This thesis addresses the topic of electronic employee monitoring in non-unionized workplaces in Canada. Electronic employee monitoring is defined as including (1) the use of electronic devices to review and evaluate employees’ performance; (2) ‘electronic surveillance’; and (3) employers’ use of computer forensics. Detailed consideration is given to a variety of technologies, including computer, internet and e-mail monitoring, location awareness technologies (such as global positioning systems and radio frequency identification), as well as biometrics, and the developing case law surrounding these innovations. Analogies are drawn to the jurisprudence developing with respect to unionized workplaces and under statutory unjust dismissal regimes. This analysis leads to the conclusion that legislative reform is necessary, either through (1) the creation of parallel private sector privacy regimes, such as those in British Columbia and Alberta, mirroring existing federal legislation; (2) amendments to existing employment standards legislation; or (3) the enactment of a stand-alone surveillance statute. / October 2008

Depuis quelques années le nouveau paradigme d'internet des objets, qui se traduit par la connexion des objets de la vie quotidienne à internet grâce à des dispositifs électroniques intégrés, est devenu plus qu'un simple concept et a commencé à entrer dans la réalité. Il en est ainsi des systèmes d'identification par radiofréquence (RFID), qui font partie des technologies disponibles. Lorsque le coût et la taille des tags deviennent des exigences prépondérantes, l'adoption de tags (semi-)passifs fondés sur la modulation d'un signal rétrodiffusé représente une solution attractive. En outre, l'utilisation de techniques ULB apporte des avantages propres à favoriser le remplacement d'une partie des systèmes RFID actuels qui souffrent de certains défauts tels qu'une trop forte consommation ou une faible robustesse en présence d'interférence. La thèse de doctorat se place dans ce contexte: elle a pour objectif l'étude des systèmes ULB RFID semi-passifs et se situe dans le cadre du projet européen SELECT, qui vise à développer et à évaluer un tel système. La prise de conscience qu'il était fondamental de comprendre les mécanismes électromagnétiques intrinsèques à la communication lecteur-tag, préalablement à la conception du système, s'est traduite par la mise en oeuvre d'une collaboration franco-italienne dans le cadre d'une cotutelle de thèse. C'est donc au départ autour d'une analyse fine et d'une modélisation des aspects antennaires et du canal radio entre le lecteur et le tag que la 1re partie du travail s'est construite. La 2nde partie a exploité ces travaux pour l'élaboration des schémas de modulation et de codage du lecteur et du tag pour les systèmes semi-passifs.

La identificació per radiofreqüència (RFID) és una tecnologia de comunicació sense fils entre un lector i un transductor anomenat etiqueta, que s’adhereix als objectes per a identificar-los o emmagatzemar-ne informació. A diferència dels seus predecessors, els codis de barres òptics, l’enllaç de comunicació no requereix visió directe i es poden llegir múltiples etiquetes al mateix instant de temps. El rang d’operació és significativament superior també. Totes aquestes característiques afavoreixen el desenvolupament del que serà, segons els experts, la revolució de la Internet de les Coses, que permetrà identificar qualsevol objecte etiquetat des de qualsevol ordinador, instantàniament. Només dos factors impedeixen el desenvolupament i expansió de la tecnologia RFID: la falta d’uniformitat en la estandardització i els costos dels sistemes RFID, que van disminuint ràpidament any rere any. La finalitat de la tesi és abordar i aportar solucions a la falta d’homogeneïtat en els estàndards de RFID en el rang de freqüències ultra altes (UHF). L’objectiu, per tant, es centra en dissenyar etiquetes RFID per operar en les bandes de freqüència de les diferents regions del món. És a dir, es dissenyaran etiquetes RFID duals en freqüència per operar en diferents regions. Per aconseguir aquesta fita es desenvolupa un mètode pertorbatiu mitjançant les línies de transmissió artificials de tipus ressonant, basades en conceptes metamaterial. Aquestes línies permeten cert control dels paràmetres elèctrics de les xarxes d’adaptació que es concatenaran entre l’antena i el xip de l’etiqueta RFID. Així, aprofitant les característiques de controlabilitat dels metamaterials, s’implementen etiquetes RFID multibanda. L’estudi analític del mètode pertorbatiu, així com el disseny, fabricació i mesura de les etiquetes RFID són els blocs principals d’aquest treball. / Radiofrequency identification (RFID) is a wireless communication technology, consisting on a link between a reader and a transducer namely tag. The tag is attached to the objects in order to identifier them and to provide information of such objects. RFID is being developed to replace the optical bar codes, because it offers some relevant advantages as the possibility to read multiples tags at the same time without direct line of sight. It also involves that the RFID read ranges are largest. According to experts, the RFID technology will allow to develop the revolution of The Internet of Things, which can identifier any tagged object from any computer, instantly. However there are two factors which hinder the development and expansion of RFID technology: the standard (lack of uniformity) and the costs associated to RFID systems, which are decreasing year after year. The thesis goal deals with solutions to solve the lack of uniformity of the standard in the RFID ultra-high frequencies (UHF).Therefore, the thesis aim consists in designing RFID tags capable to operate at two frequency bands of the different worldwide regions. In order to achieve this target a perturbation method has been carried out by means of the resonant-type artificial transmission lines, based in metamaterial concepts. Such lines can engineer and tailor the dispersion diagram and characteristic impedance (to some extend) of the impedance matching networks, which are cascaded between the antenna and the chip of the tag. Then, it is possible to implement multiband RFID tags, thanks to the metamaterial controllability. This work has compiled the analytical study of the perturbation method, and also the design, fabrication and measure of the RFID tags.

La technologie RFID fait dorénavant partie intégrante de notre quotidien. Les applications correspondantes à cette technologie sont des plus en plus nombreuses et répandues. Ce manuscrit a pour ambition la recherche de solutions innovantes pour lecteurs RFID UHF. Ce travail ayant été accompli dans le cadre du projet PACID Textile, les champs d'application de nos recherches ont été l'amélioration de la gestion, de la traçabilité et de la sécurité des textiles industriels et commerciaux de par des performances accrues des structures antennaires. Pour cela, l'antenne lecteur, entre autre, doit être miniature tout en étant faible coût, directive et à polarisation circulaire dans la bande RFID UHF (0,865-0,868 GHz). Les deux verrous technologiques principaux auxquels nous avons été confrontés pour l'antenne lecteur sont la gestion de sa direction de propagation privilégiée permettant de restreindre et maîtriser la zone de lecture ainsi que son encombrement afin de l'intégrer facilement dans n'importe quel environnement. Pour répondre à cette problématique, les axes de recherche abordés dans ce manuscrit ont été : L'obtention de la polarisation circulaire à l'aide de résonateurs à courts-circuits. L'étude et la conception d'antennes à base de métamatériaux de type BIE (Bande Interdite Electromagnétique) afin d'améliorer la directivité des antennes imprimées de par les propriétés originales de ces structures. La recherche de nouvelles techniques de miniaturisation des antennes imprimées par introduction d'un nouveau plan de masse de type BIE.

Ineffective materials and equipment management continues to be a leading cause of poor performance on construction projects today. Many of the problems arise as a result of the inability to convey information pertaining to the location and status of construction material and equipment in an accurate and efficient manner. The integration of automated materials locating and tracking technologies (AMLTT) within the construction supply network presents a viable solution to this problem. The objective of this thesis is to further the understanding of the broader impact which these technologies could have on construction supply network management and the construction management process in general. This knowledge, however limited, is increasingly important as leaders in other industry sectors are beginning to report tangible benefits as a result of the integration of these technologies within their organizations’ supply networks. Using a modeling and simulation approach, the impact of AMLTT on three segments of the construction supply network, typical to most large scale and industrial construction projects, was investigated. The results indicate the potential for AMLTT to have a positive impact on resource allocation, productivity, risk mitigation, and improving the overall performance of the construction supply network in general.

<!--[if !mso]> <object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui></object><mce:style><! st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } --> This report is the result of an investigation of the possibility to use RFID-technology in a producing company. The investigation is focused on a flow between the company’s producing subsidiary company in Lithuania and its main facility in Sweden. RFID is the abbreviation for radiofrequency identification. The RFID-technology forms the base of a system with wireless information transmission between an object to which a transponder, also called tag, has been attached and a reader. The information is transmitted by radio waves and the system is equipped with software that can digitalise the radio waves. The information is thereby converted into useful input to, for example, the company’s business system. RFID makes it possible to decrease the human interaction necessary and does not demand free line of sight in contrast to barcode systems. The objective of this final thesis is to: ·         give suggestions of how RFID can be applied in the flow of pallets between the Lithuanian subsidiary company and the main facility in Sweden ·         investigate if the adoption is practicable and what consequences will follow the suggested appliance ·         present profitability calculations ·         investigate what future opportunities the technology offers the company The scope of my work is to be able to present a report to the company that gives them a good insight in the RFID-technology and to give suggestions on how to use it in their operations. The report shall be useable as a decision basis for the company when deciding weather it is interesting for them to continue the investigation or not. The result of the investigation is a description of the flow which forms the basis of the two suggested alternatives of application of RFID-technology. The first alternative consists of a system of active tags which is attached to the pallets directly after the goods are produced. The second alternative is a system based on the use of passive tags in the form of self adhesive labels. Both alternatives induce a division of the flow into five zones between which a reading of the tags takes place and the pallets are thereby identified automatically. The system of active tags results in an initial investment of SEK 1 256 000 and the system of passive tags, SEK 227 000. Both alternatives make a SEK 648 000 saving in cost possible, mainly consisting of decreasing need of working effort in identifying pallets and manual reporting to the business system.     An analysis of the suggestions shows that the pay-back time for the alternative with active tags may be too long depending on the company’s intentions of future expansion of the system. The investment can be proven justifiable after a more thorough investigation. Concerning the system of passive tags, the analysis shows that the alternative is practicable and gives a great chance of fast profitability and also further profitability over time. The investigation is based on a theoretic study of RFID, Supply Chain Management and process analysis. A survey of the process has resulted in a flow chart and this has formed the basis of the work resulting in the two suggested applications. These have then been evaluated from a profitability and practicability perspective.

Examensarbetet utfördes på Balco AB i Växjö, som tillverkar och erbjuder balkongsystem på totalentreprenad. Eftersom Balcos ökade omsättning har lett till att ankomstrollen inte längre kan utföras med tillräckligt hög precision, så har produktionsplaneringen blivit lidande. Syftet med projektet var därför att Balco ska kunna ankomstrapportera inkomna aluminiumprofiler från underleverantörer på ett smidigt sätt, samt med hög precision. För att lösa Balcos problem vid ankomstkontrollen, så att de enkelt kan rapportera in och få en god översikt av ankommit gods, har projektgruppen kommit fram till tre olika alternativa lösningar. Dessa lösningar är streckkodssystem, RFID-system och manuell identifiering. För bästa resultat, och användning av identifikationssystemen, är det troligtvis nödvändigt att ett MPS-system implementeras. Slutsatsen och rekommendationerna innefattas främst av en lösning med ett streckkodssystem, men där den primära nyckeln till ökad precision och kontroll av ankommande gods ligger i att införa ett väl fungerande datasystem.

The use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS) in asset management has been in limited use, mainly in large organizations such as hospitals and military. The research in this area is making progress and new solutions with reduced costs with greater resolution are presented by different companies that enable the technology to be used in new operating areas. This thesis is about the development, implementation and integration of a RTLS solution that enables surveillance of the position of keys. The RTLS solution utilizes RTLS hardware to receive the positions of the keys. The report describes how the RTLS hardware is selected and how the software solution is designed and implemented. The report describes also result of how the finished solution with software and hardware cooperates. The most vital problem was to create an efficient zone structure that implements the surveillance hierarchy of the keys. The thesis was conducted at a company (PAAM Systems) that offers solutions in access and asset management. The company aims to use a RTLS in an asset management application for keys. The purpose of this work is to examine the existing solutions on the market that provide a RTLS with passive RFID technology.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is an electronic labeling technique.These electronic labels are called tags and read wirelessly. In this thesis a battery and amicroprocessor are connected to the tag. The work consisted of programming themicroprocessor to transfers sensor data into the tags memory. The tags are placed ontrains and data is collected from sensors at the train's axle. That way sensor data can betransmitted from a train to readers stationed along the railroad tracks.The aim of the project is to predict service intervals. There is currently no possibility tosee wear in real time and stop a train before it breaks. At present, there is a form of heatdetectors located along the railroad tracks to measure temperatures of wheels and axlesof passing trains. These are expensive and have the disadvantage of being able to detecterrors that have already occurred, they can not detect errors that do not radiate heat.The thesis aims to provide a solution for this. By programming a microprocessor totransmit sensor data to the tags memory it is possible for an RFID reader to read thesensor data from the tag. Ensuring that data and identity can be read from the tag atspeeds up to 250 km/h, you can get the status of a trains wagon before it breaks.

This two years master's thesis in Library and Information science, examines how the implementation of new technical equipment can affect how staff in public libraries organize their work and activities in the library. One Swedish public library in specific is the subject of research in this thesis, which has been anonymized as Kvarntuna city library. The study takes place in the beginning of the implementation of RFID-technology in the library. RFID, which stands for Radio Frequency Identification, is supposed to make the handling with different types of media in the library more efficient and in connection with the implementation one wants to reorganize work and activities in the library to make it even more efficient and also create a modern library. The thesis' method is qualitative interviews with six members of the staff. The theoretical framework of the thesis is a sociocultural perspective, especially inspiered by Roger Säljö, a Swedish professor in pedagogical psychology. The sociocultural perspective emphasizes physical and intellectual tools as important components in everything people do, for example when learning, thinking, taking action and interacting with others in different contexts. Tools has an medieting effect. The thesis' result and analysis is presented thematically in different levels of contexts: the mental context, the physical context, the communicative context and the historical context. The sociocultural perspective makes it possible to understand the implementation of RFID in itself, rather than the actual technology, as a tool that is used to change the way work is organized in the library. It can also be seen as a screen through which it is possible for the interviewed staff to think and reflect how a different way of organizing the work would be. Some statements indicate that it is difficult to see what could change in the way the work is organized when implementing RFID, and all of the interviewed persons make some kind of statement that they know little about what a different way of organizing the work is or that it is too early in the implementation to tell or know something about that. However, what was expressed in the interviews indicates that the implementation is a tool in the making and the implementation itself can be seen as the reorganized way of work or a start of it. This is since tools has an developing effect on both actions, thoughts and organizations. Therefore we can see a discrepancy between what the interviewed persons first said, and what they later expressed. Finally, from a sociocultural point of view one can see that people have a big opportunity to control tools, in libraries too, and use them according to their purposes. Technology is therefore not a threat to libraries' existence, but can rather be seen as an opportunity to develop the organization.