Research at Auto-ID covers a wide range of topics. This page introduces the abstract for each research.

RFID(Radio Frequency Identification)

In recent years, RFID became an essential technology that takes the place of the traditional bar code in terms of auto identification. RFID returns a unique ID written to an object via the radio signals of the reader. RFID enables auto identification of individual things by receiving this communication with the reader.

WiMAX(Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)

WiMAX is a telecommunication protocol which provides fixed and mobile internet access to the medium-scale areas in cities, rural towns, and mountainous districts, etc. UQ Communications Inc. commercially provides the communication service starting in 2011, with the performance of max 40Mbpx at downlink and min 10 Mbps at uplink.

ZigBee

ZigBee is one of the short-range radio communication protocols for home network and using low-power and multihop or ad-hoc network. ZigBee is provided the specification by ZigBee Alliance. Zigbee is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard on PHY and MAC Layer.

Efficient Emulation of A Large Number of RF Tags

In evaluation reading speed of conventional RF tag reader/writer, there are two problems. Firstly, reading multiple tags one by one need much operation and time. Secondly, it is difficult to evaluate on the common basis due to differences of completion condition of reading by devices.

In this research, we proposed an emulation method for multiple RF tag protocol performance with one device. An efficient algorithm using probability theory and optimum development enable the emulation of 5460 RF tags by the hardware which ,with the traditional model of emulation, was able to emulate only 2 RF tags. Furthermore, we propose multiple RF tag emulation algorithm that takes into consideration the capture effect(fluctuation variables depending on radio propagation environment, antenna pattern of RF tag, position of RF tags, etc) that an access succeeds by the electric power difference even if the access requests from multiple RF tags collide. With the proposed method, we can evaluate interrogator’s reading speed on the common basis.(kamiya)

A bidirectional medication support system connecting home care patients and medical staff

In medical fields, there are many patients who wish to be taken care of at their own homes. However, medical care at homes requires self-management of diseases and illnesses by the patients themselves. Thus, patients are encountering many difficulties, and one of the biggest issues among them is the management of medication.

In this research, a system using sensor networks for monitoring the open-close status of a pill box was designed and implemented. The proposed system will take an approach to improve the medication adherence by enabling bidirectional communication between the patient and medical staff, through the monitoring and the feedback.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the system, a demonstration experiment was conducted on 3 patients over a 5 month period. As a result of the experiment, the system was successful in providing the medical staff with an accurate medication history, enabling them to visually analyze their patients’ medication. Also, not only did it reduce the frequency of emergency responses by nurses, the feedbacks improved the rate of missed dosages.

According to the evaluations, the proposed system was confirmed effective in assisting patients to manage their medication in home medical care situations. Thus, this research may establish a beachhead in expanding home medical care.(shiori)

An Efficient Communication over Sensor Network

There are many cases that verious things and sensors connect to network using sensor network and REST interface in these days. But when a wireless sensor network, such as ZigBee, is involved in a web service system, redundant communication sequence and packet size cause retransmissions of data over this protocol because of packet fragmentation and loss. Consequently overcrowded packets over the sensor network band decrease the reliability of the communication. In this research, we adopted effective communication protocol “CoAP” and focused on sensor network and consider specifications and properties of sensor network. I propose the communication mechanism which is high-speed and with reliability, and research the availability.(hizumi)

Auto Calibration Positioning System by ZigBee Nodes

we propose improving accuracy of indoor positioning system using RSSI(Receive Signal Strength Indication) of ZigBee. This system calculates distance between Blind Node(target node) and Reference Nodes using RSSI value and estimates its position.

In the existing ZigBee positioning system, accuracy becomes worse by propagation environment of the radio wave and user has to set the parameter for calculation manually.

In this research, I developed software positioning system to correspond to the change in the measurement calculation type and the improvement of the algorithm, etc. Further, we propose methods that Reference Nodes calibrate automatically the formula that calculates the distance from RSSI values corresponding with radio wave propagation situation.(hiroishi)

Service Discovery for Real Space Object using RFID

We investigated how to relate real space object to information. Objects existing in real space have a feature quite different from data that exists in cyber space. People cherish memory, which is information from the past. We aim to relate real space object to memory using RFID. Especially we develop the system that presents information like the photograph and music, etc. when user used perfume. To realize these, we propose a scheme in which individuals attach RFIDs to objects, and research service discovery which presents memory service relateing the real space object.(cst)

Context Aware Mobile Digital Signage System in Unstable Radio Environment

Recently, digital signage system is widely adopted onto public transportations. Displaying contents in accordance with the location and the time of the transportation vehicles are effective for fine grained advertisements. But conventional systems usually show only stored contents. Dynamic delivery of contents through a wide-area wireless network is difficult because of unstable radio environment. In this research, we propose a context aware mobile digital signage system. Proposed system has two features. Firstly, a client application in transportation vehicle fetches and stores contents only where radio signal quality is good and stable. This mechanism is efficient to suppress wasteful content requests and consequent waiting time. Secondly, the client application selects the fetching content in accordance with the location and time so that the digital signage system shows the latest version contents.(ema)

RF tag group coding

RFID is an essential technology to uniquely identifying physical objects. In many practical business processes that utilize RFID, we confirm not only individual objects but also if there is any missing objects and no extra objects in a group of objects.

While the identification of individual object is done by using RFID, group verifications are usually done by looking up a shipping list or corresponding EDI data which require a network connection. In this research, we study a novel group verification method which doesn’t require the network connection. This method uses “writable memory”, which is one of RF tag’s features, and “coding theory”, which is used for information communication.

This research includes development/improvement of coding scheme for group verification, implementation of the coding scheme with physical RFID interrogator, and development of equipments required for experimental evaluations of coding scheme.(sat3)

Centralized Performance Measurement System of WiMAX Multicast System

Rapid growth and proliferations of smartphones and mobile PCs enhance the needs for the improvement of bandwidth efficiency. In Mobile WiMAX, WiMAX MCBCS, which enables multicast communications among selected mobile stations group, is standardized. In this research, we developed WiMAX performance measurement system that can measure WiMAX layer’s state and IP layer’s communication quality such as RSSI, CINR, throughput, packet drop rate, and jitter.(nojima)

Location-Free and Frequency-Free Segmentation of a ZigBee PAN

ZigBee’s advantages include the standardized mechanism of service discovery. E.g., ZigBee-enabled appliances can discover their communication peers by broadcasting service names such as “smart energy”. When extending ZigBee-enabled appliance network(PAN) in main office to remote branch offices, the usual practice combines independent PANs in different locations above the ZigBee layer. However, such practice allows appliances to discover and subscribe to service only under their corresponding PAN domain, thus requiring additional means of inter-PAN service discovery and subscription. Our “virtual-ZigBee-router” enables all appliances to appreciate ZigBee native features, such as communicating with other appliances and services, transparently over different geographical locations.(mel)