Smart Labels Offer High-Precision Indoor Tracking via Bluetooth
Reelables introduced a smart label solution using Bluetooth that achieves 10-centimeter indoor location accuracy. This level of precision rivals more expensive ultra-wideband (UWB) systems. The innovation points to a new wave of affordable, disposable beacons for granular tracking of inventory and assets in complex warehouse environments.
- The high-precision tracking is achieved through a partnership with IOSEA, utilizing its patented SEAgnal software-defined location-sensing technology. This system processes Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) data from a network of multi-antenna gateways to determine an asset's precise location. - This location-finding capability is a feature of the Bluetooth 5.1 specification, which added a Constant Tone Extension (CTE) field to the signal that allows receiving devices to measure a signal's phase information. - London-based Reelables raised $10.4 million in a Series A funding round in November 2025, with investors including Amigos Ventures, Moneta, Raptor Group, and Silicon Labs. The company announced plans to use the funding to scale production to 100 million labels per year. - The labels themselves are paper-thin and flexible, incorporating a coated, environmentally-friendly Zn-Mn battery directly into the label, which allows them to be printed in standard thermal barcode printers. - While standard BLE beacon tracking typically provides accuracy within 5 to 10 meters, this AoA-based approach is competitive with UWB systems that generally offer 10 to 30-centimeter precision. - Reelables also produces 5G Narrowband-IoT smart labels designed for global cargo tracking without the need for deploying local gateway infrastructure. - The global indoor positioning market was valued at approximately $13.73 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $39.62 billion by 2033.
