College Cycling Race Uses RFID Solution for Timing

JasonYoo

College Cycling Race Uses RFID Solution for Timing [Copy link]

[Abstract] Manhattan Associates recently decided to organize a technical team to participate in the student bicycle competition at Indiana University, using RFID technology to measure key time data for bicycles on competition day and record the number of laps of the race.

Manhattan Associates , a leading provider of supply chain solutions, has decided to organize a technical team to participate in the Indiana University student bicycle race for the purpose of providing technical support. This race is held every year and is called the Little 500 bicycle race. The bicycle race at Indiana University Bloomington is on April 21 and 22. Manhattan Associates' technical team will help Indiana University's School of Information Technology with a timing project called the iCycle project by students. It uses RFID technology to measure key time data for bicycles on race day and record the number of laps of the race. The objects recorded can be teams or individuals. Manhattan Associates has previously provided technical support for the university's bicycle race, using XR400 RFID readers and RFID tags from business partner Symbol.

William C. Woods, a competing student from Indiana University's School of Information Technology, said, "Manhattan Associates has been very supportive in making the new timing technology a success. Their RFID software and hardware were easily integrated with our system, and the resulting solution is very easy to use. The RFID solution updates the website in real time, so accurate lap counts can be completed for both teams and individuals during the cycling event."

Although this recording method has not yet been officially adopted, the information provided by iCycle can give us a new understanding of RFID technology, that is, it is a viable method to accurately obtain data. This bicycle race is an open event for full-time students at Indiana University Bloomington, and up to four teams can participate in the competition at one time. The men's team needs to ride 200 laps and the women's team needs to ride 100 laps. The track and field track is 1/4 mile and the audience can exceed 20,000. This year, RFID tags will be attached to the helmets of the participating players. There are RFID antennas at the first turn of the track to read the information of these tags. The lap results and cycling speeds of the participating teams and individuals can be recorded through calculations. The students used the RFID solution of Manhattan Associates, which includes RFID EPC Manager and System Integration Manager software, which can obtain and track unique event data, provide flexible reader support, and automatically identify and process RFID data.

"RFID is an important emerging technology, and Manhattan Associates' expertise is critical to the success of our program," said Dennis Groth, Indiana University teaching assistant and mentor for the College of Information students. "Our students have learned so much from their technical team."

Davison Schopmeyer, Director of Technical Services at Manhattan Associates, said, "iCycle is a very creative program that shows that students not only understand the function and value of RFID technology, but also understand how to use RFID technology to time bicycle races. It is worth remembering that students introduce this emerging technology to the campus in an enjoyable extracurricular activity. Many people have only heard of RFID before, and now they can see it in action at a bicycle race and further understand how much impact this technology will have on our lives."

Source: Shengying RF Network