RFID Is Rising to the Top of Location Tracking Options
As agencies consider the best ways to track assets, some are looking at vision systems. However, cameras — like barcode scanners — require the item to be in plain sight, and that’s not always possible. Plus, cameras aren’t great for locating assets when everything looks the same, and barcode scans can’t help when you have a large search area, or there are thousands of vaccine vials or passports to comb through to find the ones you need.
For these reasons, RFID systems are quickly gaining preference, as they are the most practical tools for this type of job.
Both fixed and handheld RFID readers can geolocate an item within a 3-meter range without having a direct line of sight. If you know that the box with your desired case file is in the room, but you don’t know precisely where it is, an RFID reader can drop an exact pin. You can find that needle in a haystack in a matter of seconds — or know if you need to look in a different haystack.
Such precision is valuable in government-run healthcare, retail and public safety operations. RFID tags can be put on medical equipment or pharmaceuticals so clinicians don’t have to stall patient care while they hunt for the right items. RFID wristbands can be used to locate patients as they’re transported between departments for imaging, lab work, surgery or recovery.
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Likewise, RFID-tagged wristbands or ID badges can be distributed to agency visitors or detainees for access control and accountability in secure facilities. If someone is found where they’re not supposed to be, or if a badge goes missing, the person currently carrying that badge or wristband can be located in real time from any internet-connected device. If a badge or wristband is accidentally dropped, it can be quickly recovered before it falls into the wrong hands. The same is true of files or electronic devices that contain sensitive information.
Some of the strongest cases for using RFID and other real-time location solutions stem from security compliance requirements. Lost or missing inventory information, or unauthorized access to data, could lead to misuse, fraud or operational disruptions. They could also jeopardize national security or lead to substantial financial losses in terms of penalties or lawsuits, depending on the extent of the harm done and the parties affected.
Safety is also a federal priority, with quality control and regulatory compliance both best supported by RFID. Every agency that produces, distributes or otherwise handles food or pharmaceuticals must adhere to strict labeling and tracking regulations. While barcode systems are acceptable, RFID systems provide more confidence in quality control audits, as inventory movement reporting tends to be more automated and there may be more data aggregated over the life of each item. Additionally, if an issue is identified, RFID makes it easier to locate and pull compromised goods at an item or batch level.
Another benefit of RFID, compared with barcode or vision systems, is stronger inventory control mechanisms. Real-time, broad-swathe tag reads across a 3-meter radius make it easier to avoid stock shortages and excess inventory, or maintenance, repair, overhaul and fulfillment delays. You don’t have to wait for someone to find time to scan each individual item; replenishment becomes proactive, triggered when RFID tag reads indicate that inventory levels have dipped below a certain threshold. Staff coordination of asset utilization also becomes easier with an accurate, real-time picture of quantities and locations.
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Barcode Systems Still Beat RFID in Certain Competitive Settings
RFID will likely become the core data capture technology for federal asset management over the next decade. However, some defense and civilian agencies may find barcode-based data capture systems to be the best way to incrementally innovate, especially if an item’s value does not justify the cost of an RFID tag, or if asset movements are infrequent.
For example, agency leaders who have been penalized for inventory accountability issues can simply equip frontline teams or facilities with barcode scanners, connect the data capture devices to their inventory management systems for real-time record updates and easily generate reports when audited.
It also makes sense to use barcode tracking systems for one-time pass-through items, such as mail or visitor wristbands or badges, when heightened security isn’t a concern; for example, a case can be made for barcode and RFID wristbands for hospital patients. It just depends on the agency’s objectives and the design of the IT architecture. If there are already cameras that can scan for patients’ faces, maybe a barcoded wristband would be sufficient as part of a two-pronged location solution.
Once you have a way to log and aggregate the digital breadcrumbs for each asset — whether that’s through a passive or active location solution — there may be a machine learning algorithm or AI model that can help you more efficiently audit the management of those assets. Until then, federal agencies will achieve the highest impact by giving every asset a digital voice and giving every agency employee a way to automatically record, review and report asset locations and utilization.
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