Nowadays, we see RFID technology implemented in several places like Metro stations, EV charging stations, FasTags, retail shops and even in Credit or Debit cards. In addition to RFID, BLE technology is also gathering momentum. In this article we explain how RFID as well as BLE can be used for asset tracking at establishments that provide health care services such as hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers and patient care facilities.
There are multiple products available from many manufacturers with different product specifications at various price points. It can be confusing to identify which product to use out of what is available in the marketplace. But, a technology expert can help to create a solution that optimally meets the customer’s requirements.
The following table compares Passive RFID, Active RFID and BLE technologies across a range of parameters.
Parameters | Passive RFID | Active RFID | BLE |
Purpose | Identification | Identification, detecting presence | Identification, Location Positioning, receiving additional sensor data |
Range of reader | Upto 12 Meters | 100 Meters | Up to 200 Meters |
Embedding sensors in the tags | No | No | Yes |
Battery life of tags | NA | 3 Years | 5 to 7 years |
Communication between two tags | Not possible | Not Possible | Possible |
Tag Cost* | INR 5 to 200 (<$5) | INR 500 to 800 (<$10) | INR 700 to 1500 (<$25) |
Reader Cost* | INR 15,000 to 90,000. (About $200 to $700) | INR 20,000 to 80,000.(About $275 to $1000) | INR 30,000 to 90,000 (About $400 to $1200) |
Tag Storage | 8 Bytes to 1KB* | Up to 128KB* | 64 Bytes to 512 KB* |
Communication between tags and readers | One Way | One Way | Two Way |
Protocol | Request Response | Request Response | Continuous streaming with speeds upto 2 Mbps. |
At Olyphaunt Solutions, we have developed a Thing Management Accelerator (TMA) which enhances the asset tracking experience and works with RFID and BLE technologies devices. All the technologies have their pros and cons and their implementation strictly depends upon the specified use case. To determine the choice of technology, type of tag and reader depends upon the nature of assets and asset tracking requirements. An expert who is familiar with different products on the market can recommend which tag to use based on customer requirements including asset surface, asset movement and other factors such as proximity to water. Similarly, an expert can recommend a reader based on parameters such as frequency of use, accuracy and speed required, etc.
Following use cases will help in understanding how to apply RFID and BLE technologies for asset tracking. If the requirement is to pinpoint the location of employees or patients who move rapidly in a hospital, a BLE solution may be ideal. To track a fixed number of assets in a particular location, Passive RFID would be a good solution. The passive tag can simply provide the asset ID when the reader reads it. Based on that data, a server based database can be updated indicating that the asset is physically present and verified. For tracking the total number of people gathered at an event, an Active RFID solution may be suitable. In such a case, when the RFID tag is scanned it may provide data such as the name of the user, affiliation, business preferences, etc. without querying the server for such data.
At Olyphaunt Solutions, we specialize in designing and developing end-to-end solutions based on RFID and BLE technologies. Our expertise in Sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is available for delivering scalable, robust solutions for industrial needs. For more information, please contact us.
By,
Amogh Padhye
IoT Engineer
Olyphaunt Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
For more information, please contact us on info@olyphaunt.com