Object Hyperlinking: How It Works
The basic mechanics of Object Hyperlinking always consists of two actions: the storing of information in a central database and the retrieval or access by a mobile user, as shown in this diagram.
A physical object, or fork-lift truck in the above diagram, will possess some form of linking mechanism such as a barcode or hardlink that will direct a cell phone to information about the target object. This object link serves a purpose similar to a traditional web-based hyperlink, only in the physical world a cell phone is used as the medium of information exchange between the object and a person. The exact steps involved in the creation of a physical world hyperlink (Object Hyperlink) vary greatly depending on the linking method used, but in all cases an author, business or individual must first upload information about the object to a database. Once the upload is completed, that information is accessible from a mobile device using one of several object-linking methods.
RFID
RFID and specifically the NFC branch of RFID is one of the newest technologies used in object hyperlinking and one of the most promising with its historical connection to Nokia and its blossoming connection with Apple's next gen iPhone. The functionality is beautifully simple and never fails to impress users in that it only requires holding the mobile device close to or touching the target object. The result is information appears on the phones screen. For a real world example, take a look at our latest product offering, the Personal RosettaStone.
Object Tag
The 2D Barcode method of
Object Hyperlinking is the oldest method and it owes its origins to the Denso
Company and various Asian countries for their willingness to embrace and experiment
with the potential uses of this technology. The term 'scan' is used loosely
in reference to 2D Barcodes since the process is not a linear laser scan as
with traditional barcodes, but rather an image capture done with a cell phone's
camera. The target object will need a pre-coded 2D Barcode decal adhered to
it serving as the link mechanism. A user with a capable cell phone camera and
Internet connection will then take a picture of the barcode and this action
will link and redirect the phone’s web browser to the desired URL target
and related information.
Direct Dial
Direct dial is
a method that uses a phone number found on or near the target object that, when
dialed, returns an audio message related to the object. The user of this method
would be alerted to the existence of this working phone number from the environment
that it existed in. One example and common use of direct dial linking is in
museums and public use areas where visitors can dial information from a posted exhibit. Direct dial phone messaging has a
stigma of being too primitive for private sector business use, but improvements
in phone network technology and federal regulations have made this option one
of the best kept secrets in object linking.
Hardlink
The term hardlink is analogous
to the term hyperlink in the digital world. In the case of the physical world,
it is an alphanumeric sequence located on the target object, which is commonly
preceded by two forward slashes to identify the sequence as a hardlink. This alphanumeric sequence, such as the object's
common name or number, is entered into a web-enabled cell phone or device while its web
browser is pointed at a master database such as the Physical World Database Project. This method is fast becoming the training method of choice for object linking due to its ability to efficiently scale in price from the very small user groups to enterprise level deployments. Another benefit is that it does not require the business to depend on any proprietary software and there is no need to place a decal on the target object since the object's existing part number or barcode can serve as the link.
