Search results

The purpose of this paper is to first review the implementation of automatic identification and data capture) technologies in library/information science, focusing on barcode technology, radio frequency identification (RFID) and near field communication (NFC). This paper then presents S-Library, a new android-based application, to enable users to perform a wide range of information science-related transactions, such as borrowing, searching, returning and viewing transaction records.

This paper presents the design process and the database and software components. For analysis, the authors used application testing, and also usability testing, with a questionnaire distributed to 343 users.

The implementation of NFC technology means that S-Library has a number of technical advantages over other approaches. It was also shown with user acceptance testing that there was a high degree of user satisfaction with S-Library.

Although the findings combine technical assessment and usability testing and are extremely positive, further user evaluation could be performed. In addition, S-Library does not currently read existing RFID tags, which would improve the application further.

The system proposed here shows that S-Library is a feasible approach taken to improve the library transaction experience and that it can replace and improve upon older technologies.

This paper provides a first successful demonstration of a functioning and tested android and NFC-based library transaction system and shows that this approach generates a high degree of user reliability.

Radio frequency identification or RFID has received much press of late, mainly due to the recent compliance mandates by many of the world’s largest retailers (Wal‐Mart, Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Target, etc.) and Gillette’s reported purchase of 500 million units last year. The technology has been proclaimed to ‘lead to an entirely new relationship between people and things’ (J. D. Markman, ‘Invest in the Greatest Thing since the Bar Code’, MSN Money ‐ SuperModels, 25th June, 2003; http:// moneycentral.msn.com/content/P50823.asp). Others have said ‘we think it will be bigger than the Internet. All the Web did was connect computers to computers. That’s not as big as connecting things to computers’ (M. Roberti, publisher of RFID Journal, in interview with Markman, above). Promoters describe a supply chain where all assets are in perfect visibility through production, distribution, retail and consumption. According to one analyst, the world will need about half the warehouse space it needs today (P. Jilek, ‘Corporate Sector Focus, A Killer App?’ CSFB Investment Strategy, 17th June, 2003). This paper introduces RFID technology and its potential implications. Although the technology is compelling, there are serious nearterm challenges. Finally, the paper looks at the impact RFID could have on supply chain facilities and the future demand for industrial real estate.

This study proposes targeted modernization of the Department of Defense (DoD's) Joint Forces Ammunition Logistics information system by implementing the optimized innovative information technology open architecture design and integrating Radio Frequency Identification Device data technologies and real-time optimization and control mechanisms as the critical technology components of the solution. The innovative information technology, which pursues the focused logistics, will be deployed in 36 months at the estimated cost of $568 million in constant dollars. We estimate that the Systems, Applications, Products (SAP)-based enterprise integration solution that the Army currently pursues will cost another $1.5 billion through the year 2014; however, it is unlikely to deliver the intended technical capabilities.

Automatic identification and data capture/collection (AIDC) systems are one of the most widely used and under‐recognized IT strategic assets in use in the global economy. Data collection and integration strategies are essential to enterprise resource management systems as well as warehouse management systems. The development of innovation through the development and marketing of products and services has been a key source of competitive advantage for many large and small manufacturing firms and is greatly aided by AIDC technologies. Management needs to control quality, cost, schedule, location of warehouses and plants, inventory levels, pricing, shipment, and a vast host of factors that are based almost entirely on the volume and quality of data and data collection. A discussion of types of bar coding technologies and their associated software/hardware requirements is included, with a mobile communications example.

We describe an automatic classroom capture system that detects and records significant (stable) points in lectures by sampling and analyzing a sequence of screen capture frames from a PC used for presentations, application demonstrations, etc. The system uses visual inspection techniques to scan the screen capture stream to identify points to store. Unlike systems that only detect and store slide presentation transitions, this system detects and stores significant frames in any style of computer‐based lecture using any program. The system is transparent to the lecturer and requires no software or training. It has been tested extensively on lectures with multiple applications and pen‐based annotations and has successfully identified “significant” frames (frames that represent stable events such as a new slide, bullet, figure, inked comment, drawing, code entry, application entry etc.). The system can analyze over 20000 frames and typically identifies and stores about 100 significant frames within minutes of the end of a lecture. A time stamp for each saved frame is recorded and will in the future be used to compile these frames into a jMANIC multimedia record of the class.

Machine‐readable data carriers are distinguished as an important emergent area of information technology exhibiting revolutionary and radical attributes in respect of their value in process enhancement and new product and process development. The objective of this paper is to present an awareness of the subject and its relevance to automated assembly.

Identification of topic changes within a user search session is a key issue in content analysis of search engine user queries. Recently, various studies have focused on new topic identification/session identification of search engine transaction logs, and several problems regarding the estimation of topic shifts and continuations were observed in these studies. This study aims to analyze the reasons for the problems that were encountered as a result of applying automatic new topic identification.

Measures, such as cleaning the data of common words and analyzing the errors of automatic new topic identification, are applied to eliminate the problems in estimating topic shifts and continuations.

The findings show that the resulting errors of automatic new topic identification have a pattern, and further research is required to improve the performance of automatic new topic identification.

Improving the performance of automatic new topic identification would be valuable to search engine designers, so that they can develop new clustering and query recommendation algorithms, as well as custom‐tailored graphical user interfaces for search engine users.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how logistics performance is affected by the use of different identification technologies and practices for utilising the tracking data.

The paper uses the survey method. The survey instrument is developed in co‐operation with an expert group consisting of both researchers and industry representatives. The data are analysed using multivariate techniques and hypothesis testing.

This paper indicates better logistics performance for companies using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, while no significant differences can be seen for companies using Auto‐ID in general. In terms of registration, best‐in‐class firms have more identification points along their supply chains compared to other firms. Best‐in‐class firms also seem to have more extensive sharing of tracking data with supply chain partners, both upstream and downstream, and in terms of frequency and scope, which contributes to superior logistical performance.

To provide a more robust scientific justification of the survey results, in‐depth case studies should be carried out. Further studies are needed to verify the links between RFID and logistics performance.

The findings may enable managers to estimate the potential of using identification technologies and learn of practices which may enable their organisations to improve logistics performance.

This paper presents empirical links between different identification technologies, attributes of the tracking system, use and sharing of tracking data and logistical improvements.

The need for retail and manufacturing companies to better track inventory and raw materials, and the decreasing cost of microchips have led to enhanced interest in automatic identification systems. Retailers continue to face challenges in managing their business due to inconsistencies in data and are often unable to use the same to the fullest competitive advantage. In addition, retailers aren’ always able to quantify key performance indicators across the enterprise and have difficulty providing financial and non‐financial (including sales, marketing and operational) metrics across the enterprise. Automatic identification technologies try to overcome this by allowing machines to identify objects and capture information, providing organizations with much greater degrees of control and flexibility in managing goods as they move through the supply chain. The aim of most auto‐ID systems is to increase efficiency, reduce data entry errors and free up staff to perform more value‐added functions, such as providing customer service. One such automatic identification technology is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). This article led through a series of case study, is an attempt to explore application of RFID in retail systems. The literature survey, case studies, managerial and ethical issues discussed here have important implications for system developments. Seen by the industry as the next transformational technology, RFID promises higher quality information and real‐time tracking.