Modern aviation is the complete realization of RFID. As a passenger, when you board a flight from Frankfurt to New York, your thoughts may roam to which movie will be played. But, in the cockpit, the pilot and copilot are in an intense conversation with a computer that is making sure that all the sensors that keep track of the plane’s engines, speed, altitude, radar, GPS, and fuel levels are in working order. The pilots are also checking higher-order functions that use these sensors in intelligent ways.
The autopilot, the ground-proximity warning system, the landing system, the communications system, and the navigation systems are all run through diagnostic routines. As the plane takes off, sensors on the engines are taking dozens of readings that will later be sent via satellite to a central computer that is monitoring the operation of the engine and looking for patterns that indicate problems or inefficiencies. While you are wondering whether your favorite Chardonnay will be available with dinner, the pilot is managing and monitoring all these automated systems and waiting for them to indicate any problems so that the right response can be executed.
In the early days of aviation, well into the 1930s, flying a plane was an art that required skill and intuition, not to mention a serious dose of bravery. The cockpit was sparse, with a joystick, a couple of levers here and there, and a good view. Speedometers and altimeters were all in the future then, and pilots flew planes by feeling based on experience. This method was called flying by the seat of your pants because the pilot’s “rear end” was literally one of the most important sensors! Pilots wore thin clothing and sat on seats with little padding in order to better sense the vibrations of the plane. Experienced pilots would know what sort of vibrations were okay and which bumps and jiggles indicated a problem.
A transformation in business is now under way that runs parallel to the evolution of aviation technology. Despite the application of advanced technology and business systems, too many business executives still fly their organizations by the seats of their pants. It is not because the business systems do not work, but rather because, until quite recently, even the most modern systems were still based on assumptions, not on real-time data about where goods are located, what state they are in, and other data that could provide an accurate map of reality. The information in these systems is only as accurate as the last inventory check or data entry into the system. Real-time essentially means as soon as someone let the computer knows.
This was a guest post from Jhon Lutera. RFID technology has been accepted by many industries, because of its quality work and accuracy. Every business and organization should use it. It is cost-effective and easy to use.