Likely, you’ve heard of real-time locating systems. You might even have considered bringing it into your construction business. But first, let’s get some basics covered. In this article, we’re going to explain to you what RTLS is, the advantages and disadvantages of it, and, if it can benefit your business, how to select the best RTLS solution for your particular requirements.
Ready? Let’s start.
Real-Time Locating System (RTLS)
A group of technologies in an RTLS allows tracking and locating people and assets in real time. In industries of manufacturing, healthcare, shipping, and construction, where cost savings, productivity, and safety are improved by real-time monitoring, it does matter. Being the stage, therefore, it is no wonder that the market for RTLS itself will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.6% from its estimated USD 7.14 billion in 2025 to USD 21.44 billion in 2030.
But to make the definition more specific to construction, let me puts it this way:
Let’s begin with fundamentals. 3 items typically make up a real-time locating system:
- Tags Receivers Software such as Controlio
- Tags are affixed (or sometimes embedded) on a person or asset that you wish to monitor.
- Devices known as receivers interact with the tags, gather information from them, and then transmit that information to software.
In order for users to easily view the monitored objects’ real-time location, the software then processes, transforms, and preferably displays this data in a map manner.
This is an illustration of how that appears in Controlio:
This is the basic idea that underpins real-time locating systems.
These days, RTLS systems come in a wide variety, each with unique advantages and disadvantages.
Below is a summary of the most popular ones:
Although we are aware that’s not the most satisfactory response, each business has unique requirements, and the best RTLS solution relies on a number of variables:
- Accuracy is necessary.
- Operating environment Asset type being monitored
- Budget-specific requirements for applications
- Determining which solution makes the most sense is made easier by the clarity of these criteria.
Now let’s examine the reasons behind the increasing adoption of RTLS by construction organizations.
The Advantages of RTLS in Construction
Undoubtedly, the construction sector has historically been slower to embrace new technologies.
It is therefore not unexpected that RTLS has been embraced more quickly by other industries, including manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, healthcare, mining, and the automotive sector.
That isn’t always a terrible thing, though.
Consider this: your business can gain a significant competitive edge by putting it into practice today, when it’s still less common in the construction sector.
Why?
Because there are innumerable assets in the construction industry that need to be monitored, and the majority of them are always in motion. You must always be aware of the whereabouts of all workers, vehicles, equipment, tools, and machinery.
RTLS is quite important in this situation.
And no, it’s not just because it makes locating them easier and instantaneous. It’s also because it enhances safety, boosts production, optimizes maintenance, and lowers expenses. Let’s go over the three main advantages of RTLS in greater detail and demonstrate how RTLS enables them.
Employee Monitoring is Highly Regulated by Privacy Regulations.
Before tracking employees, firms ought to have good policies, valid justifications, and employee agreement, in accordance with regulations like the GDPR in Europe and U.S. labor laws. Lawsuits, penalties, and extensive harm to your organization’s reputation result from violating these laws.
