A team of researchers from Dubai’s University of Wollongong have developed a mobile platform capable of tracking tiny RFID tags inserted into personal possessions.
The IPURSE can be used in libraries, warehouses and shops for stock and inventory control and helps decrease the risk of theft. The new mobile platform can also be used to track mobile phones, notebooks, laptops, cameras, keys and even cosmetics.
Professor Mohamed Watfa, an associate professor in the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, has published a paper in the International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications. IPURSE tracks items placed by the user in a bag or purse and alerts the user when any item is missing or has been removed. It unifies NFC (near field communication) and RFID technologies into a system that provides a smart monitoring system. A short range wireless connectivity technology, NFC technology enables for secure two-way communication between electronic devices and is faster than Bluetooth.
The RFID system also has a weather check feature that notifies the user to carry a rain coat or an umbrella as required. The researchers intend on linking the system to social networks whereby contacts can be alerted if the user’s mobile phone is missing. The tiny RFID chip is capable of storing and sending information through radio frequency signals. It also features an adhesive backing to enable attachment of the chip to any gadget if there is any obstruction. An RFID reader receives and transmits data to the tags. An RFID reader acts as an antenna and transmits signals to the tags.
Source: http://www.uowdubai.ac.ae