"Tag" technology turns hospitals into "smart space"

Health Management Technology, Feb, 2005

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved UK technology for sale in the U.S., making another option available for tracking and managing resources. Ubisense is a UK-founded but Denver-based developer of tracking systems that use ultrawideband radio frequency identification technology to locate people and objects in a building to within 6 inches in real time--and it recently gained FCC certification. The technology tracks an electronic tag, called a Ubitag, which is the size of a thick credit card and can be attached to any person or thing. The tag maintains constant radio contact with a network of sensors placed throughout a designated area or building.

Ubisense says its products are currently being used under a pre-marketing agreement that does not require FCC certification for research projects at 20 institutions around the world.