Dec 06/Jan 07

A system enabling PDAs to gather data about stocks and assets by reading their RFID tags has been developed by Mannings RFID, a specialist in this field. It is called the Portable Data Collector, or PDC.

A key element in the development of the product, says Mannings, was the decision to use the Momote MX Platform to create the system. MX is designed to allow companies such as Mannings to write applications once and deploy them across virtually any mobile device, reducing costs and speeding up development.

PDC has been conceived as a robust, flexible solution using simple, affordable technology. The company says it is ideal for use by mobile workforces to collect information such as maintenance reports, service schedules and return-from-hire reports.

After logging in on a mobile device, the operator scans the RFID tag, which automatically brings up the appropriate schedule. Then the operator follows an on-screen menu and fills in the appropriate boxes. On completion, the device uploads the data via a GPRS or Wi-Fi connection to a company server or database.