4 December, 2006 ICTSummit 2006, Lausanne 1

Bar Code Recognition with Mobile Camera PhonesPrototyping Human-Centered Services in the Internet of Things

Marc LangheinrichInstitute for Pervasive ComputingETH Zurich, Switzerland

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Bar Codes?!

What‘s Hot? Bar Codes vs RFID (@ Google Trends)

Barcode

RFID

BarcodeRFID

First Bar Code Scanned 30 Years Ago: A Wrigley‘sGum Package, at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio

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Bar Codes?!

What‘s Hot? Bar Codes vs RFID (@ Google Trends)

Bar codes not news anymore… but is still in demand!

Barcode

RFID

BarcodeRFID

First Bar Code Scanned 30 Years Ago: A Wrigley‘sGum Package, at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio

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Bar Codes!

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Bar Codes and Mobile Phones

Special Phone Accessory (Laser Scanner)

Special Bar Code (Large, 2D)

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Normal Bar Codes and Normal Mobile Phones

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BaToo – Bar Code Toolkit

J2ME Client – Barcode RecognitionRecognize EAN13-code, communicate with server, show results

Java Server – Service Development SupportSmall framework for the development of services based on recognized EAN13 codes.

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Recognition Basics

Recognition is performed on the phone itself.

Technological factorsImage resolution:640x480 is sufficient for a robust recognitionCamera focus:Use of macro lenses or auto focus

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Recognition Algorithm

Robust: Combination of scanline results

Flexible: Variable amount of (arbitrarily oriented) scanlines

Adaptive: The faster the device, the more scanlines we can use

Simple: Very easy to implement and maintain

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Implemented Clients

J2ME ClientRecognition based on still imagesWorks well on sharp imagesCode freely available (GPL)

C++ Symbian ClientBetter recognition, due to real-time recognition in video imagesCode will be available in the future

http://batoo.sf.net/

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Resolving – We have the code. And now?

An abundance of information is available:

Free web services (e.g. Amazon) provide information about media related products.

Free product databases (e.g. WikiFood) are available.

Commercial product databases (e.g. SINFOS) contain an abundance of product based information.

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Resolving – Prototypical Applications

1. Allergy-Assistant

2. Country of Origin3. Price Comparison4. Instant eBay-Auctions

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Resolving – Prototypical Applications

1. Allergy-Assistant

2. Country of Origin3. Price Comparison4. Instant eBay-Auctions

Hyperlinking the Real World!

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What Next? An Open Lookup Infrastructurefor the Internet of Things!

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The Internet of Things – Example Applications

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Conclusions

Object IdentificationRFID as the Next Generation Identification TechnologyBar Codes as „Low-Tech“ Option

Bar Codes and Camera PhonesBaToo+Mobile = Your Personal Bar Code ReaderVirtually Every Product Worldwide already TaggedWealth of Available Information

The Internet of Things – Today: http://batoo.sf.net/

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New technologies and devices for pervasive computingNew applications of pervasive computing technologiesNew interfaces and modes of interactions between people and pervasive computing devices, apps or environmentsNew tools, infrastructures, architectures and techniques for designing, implementing & deploying ubicomp apps

January 26, 2007Deadline for Late Breaking Results, Demos, Videos, Workshop Papers

May 13-16, 2007www.pervasive07.org

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Conclusions

Object IdentificationRFID as the Next Generation Identification TechnologyBar Codes as „Low-Tech“ Option

Bar Codes and Camera PhonesBaToo+Mobile = Your Personal Bar Code ReaderVirtually Every Product Worldwide already TaggedWealth of Available Information

The Internet of Things – Today: http://batoo.sf.net/