Android Based Smart Attendance System

Harsh Kasyap Mr. Aniket Katade

Department of Computer Engineering Department of Computer Engineering

Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology Vishwakarma Institute of Information Technology
Pune, India Pune, India
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract—Attendance, being a priority for students, job holders Benefits of proposed techniques is also wary of some
and management has remain untouched with growing technical drawbacks and risks which needs to be drawn after substantial
vision. In this paper, we address the problem with the simplest results.
and efficient techniques overshadowed by glimpse of latest
computer and mobile techniques. II. EXISTING TECHNIQUES
Yet, pen and paper rules at places for taking attendance. We
keep registers full on records. But, Some organizations have
moved with time and adopted some other means like
Keywords- Android, Network Security, Cryptography, Normalized computerized attendance, biometric systems, RFID systems,
Database etc.. These techniques have their own pros and cons. Some
come with scalability issue, some faces reliability measures.
I. INTRODUCTION
Ease of use and mobility always remains a challenge.
Attendance is quite familiar for us, either students or teachers
or be anyone from working arena. Running fast for college,
company and telling friends for proxies, running for marking 1.Biometric Technique
attendance without parking our vehicles shows the priority of This technique stepped around five years ago and has taken
attendance in our life. Taking or giving attendance has become over at all places. This enable automatic personal recognition
an woo. We rely on conventional methods of pen and paper for based on physiological and behavioral characterisitics.
attendance. Though, some techniques evolved in recent span Biometric is defined as automated identification or verification
of time but doen't prove worthy. These are likes of biometric of human identity through the measurement of repeatable
system, RFID system, CCTV camera and more. In this paper, physiological and behavioral characteristics. This succeeded in
the proposed technique adds focus on mobility of use along removing proxies. It also stands good in reliability and and
with precision and optimum resource utilization. Common scalability but we can not have attendance of more than one
problems faced in existing techniques are data redundancy, person at a time. Even, Attendance Machine is stationary, That
unease of access, human errors, unsecurity and unefficiency. is not going to move. Despite these, it is used at most.[1]
Idea proposed is to use existing resources in way to save time,
money and energy. Along with to be scaled, skilled and
speedy enough. Technology already exists, we have to just use
them. Android mobiles lie in hand-to-hand. Everyone is aware
about quality attributes of android apps. Even mobile
processors are well enough for computations and storage
required at small scale. So we can have mobile applications
side. Now, comes the need of a powerful server which meets
the request of huge bunch of service-seekers. This can be
implemented either at intranet or internet as per organisation
demands. This server-client pair will add up much needed
facilites. Likes of dashboard, feedback system, library module,
payment window and much more can be implemented using
above platform. It will provide ease of access anywhere and
anytime. But, the simplicity of use adds the burden of design.
“More easy to use, Much Harder to design”
Proper and well tested security aspects has been taken care of.
Normalized database has its role with fast retrieval of data. Biometric Techniques[1]
2.Blue-tooth or Wi-Fi attendance System 4.Android Attendance

Attendance is being taken using instructor's mobile phone. A When we talk about android, it has recently a hot development
Software is installed in his phone which enables others to area. Android phones are no less than personal computers. We
interact and query. Blue tooth or Wi-Fi connection works for can implement and fulfill multi-fashionable requirements
marking one's attendance. Though connection is unique as per using this technology. Lots of applications has been designed.
Mobile's MAC_address. Still, chance of impersonation was Attendance Tracker is an pretty of example of this module. It
high in this module. First, availability of mobile was necessary has also proved reliable, mobile, scalable and speedy.
and secondly, impersonation was expected. As, anyone would Though , legacy products has been designed. Need differs
carry his her mobile phone and mark proxies. Scalability and from company to company. The simplicity of usage also lacks.
Reliability was an issue with this system. Mobility was well As simple it should be that Lehman can also come across and
supported. Proposed system is update of this module.[2] use it. Security in android is also an issue to be addressed.
Along with for proper analysis complementary computer
application requirement is there. In our proposed system we
have addressed all these design issues which proved
motivation for our research.[4]
III. COMPARISION OF EXISTING TECHNIQUES

Technology Cost Time Efficiency Scalability

Biometric One time Serially, Reliable Can be used
based installed Reqs time at larger
attendance scale
Blue-tooth Reqs Can work Not Not
Centralized Server Module[2] based Mobile parallel Reliable Scalable
attendance Phone
RFID based Costly Can work Reliable Scalable to
3.RFID system attendance device. concurrent be used at
This system has advancement over all the presented modules. One time but slowly larger scale
It features all the issues like mobility, reliability and reliability.
CCTV Costly to Can work Reliable, Scalable but
It has capability of reading of multiple labels simultaneously
camera maintain , for any no but extra quality of
at single instant of time. Unique id is provided to everyone. It
based analyze of users dependency camera
doesn't even require direct or straight line of sight for the
system like light,etc matters.
recognition. It can take whatever shape you want. But, It also
has some limitations of computations. Environmental factors Android Android Parallel , Reliable, Scalable,
like light, change in identity can lead to choke at a point. attendance Phones Powerful Independent Analyzable
We can't use such system for multi-purpose usages.[3]
Analyzing above comparison table gives us the insight of key
issues which has not been addressed yet. Each module
observed comes with some specifications but lacks too. The
paper has tried to cover the concerns of present day systems.
The key issues like mobility, reliability, scalability, speed and
powerful computations , analysis on finger tip, security ,
privacy, impersonation and all must be addressed in a single
concrete designed system.

IV. PROPOSED DESIGN

1.Architecture

RFID Implementation Module[3] This design comprises of two mobile applications and a
complementary computer application acting as a server. One
application for professors for taking attendance and querying
RFID can also be used to spy. Hence, its usage is still not necessary informations. Other module for students in order to
preferred though it is a robust and versatile module. give their attendance. They can even give feedback using it.
Even can get their attendance anytime and anywhere. Any we not even gave a login for them. Just a prompt to retrieve
important information can be passed over the secure channel. required information.[4]

2.Implementation

In order to implement this design, Prerequisite is Java

programming and android basics. Along with, prior knowledge
of database, networking is required. First, we discuss about
computer application designed as server. It should carry out
tasks both as an administrator and others. Administrator will
have authority to add subjects, faculties, feedback questions
and convey messages to teachers or be students. A machine
Student Retrieving Attendance
will be dedicated as a server (talking about running in the
intra-net). Server must be taken special care of to response
This was about the computer application.
multiple clients without being choked. Vulnerability is also an
Lets talk about the mobile applications implementation now.
issue at server. It is open to attacks for hacker's techniques.
Android mobile market has large span of market and this OS
While programming in jsp, servlet we can't keep the
as much powerful as a computer. When we are developing the
sophisticated stuff in jsp. As it is more prone to attack rather
application we need to care of things we are ignorant about.
than servlet. Some special escape functions are also there to
Appealing GUI is the cumbersome need of users. We must
keep secure. Database injection is also hazardous. Quality
have a sense of it. Continuous crashing of applications has
programming is only solution. While expecting speedy results
been common. The only reason behind this is poor skill of
normalized database plays a vital role. In database section,
programming. It means your software is unable to recognize a
schema for both computer and mobile will be mentioned.
situation and is unable to respond then. Hence we have to
After administrator, its job of teachers to update and analyze
generalize our programming which never fails even in a abrupt
attendance. Lets see a glimpse of that page
situation.

Teacher GUI page

In between taking attendance to uploading it, there is a chance
of tempering with it. So, any available cryptographic means
must be adopted, such that no one be teachers or students can Proposed Design[5]
edit the contents of it. The attendance should properly put up.
Now, as it is a distributed system, teacher will access this Application designed for teachers has the facility to mark
application on his own computer, student on their own, they attendance, analyze it. But as discussed above nor even the
may try to play with confidential contents available at server. teachers will be allowed to play with the data. Proper
Thus we can add restrictions at client level. Only limited authentication like mac address or phone no or OTP can be
permissions should be lay down for them. Available Java APIs used. Added modules as per need can be implemented
can be used for this. Digital signatures can also be used to stop afterwards likes of teacher attendance, his personal details. We
activities like impersonation. Teachers have the option of will use provided database SQLite for storing informations
graphical analysis of attendance using APIs like jFreeChart. required frequently. And File based storage mechanism shouls
Students have the best sense of attack. So beware of the most be used for one time use.
intellectual ones! As JavaScript code has been written for them
to keep totally away from the others. But still there is a chance For students, the application carries the attendance retrieval
of attack. Best way to maintain the distance. Implementing it, and Feedback module integrated. There is a dashboard for
getting important messages instantly anywhere in intranet.
Distributed Socket programming is used to serve multiple The module for students doesn't contain any data on their side.
clients at an instant of time. Push notification is used to have Everything is on server-side only. Well mentioned above,
mesages without opening the application. There should also be distance from intellectuals always save from risk. Log files are
an authentication technique for students to stop fraud. And log maintained in server side for any communication established .
of every activity by this application side must be maintained at It can comprise of ip address assigned, mac address of the
server side without harshing their privacy. We can have whats mobile. Don't take extra information that plays with privacy.
app like registration for students. We need to identify more For implementation of feedback module or dashboard we can
and more vulnerabilities and add a check to them. keep separate database as per need. Special means to secure
Applications permissions are biggest threat now-a-days. database can be adapted. Prior to all, never write database
People not even read the instructions once and install the app. code either in JavaScript or jsp files. Always jump to a
There should only be the required number of permissions separate servlet file for such queries. SQl injections are
demanded for installation such that neither information at common attacks. Various escape functions are defined in
server or client side be leaked in the worst case also. language which can be used to be in a secured zone.
3.Database
4. Snapshots(Mobile App and PC-Gui)
Normalized database is the need for faster access of data. We
have used SQL as database. The schema for both mobile and
computer application is mentioned below.
3.1 For computers

Table Schema
Master_table prof_name,
prof_details(composite),
password(use SHA,MD5,DES
or AES encryption,
pid(primary key)
Student_table Class,div,roll,stud_name
class+div as candidate key
Class_table pid(reference key),
class(reference key),
div(reference key), subject,
cid(primary key)
Attendance_table cid(reference key),date,slot,lid
(primary key), cid+date+slot
as candidate key
Lecture_table lid(reference key),roll

3.2 For Mobile's(Teacher module)

Table Schema
Prof_table prof_name,pid(same as alloted
by admin),password
Subject_table Class,division,sub,sid
(primary key)
class+div+sub as candidate key
Student_table sid(reference key),
student_name, roll
Lecture_table Date,slot,sid(reference key),
lid(primary key)
Attendance_table lid(reference key),roll
Login Page
5. Left for implementation REFERENCES

Though, at this stage we have not designed an application [1] Samuel King Opoku, “An Automated Biometric Attendance
which has got rid of the time consuming process of taking Management System with Dual Authentication Mechanism Based on Blue-
tooth and NFC Technologies”, International Journal of Computer Science and
attendance. We can take advantage of available features of
Mobile Computing, IJCSMC, Vol. 2, Issue. 3, March 2013, pg.18 – 2, ISSN
android phones. Implementation of thumb or iris scanner can 2320–088X
solve such issue which will truncate both time consumption
and impersonation. But limitations of listening requests by [2] M. Mattam, S. R. M. Karumuri, and S. R. Meda, “Architecture for
server, authentication failed even by a little cut in hand, iris Automated Student Attendance,” in Proc. IEEE Fourth International
not scanned due to bad light left us empty-handed. But goal is Conference on Technology for Education (T4E 2012), pp.164-167, 18-20 July
2012, doi: 10.1109/T4E.2012.39.
there to not have manual system. Mixture of technologies as
use of RFID along with this module will solve the problem.
But we need simplification of tasks, not a burden. So, it will [3] T. S. Lim, S. C. Sim, and M. M. Mansor, “RFID based attendance
system,” IEEE Symposium on Industrial Electronics & Applications 2009
always be a field left for readers to have a system to address (ISIEA 2009), vol.2, pp. 778-782, 4-6 Oct. 2009, doi:
this issue. 10.1109/ISIEA.2009.5356360.

[4] Macro Andre Guerra, Claudia Mariline Francisco, RuiNeves

V. FUTURE SCOPE Madeira, Portugal “Portable Lab: Implementation of Mobile remote
We need to have smooth pavement to land on. Simplicity in laboratory for Android platform”, an IEEE paper.
work along with mobility is always on demand. Especially,
users want thing of their need at a place rather than searching [5] Attendance Tracker Application, Available on Google Play
it here and there. From an institution point of view, We can
add library module, student section module, examination
module, on line assignment submission module, and much
more. Even from a company point of view we can have their
payment gateway(Special SSL techniques can be used up).
And best part is every thing will be on the finger tip of user.
No need to open your computer again and again. GUI has
always an scope for improvement. You have to reach to the
psychology of the users,about what and how he wants? More
advancements are done, higher is the threat. As by today we
implement a security measures, by tomorrow end there comes
the jailbreak. Hence Network Security techniques and
Cryptographic measures can be improved on regular basis. It
becomes outdated by the end of month itself. And there comes
new security techniques for use.

VI. CONCLUSION

This paper has addressed the latest computer vision to address

common issues like attendance and feedback with terms of
mobility, security, simplicity and all. I believe, Quest for
having things simple shows the class of users associated with.
Thus, Design presented has reached to mark and left a higher
to solve. We have to respond our users on demand and on
time. Available resources and techniques are to be used.
Optimum with Efficient and Theory of best on least is its base.

VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This paper is dually motivated and mentored by Prof. S.J.

Thaware (VIIT). And, much needed help of my colleague
Mohammad, Dharmendra and Surya in its implementation. I
want to mention my uncle Mr. Narayan Kumar(R&D,
Emirates) for his inputs and kind suggestions.