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It's a true Christmas tale of RFID technology making life a little more magical - and it's definitely no joke: Santa Claus has optimised the processes in his office with the help of an RFID solution from Microplex and CAEN.
Many people visit Santa Claus at the 'Santa Claus Office' every year, communicate their wishes and thoughts to him, or just talk to him. It's a tourist boom industry and, in order for all of Santa's visitors to get a souvenir of their meeting with the jolly fat fellow, they are photographed and filmed by his 'elves' (Santa's little helpers). And that's where RFID has been so very useful this year.
Magic tickets
Until now it has not always been easy to find the right photos for everybody because, at peak season, there is a huge amount of material to sort through. But now each visitor receives a "magic ticket" at the point of sale when they enter Santa's office complex. When the ticket is laid on the counter at the exit area, the correct photos and videos of the visitor appear automatically on a computer screen.
Far from being magical, the ticket is actually part of an RFID application from Microplex Printware, based on CAEN RFID's UHF readers. All visitors to the Santa Claus Office pass several points where the photos and videos are taken, where they are electronically linked to their RFID ticket.
Development process
The task given to Microplex was to develop an application to assign photos and videos to a visitor at the exit in the shortest time possible, without using any visible technology and without disturbing the visitor. The video and imaging system was designed and created by imaging specialist Helrot Oy from Helsinki. The videos and photos are stored in an image and video database on a central video server, which makes it possible to instantly display them when the visitor checks out.
To synchronise the visitors and their related photos and videos, RFID tickets were quickly identified as the best solution. Because of the need for a read range of up to 5 metres, and a requirement for inexpensive tickets, the company decided on passive UHF smart labels.
Technical challenges
The main technical problem presented by the Santa Claus Office is that it presents unfavourable conditions for UHF transponders (that is, a human being consists of almost 80% water, and clothes usually carry metal such as buttons and zippers).
However, it was decided to use UHF smart labels placed in a small bag (made of synthetic material) that hangs around each visitor's neck. This meant that clothing and body water would not present a significant problem, compared to scenarios in which the ticket would be carried in pockets, wallets, or purses.
"In practice reading rates of 95% to 100% per day are reached and are an acceptable output", commented Frank Gaertner, RFID Solutions Project Manager for Microplex. "The optimal adjustment of the antennas and the precise calibration of the readers, plus optimal cooperation with middleware, are responsible for such very good results under these difficult physical conditions."
Easier for the elves
There are no IT specialists among the elves, as Microplex can maintain the entire system remotely, including updates of the firmware of all connected devices.
Santa Claus also profits from a secondary effect of the RFID-enabled system: His famous "big golden book" is now completed via an LCD computer screen. When a visitor enters the room, Santa doesn't need to search his visitor log because the screen automatically displays the relevant information (as Microplex suggests, "whether they have been naughty or nice").
For additional information:
· Visit Microplex at http://www.microplex.de
· Visit CAEN at http://www.caenrfid.it
Sources: Microplex Printware AG; CAEN RFID
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