In past and recent literature, random access protocols have been investigated with growing interest. In particular, the Slotted ALOHA protocol has been extensively used in satellite communications, and has also attracted considerable attention in many areas of wireless communication systems, especially in the cellular mobile environment. In this thesis, we investigate the performance of Slotted ALOHA, an effective random access protocol, in a Weibull fading environment. We study the performance metrics based on the signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) model, in a cellular network system, assuming two captures models. The capture effect, also called co-channel interference tolerance, is the ability to correctly receive a strong signal from one transmitter despite significant interference from other transmitters. We derive closed-formed expressions and numerical evaluations for both the capture probability and the system throughput. he analytical results will be validated with computer simulations. Finally, to mitigate the effects of Weibull fading channel we also consider the effect of dual selection diversity that will increase the capture probability and the system throughput. / by Jean N. Rene. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

As aplicações da tecnologia de identificação por radiofrequência (RFID) em hospitais movimenta uma importante área de estudo no setor de saúde. Acompanhando o crescente número de trabalhos na área, encontra-se a necessidade de sistematização e categorização destas aplicações e de estudos que apresente soluções para o processo logístico hospitalar, particularmente, sob a perspectiva do fluxo de pacientes em ambulatórios de ensino. Diante deste cenário, a presente tese propõe um modelo de referência para a identificação e análise de aplicações RFID, considerando o objeto de estudo em questão. A revisão da literatura inicia-se abordando a Logística Hospitalar, apresentando os principais autores e correntes dessa área de pesquisa, apontando para a importância do fluxo de pacientes como elemento direcionador dos demais fluxos logísticos. Em seguida, é realizado um levantamento e categorização das aplicações da RFID em organizações hospitalares, permitindo a análise e o entendimento de suas principais características. Dessa forma, três bases apoiam o método de pesquisa. O primeiro é a revisão bibliográfica. O segundo é a metodologia para o desenvolvimento de modelos de referência na área de TI e por final, a avaliação do modelo por profissionais de saúde e TI, futuros usuários do modelo. Como contribuição da pesquisa, destaca-se o desenvolvimento e prescrição de um conjunto de atividades voltadas à identificação e análise de aplicações RFID dentro da visão de Logística Hospitalar, objetivando uma maior aproximação entre profissionais de saúde e TI na etapa de planejamento do processo de implantação da tecnologia em um ambiente ambulatorial de ensino. / The applications of radio frequency identification technology (RFID) in hospitals move an important area of study in the healthcare. Accompanying the growing body of research on this topic, there is a need for systematization of such applications and proposals for solutions to the hospital logistics processes, particularly from the perspective of patient flow logistics in teaching ambulatory care setting. In this way, this thesis proposes a reference model for the identification and analysis of RFID applications, considering this object of research. The literature review begins by addressing the hospital logistics management, presenting the main authors of this emerging area of research, pointing to the importance of patient flow. Next, we conducted a review and categorization of RFID applications in hospital organizations, theme of this research, allowing the analysis and understanding of its main characteristics. Thus, three bases support the research method. The first is the literature review. The second is the methods for reference model development in IT field and the third, the evaluation by health and IT professionals, potential users of model. As a research contribution, a set of activities designed to identifying and analyzing RFID applications in hospital logistics was developed, aimed to approach health and IT professionals in the planning stage of RFID implementation process.

The quest to generate, preserve and utilise knowledge is driving firms and organisations towards a knowledge-based approach to managing organisational knowledge assets. Therefore, knowledge management (KM) is becoming increasingly important for organisations such as academic libraries to enhance their competitive edge in performance, to become more effective and to keep the organisation’s knowledge for future use. The importance of KM cannot be overemphasised in terms of how academic libraries can find meaningful and effective ways to manage knowledge resources to improve the services rendered to information users. Pressure is mounting for academic libraries to attain, retain and share knowledge for strategic planning, decision-making and remaining competitive. The adoption of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies is one of the preferred approaches to managing organisational knowledge assets; therefore, this was the motivation for undertaking this study in order to understand how these new technologies can change the knowledge management landscape in academic libraries. A qualitative research methodology, informed by the interpretivist research philosophy, was adopted in this study. Data were collected from a sample of 12 participants using non-probability purposive and convenience sampling techniques. The use of purposive and convenience techniques was ideal for this study because the participants were readily available and possessed the relevant data required to address the research questions and research problem of the study. Open-ended questions were designed to form an interview guide, which was the main data collection instrument. Annual reports, system manuals and user manuals were consulted to augment the primary data collected to address the problem at hand. The findings from the study showed that RFID technologies improved efficiency, tracking and tracing, inventory management and assisted with planning. It was revealed that users of RFID technologies required further training and development to fully utilise these systems for the benefit of the organisation. The study was conducted using a small sample of 12 participants; therefore, it was recommended that further studies could be conducted with large sample sizes using different research strategies. It was suggested that further research should be conducted to establish how change programmes have been managed before in other departments or sections and how the staff exodus was managed. An organisation-wide research would be recommended to ascertain the views and opinions of a larger population so that findings can be generalisable. / Information Science / M. Inf. (Information Science)

As aplicações da tecnologia de identificação por radiofrequência (RFID) em hospitais movimenta uma importante área de estudo no setor de saúde. Acompanhando o crescente número de trabalhos na área, encontra-se a necessidade de sistematização e categorização destas aplicações e de estudos que apresente soluções para o processo logístico hospitalar, particularmente, sob a perspectiva do fluxo de pacientes em ambulatórios de ensino. Diante deste cenário, a presente tese propõe um modelo de referência para a identificação e análise de aplicações RFID, considerando o objeto de estudo em questão. A revisão da literatura inicia-se abordando a Logística Hospitalar, apresentando os principais autores e correntes dessa área de pesquisa, apontando para a importância do fluxo de pacientes como elemento direcionador dos demais fluxos logísticos. Em seguida, é realizado um levantamento e categorização das aplicações da RFID em organizações hospitalares, permitindo a análise e o entendimento de suas principais características. Dessa forma, três bases apoiam o método de pesquisa. O primeiro é a revisão bibliográfica. O segundo é a metodologia para o desenvolvimento de modelos de referência na área de TI e por final, a avaliação do modelo por profissionais de saúde e TI, futuros usuários do modelo. Como contribuição da pesquisa, destaca-se o desenvolvimento e prescrição de um conjunto de atividades voltadas à identificação e análise de aplicações RFID dentro da visão de Logística Hospitalar, objetivando uma maior aproximação entre profissionais de saúde e TI na etapa de planejamento do processo de implantação da tecnologia em um ambiente ambulatorial de ensino. / The applications of radio frequency identification technology (RFID) in hospitals move an important area of study in the healthcare. Accompanying the growing body of research on this topic, there is a need for systematization of such applications and proposals for solutions to the hospital logistics processes, particularly from the perspective of patient flow logistics in teaching ambulatory care setting. In this way, this thesis proposes a reference model for the identification and analysis of RFID applications, considering this object of research. The literature review begins by addressing the hospital logistics management, presenting the main authors of this emerging area of research, pointing to the importance of patient flow. Next, we conducted a review and categorization of RFID applications in hospital organizations, theme of this research, allowing the analysis and understanding of its main characteristics. Thus, three bases support the research method. The first is the literature review. The second is the methods for reference model development in IT field and the third, the evaluation by health and IT professionals, potential users of model. As a research contribution, a set of activities designed to identifying and analyzing RFID applications in hospital logistics was developed, aimed to approach health and IT professionals in the planning stage of RFID implementation process.

Mikrochip, eller integrerad krets, är en samling av elektroniska kretsar på en mindre platta. De går att finna i nästan alla elektroniska produkter, såsom i mobiler eller självkörande bilar. Idag har denna teknik blivit så liten att människor kan implantera den i kroppen, där användningsområdena är många och fortfarande relativt outforskade. Ny teknik kommer ofta med positiva och negativa aspekter, en teknik som kan integreras med kroppen kan för individen kännas integritetskränkande, främmande eller obehagligt. Detta är en kvalitativ studie där vi genom intervjuer har undersökt vilka attityder ungdomar i Sverige har till implantat av mikrochip. Studien har identifierat vad ungdomar har för attityder och åsikter kring mikrochip i kontexten av deras egna privatliv, hälsa, vardagsliv och datasäkerhet.

Professors who manage large classes are unrealistically expected to grade each student fairly and accurately. Even with all of the technological advancements that have occurred in the past thirty years, very little progress has been made in classroom management, and as a result, professors are not equipped with enough tools to successfully manage large class sizes. Because radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is making its way into student issued identification cards, there is an opportunity to use it as a tool to aid professors in the classroom. The focus of this paper is to discover the most effective system that can be implemented as a classroom management instrument. Through multi criteria analysis, several different infrastructures are examined and compared to determine the best alternative. The result of an effective system leads to a reduction in time spent taking attendance, an increase in student performance, an increase in the fairness and accuracy of recording classroom participation, and an enhanced professor-student relationship.

<p>The purpose of this master thesis has been to develop a baggage handling process at Stockholm Skavsta Airport that is cost-efficient, in order to prepare for the expected expansion of the airport. When developing the new process it was a directive to examine the possibilities of using radio frequency identification, RFID, technology and also that the required investment for the new process should have a payback time of no more than two to three years. The current process contains a completely manual sorting activity, which is both costly in terms of personnel and creates some mishandling of baggage due to the human factor. Our recommendation is a baggage handling process that use automatic sorting through RFID technology that eliminates the mishandling of baggage and reduce the personnel costs and at the same time have a payback period of less than three years. The main cost driver is the RFID tag costs and therefore our process is a so called closed-loop system, where the tags are reused several times and require very little work in between uses. The proposed physical layout consists of a drawing of the physical layout of the baggage sorting hall, a description of the RFID system, and the required information system software.</p>

The purpose of this master thesis has been to develop a baggage handling process at Stockholm Skavsta Airport that is cost-efficient, in order to prepare for the expected expansion of the airport. When developing the new process it was a directive to examine the possibilities of using radio frequency identification, RFID, technology and also that the required investment for the new process should have a payback time of no more than two to three years. The current process contains a completely manual sorting activity, which is both costly in terms of personnel and creates some mishandling of baggage due to the human factor. Our recommendation is a baggage handling process that use automatic sorting through RFID technology that eliminates the mishandling of baggage and reduce the personnel costs and at the same time have a payback period of less than three years. The main cost driver is the RFID tag costs and therefore our process is a so called closed-loop system, where the tags are reused several times and require very little work in between uses. The proposed physical layout consists of a drawing of the physical layout of the baggage sorting hall, a description of the RFID system, and the required information system software.

In this thesis, the feasibility of deploying RFID technologies in the case of &ldquo / lowvolume high-value&rdquo / products is considered by focusing on the production processes of a real company. First, the processes of the company are examined and associated problems are determined. Accordingly, a simulation of the current situation is constructed by using the discrete event simulation technique, in order to obtain an accurate model. In addition to modeling the current situation, this simulation model provides a flexible platform to analyze different scenarios and their effects on the company production. Next, various scenarios including RFID technology deployment are examined, and their results are compared with respect to profitanalysis which takes into consideration the changes in the production, work in process (WIP) inventory, stockouts, transportation and initial investment. Finally, the analysis of the results and conclusions are given in order to provide guidance for companies with &ldquo / low-volume high-value&rdquo / product portfolios.

Limited asset visibility is a key problem in the management of returnable transport items (RTIs) like reusable containers, pallets and kegs. One tool to increase asset visibility is radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. However, RFID requires high investment cost and intensive efforts for implementation. In this study, we investigate the added value of using RFID technology for the management of the RTI pool in a closed-loop supply chain setting considering both costs and benefits. We have conducted a case study in a company which has recently started an RFID application in its closed-loop supply chain of RTIs. The aim of this case study is to identify and understand how an existing RTI pool is managed and the impact of using RFID technology on the management of such an RTI pool. In order to quantify the added value of RFID technology in RTI pool management, we search for the minimum cost solutions both without and with the use of RFID technology in a problem environment similar to that of our case study using the simulation optimization method. We also analyze the impact of using RFID technology on RTI pool management in terms of several performance measures, including RTI pool size, RTI lifetime, RTI trippage and the cycle time for RTIs to complete one trip in the closed-loop supply chain. In our study, we develop a number of discrete event simulation models of the identified closed-loop supply chain of RTIs operating with our predetermined decision rules for the RTI pool management using the simulation software Arena. We then develop our simulation optimization model in OptQuest for Arena in which the discrete event simulation models are embedded. The results from the simulation optimization method show that the added value of using RFID technology is mostly positive and it depends on the severity of the problematic issues in the closed-loop supply chain, as well as on the extent of improvements that RFID brings about.