RF/Ultra-wideband (UWB) Technology

RF technology uses RF signals for measurement unlike the more common technologies that use light or sound. RF technology uses both single and, for wideband use, multiple frequencies. This technology employs a large range of methods and frequencies and can measure the following signal characteristics:

Angle direction
Amplitude
Transmission duration (typical in wideband applications)

RF measurement systems require a series of receivers and transmitters using uniquely coded signals. This allows the identification of specific objects.

RF technology is often used as an identification or tracking technology to identify/locate items (for example, equipment in a hospital, animals at a stock yard) where you need to either identify the object in the local vicinity (identification) or roughly locate an object in a building (tracking). Neither application requires much accuracy. Currently, RF technology is not accurate enough to meet the demands of the medical market.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages	Disadvantages
Signals can pass through many "soft" materials (for example, muscle) Very large volume possible	Basic accuracy not acceptable for medical applications Materials distort and reflect the signals (especially metals), reducing the accuracy, and it's difficult to tell this is occuring

Summary

RF technology is generally accepted for uses requiring basic identification and tracking. However, the accuracy has not yet advanced to a level that is acceptable in medical applications.