“Things” can be Identified and/or Tracked
RFID: Radio Frequency Identification technology, This
is a similar idea to bar codes except it does not need direct contact to be
read. It transmits wirelessly using
radio waves. These waves can be read
through the human body, clothing, and non-metallic materials.
RFID is
popping up everywhere and in everything.
It is increasingly becoming popular and you probably weren’t even aware
you were using it as well. Some common
uses are, Pet ID’s, EZ-Pass, gas SpeedPass, and ID cards.
How can
this technology be used in education?
-Northern
Arizona University is using student carts embedded with RFID tags to track
their class attendance. This helps
professors with large classes because it automatically takes attendance for the
professor. Many schools have equipped
their teachers with RFID tags to gain access to the school. This is done for security reasons and help
ensure the safety of the school. If all
students had an RFID tag it would be a great resource in an emergency. If there were a fire or intruder within the
school, every student and teacher could be tracked to make sure they are where
they need to be. Even simpler things
could be traced; such as if a student was skipping class or determining which
student may have been involved in a situation.
-Texas
Tech University uses a campus-wide RFID system to track the location of science
lab equipment and resources. The devices
have a built in reporting system that updates users on check-in and check-out
information. Many schools are working
towards having tablets for every student.
This would be a great resource but would also need to be monitored to
minimize problems. School equipment
could have RFID’s so that if they are lost, misplaced, or stolen, they can
easily be found. They could also have an
alert system if damage is detected.
Another cost effective use is early detection of possible problems with
equipment.
“Things” can Communicate
This is significant because it specifically deals with
‘things’ communicating with each other without personal interaction.
We are already experiencing this in our daily lives such as,
GPS systems, health monitors (pace maker, blood pressure, blood sugar), Nike+,
cloud computing, Bluetooth.
How can
this technology be used in education?
-Rubenstein
School of Environment and Natural Resources use the Aiken building which now
has temperature sensors that advise when to open or shut the windows, and
carbon dioxide sensors that trigger more fresh air into a classroom when the
CO2 level gets too high. This could be
useful for any school with a science lab.
Even just the idea of helping to control room temperature helps to
eliminate climate factors in the classroom.
The following video gives some insight to what the internet of things can do in the future...
