Asset Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks

Many hospitals have been considering new technology such as wireless sensor network (WSN). The technology can be used to track the location of medical devices needed for inspections or repairs, and it can also be used to detect of a theft of an asset. In an asset-tracking system using WSN, acquiring the location of moving sensor nodes inherently introduces uncertainty in location determination. In fact, the sensor nodes attached to an asset are prone to failure from lack of energy or from physical destruction. Therefore, even if the asset is located within the predetermined area, the asset-tracking application could " misunderstand" that an asset has escaped from the area. This paper classifies the causes of such unexpected situations into the following five cases: 1) an asset has actually escaped from a predetermined area; 2) a sensor node was broken; 3) the battery for the sensor node was totally discharged; 4) an asset went into a shadow area; 5) a sensor node was stolen. We implemented and installed our assettracking system in a hospital and continuously monitored the status of assets such as ventilators, syringe pumps, wheel chairs and IV poles. Based on this real experience, we suggest how to differentiate each case of location uncertainty and propose possible solutions to prevent them.