Comparative Study of Seamless Asset Location and Tracking Technologies

Abstract From manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, distributors to the consumers, all stakeholders are gearing up to use indoor asset tracking technologies to increase the visibility of goods and assets within their supply chain and their work environments. At its nascent stage, real-time asset tracking capabilities have been at the forefront of the connected production system and Industry 4.0. However, little is known regarding the scope, accuracy, reliability, and practical benefits of this emerging technology, which is hindering its widespread adoption. To better understand the tracking technologies, in this study, a generic asset tracking service framework for the indoor environment is presented. A comparative evaluation of the available approaches is also introduced using a Technology Enablers Evaluation Matrix, which tries to find out the suitability of asset tracking approaches for indoor location services. As pilot testing, we have evaluated the capabilities of the seamless location tracking capabilities developed by HERE Technologies and the Smart Manufacturing Demonstration Center (SMDC). Their asset tracking works indoor and outdoor seamlessly and uses GPS and Wi-Fi based methods as well as Bluetooth based tracking approaches. The testing evaluates seamless real-time asset tracking in the indoor environment and helps in finding a suitable tracking approach based on requirements.