There are lots of motivations driving organizations to install location-tracking technologies. The obvious driver is to find things, especially things on wheels, such as medical equipment in a hospital. It can also be smart to keep tabs on things in transit, such as a container. But the biggest reason to track things is simply because we can.
我们还可以使用这些技术跟踪人们。面部识别等一些解决方案可以追踪人们，但通常我们只是跟踪某人可能携带的设备。我们现在可以追踪客户的旅程（通过零售店）。
There’s a popular misconception that global positioning satellites (GPS) are usable inside, but they range from worthless to unhelpful. GPS satellite signals require a direct line of sight to multiple satellites.
3 ways to track people's location indoors
There are, however, several ways to track location indoors. The most popular are Wi-Fi, Bluetooth beacons, and RFID. And all three are increasing in popularity.
The difference between tracking and stalking is consent. Though, getting permission to track isn’t as hard as you might think. It can be accomplished within a terms of service agreement on Wi-Fi access or with an associated app. Many retailers, for example, offer discounts and other incentives for customers to install in-store apps.
您可能已经同意了几个跟踪解决方案。显然，无线运营商知道您在哪里（以及您已经参加过的位置），以及许多其他应用程序，如谷歌地图和Facebook.
Wi-Fi
Many Wi-Fi vendors offer optional location-based services (LBS). Since most places are installing Wi-Fi anyway, it’s an attractive add-on option. LBS uses triangulation, MAC addresses, signal strength and other methods to pinpoint a device’s location.
This approach doesn’t necessarily require user consent. Any Wi-Fi device will scan for networks, and that alone reveals some information. With an associated smartphone app, more location information can be obtained, and it also becomes possible to send someone location-based messages.
RFID
RFID使用通常贴入物品的小芯片或标签。关键优势是这些芯片的成本低，不需要电源。这些标签将信号反射回变送器。它们通常用于收费道路，图书馆书籍甚至迪士尼的魔法带。
我t’s a great solution for tracking items such as books in a library, but it's an arduous implementation (placing tags in every book). The technology can also be combined with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth equipment.
蓝牙信标
蓝牙信标are all the rage these days. They use a technology known as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which is different from the more popular Bluetooth you use to pair a smartphone to the car stereo. Tracking by Bluetooth beacon requires consent.
Two notable differences between BLE and traditional Bluetooth are energy consumption and bandwidth. BLE devices are so energy efficient that in some cases batteries can last for years on a single charge. Regular Bluetooth supports broadband applications, such as audio, but BLE is more suitable for short transmissions.
蓝牙信标，这些信标也被描述为活动RFID，是单向广播公司概念性地类似于灯塔。接收器通常是智能手机，解释Beacon的数据，通常在其他应用程序和网络的帮助下，使用该数据来确定位置。
While the smartphone makes for a natural receiver, it’s not required.Carnival’s new Ocean Medallion wearableperforms the role of the Bluetooth beacon. Carnival reversed roles so that the beacon (the medallion) is mobile and the receivers are fixed radios throughout the ship.
Regardless of the approach implemented, location tracking is rapidly becoming normal. It’s just a natural benefit/result of a connected world, and it will unleash a new era of location analytics—for things and people.
位置分析将揭示谁与谁或什么相互作用。例如，我们不仅可以确定X射线机器的位置，但我们可以分析谁将其移动到那里，它使用的频率和谁。这意味着我们可以消除时间卡并失去丢失和发现的垃圾箱。我们可以分析行为模式，例如有人使用浴室或休息的频率。