General details
EDIHs involved
Challenges
Hypros GmbH & Co. KG is a German company specialising in smart IoT and AI-based solutions for the healthcare sector. Its modular platform helps hospitals optimise workflows, track assets, and improve hygiene monitoring. As part of its offering, Hypros provides a localisation system to support daily hospital operations.
However, the ongoing staff shortage in the healthcare sector poses significant operational challenges for hospitals. In this context, being able to locate medical equipment and supplies quickly is essential to improve efficiency and free up valuable time for patient care.
Hypros already offers a localisation solution, but its current precision—around 5 meters—was insufficient for certain critical environments. There was a clear need for more accurate localisation, especially in sensitive areas such as operating theatre instrument storage.
Since Hypros does not have an internal development department, it relies on close collaboration with the research community. With support from the experts at EDIH.SH, the goal was to enhance its Bluetooth-based localisation system to achieve a significantly higher level of precision.
Solutions
To enhance the precision of its localisation system, Hypros partnered with sensor experts from EDIH.SH to optimise the existing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. The improvement centered on the integration of a new algorithm based on the Gauss-Newton method, which enabled the combination of multiple BLE angle measurements.
As a result, the localisation accuracy was significantly improved to at least 1 meter in 90% of the measurements, representing a major leap from the previous 5-meter precision. The upgraded system was rigorously tested in various environments, including those with challenging materials such as stainless steel, which is commonly found in hospitals due to its hygienic properties.
Importantly, this innovative approach did not require additional technical infrastructure. The upgraded solution continues to rely on the existing setup, which includes:
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Sensors,
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Bluetooth transmission,
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and a dashboard to monitor both the location and operational status of an unlimited number of medical devices.
This allowed for a more efficient and precise management of hospital equipment, directly supporting healthcare staff and improving response times in critical situations.
Results and Benefits
The collaboration led to a range of impactful outcomes for Hypros and its healthcare clients:
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More precise localisation: The system’s accuracy was enhanced from approximately 5 meters to 1 meter, significantly improving asset tracking in sensitive hospital environments.
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Greater operational efficiency: The improved precision allows for faster location of medical equipment, reducing time wasted in manual searches and enabling staff to focus more on patient care.
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Enhanced safety and hygiene: The solution provides real-time data on device status and environmental conditions, facilitating quicker response times and supporting hygiene protocols.
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Cost-effective implementation: The system can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure, such as Bluetooth-enabled routers, minimising the need for additional investments.
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Scalability and adaptability: The technology is transferable to other sectors and use cases beyond healthcare, opening up opportunities for wider application.
Perceived social/economic impact
The implementation of the enhanced localisation system has led to tangible benefits for both end users in the healthcare sector and for Hypros as a technology provider:
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Improved resource utilisation in clinics: The reduction in time spent locating medical devices allows healthcare professionals to dedicate more time to direct patient care, improving overall efficiency.
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Enhanced hygiene management: Real-time status monitoring of surgical instruments supports adherence to hygiene standards and helps reduce the risk of contamination in critical environments.
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Competitive advantage for Hypros: The integration of advanced localisation technology reinforces Hypros’s market position and technological leadership, opening new opportunities in healthcare and beyond.
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Contribution to scientific knowledge: The project has produced well-founded research findings, contributing to the broader academic and technical community. The results have been published in a peer-reviewed article, accessible here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10939545.
Measurable data
The project delivered quantifiable improvements in localisation performance, demonstrating both technical robustness and practical applicability:
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Precision improvement: Localisation accuracy increased from approximately 5 meters to a median of 1.0 meter, with 80% of all positions within 1.6 meters, based on over 350,000 measurements conducted in realistic test environments.
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Real-time tracking: The system operates with an update rate of 10 Hz, enabling continuous and responsive position monitoring of medical devices.
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Reliable performance in clinical settings: The solution proved robust even in challenging environments with reflective metal surfaces, such as those commonly found in hospitals.
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Seamless integration: Built on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware and existing Bluetooth infrastructure, the system requires minimal investment and offers low implementation complexity.
These measurable outcomes contribute directly to streamlining clinical workflows by reducing device search times, enhancing equipment availability, and maintaining hygiene standards through real-time status monitoring. Additionally, the solution’s scalability makes it suitable for deployment in other sectors such as logistics, retail, and smart buildings.
Lessons learned
Do's
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Close cooperation with experts from science and practice led to an innovative and practical solution.
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Access to research enables Hypros to keep pace with technical progress.
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Accurate testing under real-life conditions: Metallic surfaces in clinics interfere with signal transmission - requiring precise testing in real-world environments.
Dont's
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work scientifically without a view to practical applicability.
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Just because you have developed and marketed a product well doesn't mean it should remain on that state of the art. The technical possibilities are constantly improving, and a product like this must keep up with that.
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Don't try to do everything on your own as a small company.
Other Information
The project results were published in a peer-reviewed IEEE article: “Real-Time Bluetooth Low Energy Angle-of-Arrival Localisation with Gauss-Newton” by Schmidt & Hellbrück (2024). The publication presents a BLE-based system using AoA and Gauss-Newton optimisation, achieving real-time tracking at 10 Hz, with a median error of 1.0 m and 80% of measurements within 1.6 m, validated through over 350,000 estimations.
Compared to traditional RSSI-based methods, the system offers higher accuracy, faster updates, and easier deployment.
Beyond healthcare, the solution is highly applicable to industrial logistics, retail, smart buildings, and public spaces like museums or airports, thanks to its open-source architecture and compatibility with off-the-shelf hardware.
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