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).

System components

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:

Tags and tag-reading systems

There are a number of different competing tagging systems.

Applications

The object hyperlinking systems described above will make it possible to link comprehensive and editable information to any object or location. How this capability can best be used remains to be seen. What has emerged so far is a mixture of social and commercial applications.