DAfOP
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Transcript:
Introduction (Part1, 0:00)
Optimization of operations is vital for many businesses, but insufficient quality of input data can significantly reduce its effectiveness. This can be illustrated by the following example.
Suppose we have a network of warehouses with vehicles (trucks or forklifts) delivering materials and products from one warehouse to another. Ideally, we would know the position of each vehicle at any point in time. This is typically achieved by installing a tracking device that has a GPS module and a data-enabled cellular communication module. However, the total costs of this approach are substantial as they include both the cost of the device and the monthly subscription cost. Moreover, for businesses that operate in a small area this approach is clearly an overkill -- it may be sufficient to know arrival and departure times of vehicles at key waypoints -- such as warehouse entrances and road junctions.
The ability of an optimization consultant to design a tracking device that suits the structure of the business best, both cost- and performance-wise, can be a game-changer. It would allow to feed optimization algorithms with good-quality input data while staying within the budget allocated by the business for the optimization consulting services. The success of this approach may prompt the business to invest in a more sophisticated tracking system, something that many small-to-medium businesses are hesitant to do outright.
The simplest device (Part2, 0:00)
To start with, let us consider the simplest positioning system. Each key waypoint is equipped with a WiFi router that is connected to the business Intranet. Each vehicle is equipped with a device that can be connected to the standard 12V cigarette lighter adapter. The device consists of an automotive-grade voltage regulator circuit and a WiFi module.
The WiFi module is reprogrammed to do the following:
- Search for available authorized WiFi networks
- Connect to the authorized network with the highest signal strength.
- Transmit information about signal strengths of surrounding WiFi networks to a specified server
This way a vehicle that passes by a key waypoint will register its presence.
Here is a live test of the device: (Part2, 0:52)
Adding GPS module (Part3, 0:00)
The simplest version of the tracking device may work quite well if only information about passing key waypoints is required. However, if precise location within the area, speed, and direction are also necessary it is easy enough to add a GPS module to the device. We will show that by using a prototype board (Part3, 0:29)
Because of the additional module and necessity of the device to 'see' the sky, the previous device enclosure will not work. However, it is easy to choose an appropriate enclosure box that is wired to a cigarette adapter plug.
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