RFID for Asset Tracking?

[stoofa]

We've been putting Asset Stickers on hardware for many years.
They are quite simple tamper proof "Property Of" stickers and each one has a unique number.
This system works fine.....until assets go missing somewhere in the building and we are unable to find them.

We came up with this cunning plan.
How about sticking RFID stickers on each asset as well.
With the use of a handheld device, in theory we should be able to search and locate machines that have been "put away somewhere".

Has anyone here used RFID for asset tracking?
If so, where should I start looking with regards the stickers and scanners.
A search shows many sites, but nobody seems to put pricing up nor does anyone recommend a partiuclar company to use.

Ta

 

[Ev0]

People must be using it, it's ideal for it

Companies won't put pricing up I'd imagine, just pick a few and send out a spec and see what comes back.

 

[kefkef]

Does your current asset tag supplier have the ability to produce passive rfid tags instead of the ones you have now?

One way we have been looking at doing this is to put fixed rfid readers on entry/exit points to rooms (a bit like those shoplifting scanners in shops), which would then allow us to at least know which room the tag last entered without exiting. Could be a possibility?

 

[Ev0]

One way we have been looking at doing this is to put fixed rfid readers on entry/exit points to rooms (a bit like those shoplifting scanners in shops), which would then allow us to at least know which room the tag last entered without exiting. Could be a possibility?

That's what I was thinking earlier, at the very least you could have them at the exits to the building and set alerts. Something along the lines of if the asset register says it's 'in stock', rather than being deployed, and it goes out the building alert someone.

 

[Westyfield2]

After going around the entire company with an ancient PDA with Barcode scanner, and an equally ancient friday-afternoon program on it (and knowing that if I didn't make it back to my PC before the batteries died I'd have to re-install the whole thing!), I dreamt about using RFIDs instead. Imagine just walking into a room and boom - all the assets in there are logged.


Nothing ever came of that idea mind.

 

[Little_Crow]

One way we have been looking at doing this is to put fixed rfid readers on entry/exit points to rooms (a bit like those shoplifting scanners in shops), which would then allow us to at least know which room the tag last entered without exiting. Could be a possibility?

This is exactly what we're looking at doing, though I doubt anything will come of it.
I work at a hospital so this could be used on patients wrist bands, defib machines, scanners, PC's, beds, wheelchairs, etc. basically anything mobile, that has a high 'value'.

The technology has enormous posibilities and could save a lot over time, but the cost of retro-fitting the hospital with these scanners everywhere will be pretty big. Still it's in our 5 year spending plan so we just have to wait and see.

 

[Qu3]

Surely to find an item using RFID you'd need multiple scanners in different locations. So a handheld device wouldn't work..

Actually if you had devices similar to wifi access points dotted about you'd be able to tell instantly when items start moving.. You can do this already with wifi devices to be fair..

 

[stoofa]

Thanks for the replies.
I was wondering if there was anything "Car Tracker" style out there.
So you've got a RFID sticker on all hardware.
The handheld scanner is looking for an RFID tag giving off a particular asset number.
Walk into a room, if the scanner gets the response from the asset number we are looking for, we get a little directional arrow

This would be the ideal solution as machines and laptops that get chucked under desks, in cupboards etc could be found.

 

[LizardKing]

Would be useful when loaning out equip, you could set up an alert on exits that would alert you of any assets moving past that had no prior loan agreement attached to it.
Coupled with a camera system it would be pretty dam usefull in knowing who stole your equipment and when.

 

[J.B]

What is the sort of range on RFID? I always thought you had to be pretty close to the device to get it to talk? Could be wrong though.

As for directional as well, not sure how that would work, guess you'd need multiple aerials or something?

 

[Little_Crow]

What is the sort of range on RFID? I always thought you had to be pretty close to the device to get it to talk? Could be wrong though.

It depends if they are active or passive.
Passive ones are like oyster cards so are fairly low range (20ft I've read, which isn't all that low at all really).
Active ones will have a longer range, but also require a battery, which will eventually run down and the tag will need to be replaced.

 

[Qu3]

Seem to defeat the purpose chances are if you can't find something or something is in a cupboard the battery would go flat and your back to traditional ways of looking for it..

 

[kefkef]

I've seen AeroScout in action, if you've got the wireless network to support it you can track your assets through RFID, though to get the best location tracking you need to set your AP's up slightly differently than normal voice/data overlaps (we're talking the difference between a voice/data overlap telling you the asset is within 3-5 metres and an RFID/Tracking overlap telling you the device is within 2-5ft). Takes a bit of setting up but if you have the wireless network you probably already have location/heat maps to use anyway.

 

[brainchylde]

We've been putting Asset Stickers on hardware for many years.
They are quite simple tamper proof "Property Of" stickers and each one has a unique number.
This system works fine.....until assets go missing somewhere in the building and we are unable to find them.

We came up with this cunning plan.
How about sticking RFID stickers on each asset as well.
With the use of a handheld device, in theory we should be able to search and locate machines that have been "put away somewhere".

Has anyone here used RFID for asset tracking?
If so, where should I start looking with regards the stickers and scanners.
A search shows many sites, but nobody seems to put pricing up nor does anyone recommend a partiuclar company to use.

Ta

A firm we deal with (electricians) has just proposed this solution to someone - albeit for furniture etc.. not computers - but same applies. Sets off alarms and stuff when assets are moved out of rooms/areas (Depending on where your sensors are). The solutions definitely exist - expensive though!

This is exactly what we're looking at doing, though I doubt anything will come of it.
I work at a hospital so this could be used on patients wrist bands, defib machines, scanners, PC's, beds, wheelchairs, etc. basically anything mobile, that has a high 'value'.

The technology has enormous posibilities and could save a lot over time, but the cost of retro-fitting the hospital with these scanners everywhere will be pretty big. Still it's in our 5 year spending plan so we just have to wait and see.

I have heard of a couple of hospitals doing this - specifically with trolleys. I don't work in a hospital or have knowledge of the specifics, but as I understand it these trolleys have equipment which is in limited supply. In essence they are able to check where the 'asset' is at any one time. Very neat.

It depends if they are active or passive.
Passive ones are like oyster cards so are fairly low range (20ft I've read, which isn't all that low at all really).
Active ones will have a longer range, but also require a battery, which will eventually run down and the tag will need to be replaced.

Lots of libraries use these systems - all you would need to check is when the asset enters/leaves the room - very similar to a library alarm system. 20ft is more than enough.

 

[Little_Crow]

I have heard of a couple of hospitals doing this - specifically with trolleys. I don't work in a hospital or have knowledge of the specifics, but as I understand it these trolleys have equipment which is in limited supply. In essence they are able to check where the 'asset' is at any one time. Very neat.

Once you have the infrastructure in place, rfid lends itself to so many things in hospitals it's staggering, you'd be hard pressed not to require it's inclusion in new builds.

> Tracking vulnerable patients to contact security if they leave the premises.
> Ensuring that emergency kits, defibs etc are where they should be and flag if they are not put back in a set amount of time.
> Tracking locations of wheelchairs so that porters can ensure they are where they are needed and not dumped in corridors, carpark, etc
> Tracking patient automatically rather than having to barcode scan them out to departments.

I've even seen active rfid wristbands that can monitor the heartrate.

RFID really has little to do with IT, but if we don't put it forward I doubt anyone else in out Hospital has heard of it, let alone see the potential for it's use.

 

[kefkef]

RFID really has little to do with IT, but if we don't put it forward I doubt anyone else in out Hospital has heard of it, let alone see the potential for it's use.

Exactly my take on it. Which is why i've just snuck it in through the back door of a business case i've just had approved as i wouldnt be able to get it for just an asset tracking solution on it's own.

 

[TreeTops]

I've deployed quite a large scale Aeroscout solution for asset tracking and optimisation. It currently covers 19k assets in 238 facilities across 29 countries.

I am more than happy to provide feedback on them and also I'd also appreciate any other views on their product set and capabilities.

To echo a couple of comments on here, I wouldn't deploy RFID just for the sake of introducing the technology. There are a number of technologies that complement each other in this area.

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

Do you have a managed wireless system in place. I've not tried it personaly, but I know cisco's managed wireless can track RFid, I think Aruba can do it as well.