Everything You Need to Know About IoT Asset Tracking RTLS Solutions

IoT asset tracking is revolutionizing the way companies monitor and manage their assets. Thanks to the use of interconnected devices and enabling technologies, it is now possible to implement highly effective Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS). These systems allow precise tracking of objects, personnel, and equipment in both indoor and outdoor environments, offering unprecedented visibility into business operations.

The combination of IoT and real-time locating systems is redefining business asset management, offering the following advantages for your company:

• Real-time visibility of operations
• Optimized resource management
• Significant increase in productivity
• Accurate monitoring through interconnected tags, beacons, and advanced sensors
• Cutting-edge technologies such as UWB, BLE, Mesh, GPS, and AoA for Smart Factory enablement

But how exactly does IoT asset tracking with RTLS work? And what concrete benefits can it bring to your company?

What are IoT devices and how are RTLS solutions composed?

The Internet of Things (IoT) consists of a network of interconnected devices and objects enabled by sensors that collect and exchange data with each other. In the IoT context, the most common devices include environmental sensors, beacons, and tags. This technology offers an enormous opportunity to improve business management through asset tracking, providing real-time data on the location, status, and conditions of connected objects.

The technology behind Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) fully harnesses the potential of these IoT devices to enable advanced features such as accurate asset tracking. Using tags, beacons, and advanced sensors, it’s possible to monitor the location of objects, personnel, and equipment in real-time, both inside and outside buildings.

RTLS solutions integrate various IoT devices and use a combination of technologies such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Mesh, GPS, and Angle of Arrival (AoA) depending on the environment and the type of precision required.

How RTLS solutions work

Tags are applied to any kind of goods or provided to personnel (wearable IoT devices) that need to be monitored, while beacons are positioned at strategic points to detect tag signals. The tags receive signals emitted by the beacons, thus allowing the determination of asset positions.

Tags use technologies such as UWB, BLE, or GPS to communicate with beacons and send position data. This data is then processed by a centralized management system that displays it on a dedicated user interface. In this way, companies can monitor the position of assets in real-time and make informed decisions about their management and use.

RTLS solutions can be implemented both inside and outside buildings, allowing complete coverage and accurate traceability of assets. This technology is extremely versatile and suitable for meeting a wide range of use cases in strategic sectors such as logistics, manufacturing, and transportation.

5 Advantages of using RTLS

L’utilizzo di soluzioni RTLS offre una serie di vantaggi significativi:

1. Real-time visibility of your business:

   constant monitoring of the location of objects, personnel, and equipment, to make informed decisions and provide rapid responses to any anomalies.

2. Accurate monitoring:

   use of technologies such as UWB and BLE guarantee the precision of spatial tracking of assets, with the possibility of integrating sensors that enable, for example, thermal mapping.

3. Cutting-edge technologies:

   UWB, BLE, Mesh, GPS, and AoA offer greater precision and reliability in asset tracking compared to previous technologies.

4. Optimized resource management:

   identification and correction of inefficiencies, reduction of downtime, and improvement of asset utilization.

5. Significant increase in productivity:

   reduction of object search times, optimization of workflows, and improvement of collaboration between personnel.

Applications of RTLS in different sectors

RTLS solutions find application in a wide range of sectors and industries, including:

• Manufacturing industry:

  tracking of production assets such as materials, tools, and work-in-progress products to reduce asset retrieval time in storage areas, improve inventory management, and optimize production operations.

• Logistics and transportation:

  monitoring of vehicles, containers, and goods in transit, ensuring proof of delivery and cold chain integrity.

The most advanced technologies used in Real-Time Locating Systems

Here are the most effective RTLS technologies:

• Ultra-Wideband (UWB):

  UWB uses wideband radio pulses to accurately measure signal travel time. This technology offers high precision and wide coverage, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. To obtain the best possible performance, it is advisable to use it in an indoor environment or confined spaces.

• Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE):

  BLE is a low-energy technology that allows the creation of a network of interconnected devices. This technology is mostly usable for tracking assets within buildings or confined spaces.

• Mesh:

  Mesh technology allows different devices to communicate with each other, creating a self-organized network. This allows extending the coverage and range of the RTLS system, making it suitable for larger spaces as well.

• GPS:

  The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses satellites to determine the position of objects on Earth. This technology offers global coverage and high precision but may be limited to outdoor use due to interference inside buildings.

• Angle of Arrival (AoA):

  Angle of Arrival technology uses the angle of radio signals received from beacons to determine the position of assets. This technology offers high precision and wide coverage, making it suitable for many RTLS applications in the most complex indoor environments.

• RTK (Real-Time Kinematic):

  It is an enhanced satellite technology, and the communication method varies depending on the context. RTK provides high-precision vehicle tracking and is only suitable for outdoor tracking in large confined areas.

• LIDAR:

  It works like a radar based on optical technology and provides high-precision vehicle tracking without infrastructure. It is suitable for tracking in large confined areas.

The choice of the most suitable technology will depend on the specific needs of the company and the context of use.

Why is RFID not suitable for Real-Time IoT Asset Tracking solutions?

RFID presents significant limitations that make it inadequate for modern Real-Time IoT Asset Tracking solutions:

• Limited connectivity:

  RFID tags are passive and are only read when they pass near a scanner, not providing the continuous connectivity typical of IoT devices.

• Static data:

  RFID offers position information only at the time of scanning, lacking the ability to provide real-time updates characteristic of IoT solutions.

• Limited information:

  Typically, RFID provides only asset identification, without the contextual data (such as temperature, movement, etc.) that IoT sensors can offer.

• Lower precision and range:

  IoT technologies such as UWB, BLE, and GPS offer much more accurate localization and wider coverage compared to RFID.

For these reasons, Ubiquicom has chosen to focus on RTLS solutions based on advanced IoT technologies. Our IoT solutions for Real-Time Asset Tracking not only locate assets but provide actionable insights to optimize operations, reduce costs, and gain 15-20% efficiency.

IoT Asset Tracking Technical Glossary

Understanding the technical terminology of IoT asset tracking is essential for implementing and optimizing advanced tracking solutions. Here are some key definitions:

• Tag: Identification devices that use GPS, WiFi, and BLE technologies to emit high-precision signals for asset localization and tracking.
• Beacon: Transmitters that periodically emit signals containing unique identifiers, enabling high-precision micro-localization.
• Sensors: Transducers that convert physical or chemical parameters into electrical signals, used to measure and monitor environmental conditions or asset states.
• IoT (Internet of Things): Ecosystem of interconnected devices equipped with sensors, actuators, and network connectivity, which generate, process, and exchange data through Internet protocols.
• Cold chain integrity: Continuous maintenance of a controlled temperature within a specific range during all phases of transport, storage, and distribution of thermolabile products, monitored through sensors and dataloggers.
• Proof of delivery: Process of digital acquisition and transmission of delivery data, including electronic signature, geolocation, and timestamp, for confirmation and traceability of deliveries.

Contact us today for a personalized consultation and discover with our experts how Ubiquicom’s RTLS solutions can revolutionize your operations.