UWE Bristol Engineering showcase 2015

Thomas Hutchings
BENG ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
Project Supervisor
Nigel Gunton
The Development of an Inexpensive Race Timer
What is RFID?
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an
automatic identification method, relying on storing
and remotely retrieving data using devices called
RFID tags. An RFID tag is a small object that can be
attached to or incorporated into a product, animal
or person. RFID tags contain antennas to enable
them to receive and respond to radio-frequency
queries from an RFID reader or interrogator.
How Does it Work?
The basic passive RFID tag is made up of an
inductive antenna and an RFID microchip. The
reader sends out a Radio Frequency (RF) wave
through an antenna, which is then induced into
the coil of the tag.
This induction provides power to the device, which
in turn enables the device to communicate
wirelessly with the reader. When read, the
transponder sends the information stored on the
internal chip.
RFID Spectrum
RFID readers and transponders are designed to
work at specific frequencies. The specific
frequency is dependent on the application and the
industry in which the system is to be used.
Typically, the higher the operating frequency, the
longer the read distances. The read range of an
RFID system however, is also dependent on the
type and size of antenna used and the type of
transponders used. Systems with longer read
ranges will normally cost more than systems with
shorter ranges
Research into how far the system would need to
read determined that UHF was the best suited
carrier frequency. The reason being is that
frequencies above UHF are very difficult and
expensive to use, and the read distances of the
lower frequencies are not great enough.
Racer Detection System
Finding a UHF RFID reader with application
information under budget was extremely difficult .
Therefore, to demonstrate concepts a LF RFID
reader was used instead.
The Innovations ID-12LA was selected.
An LED is connected to Pin 5 which illuminates
when a 125 kHz RFID tag is in range. An LED on pin
10 will illuminate when the ID-12 has successfully
read the tag. The data received from the tag is
then sent down the serial bus through pin 8 to the
RX pin on the Arduino Uno.
Software On an Arduino UNO was created to
display the data onto a computer terminal. The
next stage of the project would have been to use
this data to start and stop a series of timers in a
excel spreadsheet. However, due to time delays
though out the project this was not explored.
Project summary
Currently many races at club and charity level are
timed using manual methods. For example an
operator using computer software may enter times
and number of racers as they cross the finish line.
Manual methods are prone to human error. For
example, competitors may be missed as they cross
the finish line, or times may be entered incorrectly.
This Project was carried out in conjunction with The
Forest of Dean Lions Club, which seeks a low cost
system that is capable of automatically timing
participants in cycle events.
Initial research determined RFID would be the best
technology to be used.
The research ultimately determined that a lower cost
solution was feasible. However, it was out of the
scope of the £50 budget provided by the University
and The Forest of Dean Lions Club was only willing to
contribute any funding towards the project after a
working prototype was produced. Due to budget
restrictions and time delays, a fully featured
prototype was not constructed.
Project Objectives
The aim of this project is to determine the feasibility
of developing a low cost prototype race timer.
• The system shall cost less than £50, the maximum
University funding
• The system shall automatically detect and identify
each racer as they cross the finish line
• The system shall record an accurate time to within
0.1 Seconds.
Project Conclusion
This has been a most interesting and rewarding
project. Although time constraints prevented
completion of the project, the critical design stages
that have been completed have shown the feasibility
using a low-cost RFID system to time racers.