Organizations need varying degrees of visibility to the location, condition, status and history of their assets. AIDC  (Automatic Identification & Data Capture) technologies are the tracking tools that Savi uses to provide this visibility. Savi provides value to customers by helping them manage and use their assets more efficiently through a perfectly balanced blend of AIDC technologies that include:

BAR CODE

• Summary: 1D or 2D unique number or code that is printed out and attached to the asset.
• Advantage: Very low cost.
• Disadvantage: Provides only an identifying number, with no real-time data on asset status, condition or history.

PASSIVE RFID

• Summary: Passive RFID tags, which have no battery, are attached to assets. The tags are read by an RFID reader when the reader “wakes up” the tag.
• Advantage: Low cost.
• Disadvantage: Passive tag reads can only be attained when the tags pass within close range of a reader. Passive tags generally have less memory than active tags.

ACTIVE RFID

• Summary: Active RFID tags, which are battery powered, are attached to assets. The tags are read when they pass within range of an RFID reader.
• Advantage: Active tags can hold large amounts of data and can be read even when they are hundreds of meters from the reader.
• Disadvantage: Active RFID products are generally more expensive than passive RFID products.

GPS

• Summary: GPS is a locating technology that provides precise location coordinates for assets, anywhere on earth.
• Advantage: Exact location of asset can easily be determined.
• Disadvantage: GPS provides only location data; it does not provide sensor data, asset movement history or other information about the asset’s status or condition.

SENSORS

• Summary: Sensor technology enables users to determine asset temperature, humidity and shock levels, and whether an asset has been tampered with.
• Advantage: Users can know when assets exceed environmental thresholds or when tamper events occur.
• Disadvantage: Sensor technology can be expensive.

SATELLITE SYSTEMS

• Summary: Satellite systems (SATCOMM) are an advanced tracking technology.
• Advantage: Customers can know the exact location, and possibly condition of an asset at all times, even when the asset is not within range of tracking infrastructure.
• Disadvantage: Premium capability with a higher cost than other tracking technologies.

Tags: AIDC, Asset Management, barcode, GPS, RFID, sensors

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 2:39 pm and is filed under Savi Spotlight. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.