Automated Data Collection in Everyday Life

Automated data collection is commonly used by a lot of businesses around the world these days. In fact, it’s so popular that you’re probably using data collection technology in your daily life. Also known as Automatic Identification and Data Capture, or AIDC, the process involves storing information into a device, perfect for identification and validation without having to manually input the data using a keyboard.

The most common form of automated data collection you probably often come across would be your own credit card. Every time you swipe your credit card, like when you’re buying gasoline, groceries, or coffee, the laser scanner performs automated data collection on your card. Your credit card has a magnetic strip that has user information which can be accessed by the scanner to complete transactions.

Of course, automated data collection isn’t just restricted to credit cards. A lot of big corporations issue employee name tags that have magnetic strips, allowing workers to enter or exit the building through the security system. The magnetic strips found on these only contain the user’s name most of the time, but it can also include information, like whether the employee can access every part of the building or not.

Automated data collection can also be found in your favorite shopping mall or grocery in the form of special privilege cards. The more you swipe them (when you purchase a selected item), the more discounts you get. These cards also have magnetic strips like company IDs and credit cards, but they usually store user information and purchase history.

Most products usually have a barcode sticker attached to them. These barcodes allow a laser scanner to perform automated data collection to access information about what item is being purchased, and then the laser scanner checks what price matches that particular item.

One of the most recent automated data collection technology used these days is the Radio Frequency Identification or RFID tag. It can be read using a scanner, just like a bar code, but instead of the usual bar code signal, it uses radio signals. Chinese companies uses the tags to track chickens and other birds prone to Avian flu, and there are already some debates over using tags in identifying people using this type of data collection.