Lankan companies lag behind in automation technology

by Gamini Warushamana

Today technology is fast changing and some technologies are redundant even before they come to Sri Lanka. Some are not expensive and advanced technologies but simple low cost technologies that can be used to increase productivity and save costs but are not known by most of our business entities.

Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) is one such technology that we have still not tapped, said Manoja Jayawardhana, a director of Automated Barcode Solutions Limited (BASL).

BASL is one of the leading Sri Lankan technology companies which provides all types of automation solutions. AIT is used in businesses such as price marking the goods at supermarkets, Electronic Article Surveillance Systems, line automation and factory automation in industries, track employees personal identification, security purposes such as access control in organisations and personal information monitoring.

This technology can also be used for personal identification such as national identity cards, driving licences and security purposes such as security forces. There are three main technologies used in the industry.

Barcode, the oldest technology is now becoming obscure. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and biometric are more advanced versions that are now in use.

Barcode and RFID technologies were invented in the mid 1940s and have been in commercial use since the 1960s. However, in Sri Lanka only the big supermarkets and companies use them, Jayawardana said. Biometric technology is also several decades old but is the latest AIT solution still available.

If you feel AIT is a luxury technology that can be used only by big businesses it is a myth. The cost of the AIT solution has come down with continuous improvement of the technology and today small and medium enterprises can use it.

The advantage of automation is that it reduces the cost and the workload of employees. It produces more accurate information. The barcode technology information is stored by reading a number. The barcode is a number and when you scan it the reader (machine) reads it and stores it in a computer.

In biometric technology the same process is done but with advanced features in identification such as fingerprint, iris or palm print.

RFID and biometric technology are combined in Smart Cards, where the card has its own memory. There are two components in the AIT, the hardware and the software. In most cases the software cost is the same for large or small organisations. However, the hardware cost is lower for small organisations. ABSL provides customised AIT solutions for organisations.

ABSL provides all automation solutions such as customised software solutions, hardware, maintenance of software, hardware and barcode label printing. The technology comes from world renowned technology companies. ABSL provides barcode solutions from DATAMAX in US, biometric and smart card solutions from Precise Bio Metrics Sweden.

ABSL is the exclusive local agent for the following world renowned automation technology providers.

Lucky Technology, Hong Kong develops and manufactures embedded systems and internet applications. iGurd Access Control Security System is one of its flagship products.

Precise Biometrics, Sweden develops and supplies user friendly biometric security solutions for authentication using fingerprints.

The solution replaces keys, pins and passwords in the three areas of IT security, physical access and embedded solutions, which includes solutions for national identity cards, ePassports and driving licences.

The US Department of Defence, Federal agencies in the US, national identity cards of Thailand, Qatar and Holland are some of the leading customers of Precise Biometrics.

Our business entities are underutilising this technology as perhaps they are unaware of it or assume that it is costly. However the public sector wastes much money without selecting the appropriate technology, Jayawardena said. Under serious security concerns our security forces should move to this advanced technological security systems.

The Sri Lanka Army is attempting to implement a system for many years but it has still not materialised. If such a system was available, the suicide attempt on the Army Commander could have been prevented.

The Ministry of Health has purchased this somewhat redundant technology. If the proper technology is used the Ministry could monitor all its employees from one location.

New vehicle number plates introduced by the RMV is also a waste of money. If the latest technology was used it would have been possible to identify a vehicle running at any speed through a scanner. Biometric technology can be used to design a more secure national identity card, Jayawardena said.

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