Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
AIDC is the catch-all term for all technologies that help users automatically capture information or that help users identify people, documents, retail items, assets, etc. Originally, bar codes were the main media for providing identification and information transfer. A bar code could carry information, such as a company name, a product ID number, a manufacturing lot number, a country code, etc. Most of the early, successful use of bar codes was in retail, specifically in grocery stores. Today, bar codes are used in the retail supply chain and in manufacturing environments, as well as a host of other applications.
Bar codes are no longer the only form of information transfer. New initiatives are ongoing to speed RFID (radio frequency identification) adoption. RFID “tags” or “transponders” are small pieces of silicon which carry programmed information. Tags are embedded in a suitable packaging and also have antennae to help send and receive RF signals carrying data packets. In some instances, specialized solutions called real-time locating systems (RTLS) are used for tracking and locating items in a building or specified area.
Part of the identification function in AIDC includes biometric ID. Biometric ID technologies use some human characteristic to perform positive IDs.
Of course, it is not enough to simply identify an item or capture information. There must be tools to capture the info and transfer it to a host computer for dissemination. This is yet another part of AIDC. Wireless mobile computing, sometimes referred to as enterprise mobility solutions, consists of hardware and software used to perform information capture and transfer. Some hardware components include handheld terminals and PDAs, notebook and laptop computers, wireless networks (local area and wide area), connectors, and a variety of other AIDC technologies, including laser and imaging scanners, RFID interrogators, and voice recognition components.
As the wireless part of AIDC has progressed, terminals can now be used for communication and for connecting to the Internet. Voice communication can be achieved through portable terminals using traditional wireless technology (such as cell phones) or by using voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
With specialized application software, AIDC technologies provide invaluable operational efficiencies for today’s businesses. The retail world as we know it would be shut down without bar codes. This is a growing industry with tremendous possibilities and untapped markets.
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Resources
Education: InsightU and The Center For Auto ID at Ohio University
Through a relationship with InsightU and The Center For Automatic Identification at Ohio University, SCAN/DCR is pleased to provide information that will help you define, design and use AIDC technology. Here you will finde-books, self-directedon line education and information about livetelephone conferences. |
