You’ll Never Lose A Package Again With This Paper-Thin 5G Tracking Label
While Apple AirTags may have revolutionized the way people locate their keys, what about the purchases they make online that often go missing while on the way to doorsteps?
That’s the issue Pod Group—a company creating Internet of Things (IoT) solutions by providing connectivity services—is trying to address with its new smart labels, which can be stuck onto boxes or even important letters so that the recipient can track the precise location of a package with the always-on 5G connection.
By making use of ultra-thin printed battery technology and low-power 5G cellular chips, the smart label tracking device unveiled at CES 2023 measures just two millimeters thick, and can be attached to nearly any surface for up to six months.
The best part? The stickers are both removable and reusable, so you’ll be able to juice them up again before placing them back on a different package, or sending them off to the recycling bin if they’re no longer needed.
Besides giving off the box’s location, the label’s creators believe it could help make supply chains more efficient. Shippers will be able to set up geofenced notifications to be automatically alerted when a package arrives or departs.
Furthermore, each sticker includes a temperature sensor that could be helpful for indicating if food or medication has been exposed to unfavorable conditions, and a motion sensor so a recipient knows if his or her item has been dropped.
“With the Smart Label, companies with complex supply chains can track their goods efficiently, reducing spoilage and theft,” explains SODAQ’s Ollie Smeenk, who adds that the firm is the “first in the world” to make this commercially available.
Of course, as with AirTags, there are privacy concerns when it comes to discreet tracking devices, and with one as thin as a sheet of paper, these stickers could be even harder to spot.
Gizmodo notes that Smart Labels can easily be stuck to the underside of a vehicle to track an individual’s whereabouts, but due to the fact that it taps on cellular connectivity, there could be more accountability than a device straight out of a box.
If anything, a big plus these stickers have compared to other forms of tracking is that their alkaline batteries make them more eco-friendly than traditional lithium gadgets, with bonus points for the recyclable materials used.
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