Hacking in Industrial Research and Development

Incorporating off-the-shelf devices and technology can reduce the risk, cost, and deployment time of a product's field trials. Two case studies demonstrate hacking's contribution to industrial R&D in commercial settings. The first case study evaluates optical and radio frequency techniques to track shopping carts in a supermarket. The other evaluates the deployment of a handheld device to enable passengers to self-check-in and board commercial flights.