CC2311

SOFTWAREfocus
AssetTagz
David Chadwick looks at the
role of AssetTagz in delivering a
comprehensive asset
management solution using the
ubiquitous barcodes, QR codes
and RFID tags
This is the age of the QR code. From
supermarket reward cards to
downloading apps for train and plane
tickets, online payment apps and much
more, the ability to waltz through boarding
gates and turnstiles, access store special
offers, and pay bills gives smartphone
users a magic wand that serves to simplify
most commercial transactions. With the
bulk of the population walking around with
these devices in their hands the
convenience of digitally uploading a wodge
of personal information at every access
point far outweighs the fact that every
transaction, bit of travel, and preference is
being recorded and used to update your
personal profiles and influence future offers.
That raises a couple of problems for some
members of the public. The first is the
disinclination or inability of some sections of
society to avail themselves of the
technology, and the second is the
uncontrolled proliferation of apps used by
private companies, such as car park
operators, which exacerbate the issue.
This is a personal view of course.
Having downloaded four airline
and two train operator's apps
in the last couple of months,
I am delighted with the
convenience and ability
to streamline my
journeys through an
app, or by
presenting a QR
code whenever
required. The
sheer amount of
information processed by each was no
more than I would have already provided,
and it enabled two-way communication
between myself and my supplier.
Furthermore, using bilateral
communication, I was kept up to date with
scheduled timings and possible delays,
and changes to boarding gates and more.
ASSETTAGZ
This is all old news to AssetTagz though, a
company that has been using similar
technology to identify, optimise, and report
on a wide range of construction assets
since its formation in 2008. Instead of being
perceived as a personal imposition, the
ability to access and manage huge
amounts of information generated to
optimise and control an asset of any size is
vitally important to manage its efficiency
and rein in costs.
QR codes weren't so ubiquitous in
AssetTagz' early days, when RFID devices
were used on major projects to monitor the
operation and condition of a massive
network of water pipes, pumps, and
pumping stations in the southern regions of
Africa. This vital bit of infrastructure used
the information captured and relayed by the
devices to maintain a freshwater supply to
millions of Africans.
Since then, the company has developed
its expertise globally, embracing new
technologies and extending its capabilities
within and beyond the construction industry
to provide a comprehensive platform that
integrates the mass of information available
from ERP systems like Oracle, SAP and
12
November/December 2023