IVF laboratory management through workflow-based RFID tag witnessing and real-time information entry.

BACKGROUND: Dual-person inspection in IVF laboratories cannot fully avoid mix-ups or embryo transfer errors, and data transcription or entry is time-consuming and redundant, often leading to delays in completing medical records. METHODS: This study introduced a workflow-based RFID tag witnessing and real-time information entry platform for addressing these challenges. To assess its potential in reducing mix-ups, we conducted a simulation experiment in semen preparation to analyze its error correction rate. Additionally, we evaluated its impact on work efficiency, specifically in operation and data entry. Furthermore, we compared the cycle costs between paper labels and RFID tags. Finally, we retrospectively analyzed clinical outcomes of 20,424 oocyte retrieval cycles and 15,785 frozen embryo transfer cycles, which were divided into paper label and RFID tag groups. RESULTS: The study revealed that comparing to paper labels, RFID tag witnessing corrected 100% of tag errors, didn't affect gamete/embryo operations, and notably shorten the time of entering data, but the cycle cost of RFID tags was significantly higher. However, no significant differences were observed in fertilization, embryo quality, blastocyst rates, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: RFID tag witnessing doesn't negatively impact gamete/embryo operation, embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes, but it potentially reduces the risk of mix-ups or errors. Despite highly increased cost, integrating RFID tag witnessing with real-time information entry can remarkably decrease the data entry time, substantially improving the work efficiency. This workflow-based management platform also enhances operational safety, ensures medical informational integrity, and boosts embryologist's confidence.

Radiofrequency identification tracking system (RFID) significantly improves blood bank inventory management and decreases staff work effort.

BACKGROUND: Before implementation of the radio frequency identification (RFID) system, there was a high loss rate of 4.0%-4.3% of red blood cell (RBC) units every year expiring on the shelf in our transfusion service laboratory. We introduced RFID technology to improve inventory management and the burden of work on the staff. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of RFID technology on the inventory management of RBC units and the staff workload in a transfusion service laboratory. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Using an RFID system involves encoding RBC units with an RFID tag capturing information such as donor identification number, product code, blood type, expiration date, product volume, and negative antigen(s). Tag information is collected through retrofitted storage shelves linked to the RFID server. The study analyzed RBC usage by unit and by volume (mL) and staff work effort to carry out inventory management tasks before and after the implementation of the RFID system. RESULTS: Implementation of the RFID technology reduced the loss, or discard, of RBC units to less than 1% annually (a statistically significant change, p < .001). The RFID computer dashboard provides a constant visual update of the inventory, allowing technologists to have accurate product counts and reducing their work burden. DISCUSSION: Implementation of RFID technology substantially reduced RBC product loss, improved inventory management, and lessened staff work burden.

A Compact Wearable Textile Antenna for NB-IoT and ISM Band Patient Tracking Applications.

This paper proposes a novel multi-band textile monopole antenna for patient tracking applications. The designed antenna has compact footprints (0.13λ02) and works in the narrow band-internet of things (NB-IoT) 1.8 GHz, radio frequency identification (RFID), and industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands. The impedance bandwidths and gain of the antenna at 1.8 GHz, 2.45 GHz, and 5.8 GHz are 310 MHz, 960 MHz, and 1140 MHz; 3.7 dBi, 5.3 dBi, and 9.6 dBi, respectively. Also, the antenna's behavior is checked on different body parts of the human body in various bending scenarios. As per the evaluated link budget, the designed antenna can easily communicate up to 100 m of distance. The specific absorption rate values of the designed antenna are also within acceptable limits as per the (FCC/ICNIRP) standards at the reported frequency bands. Unlike traditional rigid antennas, the proposed textile antenna is non-intrusive, enhancing user safety and comfort. The denim material makes it comfortable for extended wear, reducing the risk of skin irritation. It can also withstand regular wear and tear, including stretching and bending. The presented denim-based antenna can be seamlessly integrated into clothing and accessories, making it less obtrusive and more aesthetically pleasing.

Daily Living Activity Recognition with Frequency-Shift WiFi Backscatter Tags.

To provide diverse in-home services like elderly care, versatile activity recognition technology is essential. Radio-based methods, including WiFi CSI, RFID, and backscatter communication, are preferred due to their minimal privacy intrusion, reduced physical burden, and low maintenance costs. However, these methods face challenges, including environmental dependence, proximity limitations between the device and the user, and untested accuracy amidst various radio obstacles such as furniture, appliances, walls, and other radio waves. In this paper, we propose a frequency-shift backscatter tag-based in-home activity recognition method and test its feasibility in a near-real residential setting. Consisting of simple components such as antennas and switches, these tags facilitate ultra-low power consumption and demonstrate robustness against environmental noise because a context corresponding to a tag can be obtained by only observing frequency shifts. We implemented a sensing system consisting of SD-WiFi, a software-defined WiFi AP, and physical switches on backscatter tags tailored for detecting the movements of daily objects. Our experiments demonstrate that frequency shifts by tags can be detected within a 2 m range with 72% accuracy under the line of sight (LoS) conditions and achieve a 96.0% accuracy (F-score) in recognizing seven typical daily living activities with an appropriate receiver/transmitter layout. Furthermore, in an additional experiment, we confirmed that increasing the number of overlaying packets enables frequency shift-detection even without LoS at distances of 3-5 m.

A Technology Aid to Help People with Blindness and Moderate Intellectual Disability Retrieve Common Objects from Storage Units: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

BACKGROUND: People with blindness and intellectual disability can have problems locating, identifying, and retrieving objects needed for daily activities (e.g., clothes and food items) from familiar storage contexts, such as cupboards and cabinets. OBJECTIVE: This preliminary study assessed a technological system designed to help three people with those problems improve their performance. METHODS: The technological system, which involved the use of tags with radio frequency identification codes, a smartphone, and a tag reader, aimed to guide the participants in searching and retrieving objects from three different storage units. In practice, the system provided different feedbacks depending on whether the participants were searching (a) in a wrong storage unit, (b) in a wrong shelf/drawer of the right storage unit, or (c) in the right shelf/drawer of the right storage unit. RESULTS: All participants were successful in retrieving objects correctly with the technological system. The results also showed that (a) the participants preferred using the system over a control strategy, (b) were able to switch on and off the system independently, and (b) staff rated the system positively. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings suggest that the system might be a useful support tool for people with blindness and intellectual disability.

RFID trial: localization of non-palpable breast lesions using radiofrequency identification tags or wire.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Approximately 50% of breast cancers are discovered at an early stage in patients for whom conservative surgery is indicated. Intraoperative localization of non-palpable breast lesions is generally accomplished using a hook wire to mark the area of concern under ultrasound or stereotactic localization. But this technique has several drawbacks (painful, stressful…). We propose the use of a wire-free breast lesion system using miniature radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags. This technique could improve patient comfort and surgical comfort for surgeons. We therefore propose a study to assess the interest of introducing the RFID localization technique at the Jean PERRIN comprehensive cancer center. METHODS: This is a single-center prospective trial designed to assess the interest in introducing the RFID localization technique at the Jean Perrin center. It aims to show the superiority of the RFID technique in terms of patient tolerance compared to the gold-standard (hook wire). A sequential inclusion in time will be performed: 20 inclusions in the gold-standard group, then 20 patients in the RFID group before repeating the inclusion scheme. Any patient requiring preoperative localization will receive a senology consultation. The RFID tag will be placed during this consultation. The hook wire localization will be done the day before the surgery. Patients will fill out a Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) questionnaire at the time of inclusion. They will then fill out a satisfaction questionnaire in 2 steps: during the placement of the device (RFID tag or hook wire) or during the postoperative consultation at 1 month. Radiologists and surgeons will fill out a questionnaire to evaluate the localization technique, respectively after the localization and surgery procedures. DISCUSSION: The RFID study is the first study in France which specifically assesses the interest of the RFID localization in terms of patients comfort. Patient comfort is one of the key elements to take into consideration when managing patients in oncology and new technologies such as RFID tags could improve it. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID; NCT04750889 registered on February 11, 2021.

Design and practice of an emergency blood allocation system based on radiofrequency identification technology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Currently, blood allocation is solely done by scanning barcode labels for each bag of blood, with low efficiency. However, the rapid allocation of emergency blood is required owing to the rapid increase in blood consumption during unconventional emergencies. This study aimed to design and apply radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology for the rapid allocation of blood in batches with advantages in time, efficiency and accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A blood emergency allocation system based on RFID technology was designed using a multi-label anti-collision algorithm and tested with automatic information check, a comparative study of scanning speed and accuracy, data analysis and other methods. RESULTS: The optimal packing quantities of suspended red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma were 40 and 50 bags per box, respectively. The application of rapid batch allocation of blood using RFID technology was performed, and the data sent and received by RFID scanning and barcode scanning were compared. CONCLUSION: The designed RFID blood emergency allocation system could effectively achieve the rapid and batch allocation of emergency blood and has the advantages of stability, efficiency and accuracy in blood emergency allocation and management.

Use of a radiofrequency identification system for precise sublobar resection of small lung cancers.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of sublobar resection is increasing because of the rise in the detection of small lung cancers. However, local recurrence needs to be addressed, and several methods are needed for the resection with secure margins of non-visible and non-palpable tumors. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the use of a radiofrequency identification (RFID) system in sublobar resection of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) at our institute. RESULTS: From June 2020 to June 2022, 39 patients underwent sublobar resection for AIS or MIA. The median age was 69 years (interquartile range, 64-76). Among the 39 patients, 24 were diagnosed with AIS and 15 with MIA. Segmentectomy, subsegmentectomy, and wedge resection were performed in nine, six, and 24 patients, respectively. The median size of the target tumor was 9.0 mm (8.1-12.9) and the median distance between the tag and the tumor was 2.9 mm (0-7.5). The median pathological surgical margin was 15.0 mm (10-17.5). Complete resection of all lesions was performed with a secure surgical margin. The median follow-up duration was 6 months, during which no local recurrence was detected in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: The RFID marking system accurately informed the surgeons of the tumor location and helped them to perform precise sublobar resection.

Evaluation of the radiofrequency identification lung marking system: a multicenter study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The radiofrequency identification (RFID) lung marking system is a novel technique using near-field radio-communication technology. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility and feasibility of this system in the resection of small pulmonary nodules. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of 182 patients who underwent sublobar resection with the RFID marking system between March 2020 and November 2021 in six tertial hospitals in Japan. Target markings were bronchoscopically made within 3 days before surgery. The contribution of the procedure to the surgery and safety was evaluated. RESULTS: Target nodule average diameter and depth from the lung surface were 10.9 ± 5.4 mm and 14.6 ± 9.9 mm, respectively. Radiologically, one third of nodules appeared as pure ground-glass nodules (GGNs) on CT. The average distance from target nodule to RFID tag was 8.9 ± 7.1 mm. All surgical procedures were completed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Planned resection was achieved in all cases without any complications. The surgeons evaluated this system as helpful in 93% (necessary: 67%, useful; 26%) of cases. Nodule radiological features (p < 0.001) and type of surgery (p = 0.0013) were associated with the degree of contribution. In most cases, identification of the RFID tag was required within 1 min despite adhesion (p = 0.27). CONCLUSION: The RFID lung marking system was found to be safe and effective during successful sublobar resection. Patients with pure GGNs are the best candidates for the system.

Pre-operative localisation of axillary lymph nodes using radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags: a feasibility assessment in 75 cases.

AIM: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of using radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags for the localisation of axillary nodes prior to targeted excision in a National Health Service (NHS) breast unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data collection was carried out to analyse the first 75 cases of RFID-targeted axillary nodes inserted between 12 June 2019 and 27 October 2022, during which an overall total of 1,296 breast and axillary tags were deployed in 1,120 patients. RESULTS: Of the 75 axillary tags, 70 (93%) had a primary breast cancer and five (7%) had no known breast cancer but had an abnormal node targeted for diagnostic excision. Of the 70 with breast cancer, 20 (29%) underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) including one neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. Localisations were performed an average of 11 days before surgery (median 6, range 1-95; n=75). Patients undergoing NAC had their tags inserted after completing treatment due to the artefact caused by the tags on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Tag deployment had a 100% success rate, with 62 tags (83%) lying within the node and 13 tags (17%) lying directly adjacent to the node, either in direct contact (nine of 13), or a maximum of 8 mm from the target (four of 13). All tags and their respective nodes were excised successfully at surgery with no significant complications. There were four cases of tag dislodgement during excision, but overall, this did not compromise retrieval of the tag or the node. CONCLUSIONS: The use of RFID tags for the preoperative localisation of axillary nodes is safe and feasible.

Barcode and radio frequency identification utilization varied across Korean hospitals.

Barcodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) are increasingly used in health care to improve patient safety. However, studies on their utilization in clinical settings are limited. This study aimed to comprehensively examine the utilization status of barcodes and RFID in Korean hospitals, recognize the effects and obstacles associated with utilization, and explore the measures to expand the applications of barcodes and RFID. A self-reported online survey was conducted in tertiary hospitals, general hospitals, hospitals, and nursing hospitals in the Republic of Korea. The survey questionnaire comprised questions on barcodes and RFID utilization status, the effect of barcodes and RFID utilization, measures to expand the utilization of barcodes and RFID, and information on respondents' demographics and hospitals. A representative from each of 23 tertiary hospitals, 101 general hospitals, 232 hospitals, and 214 nursing hospitals completed the survey (total response rate 17%). The data were analysed using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to determine the differences in responses based on the type and characteristics of hospitals. The tertiary hospitals had the highest utilizations of both RFID and barcodes (n = 10, 43.5%), whereas the nursing hospitals had the lowest (n = 96, 55.1%). Barcodes and RFID were most commonly used in the visits and security management domains. However, the use of barcodes and RFID in medication dispensing and administration safety was low, despite its value in improving patient safety. The hospitals recognized the positive effect of utilization of barcodes and RFID, reporting the highest frequency for the prevention of patient safety incidents (n = 79, 85.9%). Nevertheless, the cost of barcodes and RFID facility investments (n = 128, 90.3%) appeared to be the greatest obstacle to the introduction of barcodes and RFID. Hence, barcodes and RFID facility investment support (n = 133, 95.5%) were given the highest priority among the measures to expand barcode and RFID utilization in health care. The utilization of barcodes and RFID varied across the type and domain of hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Hospitals recognized the positive effects of barcode and RFID utilization. Nonetheless, all hospitals were concerned about the cost of investment and maintenance of barcode and RFID facilities as the main obstacles to utilization. Therefore, a support plan must be developed for the cost of barcodes and RFID facility investments to expand barcode and RFID utilization in health care.

Enterprise risk management for automation in correctional facilities with pandemic and other stressors.

Real-time tracking of tool and equipment inventories is a critical function of many organizations and sectors. For prisons and correctional facilities, tracking and monitoring of assets such as cookware, hardware, keys, janitorial equipment, vocational/technical specialty tools, etc., is essential for safety, security, trust, efficiency, education, etc. The performance of automated systems for this purpose can be diminished by a variety of emergent and future sociotechnical factors alone and in combination. This article introduces a methodology for contractor evaluation and selection in acquisition of innovative asset management systems, with an emphasis on evolving system requirements under uncertainty. The methodology features a scenario-based preferences analysis of emergent and future conditions that are disruptive to the performance of the asset-control system. The conditions are across technologies, operating environments, regulations, workforce behaviors, offender behaviors, prices and markets, organizations, cyber threats, etc. The methodology addresses the influence and interaction of the conditions to disrupt system priorities. Examples include: (i) infectious disease disrupting priorities among requirements and (ii)  radio-frequency identification (RFID) and wireless-technology innovations disrupting priorities among stakeholders. The combinations of conditions that most and least matter for the system acquisition are characterized. The methodology constitutes a risk register for monitoring sources of risk to project performance, schedule, and cost throughout the system lifecycle. The results will be of interest to both practitioners and scholars engaged in systems acquisition as the pandemic interacts with other factors to affect risk, uncertainty, and resilience of organizational missions and operations.

Posture Classification with a Bed-Monitoring System Using Radio Frequency Identification.

Aging of the population and the declining birthrate in Japan have produced severe human resource shortages in the medical and long-term care industries. Reportedly, falls account for more than 50% of all accidents in nursing homes. Recently, various bed-release sensors have become commercially available. In fact, clip sensors, mat sensors, and infrared sensors are used widely in hospitals and nursing care facilities. We propose a simple and inexpensive monitoring system for elderly people as a technology capable of detecting bed activity, aimed particularly at preventing accidents involving falls. Based on findings obtained using that system, we aim at realizing a simple and inexpensive bed-monitoring system that improves quality of life. For this study, we developed a bed-monitoring system for detecting bed activity. It can predict bed release using RFID, which can achieve contactless measurements. The proposed bed-monitoring system incorporates an RFID antenna and tags, with a method for classifying postures based on the RFID communication status. Experimentation confirmed that three postures can be classified with two tags, seven postures with four tags, and nine postures with six tags. The detection rates were 90% for two tags, 75% for four tags, and more than 50% for six tags.

Deployment of Smart Specimen Transport System Using RFID and NB-IoT Technologies for Hospital Laboratory.

In this study, we propose a specimen tube prototype and smart specimen transport box using radio frequency identification (RFID) and narrow band-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology to use in the Department of Laboratory Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Our proposed method replaces the existing system, based on barcode technology, with shortage usage and low reliability. In addition, tube-tagged barcode has not eliminated the lost or incorrect delivery issues in many laboratories. In this solution, the passive RFID tag is attached to the surface of the specimen tube and stores information such as patient records, required tests, and receiver laboratory location. This information can be written and read multiple times using an RFID device. While delivering the specimen tubes via our proposed smart specimen transport box from one clinical laboratory to another, the NB-IoT attached to the box monitors the temperature and humidity values inside the box and tracks the box's GPS location to check whether the box arrives at the destination. The environmental condition inside the specimen transport box is sent to the cloud and can be monitored by doctors. The experimental results have proven the innovation of our solution and opened a new dimension for integrating RFID and IoT technologies into the specimen logistic system in the hospital.

VASERP: An Adaptive, Lightweight, Secure, and Efficient RFID-Based Authentication Scheme for IoV.

With the rapid growth in wireless communication and IoT technologies, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is applied to the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) to ensure the security of private data and the accuracy of identification and tracking. However, in traffic congestion scenarios, frequent mutual authentication increases the overall computing and communication overhead of the network. For this reason, in this work, we propose a lightweight RFID security fast authentication protocol for traffic congestion scenarios, designing an ownership transfer protocol to transfer access rights to vehicle tags in non-congestion scenarios. The edge server is used for authentication, and the elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) algorithm and the hash function are combined to ensure the security of vehicles' private data. The Scyther tool is used for the formal analysis of the proposed scheme, and this analysis shows that the proposed scheme can resist typical attacks in mobile communication of the IoV. Experimental results show that, compared to other RFID authentication protocols, the calculation and communication overheads of the tags proposed in this work are reduced by 66.35% in congested scenarios and 66.67% in non-congested scenarios, while the lowest are reduced by 32.71% and 50%, respectively. The results of this study demonstrate a significant reduction in the computational and communication overhead of tags while ensuring security.

Analysis of Data Reception in the Communication Layer Applied to an Architecture of Mobile Sensor Networks in Marine Environments.

This paper is focused on the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology operating at 125 kHz in a communication layer for a network of mobile and static nodes in marine environments, with a specific focus on the Underwater Internet of Things (UIoT). The analysis is divided into two main sections: characterizing the penetration depth at different frequencies and evaluating the probabilities of data reception between antennas of static nodes and a terrestrial antenna considering the line of sight (LoS) between antennas. The results indicate that the use of RFID technology at 125 kHz allows for data reception with a penetration depth of 0.6116 dB/m, demonstrating its suitability for data communication in marine environments. In the second part of the analysis, we examine the probabilities of data reception between static-node antennas at different heights and a terrestrial antenna at a specific height. Wave samples recorded in Playa Sisal, Yucatan, Mexico, are used for this analysis. The findings show a maximum reception probability of 94.5% between static nodes with an antenna at a height of 0 m and a 100% data reception probability between a static node and the terrestrial antenna when the static-node antennas are optimally positioned at a height of 1 m above sea level. Overall, this paper provides valuable insights into the application of RFID technology in marine environments for the UIoT, considering the minimization of impacts on marine fauna. The results suggest that by adjusting the characteristics of the RFID system, the proposed architecture can be effectively implemented to expand the monitoring area, considering variables both underwater and on the surface of the marine environment.

RF-Alphabet: Cross Domain Alphabet Recognition System Based on RFID Differential Threshold Similarity Calculation Model.

Gesture recognition can help people with a speech impairment to communicate and promote the development of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) technology. With the development of wireless technology, passive gesture recognition based on RFID has become a research hotspot. In this paper, we propose a low-cost, non-invasive and scalable gesture recognition technology, and successfully implement the RF-alphabet, a gesture recognition system for complex, fine-grained, domain-independent 26 English letters; the RF-alphabet has three major advantages: first, this paper achieves complete capture of complex, fine-grained gesture data by designing a dual-tag, dual-antenna layout. Secondly, to overcome the disadvantages of the large training sets and long training times of traditional deep learning. We design and combine the Difference threshold similarity calculation prediction model to extract digital signal features to achieve real-time feature analysis of gesture signals. Finally, the RF alphabet solves the problem of confusing the signal characteristics of letters. Confused letters are distinguished by comparing the phase values of feature points. The RF-alphabet ends up with an average accuracy of 90.28% and 89.7% in different domains for new users and new environments, respectively, by performing feature analysis on similar signals. The real-time, robustness, and scalability of the RF-alphabet are proven.

Environmental Burden Case Study of RFID Technology in Logistics Centre.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has established itself as an effective tool for identifying various objects in all human and business areas. There are many studies describing the use of this technology. However, scientific articles only marginally address the issue of recycling or reusing radio frequency identifiers. Radio frequency identifiers are defined as electronic waste by European Union legislation. This article deals with the environmental burden resulting from the use of radio frequency identifiers in a selected logistics centre and courier company in the Slovak and Czech Republic territories. The research and its relevance have become topical in the context of pandemics and with the increasing demand for products and courier services. In order to access the level of the above-mentioned environmental burden in a relevant way, an analysis of the circulation of transport units (pallets) and radio frequency identifiers in the selected logistics centre was carried out. The research results showed that the selected logistics centre generated annually 5.7 t of the e-waste from radio frequency identifiers placed on received pallets. The amount of 139 kg of metal was present in the e-waste quantity. The partial results of the research were applied to the e-commerce area. This article's conclusion is dedicated to the characterization of possibilities of reducing the environmental burden from the use of radio frequency identifiers in logistics.

Enhancing Security and Privacy in Healthcare Systems Using a Lightweight RFID Protocol.

Exploiting Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in healthcare systems has become a common practice, as it ensures better patient care and safety. However, these systems are prone to security vulnerabilities that can jeopardize patient privacy and the secure management of patient credentials. This paper aims to advance state-of-the-art approaches by developing more secure and private RFID-based healthcare systems. More specifically, we propose a lightweight RFID protocol that safeguards patients' privacy in the Internet of Healthcare Things (IoHT) domain by utilizing pseudonyms instead of real IDs, thereby ensuring secure communication between tags and readers. The proposed protocol has undergone rigorous testing and has been proven to be secure against various security attacks. This article provides a comprehensive overview of how RFID technology is used in healthcare systems and benchmarks the challenges faced by these systems. Then, it reviews the existing RFID authentication protocols proposed for IoT-based healthcare systems in terms of their strengths, challenges, and limitations. To overcome the limitations of existing approaches, we proposed a protocol that addresses the anonymity and traceability issues in existing schemes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that our proposed protocol had a lower computational cost than existing protocols and ensured better security. Finally, our proposed lightweight RFID protocol ensured strong security against known attacks and protected patient privacy using pseudonyms instead of real IDs.

Comparing Efficiency and Performance of IoT BLE and RFID-Based Systems for Achieving Contract Tracing to Monitor Infection Spread among Hospital and Office Staff.

COVID-19 is highly contagious and spreads rapidly; it can be transmitted through coughing or contact with virus-contaminated hands, surfaces, or objects. The virus spreads faster indoors and in crowded places; therefore, there is a huge demand for contact tracing applications in indoor environments, such as hospitals and offices, in order to measure personnel proximity while placing as little load on them as possible. Contact tracing is a vital step in controlling and restricting pandemic spread; however, traditional contact tracing is time-consuming, exhausting, and ineffective. As a result, more research and application of smart digital contact tracing is necessary. As the Internet of Things (IoT) and wearable sensor device studies have grown in popularity, this work has been based on the practicality and successful implementation of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and radio frequency identification (RFID) IoT based wireless systems for achieving contact tracing. Our study presents autonomous, low-cost, long-battery-life wireless sensing systems for contact tracing applications in hospital/office environments; these systems are developed with off-the-shelf components and do not rely on end user participation in order to prevent any inconvenience. Performance evaluation of the two implemented systems is carried out under various real practical settings and scenarios; these two implemented centralised IoT contact tracing devices were tested and compared demonstrating their efficiency results.