Creating an asset tracking system is not as simple as “putting a tracker on everything.”
Depending on the application, some assets need to be identified in bulk. Others need location intelligence outdoors. Some need to have location intelligence indoors, or within a specific zone. Even beyond sheer location tracking, some applications require that data about asset conditions be gathered.
These are the scenarios in which technologies like RFID, GPS, BLE, and IoT sensors come into play.
The challenge is in picking the right tool for the job.
RFID – When identification is the priority
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID systems utilize RFID tags and RFID readers to identify assets.
RFID tags can be attached to equipment, tools, inventory, containers, and other assets. These tags can then be read by an RFID reader, so long as the reader is within a certain range of the tag. RFID systems can be used to identify things like
inventory items, warehouse equipment, tools, or manufacturing equipment.
Systems that use RFID do not offer fine-grained location intelligence the way GPS does. RFID systems are great for answering the question “what assets do I have here?”
GPS – Tracking assets outside
GPS is a satellite-based system for tracking the location of objects. GPS receivers on the tracked object communicate with the GPS constellations to determine the latitude, longitude, and altitude of the asset.
GPS is useful for mobile assets that move around outside the confines of a building or a room. It is a good choice for
trailers, vehicles, containers, and other assets that move around outside.
GPS can answer questions like “where is this asset located?” and “has this asset moved outside of its designated area?”
GPS is useful in an outdoor environment. GPS is not as effective for tracking assets inside a building.
BLE – Assets near me
BLE, or Bluetooth Low Energy is another option for location tracking. BLE beacons or tags can be used to determine whether a tracked asset is near a specific zone or asset. BLE can be useful in an indoor environment. It is also useful for finding out whether an asset is near a beacon, rather than getting precise latitude/longitude position information.
BLE can be useful in an equipment room, warehouse, or other large building where GPS is not an option. BLE can answer the question “is this asset where it is supposed to be?”
IoT Sensors – What is happening to my asset?
Location information is useful, but sometimes the question is not “where is this asset?” – rather, the question is “what is happening to this asset?”
IoT sensors can be used to track conditions such as
temperature, humidity, and vibrations, among others. Depending on the type of sensor, a variety of different information can be gathered. These sensors can, for example, be used to track the temperature of a shipping container or the vibrations experienced by a pump in a factory environment.
The question that IoT sensors answer is not “where is this asset?” – rather, it is “what is happening to this asset?”
Putting it all together – The architecture of asset tracking
Most real-world asset tracking systems make use of more than one tracking method. Let us look at an example application.
There is a piece of equipment which moves around between different facilities. When it is on the move, GPS can track its location. When it arrives at a new facility, RFID tags can identify the equipment. Inside the facility, BLE beacons can be used to track the equipment inside the large building. IoT sensors can be used to track the condition of this piece of equipment. Finally, this information is sent to a central server for processing and analysis.
All four of these technologies combine to give the end user actionable information about the tracked asset.
Asset tracking – The selection framework
So, how do we choose between RFID, GPS, BLE, and IoT sensors? Let us build a selection framework. To choose the right technology, we need to answer the following questions:
- What is being tracked?
Inventory items, tools, vehicles, equipment, containers, or something else?
- Where is it located?
Is it an indoor or outdoor asset, or does it move between the two?
- What do you want to track?
Do you just want to identify the asset, or do you want to track its location as well?
- How often do you need this information?
Do you need to run occasional reports, or do you need real-time, continuous information?
- What are you going to do with this information?
Tracking information is most useful when it can be used to drive some form of inventory or asset management.
There is no correct answer when it comes to tracking technology selection. The application will dictate the choice of the technology to use.
RFID works well in a warehouse environment for identifying inventory items. GPS is useful for tracking assets outside. BLE can be used to track assets indoors, and IoT sensors can be used to track asset conditions. These technologies are often combined to track an asset’s location history, so that it can be determined where an asset was and when it was there.
For developers and engineers who are building connected asset systems, it is important to understand these distinctions, and avoid the common pitfall of choosing a tracking technology first and then trying to shoe-horn in the actual tracking requirements.
The asset tracking technology selection guide presented here should help developers and engineers from making the wrong choice when it comes to choosing a tracking technology. For those who are looking for a more in-depth analysis of asset tracking technologies, Asset Track Pro has an article that discusses the various options in more detail.
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