automatic detection using wireless sensors

Mpume

I am designing a system that must automatically detect if a person is inside their office. The trick here now is that there are people going in and out and i just want to detect the owner of the office. Tracking them is useless since the average office sizes are not big, 5m width maximum so my next best bet is to have pressure sensor on the chair.

Please help coz ive never used these before and it seems like there are so many variations.

Thanx :-)

Mech_Engineer

How about an RFID tag in their ID badge (asuuming they have ID badges)? It seems strange that the lights would only turn on for the "owner" of the office however, it should really turn on any time someone walks in (in which case you can use a simple motion sensor).

berkeman

What is the application? You could just use the existing systems for monitoring inmates who are on house arrest....

Mpume

@ Mech Engineer, the RFID is a good idea but they dont have them:-( . I wanted it to detect when people are in their office, then have a display unit eg:7-seg saying that they are available. Hence detect when they are not present, which is why I thought of using the chair since everyone sits on the chair in the office. If i use the tags, how will I know that they have left because the door can be closed from the inside, I need to be able to detect that as well.
@berkemen I not familiar with the systems for inmates, how does that work?

berkeman

See "Ankle Monitor" here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_arrest

Honestly, why don't you just put a switch at the door of each office, and have folks flip it ON when they are in their office?

Mpume

The thing is it must be automatic, I know its crazy but it must be done. I was thinking of using IR reflective sensors on the chair, does anyone know that exactly works? Ive been researching but i havent found anything constructive yet...

berkeman

I think you said it has to differentiate between the "owner" of the office versus others. IR sensors aren't going to do that. RFID at the door may be able to work, but it would have to be able to detect motion in versus out too...

Brian_C

IP camera with face recognition software.

Mike_In_Plano

Hmmm, often, when I'm in my office, that's the only time I can be unavailable....

P.S. Berkeman, I love the reference to ankle monitor. Continual interrupts by emails, and texts have been damaging enough. My last work place was inundated with ADD managers - incapable of resolving / remembering simple chains of thought.

If anything, I think it's time for uninterrupted spaces.

- Mike

dr dodge

over thinking it guys

a strip switch in the chair that makes connection when they are sitting in the chair
similar to what is in the passenger side of early cars to detect seatbelt usage
that, or just teather them directly to the desk... ankle locks to the floor
(in 2001 HALS VOICE....." why no fred, you CAN NOT leave early")

dr