A team of Australian scientists working with Emperor penguins in the Weddell and Ross Sea regions of Antarctica has developed a Radio-frequency identification (RFID) extension for PostBooks, which they think has real commercial possibilities.
Originally designed for tracking penguins, the RFID package could be used in any livestock environment, according to team leader Stanley Wattleford, 35, of The University of Queensland in Brisbane.
The solution features a small RFID tag attached to a collar fastened around the neck of a penguin. The tag is designed to transmit GPS data to a central receiver, where extension software translates the information to XML which is then imported into the PostBooks back end.
"This is pretty amazing stuff," Wattleford said. "At any given point, we can tell you exactly--within a few feet--where any bird is located on the grid."
The following diagram illustrates the overall design. The transmitter collar is attached to a two-piece collet made of biodegrable PVC. This assembly slides easily over the penguin's tapered head, and the collet locks the device in place.
Figure 1: Schematic Showing Neck Collet Transmitter
A USB port is conveniently located in the side of the transmitter, giving users the flexibility of being able to manually download data onto a thumb drive. "It gets so cold down there sometimes even the radio waves freeze," Wattleford said. "We'd be SOL without a manual option."
One early challenge was gaining the trust of the Arctic birds. At first, the researchers couldn't get closer than ten feet--forcing them to rely on ring toss for mounting the collars. But slowly, and thanks to a large supply of frozen cod sticks, the researchers won the penguins over. The two sides have since formed a good working relationship.
A close-up view reveals how comfortably the collars fit, with no restrictions or discomfort observed. In fact, Wattleford said, the penguins actually seem quite taken by the apparel--with some of the wearers seen strutting their stuff like rappers with a diamond grill.
Figure 2: Collar Combines Comfort and Fashion All-in-One
As for the device's commercial prospects, Wattleford insists the product should have wide appeal. "We intentionally designed it so the collar size can be altered. This will work for any farm animal."
Look for the RFID package to be listed on the xTuple xChange later this month. Meanwhile, readers are encouraged to submit their pre-orders by commenting in the space provided below....