<p dir="ltr">Due to the rapidly evolving landscape of the Internet of Things (IoT), efficient<br>communication solutions are increasingly sought after. The thesis delves into<br>the development and validation of two optical communication systems (IDC,<br>2021). Capitalizing on the benefits of Optical Wireless Communication (OWC)<br>and Optical Frequency Identification(OFID), two innovative optical systems are<br>introduced: a single-pixel OFID optical reader and a computer vision-based<br>communication system that utilizes an OLED tag, a camera, and a laptop as a<br>reader. These systems are designed to surpass the challenges associated with<br>existing technologies like RFID and Bluetooth, offering enhancements in<br>security, privacy, and autonomy through the integration of energy harvesting<br>technologies. Moreover, the practical application of these systems in real-world<br>settings, such as animal and object identification, highlight their versatility<br>and potential for diverse IoT applications. The prototypes presented were<br>systematically developed and subjected to a series of evaluations to assess their<br>performance. These tests focused on measuring the communication distance<br>achieved, the power consumption of the devices, and the accuracy of data<br>transmission. The experiments demonstrated the technical feasibility of the<br>systems in real IoT environments, affirming their effectiveness in overcoming<br>distance limitations and energy efficiency challenges and providing an<br>alternative solution for accurate data transmission in environments where radio<br>communications cannot operate. These findings underscore the significance and<br>applicability of optical communications.<br>highlight<br></p>

Appropriate measurement of broiler behaviors is critical to optimize broiler production efficiency and improve precision management strategies. However, performance of different precision tools on measuring broiler behaviors of interest remains unclear. This dissertation systematically developed and evaluated radio frequency identification (RFID) system, image processing, and deep learning for automatically detecting and analyzing broiler behaviors. Then different behaviors (i.e., feeding, drinking, stretching, restricted feeding) of broilers under representative management practices were measured using the developed precision tools. The broilers were Ross 708 in weeks 4-8. The major findings show that the RFID system achieved high performance (over 90% accuracy) for continuously tracking feeding and drinking behaviors of individual broilers, after they were customized and modified, such as tag sensitivity test, power adjustment, radio wave shielding, and assessment of interference by add-ons. The image processing algorithms combined with a machine learning model were customized and adjusted based on the experimental conditions and finally achieved 85% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for detecting bird number at feeder and at drinkers. After adjusting labeling method and hyperparameter tuning, the faster region-based convolutional neural network (faster R-CNN) had over 86% precision, recall, specificity, and accuracy for detecting broiler stretching behaviors. In comprehensive algorithms, the faster R-CNN showed over 92% precision, recall, and F1 score for detecting feeder, eating birds, and birds around feeder. The bird trackers had a 3.2% error rate to track individual birds around feeder. The support vector machine behavior classifier achieved over 92% performance for classifying walking birds. Image processing model was also developed to detect birds that were restricted to feeder access. Broilers had different behavior responses to different sessions of a day, bird ages, environments, diets, and allocated resources. Reducing stocking density, increasing feeder space, and applying poultry-specific light spectrum and intensity were beneficial for birds to perform behaviors, such as feeding, drinking, and stretching, while using the antibiotics-free diet reduced bird feeding time. In conclusion, the developed tools are useful tools for automated broiler behavior monitoring and the measured behavior responses provide insights into precision management of welfare-oriented broiler production.

This study is a research around an issue encountered by MyEasyLab, a laboratory involved in asbestos testing for the French market. They are facing a problem of sample losses, which is hardly acceptable, especially when growing on a highly competitive and price driven market. They are therefore looking for ways to have a better traceability of their samples. The technicians were observed to identify their needs and the problems the company is facing. This study is presenting as a result two complementary solutions: the reorganization of the working space, and the usage of the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to track the samples. The reorganization of the room using the 5S method should enable a more optimized way of working. This method initially used in the industry early on by Toyota, enables to optimize the flows (goods, person, waste …) in a sustainable way. The use of RFID presents the opportunity of a deep change in the whole process of the company, from the client to the labs. Bags already tagged RFID could be sent to the clients for their sample collection, enabling traceability from the beginning of the chain. The samples could, using RFID, be detected as they enter the site, leave the site and if they are in an undesired location (for example in the trash). The RFID technology is also an opportunity to facilitate the work of the technician, with a possibility to save around 4h15 of working time per day. The kind of tags that seems the most appropriate for this application is passive UHF tags. They present the advantages of being cheaper, easier to buy in bulk and readable from longer distances.  Even though the RFID technology is often seen as expensive, a return on investment seems possible for a tag price under 0.08€.  Further experimental tests need to be realized to refine the results of this study.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010 / The main aim of this research was to automate student attendance registration, thereby reducing human involvement in the whole process. This was made possible using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. The Central University of Technology uses student cards that are compatible for use with RFID technology. As a result, no initial investment (except for the existing personal computer’s and the constructed RFID reader) in infrastructure was required for this project. The basic working of the project was as follows. The students belonging to a specific class had their vital educational data (Student number, Name) entered into a database table at the time of registration. A student card containing a serial number, with reference to the data contained in the database table, was given to the students after registration. The students walk into their respective classes and scan their student cards with the RFID reader. The serial number stored in the student card is transferred to the reader and from there wirelessly to the main server using ZigBee technology. In the main server, using Java programming language, the card serial number is sent to the Integrated Development Environment (IDE). In this project the Netbeans IDE (Java platform) was used. The Netbeans IDE is connected to the Apache Derby database using Java Database Connector (JDBC), so the serial number (which is referenced to the educational data of the students) from the student card is automatically compared with the original database created at the time of registration. Once a match is confirmed between the two entries, the data is entered into a separate database table which serves as the basic attendance sheet for a specific day.

The aim of this study is to analysis, investigate and find out the solutions for the problems associated with the implementations of antennas RFID Reader and Tag for various applications. In particular, the efficiency of the RFID reader antenna and the detection range of the RFID tag antenna, subject to a small and compact antenna's design configuration have been studied. The present work has been addressed directly to reduce the cost, size and increase the detection range and communication reliability of the RFID framework antennas. Furthermore, the modelling concept of RFID passive tags mounted on various materials including the novel design of RFID reader antenna using Genetic Algorithm (GA) are considered and discussed to maintain reliable and efficient antenna radiation performances. The main benefit of applying GA is to provide fast, accurate and reliable solutions of antenna's structure. Therefore, the GA has been successfully employed to design examples: meander-line, two linear cross elements and compact Helical- Spiral antennas. In addition, a hybrid method to model the human body interaction with RFID tag antenna operating at 900MHz has been studied. The near field distribution and the radiation pattern together with the statistical distribution of the radiation efficiency and the absorbed power in terms of cumulative distribution functions for different orientation and location of RFID's tag antenna on the human body have been demonstrated. Several tag antennas wi th symmetrical and unsymmetrical structure configurations operating in the European UHF band 850-950 MHz have been fabricated and tested. . The measured and simulated results have been found to be in a good agreement with reasonable impedance matching to the typical input impedance of an RFID integrated circuit chip and nominal power gain and radiation patterns.

Diese Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit den Auswirkungen der Radiofrequenzidentifikation (RFID) auf das Lieferkettenmanagement. Wir entwickeln mehrere ökonomische Modelle zur quantitativen Evaluation der RFID-Technologie und den strategischen Implikationen ihres unternehmensübergreifenden Einsatzes. Dabei wenden wir uns insbesondere folgenden Forschungsfragen zu: (i) Welcher ökonomische Wert kann durch den Einsatz von RFID entlang der Lieferkette realisiert werden? (ii) Welche ökonomische Anreize haben die Teilnehmer von Lieferketten, RFID gemeinsam zu nutzen? (iii) Welche innovativen Praktiken im Bereich des Lieferkettenmanagements wird RFID ermöglichen und was ist der jeweilige Nutzen? Im Gegensatz zu früheren Untersuchungen konzentrieren wir uns auf die Bestimmung des Informations- bzw. Transformationsnutzens von RFID auf der Einzelteilebene in der Lieferkette bestimmter Konsumgüter. Das erste Kapitel der Dissertation enthält die notwendigen Hintergründe über die Möglichkeiten der RFID Technologie und ihr erwarteter Einfluss auf das Lieferkettenmanagement. Das zweite Kapitel untersucht die strategischen Konsequenzen der Möglichkeit, den Güterfluss in Lieferketten auf der Einzelteilebene zu überwachen. Im dritten Kapitel veranschaulichen wir den Wert der durch RFID ermöglichten Sichtbarkeit von Produkten in Einzelhandelsfilialen wenn die logistischen Prozesse durch verschiedene Fehlerarten, speziell Fehlplatzierungen, Schwund und Transaktionsfehler, beeinflusst werden. Im vierten Kapitel quantifizieren wir den Wert von Bestandsreallokationen zwischen Einzelhandelsfilialen – eine Praktik, die durch den Einsatz von RFID auf der Einzelteilebene ermöglicht werden könnte. Das fünfte Kapitel beschäftigt sich mit der Rolle des Austauschs von Logistikinformationen im Kontext der Vorwärtsintegration. Kapitel sechs beschließt die Dissertation und bietet Hinweise für weitere Forschungsvorhaben im Bereich des Wertes von RFID und entsprechender Einführungsstrategien an. / This dissertation investigates the impact of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) on supply chain management. We develop several economic models that allow for a quantitative evaluation of RFID’s value and the strategic implications resulting from its inter-organizational use. Although the ongoing hype about RFID has lead to a high availability of general literature on RFID technology as well as numerous value propositions, the amount of quantitative research about RFID’s business value is still small. We address this research gap by investigating three research questions: (i) What economic value can be realized by deploying RFID along the supply chain? (ii) What economic incentives have supply chain participants to use RFID cooperatively? (iii) What innovative supply chain practices will RFID enable and what is their economic value? In contrast to earlier research, we constrain our research focus to the determination of the information and transformation value of item-level RFID in the supply chain of certain "high-impact" consumer products. The first chapter of this dissertation provides the necessary background about RFID’s capabilities and expected impact on supply chain management. The second chapter analyses the strategic consequences of being able to monitor the flow of goods in a supply chain on the item-level. The third chapter demonstrates the value of RFID-enabled visibility in retail stores if logistical operations are subject to certain kinds of error, in particular misplacements, shrinkage, and transaction errors. The fourth chapter investigates the value of item-level transshipments between retail stores – a practice that could be enabled by the use of item-level RFID. The fifth chapter deals with the role of logistical information sharing practices in the context of vertical integration strategies. Chapter six concludes the dissertation and provides hints for further research on RFID value and strategy.

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.