Technology
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry is a remote sensing technology in which geometric properties about objects are determined from photographic images. For example, the three-dimensional coordinates of points on an object are determined by measurements made in two or more photographic images taken from different positions
Common points are identified on each image. A line of sight (or ray) can be constructed from the camera location to the point on the object. It is the intersection of these rays (triangulation) that determines the three-dimensional location of the point. More sophisticated algorithms can exploit other information about the scene that is known a priori.
Photogrammetry is used in different fields, such as topographic mapping, architecture, engineering, manufacturing, quality control, police investigation, and geology, as well as by archaeologists to quickly produce plans of large or complex sites.
Algorithms for photogrammetry typically express the problem as that of minimizing the sum of the squares of a set of errors.
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification
A technology analogous in theory to bar code identification. With RFID, the electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the RFID portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is used to transmit signals. RFID systems are the future asset management system.
An RFID tag is an object that can be stuck on or incorporated into a product for the purpose of identification using radio waves. Some tags can be read from several meters away and beyond the line of sight of the reader.
Most RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a (RF) signal and perhaps other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal. A technology called chipless RFID allows for discrete identification of tags without an integrated circuit, thereby allowing tags to be printed directly onto assets at lower cost than traditional tags.
Today, a significant thrust in RFID use is in enterprise supply chain management, improving the efficiency of inventory tracking and management.
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