APICE – ERC AMSTERDAM 2010RFID Presentation - Abstract______________________________________________________________________________

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The Apice Company, as ever in the forefront and research orientated in the Fine Arts transport industry, has been studying for a few years the application of the RFID technology in the handling of works of art, by using different tools and means.

The project is in the experimental stage and schedules a development in co-operation with the 'Ufficio dei Beni Culturali del Patriarcato' of Venice, whose Director – architect don Gianmatteo Caputo – is also the scientific officer of the IT inventory of goods property of the Italian dioceses promoted by the 'CEI (Conferenza Episcopale Italiana)' in concert with the 'Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo and the Documentazione del Ministero pe ri Beni e le Attività Culturali'.

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TITLE: WHAT'S THE RFID?

RFID (or Radio Frequency IDentification) is a technology for the automatic identification of objects, animals or persons (AIDC Automoatic Identifing and Data Capture) based on the capacity to store and to remote access those data by using electronic devices (called TAG or transponder) which are able to respond by conveying the information housed in them when 'questioned'. It is, in a certain way, a “wireless” reading system.The RFID system is based on the remote reading of information housed in a RFID tag by using some RFID readers.

There are different types of RFID tags, some of them ISO standard regulated.The tags regulated by ISO as passive are not battery powered, whereas the RFID, UHF and Ultrawide band tags are active, semi-active and passive.

The active tags are battery powered, the semi-active tags are battery powered only for keeping active the inner circuit whereas for the irradiation they employ part of the energy received by the radio wave that conveys also the information, while the passive tags do not have any inner source of power but get the energy from the radio wave sent to the reader that questions them for starting working and reconveying data.

The element which marks a RFID is the transponder or tag and it is composed by:

− a microchip that contains data (among which a universal unique number written on the silicon);

− an antenna (in very few cases a battery is utlized).

The antenna receives a signal that, through the induction principle, transforms into electric energy and feeds the microchip. In this way the microchip conveys the data housed in it through the antenna (circuit of signal transmission) to the system that receives the data.In short, a RFID tag is able to receive and transmits via radiofrequency the data in the chip to a RFID transceiver.

In the last years the automatic identification procedure (Auto ID) has generated much interest and it is developing in every industrial field, from the one of purchasing and distribution of logistic services to the manifacturing, engineering, industrial and home automation (?) ones.

The experience developed to this day for the logistic industry consists in identifying every container and shelf with a tag; this reduces errors in collecting and provide a sure item identification (Item tagging for an only object or Box Tagging).It is not necessary to open the packing for cheching the contents looking for the barcode, so as it is not necessary anymore to arrange a manual count for the inventory check.Through a series of remote scannings it is possible to identify and check the presence of specifical objects in the storage. In fact, the technology enables to read more tags at the same time, generally up to 100 contemporaneously. The technolpgy enables to know real-time the goods in stock and further place an order for an item.The technolgy utlized is a tag 868 MhzISO 18000-6.

TOPICS EXPLANATORY SKETCH

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The experience matured by APICE to this day has brought to the achievement of a computerized procedure based on the RFID technology, which enables on one hand to detect the handling in storage of the crates used for the packing of works of art, and on the other hand to detect the shipments' status of crated works both on outbound and inbound transports. In such a context we find the integration with a management information system which allows a smooth and efficient consultation of the crates' disposal and of their features with a data update in real time.

GRAPHIC TABLES

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GRAPHIC TABLE

The activities interested by the automation procedures are:

− Inserting tags in the wooden containers used for packing the art works− Shipments of works by utilizing the above crates/ containers− Return of the crates to the sotarge from shipments − Stockpiling of crates returning from a shipment

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TITLE: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE INFRASTRUCTURE

The basic elements of the system are on one hand the passive RFID tags operating on UHF band with appropriate dimension memory and put on the crates by a schock-proof label printed with the company logo containing the tag with an indentification corresponding to the stored code.

The data stored in the tag will therefore be:

− CRATE IDENTIFICATION CODE: this code identifies univocally the crate and is utilized as reference on the shipping documents. It corresponds to the code inserted into the labels put on the crates. It is also printed on the surface of the tag itsself.

− DIMENSIONS: height, lenght and depth of the crate

LABEL IMAGE

= TAG inserted into the label

The reading/ writing systems can be both of fixed type (antenna) - ONLY SPOKEN

I

TAGpresente all’interno dell’etichetta

and portable type (hand-held computer) - ONLY SPOKEN

They interface through a mangement unit (ONLY SPOKEN)

The RFID systems on UHF band (869-915 Mhz) can offer different advantages such as a high remote reading (a range from 3 to 5 meters) and the possibility of contemporaneous reading of different Tag codes.

IMAGE REPRODUCING THE READING OF DIFFERENT TAGS FROM A HAND-HELD OR SIMPLE COMPUTER

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LETTORE PORTATILE= portable readerDEPOSITO CASSE= crates' storagePARTENZE/ ARRIVI = outbound/ inbound shipmentsUFFICI= officesCAVEAU= vault

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An example of the Zucchetti applications in one of the APICE premises (while the speaker illustrates the different kinds of readers, those appear on the plan in the shown position)

ONLY SPOKEN-– N. 1 wireless portable data collector oPerating in the storage area for works' identifying and searching (portable reader CRATES' STORAGE)–

- n. 1 fixed data collector (antenna) placed in the exit area in correspondence to the way out/ in for detecting the crates' handling (antenna OUTBOUND/ INBOUND SHIPMENTS)

– fixed data collectors (antennas) placed inside the vault area in the different compartments for monitoring in real time the stored crates (antenna VAULT)

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-– n. 1 or more GPRS portable data collectors assigned to an outside operator for detecting arrivals at destination (GPRS portable reader)

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IMAGE 7 (small Apice logo at the page bottom/ small Zucchetti logo at the page bottom/ desktop/ text and spoken).

The fixed readers or data collectors are connected to the local network by cable, whereas the portable ones are by a wi-fi connection. The portable reader assigned to the operator who takes the work to destination is provided with a GPRS interface that enables to convery the data in real time once the reading has been done.The ultimate goal is to be able to have always efficiently correct information, updated in real time, about the crates' position and status both inside the Apice premises and/ or where the works are temporarily placed. ______________________________________________________________________________

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TITLE: software package

Example of data configuration in the software package - ONLY SPOKEN

GRAPHIC TABLE

• CRATE'S INDENTIFYING CODE

• DIMENSIONS

• PRODUCTION DATE

• CRATE'S STATUS:• available at storage• ion temporary storage• in the vault• in transit• positive arrival at destination• other

• SCHEDULED RETURN DATE• ACTUAL RETURN DATE• DELIVERY NOTIFY• POSITION AT STORAGE• POSITION IN THE VAULT

Through a serach engine the operator can check the avaIlability of a crate with specific featuresONLY SPOKEN

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TITLE: EXAMPLE OF A SHIPMENT

According to the information of the notified order, the APICE operator look up the database checking the availability of a crate with specific features ONLY SPOKEN

(IMAGE – operator at the computer in the office)…………………………………………………

Once the crate has been found, the warehouse-keeper searches for it in the storage – ONLY SPOKEN

(Image – the operator finds the searched crate in a cluster of crates)

While seraching for the crate the operator is helped by the portable reader that receives automatically the crate's RFID code – ONLY SPOKEN

(Image – the operator finds the searched crate in a cluster of crates)

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By confirming the data, the crate is being booked, thus updating the database and conequently turning out not to be available anymore – ONLY SPOKEN

GRAPHIC TABLE SHOWING THE DATA CHANGEOVER FROM THE PORTABLE READER TO THE COMPUTER

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The crate is picked up from the storage and the antenna detects the movement at storage by turning out the crate's status from 'available' to 'not available' for other shipments – ONLY SPOKEN

(Image with operators going out from the stoarge with a crate on a trolley. Over the exit door the presence of an antenna is highlighted)

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The crate leaves ready for the collecting the work. The exit of the crate is being recorded in the ourbound/inbound shipments (transit) area – ONLY SPOKEN

(Image – truck leaves once the crate has been loaded on it)

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When the crate arrives at destination (Museum, etc.) the operator is able to pass the information of 'positive arrival at destination' through the GPRS portable data collector.

(image – operators open the crate inside the Museum)

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When the crate comes back to the storage, it is recorded through the porable reader. Two options are available:

1) Crate returns on temporary storage - in this case the crate is stored in a temporary area (crate's status: temporary storage)

2) Crate returns on final storage – the crate returns to the storage area and the fully availability status is re-enabled (crate's status: 'available at storage')

(image – crates in the storage)

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The following chart explains the different stages of the procedure – ONLY SPOKEN

ARRIVO COMMESSA

CONSULTAZIONE DATABASE CASSE

IDENTIFICAZIONE CASSA

PRELIEVO CASSA E PASSAGGIO SU LETTORE FISSO

SPEDIZIONE CASSA

RIENTRO CASSA PRESSO APICE

DEPOSITO TEMPORANEO RIENTRO A MAGAZZINO

COSTRUZIONE CASSA

ARRIVO A DESTINO (MUSEO)

ARRIVO COMMESSA= ORDER / JOB DELIVERYCONSULTAZIONE DATABASE CASSE= CRATES' DATABASE SURVEYINGIDENTIFICAZIONE CASSA= CRATE'S IDENTIFICATIONCOSTRUZIONE CASSA= CATE'S CONSTRUCTIONPRELIEVO CASSA E PASSAGGIO SU LETTORE FISSO= PICKUP OF CRATE AND CONVEYMENT ON FIXED READERSPEDIZIONE CASSA= SHIPMENT OF CRATEARRIVO A DESTINO (MUSEO)= ARRIVAL AT DESTINATION (MUSEUM)RIENTRO CASSA PRESSO APICE= CRATE RETURNING TO APICE PREMISESDEPOSITO TEMPORANEO= TEMPORARY STORAGERIENTRO A MAGAZZINO= RETURN TO STORAGE (FULLY AVAILABLE)

IMAGE 11 (spoken and text/ screen/ Apice and Zucchetti lot at the page bottom)Within the IT Inventory projects of the 'CEI -Conferenza Episcopale Italiana' different possible applications of the RFID technology have been studied; the technology indeed to this day has not been fully developed in relation to the Cultural Heritage.Thanks to the research job and to a careful selection made by APICE for choosing the RFID technology, it is possible to conceive additional services to Museums or Collector' benefit.In practice, who is interested to exhibit a work of art can take advantage of a worldwide acknowledged and utilized standard. - ONLY SPOKEN

The RFID tag device can be applied also to works of art, through a tag in flexible format by means of a sticky easy to put on and absolutely not invasive, thus offering an added value besides enabling a rationalization of the handling procedures in those same places where those works are exhibited (Museum, exhibitions, etc.)

The question is still unresolved when testing it on different kinds of objects and about the data collecting standards and their control, but the potentiality of this technology can exceed so far the customers' expectations.

(Video showing some tag labels put on the works – example; back of a painting or beneath a piece of porcelain)

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Through the installation of an antenna in the vault area inside each box It is possible to monitor in real time the presence of works of art provided with a tag. The database will have a specific section dedicated to the works stored in the vault and identified through the tag previously placed. This application enables to monitor also the work's safety status.

(Video showing an antenna inside the box in the vault)

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IMAGE 13 (spoken and text/ screen/ Apice and Zucchetti logo at the page bottom)The use of tags with memory microchips applied to works of art allows any operator to know quickly the work's data (artist, title, date, place/ Museum of origin) by using a simple portable reading device.

Through the portable writing devices the authorized operators can update the memory chips placed in the tags, modifying or adding information.

The Museum visitors can be provided with audio guides with RFID interface that by identifying automatically the work by its univoque code goes to search in the databse and then playing the audio file connected to that specific work.

Through a similar mode the visitors can look through the database by portable (notebooks, hand-held) or interfaced devices