RFID-Based Asset Tracking System for Medical Industry

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1. Abstract
These days there are many industries that have been using computer devices and smart
devices technologies at their various branches all over the world. Still, there is some
industry that isn’t able to achieve a technology that can keep track of all the technology
like computers and devise and control them as well. For the controlling and monitoring
purpose, these industries use a basic method of noting down the details of the devices
into a paper. but noticing down the details in a paper is a very time consuming and less
accurate method which also consumes unnecessary labour for the same purpose.
Asset tracking is nowadays a most important thing for the industries to keep track of the
real-time data, file tracking, controlling and management of the project. RFID is basically
Radio Frequency Identification tags that are in use these days for the detection of the
computer and other devices within an industry. Advantages are efficient identification,
proper monitoring and controlling. Passive RFID tags basically small tags functioned by
the electromagnetic power formed from the RFID reader attached to the device like a
computer. This will enable the medical industry or user to control, track, monitor the
activities performed on that system and enable supply chain management, smart labels,
file tracking, asset tracking, its management and controlling as well. Implying this
technology takes less effort and also less cost per tag. Any industries just need software
and a particular device to keep the tracks.
2. Introduction
This research paper will introduce a technology of device tracking, monitoring and
controlling. This technology is known as RFID or Radio Frequency Identification. The
client has 20 centres that have about 15-20 computer and medical devices in each of the
centres. They want to implement a technique for tracking purpose and the suitable and
low-cost technology that can provide the real-time details of the organisation devices.
Section 2 represents the problem that the medical industry is right now facing, section 3
shows background and project objective in which summary of some literature reviews is
processed. Section 4 introduces the requirements of this project. By using that requires
the implementation process can be accomplished. Section 5 introduces the preliminary
design that processes the project, the block diagram of implementing the method.
Section 6 explains about some other research methods that can also be used for this
same process and also why this selected theme is best for this problem. section 7 is the
conclusion part of the whole document.
3. Problem domain and research questions
The reason for proposing this project is very common and faced by many of the
industries these days. Every industry nowadays using the computer and smart devices in
their premises and tracking the details of those devices. Here’s the problem or
opportunity to have advanced technology for the same purpose that will reduce the
man labour, provide real and accurate time stamps and monitoring and tracking of the
devices. The client is operating a medical industry and has about 20 branches or centres
of that industry. They are currently using the paperwork method for the tracking and
monitoring of the devices using the man labour.
RFID is a Radio Frequency Identification technology in which the device can be tracked,
monitored or controlled by an RFID tag which enables the user to receive RFID signals
and have a track of them. The client wants to implement the RFID tags into their 15-20

computer and medical devices at each centre. Following are the research question that
is answered using this research paper.
 What is RFID technology?
 What kind of RFID tag will be best suitable to receive the signals at low cost?
 How will RFID tags help the medical industry in monitoring and controlling the
devices remotely?
 How RFID tags are better than the motion sensors devices for the tracking purpose.
4. Background and Project Objective
a. Summary of Literature Review
According to Han et. al., 2016, tracking system based on the device without any
transceiver is best suitable for many non-cooperative subjects like intruders but for
the cooperative manner, to track devices, mainly sensors and active RFID tags are
used which is very costly but when using the passive RFID tags on its place can
reduce this problem of having costly tags to detect devices. RFID is basically Radio
Frequency Identification tags that are in use these days for the detection of the
computer and other devices within an industry. Advantages are efficient
identification, proper monitoring and controlling. Instead of using the sensor system,
motion detecting by RFID tags lets the industry to monitor the activity expanding
less cost and those used RFID tags also can be reused later.
According to Jin, 2016, GPS systems or the Global Positioning Systems are used for
the outdoor tracking system but for the devices and computer tracking RFID tags or
Radio Frequency Identification tags are widely used. Especially where multiple smart
devices are connected to a network like the Internet of Things or IoT. Indoor device
tracking is the most used framework to control and monitor devices within an
industry which allows user for the asset tracking, goods management, healthcare
management, industrial information etc. with the RFID tags, as soon the device
having tag comes closure to the user, user can predict the distance between the
device and user using RSSI or Received Signal Strength Information with a nonlinear
relationship.
According to Oner, 2017, basically the technology of the RFID or Radio Frequency
Identification system have been using by many of the industries and organisation
but most especially this technology has been used by the logistics and supply chain
systems for management, tracking, identification and tracking of the computer and
other relative smart devices. Using RFID tags for these purposes provides real-time
data monitoring more precisely. By implementing real-time tracking and monitoring
system based on RFID tags in a similar industry, early detection & control of
problems are activated that can provide significant advantages to the industry.
b. Objectives of the Project
The aim of developing this project is implementing a system that can enable a user
or the medical industry to track and monitor devices and computers in a remote
manner. For this kind of controlling, Passive RFID tags are used that are basically

small tags operated by the electromagnetic power produced from the RFID reader
attached to the device like a computer. This will enable the medical industry or user
to control, track, monitor the activities performed on that system and enable supply
chain management, smart labels, file tracking. For performing this activity into the
medical industry where the client has about 20 centres worldwide where they want
to engage or control, track and monitor about 15-20 computers and medical devices
into a concrete building. The client is right now using a paper-based tracking method
where they are writing down the current description of devices, for automatically
remotely monitoring the devices, passive RFID will be best suitable as the devices
have electricity supply and can engage passive RFID which will also save cost for it.
Therefore the objective of tracking, monitoring and controlling of computers and
medical devices within the medical industry will be best suitable by using passive
RFID tags.
5. Project Requirements Analysis and Specification
For the asset tracking or the computer and devices tracking into the medical industry
using the passive RFID technology, some components like RFID tags, power or electricity
supply, self-operated devices, monitoring computer or mobile computer, software and
other small components are needed but as talking about the main core components for
this tracking, monitoring and controlling purpose are as follows.
a. RFID tags
For the purpose of enabling the automatic tracking and monitoring of the devices
the main and core component is the Passive RFID tag. These Passive tags have no
self-power source but these tags are operated from the electromagnetic energy
received by the RFID reader in the implemented device or computer. For this passive
RFID with UHF (865-960 MHz) should be used.
b. Mobile/Computer
Mobile or computer is a must including a device for the tracking purpose. The
mobile devices will be best suitable for this purpose as these devices allow one to

connect to the RFID tags and monitor and control the locations of those devices and
also for file tracking.
c. Tracking Software
Every mobile device or computer won’t be able to get the tracking details of the
RFID tags. For this, a special or particular software should be there in those mobile
devices. Using that software in the mobile device will enable the user to track
details.
6. Project plan and design
ID Task
Mode
Task Name Duration Start Finish PredecessorsCost
0 RFID 23 daysTue 5/14/19Thu 6/13/19 $23,840.00
1 1 Data Gathering 2 days Tue 5/14/19Wed 5/15/19 $2,720.00
2 1.1 Fact Findings 1 day Tue 5/14/19Tue 5/14/19 $1,360.00
3 1.2 Brainstroming 1 day Wed 5/15/19Wed 5/15/192 $1,360.00
4 2 Proposal Approval 1 day Thu 5/16/19Thu 5/16/19 $800.00
5 2.1 RFID Proposal 1 day Thu 5/16/19Thu 5/16/193 $800.00
6 3 Requirement 2 days Fri 5/17/19 Mon 5/20/19 $1,440.00
7 3.1 RFID Purchasing 1 day Fri 5/17/19 Fri 5/17/19 5 $720.00
8 3.2 Software Purchasing 1 day Mon 5/20/19Mon 5/20/197 $720.00
9 4 Implementation 15 days Tue 5/21/19Mon 6/10/19 $16,400.00
10 4.1 RFID implementation 5 days Tue 5/21/19Mon 5/27/198 $6,800.00
11 4.2 Software implementation5 days Tue 5/28/19Mon 6/3/19 10 $6,800.00
12 4.3 RFID and Receiver
ingtegration
5 days Tue 6/4/19 Mon
6/10/19
11 $2,800.00
13 5 Testing 2 days Tue 6/11/19Wed 6/12/19 $1,120.00
14 5.1 Issues finding 1 day Tue 6/11/19Tue 6/11/1912 $560.00
15 5.2 Issues resolution 1 day Wed 6/12/19Wed 6/12/1914 $560.00
16 6 Project Closing 1 day Thu 6/13/19Thu 6/13/19 $1,360.00
17 6.1 Closing and Handover 1 day Thu 6/13/19Thu 6/13/1915 $1,360.00
IT Experts,Project Manager
IT Experts,Project Manager,Project Sponsor
Project Manager,Project Sponsor
IT Experts,Other Resources
IT Experts,Other Resources
IT Experts,Project Manager
IT Experts,Project Manage
IT Experts
IT Experts
IT Experts
IT Experts,Pro
12 15 18 21 24 27 30 2 5 8 11 14 17 20
May 2019 June 2019
In this Gantt chart, first of all, data is gathered and found out the facts on that basis,
after going through the brainstorming process the proposal is presented in front of the
sponsor and took approval. Required components are purchased in by 4 teams the 20
locations are engaged and implemented the RFID tags on the devices and integrated
with the software. After finding out the issues and resolving them, the project is handed
over to the client.

7. Research methods to be used for the next stage of the project
For the next level management of this project the research method that can be used are
as follows:
 Research on the internet connectivity of the RFID devices by using the technology
that can address the radio frequencies and propagate them to the owner by using
the network connections.
 Research on an artificial operated automatic smart device to propagate the signals
to the user’s software with accurate real-time stamps in every fix time period.
8. Conclusion, limitations and future work
In this report, the method or the technology of RFID is introduced for the tracking and
managing purpose of the assets or the devices like computer and smart machines that
are implemented into the industry. The client has a medical industry with 20
approximately centres nationwide in the count and using paper-based method for
noticing the details of the device. RFID is implemented in the medical industry. Passive
RFID tags will enable the users to have real-time details of the computer devices and
computers. These tags won’t be able to produce a long distance details transaction but
can work up to 30+ meters of range. For the future purpose, these tags can be
connected to RFID receiver internet connected device which will be able to
automatically track and send details to the owner using a network connection.

References
[1] S. Smiley, “Active RFID vs. Passive RFID: What’s the Difference?”, RFID Insider.
[Online]. Available: https://blog.atlasrfidstore.com/active-rfid-vs-passive-rfid. [Accessed:
14- May- 2019]
[2] Han, J., Qian, C., Wang, X., Ma, D., Zhao, J., Xi, W., Zhang, P., & Jiang, Z. (2016). Twins:
Device-free object tracking using passive tags. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking
(TON), 24(3), 1605-1617.
[3] Jin, X. B., Dou, C., Su, T. L., Lian, X. F., & Shi, Y. (2016). Parallel irregular fusion
estimation based on the nonlinear filter for indoor RFID tracking system. International
Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks, 12(5), 1472930.
[4] Oner, M., Ustundag, A., & Budak, A. (2017). An RFID-based tracking system for denim
production processes. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing
Technology, 90(1-4), 591-604.
[5] Barcodes Edge, “Asset Tracking”, Barcodesinc. [Online]. Available:
https://www.barcodesinc.com/barcodesedge/solutions/tracking/. [Accessed: 14- May-
2019]
[6]
[7]