Object hyperlinking

Object hyperlinking is a term that refers to extending the Internet to objects and locations in the real world. Object hyperlinking aims to extend the Internet to the physical world by attaching tags with URLs to tangible objects or locations. These object tags can then be read by a wireless mobile device and information about objects and locations retrieved and displayed. However, object hyperlinking may also be sensible for contexts other than the Internet (e.g. with data objects in data base administering or with text content management). Linking an object or a location to the Internet is a more involved process than linking two web pages. An object hyperlinking system requires seven components: A virtual or physical object tag to identify objects and locations. Some tagging systems are described below. To allow the object tags to be located they must be physically embedded in visual markers. For example, the Yellow arrow scheme [see below] prints SMS tags on large adhesive yellow arrows, which can then be stuck on buildings etc. A means of reading physical tags, or locating virtual tags. A mobile device such as a mobile telephone, a PDA or a portable computer. Additional software for the mobile device. A commonly open wireless network, such as the existing 2G and 3G networks, for communication between the portable device and the server containing the information linked to the tagged object. Information on each linked object. This information could be in existing WWW pages, existing databases of price information etc., or have been specially created. A display to view the information on the linked object. At the present time this is most likely to be the screen of a mobile telephone. There are a number of different competing tagging systems. RFID tags A radio frequency identification device (also known as an 'Arphid') is a small transponder which can be read at short range by a transceiver (reader). Since RFID tags can be very small, they are often embedded in a more visible marker to allow them to be located.