A new study from Juniper Research found that the number of instant messaging users will reach 4.3 billion in 2020, rising from 3.9 billion in 2019. This is a growth of 9% year-on-year, largely driven by an increased need for remote communication during the COVID-19 crisis.
Retail Data Capture Technology News
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) refers to the process of automatically identifying and collecting data about objects/goods, then logging this information in a computer. The term AIDC refers to a range of different types of data capture devices. These include barcodes, biometrics, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), magnetic stripes, smart cards, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and voice recognition. AIDC devices are deployed in a wide range of environments, including: retail, warehousing, distribution & logistics and field service.
UK small businesses accelerate transition to cashless during pandemic
May 26, 2020
UK SMEs are moving to accept card and contactless payments at an increasingly rapid rate as a result of the coronavirus crisis, according to findings by NatWest.
Suprema announces Suprema Europe SARL to reinforce regional presence
May 26, 2020
Suprema, the access control and biometrics solutions provider for physical security, has announced the formation of Suprema Europe SARL, which has been established to provide partners and customers in the region with better localised support.
InReality unveils ‘smart’ safe space solutions for contactless, AI-enabled temperature detection and occupancy monitoring
May 19, 2020
InReality has unveiled a new suite of Safe Space Solutions powered by their integration and analytics platform. The Thermal Mirror, an Enterprise-focused turnkey fever scanning solution, displays almost immediate temperature results, either anonymously for visitors or via facial recognition for employees.
AC Milan announces Skrill as its Official Global Payments Partner
May 13, 2020
AC Milan and Skrill has shared details for the first time about the four-year partnership deal it recently signed, which sees Skrill become the Club’s Official Global Payments Partner.
UK tech entrepreneur develops solutions to support the UK’s COVID-19 economic recovery
May 11, 2020
With the country approaching the eighth week of large, and multi industry, social distancing measures as part of the controls around COVID-19, UK businesses are starting, with caution, to explore ways in which adaptations need to be made to ensure a safe movement back to normal working and operating patterns once government recommendations allow it.
Over half of UK consumers have tried a new payment method since the outbreak of COVID-19
May 06, 2020
As the face of UK retail has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, so too has how people pay for goods and services, according to research conducted by specialised payments platform Paysafe.
Shapes AI introduces social distancing solution for COVID-19
May 05, 2020
With the global coronavirus pandemic continuing to damage health systems and economies worldwide, there is a desperate need to start transitioning out of lockdown and reopen communities and cities in the safest way possible. Shapes AI, a computer vision and artificial intelligence company, has launched a platform to support this transition by tracking and monitoring social distancing and the wearing of masks.
Core Scientific and SQream Team up to accelerate massive data analytics on GPU Cloud for data scientists
Apr 28, 2020
Core Scientific, the artificial intelligence and blockchain cloud infrastructure and software solutions provider, and SQream, the GPU-accelerated analytics solutions provider, have entered into a partnership to bring accelerated analytics of massive data to the GPU Cloud for Data Scientists.
Wonderflow supports companies with free AI-driven employee feedback analysis tool WonderWork
Apr 28, 2020
Wonderflow, the artificial intelligence-driven feedback analysis solutions provider, is making recently launched WonderWork, its employee feedback tool, available for free for the rest of 2020 to help companies overcome the global COVID-19 crisis.
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
Technologies typically considered as part of AIDC include:
- Barcodes
- QR codes
- Radio frequency identification (RFID)
- Biometrics
- Magnetic stripes
- Optical character recognition (OCR)
- Smart cards
- Voice recognition
AIDC is used in a wide variety of applications, including:
- Inventory management
- Shipping and logistics
- Manufacturing
- Healthcare
- Retail
- Transportation
- Security
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) refers to the methods of automatically identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering that data directly into computer systems (i.e. without human involvement). Technologies typically considered as part of AIDC include bar codes, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), biometrics, magnetic stripes, Optical Character Recognition (OCR), smart cards, and voice recognition. AIDC is also commonly referred to as “Automatic Identification,” “Auto-ID,” and "Automatic Data Capture."
Barcoding has become established in several industries as an inexpensive and reliable automatic identification technology that can overcome human error in capturing and validating information. AIDC is the process or means of obtaining external data, particularly through analysis of images, sounds or videos. To capture data, a transducer is employed which converts the actual image or a sound into a digital file which can be later analysed. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is relatively a new AIDC technology which was first developed in 1980’s. The technology acts as a base in automated data collection, identification and analysis systems worldwide
In the decades since its creation, barcoding has become highly standardised, resulting in lower costs and greater accessibility. Indeed, word processors now can produce barcodes, and many inexpensive printers print barcodes on labels. Most current barcode scanners can read between 12 and 15 symbols and all their variants without requiring configuration or programming. For specific scans the readers can be pre-programmed easily from the user manual.
Despite these significant developments, the adoption of barcoding has been slower in the healthcare sector than the retail and manufacturing sectors. Barcoding can capture and prevent errors during medication administration and is now finding its way from the bedside into support operations within the hospital.
Radio-frequency identification (RFID)
RFID is the wireless non-contact use of radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data. Unlike a bar code, the tag does not necessarily need to be within line of sight of the reader, and may be embedded in the tracked object. It can also be read only or read-write enabling information to be either permanently stored in the tag or it can be read-write where information can be continually updated and over-written on the tag.
RFID has found its importance in a wide range of markets including livestock identification and Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI) systems and are now commonly used in tracking consumer products worldwide. Many manufacturers use the tags to track the location of each product they make from the time it's made until it's pulled off the shelf and tossed in a shopping cart.
These automated wireless AIDC systems are effective in manufacturing environments where barcode labels could not survive. They can be used in pharmaceutical to track consignments, they can also be used in cold chain distribution to monitor temperature fluctuations. This is particularly useful to ensure frozen and chilled foods have not deviated from the required temperature parameters during transit.
Cost used to be a prohibitive factor in the widespread use of RFID tags however the unit costs have reduced considerably to make this a viable technology to improve track and trace throughout the supply chain. Many leading supermarket chains employ RFID insisting that their suppliers incorporate this technology into the packaging of the products in order to improve supply chain efficiency and traceability.
Overall, AIDC is a powerful technology that can be used to improve efficiency, accuracy, and traceability in a wide variety of applications. However, it is important to weigh the costs and benefits of AIDC before implementing a system.
Here are some examples of how AIDC is used in different industries:
- In the retail industry, AIDC is used to track inventory levels, scan barcodes at checkout, and prevent theft.
- In the healthcare industry, AIDC is used to track patient records, identify patients, and prevent medication errors.
- In the manufacturing industry, AIDC is used to track parts and products, automate assembly lines, and prevent counterfeiting.
- In the transportation industry, AIDC is used to track cargo, track vehicles, and prevent collisions.
AIDC is a rapidly growing field, and new applications for AIDC are being developed all the time. As AIDC technology continues to develop, it is likely to become even more widespread and have an even greater impact on our lives.
