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Bar Codes?

11K views 29 replies 13 participants last post by  Anders Green 
#1 ·
Has anyone ever done any investigation on using bar codes in conjunction with time cards?

Some interesting possibilities there...

Anders
 
#2 · (Edited)
Anders, we did some investigation on using barcodes...although we didn't actually put together any prototypes.

Barcodes on the cars...on the outside anyway...would seem to be a non-starter, as just about any amount of dirt renders them unreadable.

Barcodes on timecards might work better, but it would require the capability to print and barcode the things on the fly...and in the field.

Then there's the gadgets you have to have to read them...it seems that there are very few that are weatherproof...and goodness knows, stuff you use on a control has to be weatherproof! It would also require some training for the workers...and I've found many of them somewhat resistant to new methods and devices.

At the moment, the gain, IMNSHO, does not justify the investment.

We looked into transponders, too, but couldn't locate a sensor that didn't require digging up the road.

Bruce
 
#5 ·
Once we figured out that the readers weren't waterproof, improving the bar code itself was kinda academic. Printing the timecards would work, but I think you'd occasionally have to have the ability to reprint a car's information - thus barcode - on a new timecard in the middle of nowhere. At the moment, it's a car number with a ballpoint. And you'll still need a manual backup log.

If we go all WRC on this - price being no object, of course - we have shelters at every control, laminated waterproof timecards with not only barcodes but mag stripes to record the times. Oh - and generators at the controls to provide 110v AC...might as well heat/air condition them, too...
:)

Bruce
 
#8 ·
Shoot, I thought this was going to be about a better method of getting your favorite drink when you could no longer talk coherently...
 
#13 · (Edited)
It works very well for Michigan Hare Scrambles races and has for at least a few years. They do it in all kinds of weather, tho I don't know what kind of equipment they use.

You get a barcode printed with your competition number that goes on your helmet.


If it gets muddy, they just wipe it and zap it. It makes sense for them as they get riders coming thru making laps at all different times and the old way was to find the rider on a board and put a check mark next to his number for each lap. Lots of lost time and plenty of opportunity for error with the old way.

Here's a dude gettin' zapped:



edit...

oh yeah..and if you think WE have a lot of classes...



furthermore...
M-Masters
A,B,& C- as stated^
V-Veteran
S-Senior
SS-Super Senior
L-Light Team
H-Heavy Team
F-as stated^

P-peewees
Y-Youth
J-Juniors
 
#15 · (Edited)
I haven't seen any readers with internal storage, but yes, as you described, the zapper would be only one part of the system. The other would be some sort of stage clock with memory. Trust me, as an electrical engineer who specialized in embedded system hardware design and software construction, I know that there are many other pieces. :D

The infrastructure issue of how to return the info to scoring is an interesting one....

But how about turning the idea on it's head? No scanners at the controls, only bar code printers. The printer prints a sticker that you stick on the time card representing the time. One scanner back at scoring, when the cards come in, boop boop boop the time card is read!

Anders

Cheers,
Anders

edit: Oh, I realize now that maybe that's what Jake B was saying all along. :)
 
#21 ·
But how about turning the idea on it's head? No scanners at the controls, only bar code printers. The printer prints a sticker that you stick on the time card representing the time. One scanner back at scoring, when the cards come in, boop boop boop the time card is read!
Would it really be "boop boop boop", or would it be "fumble fumble aim wait re-aim wait boop aim wait boop aim re-aim wait boop"? For small numbers, such as times, a cheapie handheld scanner would likely be slower than just punching the numbers in with a keypad manually.
 
#17 ·
If you really want to consider this, talk to Mark Buskirk. He did a stellar job of scoring (his own program) at the one-time-only Cadillac Rally that Jimmy put on. He also has installed barcode systems in everything from furniture warehouses to duck processing plants. Yes, you can even barcode poultry.
 
#18 ·
You'd have to weigh the introduction of several more failure points against the advantages of the system. What ARE the advantages, anyway? Eliminating errors caused by poor penmanship?

You'll notice in Eric's picture, the young lady is recording on a clipboard.

Packet radio, as noted elsewhere, works only if the infrastructure is in place...merely transmitting packets doesn't guarantee they get anywhere. And remember, you can't use the same repeater the rally safety net uses.

Bruce
 
#19 ·
You'd have to weigh the introduction of several more failure points against the advantages of the system. What ARE the advantages, anyway? Eliminating errors caused by poor penmanship?
I agree, Bruce. I wasn't necessarily advocating it, just pointing out examples to show it could be considered feasible. Necessary? Another question entirely. :D
 
#23 ·
Rather than barcodes why not just use a RF receiver to record the ID code of the transponder chip that the US government puts in everyone
(Including Canadians as apart of NAFTA - the North American Fiendish Tracking Agreement)

In all seriousness, the barcode reader deals with automating a three digit number in a string of information that is significantly longer.

RallyWest has just invested in a timning system that uses checkpoint clocks that are set up with IDs and all that is required is inputting a car number to acompany the time. They can then output the log in csv to a computer and we are working on a radio solution to send this log by packet to scoring.
I'm not sure that you can't use the main net for this as the length of the data stream would be marginal and the point in time that the data is sent is controlled.
 
#24 ·
RallyWest has just invested in a timning system that uses checkpoint clocks that are set up with IDs and all that is required is inputting a car number to acompany the time. They can then output the log in csv to a computer and we are working on a radio solution to send this log by packet to scoring.
I'm not sure that you can't use the main net for this as the length of the data stream would be marginal and the point in time that the data is sent is controlled.
The Tag Heuer clocks Rally America uses at National events can do just that - it's the rest of the procedures that get complicated.

The digital screech produced by packet transmissions is distracting, if not downright painful sometimes. It can disrupt verbal communications...and it causes ops on the net to turn their radio volumes down - making THEM miss things. We've had to abandon a net frequency at Ojibwe because of packet activity.

Bruce
 
#27 ·
I work with warehouses and we have clients doing barcode, so my first question is analytical: how would getting a car number via barcode help? most errors are in the recorded time, not the car number, so that's where the focus should be...

But most of the errors in timing are failure of equipment (breakdowns, incorrect setup, weather, mis-reads, mulitple times, etc.)

It's a difficult environment!
 
#28 ·
I thought it might be useful to point out, now there are lots of cell phones out there that read bar codes and even have bluetooth that could talk to a nearby laptop talking "data" over a radio connection... you might even be able to write the software and install it on volunteer's laptops/phones so you don't have to provide it all. I'm ignorant of how this all works exactly.. who can write android apps?
Perry
 
#29 ·
If we had a scanner + software that once scanned auto entered your time. we could have controls with out workers... :O ATC where you scan your own time card! (Brilliant) I'd rather have that then a canceled stage / shorter rally.

Droids and Iphones have scanner apps / functionality. so in reality we could write an app that would scan the bar code and record a time stamp.
Or ya an actual bar code scanner device mixed in with some sorta clock (external) so it can use rally time.

oooh... good thinking anders
 
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