RFID Journal - Hospital Gets Ultra-Wideband RFID: "Aug. 19, 2004 Parco Wireless, a developer of an ultra-wideband RFID system for healthcare facilities, has sold its first commercial installation. In October, Parco will oversee the deployment of more than 20 readers and around 100 tags for patients and staff as well as tags for equipment throughout the emergency department of the Washington Hospital. Parco's real-time location system uses tags and readers licensed from Multispectral Solutions, an ultra-wideband (UWB) specialist combined with Parco's own asset management software. The system allows hospitals and clinics to track the status and exact location of patients, staff and essential equipment. " (excerpt from RFID journal).

This is a very good example of the high feasability for UWB in wireless gridlike applications. Suddenly we can track the whereabouts of stuff with high precision and with non-intrusive and
low power radio technology. The US has a lead in this area due to the rapid acting FCC a couple of years ago, which allowed for market players to "experiment with UWB applications, while stipulating that the power cord is always plugged into the inhouse wall outlet". Intel is betting on UWB as part of it's heterogenous wireless future and will soon release WiMax and Bluetooth replacements. First out for UWB here where the patents war, which has been documented. Now we have the standards war, lobbying activites and the first wave of acquisitions in the US.

Europe have fairly decent research projects in the area through the Framework Programme R&D and some of the ICT companies has participated and invested in UWB startups in the US. But the slow part in Europe right now is regulatory bodies both on the European and national levels.