Aruba Networks Extends Wireless Location and Tracking Capabilities14 February 2006
Aruba Networks, the Mobile Edge Company, today announced enhanced location tracking capabilities with the company's location application programming interface (API) and demonstrated interoperability with leading Wi-Fi location technology company Ekahau. By way of the API, Aruba's WLAN systems can now provide third-party location management systems with the critical data needed to drive advanced, location- based mobile applications. Aruba (Booth #2052) and Ekahau (Booth #1504) are exhibiting their solutions at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual conference and exhibition at the San Diego Convention Center through Thursday.
"Location information is essential to applications in a number of industries, including supply chain systems for manufacturing, inventory management for retail, and patient care delivery for healthcare," said Peter Thornycroft, product manager for Aruba Networks. "We are pleased to be working with leading location platform and application companies, such as Ekahau, to assure interoperability between our systems and to enable new and improved location-based applications."
Aruba's location API allows an external application to request and receive three-dimensional coordinates for the location of any 802.11 device or tag. Aruba's location API is the most feature-rich in the market. In addition to providing location coordinates, the location API includes a mechanism for exporting floor plans, including Access Point (AP) locations, to provide a graphical, easy-to-use location tracking map. The API also delivers RF coverage and interference maps, a list of Wi-Fi objects in a particular area or associated with a specified AP, and a listing of the received signal strength of all Wi-Fi objects.
Aruba's location API also provides location management systems and application developers access to raw calibration data, including AP-to-AP signal strength and AP location calculations. This raw data can be used by developers as input for their own algorithms and to enable unique capabilities for their applications. To speed application development, Aruba's location API includes a pre-packaged Java library.
"Our Real-Time Location System (RTLS) leverages AP and client signal strength measurements in standard 802.11 WLAN infrastructure to calculate, monitor, and report on the location of tracked resources," said Tuomo Rutanen, vice president of business development for Ekahau. "As the market for location-based applications continues to expand, we believe open interfaces such as Aruba's location API can accelerate growth by enabling new applications and providing customers a choice for best-of-breed RTLS infrastructure and platforms."
WLANs and Location Tracking in Healthcare
WLANs are widely used by hospitals and healthcare providers to improve patient care and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of hospital operations. Use of 802.11-enabled PDAs and tablet PCs for securely accessing patient medical records, issuing prescriptions for medication, and consulting digital reference materials improves the efficiency and accuracy of patient care. Voice-over-WLAN capabilities allow pervasive voice communications among hospital staff and caregivers without the cost and complexity of maintaining separate data and voice networks.
In conjunction with location and asset management systems, WLANs provide increased visibility and monitoring of critical assets and people. Aruba's new location API allows tighter integration with location management systems and will foster the creation of new location-based healthcare applications.
Today, WLANs and location management solutions allow medical personnel to quickly locate critical equipment such as mobile crash carts, infusion pumps, wheelchairs, and cardiac monitors, as well as other medical staff, to deliver faster response and improved care to patients. Location tracking also improves hospital operations with capabilities such as asset tracking, equipment utilization reporting, and patient/workflow management.
"The nature of healthcare service delivery makes mobility a requirement, and WLAN technology has become the preferred method for enabling mobile applications," said Kumar Thangamuthu, product marketing manager for Aruba Networks. "Aruba's highly secure, centralized mobility systems allow healthcare institutions to implement wireless data, voice, and location applications that result in superior care to patients, reduced errors, increased productivity, and a compelling total cost of ownership. We look forward to continuing to advance the state of the art in mobility solutions and applications for healthcare."
Aruba's full location API is included as part of the recently announced Aruba Mobility Management System. A subset of the location API is included with ArubaOS, the operating system and suite of mobility software that runs on Aruba mobility controllers. Both implementations are available today.
About Aruba Networks, Inc.
Aruba Networks is a fast-growing enterprise infrastructure company enabling the mobile edge, an evolutionary new network architecture that addresses three top concerns of IT managers-mobility, security and convergence. The mobile edge extends the reach of enterprise networks, providing secure access to information and voice services anywhere a user needs them, enabling new applications, allowing organizations to compete more effectively, and bringing about dramatic economic benefits. To deliver the mobile edge, Aruba manufactures and markets a complete line of fixed and modular mobility controllers, wired and wireless access points, and an advanced mobility software suite. Privately held and based in Sunnyvale, California, Aruba has operations in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and employs staff around the world. To learn more, visit Aruba at http://www.arubanetworks.com .
About Ekahau Inc.
Ekahau Inc. is the industry leader in providing Wi-Fi based RTLS solutions. Ekahau's customers, including several Fortune 500 companies worldwide, are realizing the benefits of Wi-Fi-based location services, and innovative Wi-Fi network planning and optimization tools. Ekahau partners include wireless software developers, leading system integrators, and international OEM partners, who develop and market wireless enterprise applications. For more information about Ekahau, please visit at http://www.ekahau.com
NOTE: Aruba Networks and Aruba The Mobile Edge Company are trademarks of Aruba Wireless Networks, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Source: prnewswire
All trademarks and copyrighted information contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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