Development of a “WiFi Tag” device for active location of medical equipment in hospital environments

Abstract

The Medical Equipment Information and Management System (SIGEM-UV), developed by the Biomedical Engineering School of the Universidad de Valparaíso, aims to improve medical equipment management through various tools and systems. Among these, the LocDEM module stands out. It focuses on the active localization of medical equipment using WiFi TAG technology. This project addresses the issue of locating medical equipment in healthcare facilities, which interferes with workflow, consumes time, and, sometimes leads to equipment theft. Although commercial solutions exist, they require specific infrastructure, presenting a significant barrier to entry. The SIGEM-UV WiFi TAG project offers a solution that utilizes the existing WiFi infrastructure, minimizing additional costs. A localization system was developed based on a microcontroller connected to a web server with an intuitive user interface. This small-sized device with improved autonomy collects data from nearby WiFi networks and sends it to the server, where it is processed to determine the equipment’s location. The user interface allows the location to be displayed on a building plan, facilitating the quick identification of the equipment. The main results demonstrate the feasibility of the design and its implementation, with adequate localization levels suitable for hospital environments. This system presents a viable low-cost alternative for managing and localizing medical equipment in healthcare institutions.