- #1
cnichols785
- 6
- 0
I had this idea a while ago but having just finished reading an article about the recent increase in college-aged entrepreneurs, I was inspired. At present, I am a freshman math major at a small state college in Vermont. I plan to transfer into a competitive Economics/Mechanical Engineering program next year but for now, my technical knowledge is limited to say the least.
The Reason for my Idea:
Any organization that is responsible for maintaining a large inventory needs a system to keep track of this inventory. With RFID and bar code scanning, it fairly easy to track an item when it either leaves or arrives at a facility. However, when the item is on-site, tracking can be a little more difficult. Although I'm sure that many business facilities are more efficient than libraries, the library will serve as a good example. The Dewey-Decimal system certainly works, but there is an easier way.
The idea:
1. You walk into the library and go to one of the computer catalogs
2. You search for the book/books you want and click an on-screen button "Locate Now"
3. The computer displays a message "Row 300 Look For 2 Short Blue Flashes"
4. You make your way to Row 300 and a find section of one of the LED strips running along the edge of each shelf that is blinking with two short blue flashes
5. Directly above the flashes is the book you are looking for
The same concept can be applied to a warehouse, video/music store, large physical filing system, etc.
How it Might Work:
-RFID tags on the item relay the location to nearby receivers (would you need 3 to triangulate or is there another way?)
-A computer system takes the location and calculates the distance from the starting point of the LED strip to the item and which LED strip it will use
-Different combinations of LED colors and flash timings could differentiate between different users/requests. For example: Command= "Locate all items received on March 14 2007" Items that need to be shipped flash red and items that don't need to be shipped flash blue
The kind of LED strip I'm thinking about would look something like this although it would need to be more sophisticated with multiple colors and individual wiring not parallel. Again, I know very little about EE but that doesn't sound too difficult. The hard part would be setting up the system that determines the location of the item and then writing the software that takes that information and makes us of it.
If anyone sees any potential in this idea, please reply. Otherwise, I will be found back at the drawing board. I'm sure that I will post more ideas in the future. You have been warned All feedback appreciated. Thank you.
-Charlie
The Reason for my Idea:
Any organization that is responsible for maintaining a large inventory needs a system to keep track of this inventory. With RFID and bar code scanning, it fairly easy to track an item when it either leaves or arrives at a facility. However, when the item is on-site, tracking can be a little more difficult. Although I'm sure that many business facilities are more efficient than libraries, the library will serve as a good example. The Dewey-Decimal system certainly works, but there is an easier way.
The idea:
1. You walk into the library and go to one of the computer catalogs
2. You search for the book/books you want and click an on-screen button "Locate Now"
3. The computer displays a message "Row 300 Look For 2 Short Blue Flashes"
4. You make your way to Row 300 and a find section of one of the LED strips running along the edge of each shelf that is blinking with two short blue flashes
5. Directly above the flashes is the book you are looking for
The same concept can be applied to a warehouse, video/music store, large physical filing system, etc.
How it Might Work:
-RFID tags on the item relay the location to nearby receivers (would you need 3 to triangulate or is there another way?)
-A computer system takes the location and calculates the distance from the starting point of the LED strip to the item and which LED strip it will use
-Different combinations of LED colors and flash timings could differentiate between different users/requests. For example: Command= "Locate all items received on March 14 2007" Items that need to be shipped flash red and items that don't need to be shipped flash blue
The kind of LED strip I'm thinking about would look something like this although it would need to be more sophisticated with multiple colors and individual wiring not parallel. Again, I know very little about EE but that doesn't sound too difficult. The hard part would be setting up the system that determines the location of the item and then writing the software that takes that information and makes us of it.
If anyone sees any potential in this idea, please reply. Otherwise, I will be found back at the drawing board. I'm sure that I will post more ideas in the future. You have been warned All feedback appreciated. Thank you.
-Charlie