Metamaterial asset tags for device tracking in a 3D space

A system for tracking devices in an environment, the system comprising:

• memory that stores information regarding a plurality of metamaterial asset tags each attached to a particular device to be tracked and corresponding to a particular tag group that is associated with at least one frequency, a beamforming method, and at least one signal processing algorithm;
• a phased antenna array that transmits a first signal to the metamaterial asset tags and receives one or more response signals corresponding to at least one of the metamaterial asset tags;
• at least one processor operatively connected to the phased antenna array, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions stored in memory to:
• determine a direction of the at least one metamaterial asset tag based on the response signals;
• determine a tag group for the at least one metamaterial asset tag based on the response signals, wherein the phased antenna array transmits a beamformed signal using the at least one frequency and the beamforming method associated with the determined tag group in the determined direction of the at least one metamaterial asset tag and receives an updated response signal from the at least one metamaterial asset tag;
• and
• use the at least one signal processing algorithm associated with the determined tag group to determine a location of the at least one metamaterial asset tag based on the updated response signal.