RMURRAY 1 #1 October 24, 2004 I understand that (for merchandise) barcodes are being phased out and the replacement is a chip that emits an identification signal. Walmart has already required suppliers to implement - not sure when. With a good receiver I have heard that they will have the range of a couple hundred yards. question: these things will be cheap and small - could a more powerful unit be fitted in the riser of a main and used as a way to find a cutaway main - could they be fitted somewhere in the container to find an injured student who landed under reserve? Maybe it has been considered before but was too expensive at that time? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 15 #3 October 24, 2004 Yes, the technology is called RFID. The chips might be cheap in bulk, but they emmit an extremely weak signal. The transmitter and reciever technology is where the bulk of the expense is. It might only cost a few pennies to have the chips, but it might be thousands to get the signal from them. The effective range usually is'nt more then about 10-15 feet. RFID is used in toll booths for the tolltags. You'd need something on the order of many many more times powerful to make it usable in the situations you are thinking of. Its great technology to tell you how many widgets are in an unopend box, or to run a reciever down the isle to get a count of inventory with out having to barscan each one.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ncsuguy80 0 #4 October 24, 2004 Are you referring to RF Id tags? In my research lab we are doing some work with flexible circuits. Currently we are integrating screen printing technology with conductive inks. The main problem with flexible circuits involves powering the unit. With passive RF ID tags they required no to very little onboard power. The problem with these system, since they are passive it would require very expensive reader to transmit data the range of a couple hundred yards. I’m not a rigger but I believe this system could be cheaply sewn directly into all risers without affecting the quality of the risers.Fred Livingston North Carolina State University Center of Robotics and Intelligent Machines(CRIM) Master Student: Computer Engineering Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MWGemini 0 #5 October 24, 2004 Maybe a more powerful signal could be sent from an active transmitter that is activated when the cutaway handle is pulled. This would obviously add complexity to the rig in a location we cannot afford failure, but I'm imagining a system that would be pretty reliable. I have no idea how the transmitter works, however, so this may not be possible. It would also be nice to have this on the freebag. I helped a friend find his last weekend. The main was easy, the freebag took us a while. Luckily his handle was right underneath it, or that would have been gone forever. Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditch9276 0 #6 October 24, 2004 Hey, yes it's possible to get such a system in a riser! And the send unit wont be the problem, it could be produced really cheap! But the unit to find is really expensive!!! At this time it would give some products they could located all over the world! The send unit has the size of a cigarette (incl batterie). You can find them in a few expensive cars like maybach, rolls royce. This system is based on the gps system. allready it gives a system in celluar phones to locate them exactly too! But allways the send unit is cheap and small but the receive unit is big and expensive!!! The only tipp i can give to you, make a good pack job and pull stable and then you haven't to cut away! Blue SkiesThe only rings that are worth wearing, are those of my 3-ring-system!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydivingdutch 0 #7 October 24, 2004 What an awesome desin idea. Imagine a flat ipod style battery witha simple flat circuit that could be sewn onto the Dbag &/or freebag, so it would appear as a thick parf of the material. It actually wouldnt be that complicated. You'd ahve to et FCC approval for air transmission upon activation (by cutaway or reserve handle) though http://dropman.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMURRAY 1 #8 October 24, 2004 I was not really think of me - more the people who buy a brand new main - like a VX or Velocity at close to 2000US and which are often cutaway more than average. also students (or anyone) who somehow get hurt or disoriented and land off - maybe at sunset. rm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #9 October 25, 2004 It's a myth that the range is a hundred yards. These chips are limited in range to 10-15 feet. There is similar technologies that require on-board batteries (and are significantly larger and more expensive) that could be used for such purposes, though... _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 1 #10 October 25, 2004 QuoteI was not really think of me - more the people who buy a brand new main - like a VX or Velocity at close to 2000US and which are often cutaway more than average. also students (or anyone) who somehow get hurt or disoriented and land off - maybe at sunset. rm I lost a canopy at sunset and found it nearly 24 hours later. I wasn't too worried though - I have renter's insurance with a "sporting equipment" addendum on the policy. Costs me $200 a year and covers $10,000 worth of skydiving equipment. $500 deductible. I recommend everyone do the same. I'm not sure if it explicitly covers LOST gear, but I would report it as a STOLEN cutaway main... i.e. I saw where it landed, when I got there it was GONE! :)www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,476 #11 October 25, 2004 >These chips are limited in range to 10-15 feet. Well, that depends on the antenna at the other end. A given gain can be maintained by increasing the size of the antenna at one end and decreasing it at the other. Indeed, a very directional high gain antenna, while not great for point-of-sale systems, is acceptable (and even desireable) for DF applications. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cloggy 1 #12 October 25, 2004 QuoteIt's a myth that the range is a hundred yards. These chips are limited in range to 10-15 feet. There is similar technologies that require on-board batteries (and are significantly larger and more expensive) that could be used for such purposes, though... _Am Not entirely a myth. RFID tags are made in active and passive varieties. The passive don't have a battery, the radio signal from the reader energizes them and read range is up to about 15-20 feet depending on operating frequency. Active tags have a battery to boost the range to about 100 yards. Which still isn't very helpfull if you have to be within that range to find your lost canopy... Seems to me that a simple miniature beeping transmitter (as used on e.g. animal tracking) would be a more suitable solution. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
