Next Generation Wireless Communications: The Asset Tracking Capability of the Future

Will NGWC replace the aRFID tracking system? How can NGWC better support US soldiers? William Jarrett, US Army Logistics Innovation Agency explains the benefits of the NGWC mesh network solution, which will support a wide range of applications and which was designed to comply with DoD information. He also discusses key constraints in the development of NGWC, including battery life and the focus of sensor integration in the coming year. William Jarrett will be speaking at the Soldier Equipment & Technology Expo & Conference taking place August 6th-9thin Fort Bragg, NC. [eventPDF] The US Army is developing and testing more effective methods of total asset visibility. IDGA recently spoke with William Jarrett, US Army Logistics Innovation Agency to explore the benefits of Next Generation Wireless Communications (NGWC). Mr Jarrett explains how the NGWC mesh network solution was designed to comply with DoD information and how it will support a wide range of applications. He also discusses key constraints in the development of NGWC, including battery life, and the focus of sensor integration in the coming year. IDGA: Can you please tell us about features of Next Generation Wireless Communications (NGWC) and how it aims to improve asset visibility? NGWC is a wireless networking protocol that enables asset tags to 'mesh' to form a network amongst themselves and share/pass information. The NGWC protocol is unique by comparison to other mesh network solutions in that it was designed from the ground up to be compliant with DoD information assurance requirements and support long battery life. NGWC mesh network is a true network designed to function much like the internet protocol (TCP/IP). This protocol, when integrated to vital/high dollar assets, will enable continuous contact with and self-reporting of assets within the logistics business process as well as on the move when integrated with mobile asset tracking solutions. The NGWC mesh network supports a wide range of applications when sensors are integrated for condition/status monitoring. IDGA: What stage of development is the NGWC at currently? How is the technology being utilized? NGWC is still in development at this time. However, the current version of the protocol is being deployed in Kuwait. The Army has integrated GPS into the mesh tag and has enabled yard management for the Iraq retrograde mission by providing near real-time, continuous visibility of class VII equipment being processed for distribution back to the United States for reset. US Army Logistics Innovation Agency (LIA) will complete the development and testing of the NGWC mesh protocol within the next 18 months and will demonstrate the operational utility of the mesh network across a wide range of applications. IDGA: How does NGWC technology work with RFID technology to enhance Total Asset Visibility? How will these technologies work together to better support the soldier? The NGWC mesh networking capability is a departure from traditional RFID technologies. The current aRFID tags will be leaf nodes to the NGWC network such that the data capture event from an interrogation of that aRFID tag can be routed through the mesh network to a mesh gateway and on to automated information systems. Generally speaking, traditional RFID technologies are designed to support a rather narrow range of business processes and usually require some modification of the business process to compensate for the data capture event. The NGWC mesh was designed from the beginning to be a data agnostic, secure network such that it will support a wide range of applications. So, it will be possible for a handheld device to capture a bar code or IUID read event and route that data to the system of record through the NGWC mesh network. The mesh will not replace bar codes, IUID, passive RFID as they are designed to support different business processes associated with issue/receipt/inventory/accountability. The mesh will enable those technologies. The mesh, however, was designed to replace aRFID as the asset tracking capability of the future. IDGA: What have been some of the main lessons learned since the project was initiated, and how has that enhanced projects moving forward? The key constraints in this effort were battery life and information assurance compliance such that the NGWC network posed no threat to the Army/DoD IT environment. Using these two constraints as the foundation for the design, we had to eliminate all of the existing mesh architectures available in the commercial and academic sectors and determined that we would need to develop a new protocol in the IEEE 802.15.4 networking space. Information assurance compliance has been a major thrust throughout the project and, aside from the meshing capability itself (thousands of tags forming an edge network and routing data from that network to a single gateway) has been the greatest challenge. IDGA: How does this technology help the US Army Logistics Innovation Agency to fulfill its mission of providing innovative solutions for improved Logistics readiness? NGWC mesh network is a paradigm shift for military and, in fact, enterprise-wide logistics processes. The current baseline AIT for Army/DoD is active RFID. It only provides nodal/chokepoint visibility of tagged assets as they pass by an interrogator. In the end, aRFID only provides strategy nodal visibility of assets. Enabling/integrating NGWC mesh to vital equipment, supplies, and materiel will provide the ITV currently available with aRFID but will also provide continuous visibility of assets while they reside in our yards, lots, staging areas, ports, etc. Unlike aRFID, NGWC provides GPS positioning of assets and, when integrated with sensors, will provide near real-time condition monitoring as well. IDGA: What is the greatest benefit of NGWC? What is the top focus for the NGWC project in the next year? The real value of the mesh network is in its ability to enable Condition-Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) and Sense and Respond Logistics (S&RL). The NGWC project will focus on sensor integration to enable CBM+ and S&RL and will demonstrate the ability to maintain continuous contact with our assets while in our business processes from the strategic level all the way forward to the last tactical mile. Sensor integration is the focus of effort in the coming year. William Jarrett will be speaking at IDGA’s Soldier Equipment & Technology Expo & Conference. To find out more or to register, visit www.SoldierEquipmentExpo.com/FortBragg or by calling 1 (800) 882-8684.

Next Generation Wireless Communications: The Asset Tracking Capability of the Future

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