The badge (Olivetti:1996b) is small and lightweight, and also includes a tone generator, a button and two LEDs for simple communication with the wearer. It operates like a beacon, sending a location signal out to a sensor every 15 seconds. The badge is sensitive to light so that when light levels drop, the interval between signals is extended. This conserves power on the badge at night or if the badge is left in a drawer. There is no on/off switch so the user will not have to remember to turn the badge on. Smaller badges are available for sticking onto objects.
One of the first applications of the Active Badge was telephone call routing. When employees wear active badges, the receptionist actually knows where someone is and can route phone calls to the handset nearest the employee. The LED on the employee's badge blinks, to let the employee know the call is for her. There are many additional features to this system. The system can also notice that if the employee is in a location with many other people, maybe she is too busy to take the call and it can be routed to voice mail. With a press of the button on the badge, the employee can notify the system that she is busy and doesn't want to be disturbed by phone calls. The tone generator on the badge can be used to notify a 'busy' employee that a call has come in or that a visitor has arrived. The system can even make decisions like not forwarding calls if the employee is in the boss's office (Want, Hopper:1992).
Another application of the active badge is to update an on-line diary. The diary notes which potential meeting attendees are currently in the building. If someone returns from an off-site meeting early or late, it is reflected in the on-line diary. If a badge wearer is walking to a meeting, the badge could warn him if he was heading in the wrong direction.
Newer models of the Active Badge include a badge authorization mechanism. The mechanism consists of an encrypted challenge request message sent to the badge. The badge must respond with the correct response. The responses change with time, so a 'copy-cat' badge will be unable to just copy and send a correct response. This scheme was added to provide a level of security and prevent rogue badges access into secure places.
The possible uses of the active badge can be extended to include access to secure areas of the building, automatic logon to a workstation when a badge wearer sits down in front of it, environmental control (heat, AC, lighting level, music or not heating areas of the building where no one is present) (Elrod,Hall:1993). Active badges could also be used to update the contents of an electronic bulletin board to reflect the interests of the badge wearer.
The active badge is not directly connected to the Internet, but it can be indirectly. Currently, Olivetti's Web site (Olivetti:1996c) provides for queries about the location of an employee wearing an Active Badge.
Copyright © 1996 Ingrid E. Burbey, All Rights Reserved
Ingrid Burbey
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Last modified: Wed Dec 11 1996