Confluence of location detection - RTLS, GPS & RFID
When it comes to global visibility into an item/asset's geographic location and
genealogical lifecycle visibility, the general consensus
is that a well constructed hybrid solution using RFID (Active & Passive), Wi-Fi & GPS is the best way to ensure that there is continuous information on the unit being tracked.
What
this means is that while one technology e.g. GPS works well to track a
freight trailer out in the open, once that trailer and it's contents
move to a closed area which is not conductive to GPS transmission then
visibility to that asset is lost. Once inside a facility a patient is
lost if GPS is the only location enabling technology used for tracking.
Within a facility, along with RFID, RTLS using WiFi location detection and awareness can be used for patient, asset and item tracking. Sometimes a hybrid solution exists which depends on proximity requirements.
This
is still however a solution that can only be used with reusable assets
e.g. shopping carts, persons or similarly high value goods. When it
comes to using an identifier on lesser priced items there is a need for
a lower cost alternative, which is either a barcode or some sort of
passive rfid solution. Of course you all know the barcode vs. rfid
match ups.
Well coming from an applications background it is
only natural to point out that the solution is to assign the
responsibility of linking data from these varied location appliances to
a Global Visibilty Location and Tracking application. This solution
will tether the GPS tag and location of the truck information to the
roses being shipped out, relay the temperature on the rose seedlings as
they travel across Arizona through WiFi, then track them as they as
sold by box and checkout using an RFID enabled handheld.
This
may sound a bit of an investment nightmare, however there are companies
which have implemented this, albeit to only a portion of their
operations. In the coming weeks I will be posting such examples.
On this note, if there are such tales you may be aware of do share them with us.
