CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Companies and institutions often have contended with numerous seats deriving from various users on a daily basis. These seats need to go through various offices and library as well before processing can be effectively completed (i.e. tracking) these consequently prevent staffs and students from receiving relevant and prompt attention in the library. Universities record ineffective use of tracking system during these processes and this has led to fatal consequences. This is because companies and institutions do not implement an effective seat tracking system. It is important to note that tracking of seats electronically can also be lost when the tracker (user) is misplaced or jumble up.
In simple terms a tracking device is an electronic unit designed to broadcast its location, either in response to a signal or at set intervals. Tracking devices can be used to monitor merchandise, locate endangered animals etc. Detecting occupancy of seats in the library is an important yet difficult problem. For example, libraries frequently have hundreds of seats where students can study and or work on projects and assignments. However, even with a large number of seats, during examination periods the occupancy of seats in the library becomes extremely high and finding a free seat becomes a long, tiring, and irritating task. In particular, the main source of irritation arises because even though seats might be free, they will be “occupied” by objects such as laptops, books, bags, etc.
A seat tracking device is a device that detects the occupancy of seats and sends a signal if it is occupied. This is an inefficient use of resources and this makes library users very unhappy.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Higher institutions are centres of excellence. Their campuses are supposed to be grounds for training and developing young men and women to their greatest potentials including the highest level of personal integrity.
In Nigeria, many students have failed to achieve their initial objectives in their educational persuade because of inadequate infrastructure, lack of facilities and motivation among stakeholders in educational sectors. The available facilities are either static or deteriorating. For instance, most students found it difficult to identify empty seats in over-crowded library environment not knowing that some of this seat has been occupied by an object without proper tracking system often lead to ambiguity. These consequently prevent students from receiving relevant and prompt attention in the library. This could affect a university productivity and reputation tremendously.
Staffs also waste their precious time looking for empty seats and acquiring their status. Due to the challenges in seats tracking in the institution, students are forced either to bend, squat or stand while reading. To solve this problem, we therefore proposed a tracking system which would have to be built and attach on a seat of the library and results would have to be posted in real-time.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of this project work is to develop a Library Seat Tracking System. The objectives are as follows:
To design a Library Seat Tracking System
To use the designed System to track Library Seat at convenient,
To test and validate the designed System.
1.4 Significant of the Study
An efficient tracking system increases institutional productivity by reducing the ambiguity associated with numerous seats in the library. With seats tracking been built and attach on seats will make students receive relevant and prompt attention. This automatically transposes to increases in profitability.
Staff could be more efficient as they have prompt response to any enquiry regarding to seats status. A seat tracking system process can be followed from comfort of their offices. Time and money spent on searching for an empty seat in the library and enquiry calls are maximally subsidized. This is especially useful where transfer offices are in different geographical locations. In order words regardless of distance, seats can be tracked from any location.
1.5 Scope of the Study
The system uses as a case study the Akwa Ibom University library. The system is an android and software based. The proposed system will consist basically office administrators, these administrators’ range from lecturers, students and other authorized officers of the institution. These administrators could track a seat. Administrator of the system can only have access to tracking system through secure and authorized tracking system devices. The library seats tracking system that will be develop in this project does not store the physical seats status. But only identify empty seats and relevant related information. The status of seats is limited to identify whether a seat is occupied or unoccupied.
The system will be developed using VB.NET programming language and android studio which is used to create an android application Smartphone.
1.6 Limitation of Study
Inadequacy of existing system in terms of accuracy and correctness.
Lack of users friendly Graphical User Interface in previously existing system.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Field Effect Sensor: Are able to detect only biological bodies placed on them. They can be installed below any non-conductive material.
Wifi: Technology for radio wireless local area networking of devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards.
Signal: This is a series of electrical waves that carry instructions or messages to the receiver from the instructor.
Sensors: A device, module, or subsystem whose purpose is to detect event or changes in the environment and send the information to other electronics, frequently a computer processor.
Aduino: is an open-source hardware and software company, project and user community that design and manufactures single-board microcontrollers and microcontroller kits for building digital devices and interactive objects that can sense and control objects in the physical and digital world.
Microcontroller: A microcontroller is a small computer that contains a microprocessor which is used to control some devices automatically, such as home automation system. Microcontroller can be used as the brain to control devices.
Android: An Android is software for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middle-ware and key applications. The main purpose of using android is to send the control signals from smart phone to the microcontroller for processing.
Smartphone: A smart phone is a cellular telephone with an integrated computer and other features not originally associated with telephones, such as an operating system, web browsing and the ability to run software applications.
