Sonitor recently launched its Forkbeard ultrasound-based technology positioning platform that turns smartphones and tablets into indoor navigation tools.

“Healthcare facilities can now seamlessly enable smartphones to easily be used as staff badges,” Sandra Rasmussen, SVP of sales and marketing at Sonitor, told HCB News. “This potentially reduces the number of tags caregivers need to wear.”

Forkbeard is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows smart devices. No modifications are required to turn the it into a positioning device or tag because Forkbeard leverages its existing microphone and powerful processor.

Conventional radio-based technology such as Bluetooth can only provide approximate locations. Forkbeard is powered by Sonitor’s Phone-FUEL, which leverages ultrasound echoes to enable wayfinding within one foot in a corridor, and 100 percent room-level accuracy.

Forkbeard’s ultraBeacons ultrasound locations transmitters are battery-powered and have have a transmission rate of one signal per second. They can be installed side-by-side with the Sonitor Sense location transmitters to get bayroom and sub-bayroom level accuracy.

“We believe the powerful, unique combination of Forkbeard and Sense delivers unparalleled indoor positioning for simple use cases such as wayfinding, to more complex use cases such as workflow, nurse call, rounding, etc.,” said Rasmussen.