF. Main components of this technology is RF Tag, RF Antenna and RF Readers. RF Tag can be active which means the tag has a battery and sends data on its own. Passive RF tag on the other hand is without battery and it can only send the data using the reflected RF energy (from the reader). The advantage of passive RF Tag is that it has almost unlimited life (no battery replacement) and also costs 10 times less than an active RF tag. To read passive RF Tags, the RFID reader must use high-gain antenna.

UHF RFID operates at 860-930 MHz (For India designated band is 865-867 MHz) but the high gain makes it a little unattractive to use in radio-sensitive places inside the Hospital.

RFID protocols were designed for reading inventory which makes it little difficult to employ it for indoor location tracking in real time. Given the high cost of UHF RFID readers (above USD 1,000), building RFID infrastructure for a hospital is often prohibitively expensive. While most leading vendors started supporting WiFi in the their RFID readers in latest products, old models typically do not support WiFi, which means it needs its separate network making the installation expensive. For a medium-sized hospital, RFID infrastructure costs have been reported between $200,000 and $600,000, depending on the facility's size and specific requirements.

Due to high cost, a hospital typically uses only a few fixed Reader placed at strategic location to cover entire floor area. But that also brings down effectiveness of tracking. Large inaccuracy of location with RFID based RTLS is a common refrain.

How BLE is different?

Most Hospital RTLS employs active RFID hardware which typically uses the regulation-free 2.4GHz. This is the same frequency band that is used in Microwave Ovens all over the world, as well as Bluetooth Devices and basic WiFi network. Given the low power gain used, it is considered safe.
BLE stands for Bluetooth Low Energy and is used in sensor network ubiquitously. Being lightweight, the devices come with very small form factor.  BLE works in the same way as active RFID. But since BLE standard is open, BLE devices have proliferated a lot faster. That effectively has brought down the cost of BLE tags and BLE gateways. BLE gateways cost 10 times lesser than a RFID reader and it can use the hospital's WiFi network which  in turn brings down the overall installation cost for BLE based RTLS.

For a 40 room hospital, it was reported to cost below USD 100K. However, we should remember, the cost of BLE tags are higher compared to passive RFID tags and battery of a BLE tag typically needs replacement every 1-2 years.

Active RFID vs BLE

Both of them need battery which means it requires periodic battery replacement. Additionally active RFID devices and tags are relatively more costly. More importantly vendor lock-in is one major aspect of using active RFID hardware. In comparison BLE devices are available off-the-shelf and can be upgraded / replaced with different vendor's products at ease without any service downtime.

A ready comparison chart

Feature UHF RFID BLE
Frequency Band 860–956 MHz 2.4 GHz
Range Up to 100 meters (depending on tag and reader / antenna)  less than UHF RFID
Data Rate Up to 640 kbps Up to 2 Mbps
Accuracy Typically within a margin of a few meters. Passive tags sometimes are missed by the Readers during periodic scanning Better than RFID. BLE Tags send the data themselves - eliminating the issue of missed scans.
Power Consumption Passive tags require no power; active tags have batteries Low power consumption; suitable for battery-powered devices
Cost Passive tags are cost-effective; active tags are more expensive Generally low-cost due to widespread adoption
Typical Applications Asset tracking, inventory management, supply chain logistics Asset tracking, personnel monitoring, proximity marketing, indoor navigation
Tag Cost Passive UHF RFID tags: Approximately $0.10 to $0.50 per tag.
Active RFID tags: Approximately $5 to $15 per tag.		 BLE tags: Approximately $2 to $10 per tag.
Reader/Gateway Cost Fixed RFID readers: Approximately $1,400 to $8,000 per unit.

Handheld RFID readers: Approximately $1,000 to $4,500 per unit.

 BLE gateways: Approximately $100 to $500 per unit.

INDTRAC Approach

INDTRAC promises to work with almost all leading BLE and passive UHF RFID readers. INDTRAC also qualifies vendor hardware before they are recommend to you so that you can choose the technology most suited for your use case and budget without any worries. For BLE tags, INDTRAC proactively monitors the battery and alerts you to replace the battery when a tag battery loses the power. BLE tags mostly use ubiquitously available low-cost coin lithium battery which makes the replacement cost very marginal.
There is another advantage with using BLE -- you can seamlessly use the RTLS to monitor zone-wise temperature, humidity or VOC almost at the same expense as that of asset tracking infrastructure.

Understanding asset tag technologies

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Indoor asset tracking is coming to mainstream now. Whether in hospital, or in warehouse, people are realizing that there are certain benefits that they cannot ignore any more in their business context.

But before you adopt it, would you not like to understand what it takes to implement? Of course there is this software called Real Time Location System (RTLS) but what about the tags? This is an attempt to make it simpler for you to decide.

Many Tag technologies

Every asset tracking system requires tags to be fixed on your assets. Now there are different tag technologies, like RFID, LoRA, BLE, UWB etc.

RFID can be both passive and active. Passive RFID tags do not have battery and therefore do not transmit by itself. RFID readers in vicinity sends search packets and the passive tags respond to them (they are passive after all!). Active Tags regularly send data which nearby Reader/Gateway captures. Sometimes people use Active RFID interchangeably with BLE or Bluetooth Low Energy.

So which tag should you choose?

The plain answer is it depends. For example, not all RTLS vendors support all tag types. In most cases vendors sell tags and other hardware as part of the full package solution. Other important factors depend on what you actually need.
Passive RFID tags cost the least among all of them but RFID readers some times miss reading passive RFID tags. In fact reading consistency is about 90%-95% for RFID readers with UHF antenna (UHF is the fastest among all the RFID system).

On the other hand UHF RFID readers are very expensive. Compared to that BLE devices cost magnitude cheaper. BLE is more accurate as well. UWB is the newest of the technologies and the technology is capable of precisely location an asset within a few centimeters. Hospitals traditionally went with RFID tags, many with vendor-proprietary active RFID solution. Proprietary solution makes you locked-in with vendor.

Incidentally INDTRAC RTLS works with almost all different hardware and tags and lets you change your tag system in future. For example, let’s say you decided to adopt BLE now. Later if you decide to upgrade to UWB, you can do that with INDTRAC.

Now coming back to relative benefits and costs. Typically UWB is the costliest solution at this point but offers most precise location articulation.

Here is a simple comparison chart for all the tags for quick reckoning.

Feature RFID BLE LoRa UWB
Technology Radio Frequency Identification Bluetooth Low Energy Long Range Ultra Wide Band
Range Short (~ 20 feet) Short (~ 40 feet) Very Long (~ 1 mile) Long (~ 100 meters)
Accuracy Low (~ 10 feet) Medium (~ 2 feet) Low (~ 100 feet) High (~ 1 inch)
Power Consumption Low Low Low Medium
Tag Cost $0.10 – $1.00 $0.50 – $5.00 $1.00 – $10.00 $5.00 – $50.00

Summary

In summary, if you follow traditional solutions, you would use RFID. If accuracy is paramount for you, you would have to choose UWB. But in most cases, BLE serves both ends. It also offers relatively long battery life for tags. Gateways also do not cost as much as UHF RFID. They are also easier to install or replace. INDTRAC supports both Indian brands as well as international brands like Zebra , Impinj or INGICS .

QR Code Asset Tracking App launched

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INDTRAQ QR Code android App for Asset tracking is now available. If you are a small business owner and want a simple solution to track your assets, we request you to try our QR Code App. No credit card is required for registration. Simply download the App and install in your android phone.

 

Easy to Use

After installing the App, follow the link to register your site. Once site is ready and live, which typically takes about twenty-four hours, you can login to the App.  By default you are the Admin of your site.

Once you login, add your assets, create unique QR code for each asset, download the QR code in your Google Drive. Print and fix it on the asset.  Now configure your site in the Admin console. Add location tags for each unique location your assets are expected to be. Add process work flow steps.

Now invite your users and let them start tracking the assets or updating the asset status.

 

 

Use for free

Our free plan is limited to 10 assets and 5 users. If you need to use it for more assets, please call us to explore our premium plans. And please do not forget to share your feedback with us. If you like the App, please rate us 5 star in Capterra and G2

What is RTLS? – This is what ChatGPT says!

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OpenAI ChatGPT logoChatGPT is making a lot of waves. So I thought why not try ChatGPT to answer some basics about RTLS. Here are some excerpts, a little lengthy for my comfort but to be frank, composition and style are comparable to any good marketing content!

Question : What is RTLS?

ChatGPT :

Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) are a set of technologies and systems that are used to track and monitor the location of people, assets, and equipment in real-time. RTLS typically use a combination of technologies such as radio frequency identification (RFID), WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS to determine the location of a specific item or person. The data from RTLS is then used to improve operational efficiency, increase safety and security, and provide real-time data to support decision making.

There are several different types of RTLS, including:

  • Active RTLS: which use active tags that actively transmit their location to a reader or a network of readers.
  • Passive RTLS: which use passive tags that only transmit their location when prompted by a reader.
  • Hybrid RTLS: which combine active and passive tags in order to take advantage of the strengths of both types of tags.

RTLS technology is widely used in various industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, retail, and logistics, among others. It can be used for tasks such as tracking inventory, monitoring the location of employees, and tracking the location of vehicles and equipment.

Question : What would a good RTLS for healthcare do?

ChatGPT :

A Real-Time Location System (RTLS) for healthcare would be designed to track and monitor the location of people, assets, and equipment in a healthcare setting, in real-time. The specific functionality of an RTLS for healthcare can vary depending on the specific needs of the healthcare organization, but some common uses include:

  1. Asset tracking: RTLS can be used to track the location and movement of medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and beds, as well as high-value assets like surgical instruments. This can help to improve equipment utilization and reduce the time and effort required to locate equipment.
  2. Staff tracking: RTLS can be used to track the location of nurses, doctors, and other staff members, which can help to improve communication, collaboration, and patient care.
  3. Patient tracking: RTLS can be used to track the location of patients, including those in critical care, which can help to improve patient safety and reduce the risk of errors.
  4. Environmental monitoring: RTLS can be used to monitor the environment, such as temperature, humidity, and air pressure, to ensure that the conditions are appropriate for patients and equipment.
  5. Safety and security: RTLS can be used to monitor the location of staff, patients and visitors in the facility, to ensure that everyone is safe and secure, and to respond quickly in case of emergency.

It’s important to note that RTLS technology is not a standalone solution and it’s often integrated with other technologies such as IoT, Wireless and Cloud computing to achieve the best results.

RTLS helps hospitals to reduce human error

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Healthcare Industry is constantly upgrading technologies to improve service predictability and reduce cost. One of the trends that we see this year is more pronounced use of automated data capture system instead of manual form filling. There are many benefits for sure. Here are some:

  • it enables data capture consistency
  • it helps in reduction of human error in data capture
  • it frees up the nurses’ time for more important patient-care

Important thing is that these can be integrated with RTLS. In other words RTLS not only helps hospitals to keep tab on all their expensive assets, it also can help a hospital to streamline workflow management  using IOT-enabled identity cards, asset tags and patient tags.

Healthcare IT News posted an article this month. Quoting the article,

It often can be time-consuming and impacted by human error when healthcare staff are left to juggle the needs of their patients and the administrative requirements of manual documentation. RTLS leverages IoT-enabled badges to automate data collection, providing accurate insights while enhancing the patient care experience.

In 2023, I expect more healthcare organizations will use these badges to collect data enterprise wide to gain comprehensive real-time insights on equipment utilization, clinical workflows, patient/staff interactions and safety compliance to reduce operational bottlenecks, increase efficiency and improve the patient experience.

INDTRAC can help you choose the right technology, instruments and implement customized workflow management using RTLS.