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RFID
for airports or airlines to prove bags were mobile phone, thereby notifying them that
disinfected. When a flight arrives at the airport, the luggage is ready for retrieval. Because
baggage is offloaded. For the demonstration, passengers know approximately when to
a UHF RFID tag is applied to every bag that report to a particular carousel, there is
does not already have an RFID tag built into expected to be less need for people to wait
its routing label. Delta and Hong Kong airports among crowds in the baggage receiving area.
each universally use RFID tags, while other A third RFID reader and antenna are
airlines and airports often rely on barcodes. dedicated to baggage carts, which are
Every bag is moved through a sterilisation sterilised as part of the demonstration and
system, during which the luggage is placed provide sanitation after each passenger use.
on a conveyor that transports the bags RFID tags are applied to the carts, with a
through a 2.5m tunnel. Before it enters that QR code printed on them. Carts used by a
tunnel, an RFID reader and an optical scanner passenger are then returned to a specified
capture data from each baggage tag by corridor, where they are moved through
reading its unique ID number and scanning another UVC chamber. As each cart undergoes
the barcode on the front of the label. If the sterilisation, an RFID reader automatically
system is deployed at other airports, the captures its tag ID and the software updates
inclusion of barcode technology can ensure the cart’s status as sterilised. The cart is then
that a tag will be automatically identified returned to the arrival passenger pickup area
whether or not it has an RFID tag. for those who need it to move their baggage.
The SICK software captures data from the Before taking a cart, a passenger can
tag reader and the barcode scanner, then use their smartphone to scan the QR code
links the ID to details regarding the bag and view data about that cart’s most recent
and the passenger associated with its tag. sterilisation. Security check trays will be
Ultraviolet rays beamed onto the baggage periodically put through the UVC sterilisation
irradiate bacteria and viruses, and a time process as well, at regular intervals.
stamp is updated to indicate the bag has Hatano says that once this is completed,
undergone disinfection. At the same time, ARTA’s members, academic researchers
a message can be sent to the passenger’s and technology providers will evaluate the
phone indicating the bag has been offloaded demonstration’s results, which will be shared
and is being disinfected, while also providing with airports, airlines and other companies
an estimated time of arrival at a specific willing to adopt the system.
carousel. Although the solution is currently being
The app, developed by Saitama University, designed to both read RFID tags and
uses the college’s server to deliver the data scan barcodes, Hatano says the long-term
collected by the SICK software. Passengers expectation is for RFID tags to be ubiquitous
wishing to use the app are invited to scan a on airline baggage. “We are looking to the
QR code on a screen in the arrival section future when all baggage will have an RFID
and to add their baggage tag ID. Passengers inlay following the resolution at IATA AGM75.”
viewing that information can plan to visit In the meantime, baggage tags without RFID
a specific carousel, based on the luggage’s will be read by the barcode optical-reading
ETA. The same data is also displayed on a camera.
screen in the passenger baggage carousel Hatano reports that since flights have
area for use by travellers not utilising their been less frequent during the pandemic, the
smartphone to access the data. volume of baggage arriving at airports is
Next, the tag passes a second reader, a expected to increase in the future as normal
SICK RFU630 reader with three antennas, travel resumes. The solution, he says, is the
installed at the point at which the bags first of its kind to combine UVC sterilisation
enter the carousel area. Again, a time stamp and RFID to help passengers maintain proper
is linked to the ID number transmitted by social distancing. The goal is to more quickly
each bag’s RFID tag. The software forwards restore normal international travel during the
the collected data to the passenger’s pandemic. •
October/November 2020 | Logistics News 19
