Madrid Hospital Improves Employee Safety, Security With Real-Time Location System

  • Aug 04, 2008

Ekahau Inc., a provider of Wi-Fi-based Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS), recently announced that the 12 de Octubre Hospital in Madrid, Spain, has installed a Wi-Fi-based location tracking solution that is designed to improve security and safety of its emergency room employees.

The solution, deployed by Indra, is built on the Ekahau Positioning Engine, a software-based location server that leverages existing enterprise Wi-Fi infrastructure for location tracking.

"The Ekahau Positioning Engine helps hospitals capitalize on their existing Wi-Fi infrastructure," said Antti Korhonen, president and CEO of Ekahau. "Not only can they quickly and cost-effectively deploy new applications -- like the Indra's panic button application -- but new applications can easily be added to improve reporting, compliance and workflow within a healthcare setting."

With the deployment, the 12 de Octubre Hospital will provide its emergency room personnel with Ekahau Wi-Fi tags that include a "panic button" that can be pushed in the event of a security concern, such as assault or robbery. This panic button application will alert the hospital's security department, enabling them to know exactly where the incident has occurred and respond promptly.

The panic button application in use at 12 de Octubre Hospital is just one module of the Indra Localiza Suite, which is based on the Ekahau Positioning Engine. The solution also enables hospitals to use the same Wi-Fi infrastructure to create secure access zones within a building. By doing this, users can detect unauthorized access to restricted areas and track the location of assets to prevent loss or theft of critical equipment. Additionally, the Ekahau location tracking solution can be integrated with IP telephony systems, enabling users to receive alerts and manage the system from a Wi-Fi smartphone or dual-mode GSM/Wi-Fi phone.

"Ekahau RTLS provided our development team with one of the most powerful and flexible API software interfaces, enabling us to quickly and easily integrate the Ekahau Positioning Engine into our application layer," said Jose Antelo, responsible for Solutions Development in Corporate Networking at Indra. "Another advantage to partnering with Ekahau is that its solution provides the best level of accuracy available in the market over standard WLAN access points and requires no additional infrastructure deployment to track assets down to the room level."

Featured

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities