RFID Gazette

How to: Wire Your House with RFID

Despite criticism concerning security   and personal privacy   issues that surround RFID, the technology has become popular and commonplace   in the retail environment. But there's no reason why these new technologies   should be confined to stores and inventory   systems; they can be useful at home as well. RFID can be hooked up to almost   anything electronic around the house, especially devices that usually require   users to carry around keys or use access codes. RFID chips and cards can replace   these conventional items and give your home a more futuristic and unarguably   cooler feel.

So whether you're an RFID   tagged geek or just a tech enthusiast looking for new gadgets, wiring your   home with RFID can be an exciting and beneficial project. Here are a few ways   where RFID can be integrated into your home to make your life easier and more   convenient:

Door Locks: For those sick of carrying around multiple keys   or who frequently leave the keys in the door, an RFID door lock could be a good   option. There are a couple of different ways to set up an RFID door lock, but   the simplest method is to buy a pre-packaged system like the My   Key 2300. This lock comes with 8 RFID keys, auto and manual lock modes,   and a burglar alarm. It can't be picked since there's nothing to pick, and it   comes with an external forced lock feature that keeps it from being opened through   a mail slot or window. The system isn't free from drawbacks, however. It comes   with a hefty price tag ($300) and it isn't recommended that it be exposed to   rain or snow (which might be a difficult objective to achieve for an outside   door).

If you're looking for a cheaper DIY way of hooking up your door with RFID it'll   take some elbow grease and a few small components. There are numerous   ways of going about this chore, depending on your budget and whether or not   you want the system hooked directly to your computer. You'll need a few basic   electronic components like circuit boards, relays, and a project box as well   as an electronic door strike (the same kind that are used to "buzz"   people in). And, if you'd like, an electronic keypad deadbolt can be added as   well. Amal   Graafstra provides detailed instructions for this project in his book, RFID   Toys. I would reproduce the project here, but it's detailed and encompasses   several pages.

Keep in mind that you'll also need a few tools for the job and some delicate   tinkering. The system itself is relatively simple, however, and will allow you   access to your door with the use of a RFID tag or chip and can also be made   fancier since it's hooked up to your PC. You can use the system to set up email   alerts when people come or go, or set up timers to only allow certain doors   to be accessed at pre-scheduled times.

Pet Doors: Pet   doors can be a great way to let dogs and cats in and out without actually   having to open the door for them each time. Yet, these doors aren't without   their drawbacks. If you have a large dog the door can be wide enough for a squirrelly   burglar or other unwanted animals. One way to keep out unwanted visitors is   to put in an RFID access device on your door. There are a couple of ways to   accomplish this. First, you need to consider whether you would like your animal   to have an embedded   chip, like those used to ID lost animals at almost all animals shelters,   or if you'd like to simply have your pet wear a   collar with the RFID device attached. Both have their benefits and drawbacks,   so it's really up to you. After you've considered what your pet will wear, you   also need to consider what kind of door you want to use. There are RFID systems   available that are pre-wired and set up that allow you to simply install the   pet door, no electronics knowledge required.

If you're really into doing it all on your own, you can install an RFID reader   to just about any pet door that has a locking mechanism. However, since the   reader system would have to sit outside the pet door itself, it might not be   the most attractive option if you're worried about aesthetics. You'll also want   to consider the relative range of the RFID system that you're installing, since   some can only have a range of up to 4   inches. The principal for setting up the pet door lock is the same as that   for a larger door lock, except that you'll need to allow the reader, and the   chip for that matter, to be in a place where your pet will be able to access   it easily and not get left out in the cold.

Computer Logon: With security being a big issue these days,   new and innovative ways to secure your data and workstation are always a welcome   addition to your tech repertoire. RFID can actually be a quick and easy way   to lock down your data when you're away from your desk. One of the simplest   ways to implement RFID to your computer is to use a simple USB system like PCProx.   PCProx uses RFID to block access to your computer when you leave the immediate   vicinity. When you return, you simply wave an RFID card over the reader and   you are immediately signed back into your system. To make it more secure, as   cards can and do get lost, users can add a special PIN.

If you want to be a little sneakier about your RFID logon capabilities, you   can fix up a regular keyboard so that an RFID reader is hidden inside. As you   can read here,   you'll need to be a little electronically savvy and also have a steady hand.   All you'll need is the RFID reader and compatible tag, a working keyboard, some   open source software, and you're ready to go. Why would you want your RFID access   to be secret? While the chances are slim, it is possible that someone could   find out your tag ID and duplicate it, gaining access to your computer. If no   one knows you have RFID access installed in the first place they can't take   advantage of your privacy.

Garage Door Opener: With the morning scramble out the door,   it's easy to forget to shut to garage door amidst the chaos. With an RFID system   it's possible for that problem to be a thing of the past, and also to make your   garage more secure by making sure it opens only for you and only you. There   are, of course, places that would be more than happy to install such a   system for you. These, however, can be extremely expensive, especially if   you get all the extra features (many offer services that turn lights, music   and other household things on when you arrive home).

If you can't pay for the convenience of a full installation, you can install   a simpler system on your own. You'll need an RFID reader and tag, a transmitter   and a receiver, and this simple   design for an RFID garage door opener. The system will cause the garage   door to open automatically when your car, which contains the RFID tag, approaches.   The tag isn't embedded in this design, which allows you to move that tag from   car to car if necessary. It can also be modified to automatically shut the door   after a certain period of time or when the car reaches a certain distance from   the house.

Electronic Safe: Some people simply can't remember numbers,   and combinations can be a real challenge. If you're one of these people, or   if you want to add a different element to your safe system, you can modify your   electronic safe so that it opens with both an RFID card or tag and the electronic   keypad that it came with. For those safes with RFID chips embedded, this can   be an additional means to secure the contents in that safe.

The RFID safe is assembled in a similar way to the other RFID locking systems.   An RFID reader is embedded into your safe and installation will vary slightly   depending on the model. You'll also need a USB programmable board. The software   to program it is open source and programming details   can be found on that site. You can also hook up the reader to a small LCD light   to let you know if your tag is being read and that the reader is appropriately   powered.

These are just a few ways that RFID can be used around the house; if you're   creative you can figure out how to hook up many other household items to your   RFID system as well. Be advised that many of these projects do require a certain   degree of skill or knowledge about electronics and circuitry, or at least the   ability to follow directions very carefully. Still, if you have the patience   and the skill you can use these ideas to up your technology coolness factor   significantly by installing some RFID devices around your house.

RFID Gazette - Tues May 15, 2007

This is a roundup of recent RFID-related news and views.

Tracking Steel
ThyssenKrupp Steel has managed to run a successful test on a thousand tagged steel slabs using EPC UHF RFID tags. The slabs were shipped from Brazil to Germany and tracked along that route. As a result, they'll continue the process for 100,000 slabs per year, maybe more, using special SATO FlagTag RFID labels. [via RFID Journal]

A Japanese RFID Island
Depending on what country you're in, RFID tags are an everyday thing or their not. In Japan, there's a plan to set up a special tech zone on an island where RFID tags will be ubiquitous. Not only that, they'll use the zone to monitor elderly patients, the movement of pedestrians, and more.

Passive RFID Tag Market Growing
The passive RFID tag market is expected to grow to nearly US$500M by 2013, compared to just under $125M in 2006. This information comes courtesy of a Frost & Sullivan report.

RFID Gazette - Tues May 08, 2007

Yet More Anti-RFID Envelope Makers
National Envelope Corporation is the latest company to go after the potentially lucrative anti-RFID envelope and wallet market with their Smart Card Guard products. The envelopes can be used to protect contactless credit cards, ID cards, and e-passports. [via Contactless News]

A Smart RFID Mirror
Paxar is currently showing off its smart mirror at a show in Miami, Florida. The mirror, typically to be used in retail clothing stores, gives customers information about a tagged item of clothing. [via RFID Update]

Free RFID Discovery Service
Affilias is offering a service to companies that want to share RFID EPC data over the Internet. What information is to be shared can be configured on a per subscriber basis. Affilias calls the service ESDS (Extensible Supply-Chain Discovery Services) and hopes it'll become an industry standard. [via RFID Journal]

About NFC Cell Phones and the New Digital Wallets

What happens when you lose one? Can the finder/ thief use it to make purchases? Supposedly there are safeguards, but since you can just "tap" your phone at, say, a cashless vending machine, I don't see how that'd stop a thief. I've yet to come across any articles that explain this.

Most people guard their cell phones closely, so it won't be a big issue. Not yet. But since ABI Research predicted back in 2004 that that 50% of phones would have NFC by 2009, it'll become a growing issue. It happens; phones get misplaced or stolen. And if phones become our wallets, isn't that more incentive for some people to steal them? That is, if it's easy to use any stored credits. And will it be easy for a thief to determine what your recent purchases were?

I'm assuming you can have your phone disabled if it gets "misplaced", though you'd have to find a phone elsewhere to make the call. (To whom, exactly? I've not seen any indication that payment credits on NFC phones are handled by credit card issuers or some other organization.)

There's a similar problem for contactless credit cards, since a signature is not required for transactions under $25 for most cards. Sure, these can be easily cancelled, and the transactions removed from a card carrier's credit statement, so the point is moot. But as for a lost NFC phone, I'm guessing that knowledge of what happens is only available to those who have one.

RFID Gazette - Mon May 07, 2007

A roundup of recent RFID-related news.

NFC Vending Machine Demo
RFID in Japan has a YouTube video showing someone buying a drink from a vending machine and paying for it with their NFC-enabled cell phone.

RFID Implants For Payment Systems
A nightclub in Barcelona, Spain is allowing patrons to use implanted RFID chips to enter a VIP area and pay for drinks. Said one of the owners of the club:

I know a lot of people have fears about it. Having a radio-transmitting chip under your skin makes you very unique.

Right. So do horns sticking out of your head, which I'll have implanted before an RFID chip.

Dual-Purpose RFID Labels
Checkpoint Systems is introducing an inventory tracking and anti-theft system for retailers. The system uses RFID labels that serves the dual purpose by having two different circuits. This is apparently worrying privacy advocates who feel the system might track customers who mistakenly carry away chips after a purchase.

Contactless Payments to Rise

It's expected that by 2011, there'll be nearly 110M users of contactless payment cards in use in the United States, with purchases totalling nearly US$15B. This will be a rise from nearly 30M cards in 2006, which is far behind many other other countries. The market that card issuers are going after is for small-ticket purchases of typically US$25 or less per transaction. Such transactions will not require a signature, thus supposedly speeding up shopping and possibly luring consumers from other payment methods. These figures do not include payments by mobile phone, which are also expected to grow in the US, thanks to an increasing number of NFC-enabled phones and vending machines.

More Contactless Vending Machines Coming

Six large vending machine companies in the United States plan to outfit their vending machines with  contactless payment technology. The technology will accept MasterCard PayPass cards and key fobs.

An announcement earlier this month from MasterCard and USA Technologies stated that 6,000+ vending machines in the US would allow for contactless payments using NFC-enabled cell phones. Late last year, USA Technologies had announced plans to install contactless card readers on 10,000 vending machines.

Contactless payment technology vendors are hoping to capture the sub-$25.00 per transaction market of vending machines and convenience stores. While there are the two types of contactless payment (card/fob and cell phone), the cell phone method is at a disadvantage since there are currently few NFC-enabled phones in the United States and Canada. Contactless keyfobs and credit cards, on the other hand, have the distinct advantage of being easily distributed.

More Contactless Payment At Sporting Events

The use of RFID, particularly NFC (Near Field Communication) at sporting events has been so functionally successful that it's really seems to be catching on. In addition to being used for preventing counterfeit ticket use and for crowd management (seating, gates, etc.), RFID is also being used for payment at concession stands and souvenir shops, either with keyfobs or contactless payment/credit cards. Several sports teams in the NHL and the NBA will now be allowing fans to use the contactless MasterCard PayPass cards to speed up concession stand payments. If you've ever been to a sporting event, you know how long you might wait in line, meanwhile missing the action.

RFID Regulation: New Bills In California and North Dakota

To date, two states - Wisconsin and now North Dakota -  have banned forced human RFID implants. Except that there's no way that'll stop determined employers. Jeremy Duffy offers an explanation of how organizations might circumvent such laws. One way is by suggesting that implantation is voluntary but to then either punish those that don't "volunteer" or reward those that do. I've worked for enough bad bosses in my life to know the tactics companies use to make you do what they want, or to conoct ways to make you quit if you don't comply. There's no reason why the same sort of emotional blackmail will not happen in regards to RFID implantation.

In California, the issue is more about the use of RFID in certain ways by public entities. An elementary school there has tried to implement an RFID program to monitor the whereabouts of students. To deter this sort of use, the California Senate passed a bill 28-5 to prevent public schools from mandatory RFID systems for monitoring students. The bill must still be passed by the State Assembly.

Steal Data From RFID Passports With $20 In Equipment

[Commentary] Apparently, all you need to do to skim data from a certain type of RFID chip used in e-passports and credit cards is $20 worth of equipment available on eBay and the know how. Except that security researcher Chris Paget isn't allowed to say how the flaw works, due to a claim by a chip maker that he'd be infringing on various rights. They stopped Paget from talking at the Black Hat conference in February, and they're still trying to do so now.

Very interesting way of trying to defeat detractors, but instead helping, those who feel consumers should be aware of such security flaws will probably mistrust the manufacturer now. (I unfortunately do not know who this is - see below.) Alienating more people is not what the RFID industry needs; it's about awareness. It might be time get new lawyers and PR people.

[UPDATE: I mistakenly indicated that IOActive is the chipmaker in the above article. Correction made, and my sincere apologies for the error.]

Boston Marathon Adopts RFID

The Boston Marathon has announced that they'll be using RFID technology that allows monitoring of athletes' whereabouts. This is partly for the purposes of sending wireless or email alerts to friends and family of runners. [via PC World]

They are not the first race to use RFID, but it wouldn't suprise me if more marathons converted to this. (Many sports - such as baseball, golf, soccer, car racing, parkour - are finding interesting ways to use RFID.) Marathon fans often want to watch but cannot be at the event. RFID allows for near real-time monitoring, as well as ensuring that only registered athletes are participating. For the Boston Marathon, RFID tags are slipped over shoelaces before they're tied.

RFID Gazette - Mon Apr 09, 2007

Sirit Gets California Toll Road Contract
RFID use in toll roads continues to increase in the United States and the OCTA (Orange County Transportation Authority) is expanding their own existing use. They've awarded Sirit a three-year contract for US$2M in RFID transponders as an extension of a prior contract. [via RFID Update]

RFID Asset Tracking For Jewelry Retailers
Jewelry retailers can breathe a bit easier with a tracking system from from RSI ID Technologies. The system includes tags, readers and software, and allows retailers to keep track of in-store jewelry items as well as provide data on which pieces are generating interest. [via RFID Journal] A number of jewelry stores in the Middle East have already been using a different RFID system for asset tracking.

How RFID Helps
CRM Buyer gives a good example of how RFID helps in a number of applications including supply chain and security. For example, US ports handle about 7 million containers yearly but there are only enough personnel to inspect about 2%. RFID locking systems and other security measures in terms of supply chain process can reduce the security risk. The CRM Buyer article is fairly general and is targeted at those new to RFID use in SCM (Supply Chain Management).

Zipcar RFID-Based Car Sharing Service Expands

Car sharing services have existed for years in North America in many large and even some small cities. But Zipcar is a service with a difference: they use RFID contactless cards to open the doors, making it much easier to schedule more efficient sharing. The other difference is that Zipcar is the first car sharing service to go international. Besides service offerings in US cities, they are in Toronto, Canada, and more recently, Vancouver.

Cars have had RFID tech in various components including door keys for many years now - even if consumers are not aware of this fact. However, the Zipcar technology means the ability to produce multiple keys per car.

This is actually an ideal time to get into Vancouver, what with the Winter Olympics coming in 2010 and a cramped road infrastructure. Visitors to the games are going to want to rent vehicles, especially since the events are actually spread out over at least two sites. Vancouver area's roads supposedly cannot take a surge in vehicles. So a service like this might be a boon to everyone, especially if they're set up to handle short-term use.

RFID + Sports: Parkour - Urban Acrobatics

Back in the late 80s, when I lived in Toronto, I had a skinhead buddy who liked to intimidate people. One trick he'd pull was to have me stand still on the sidewalk and he'd run, vault over my shoulders, and virtually float over my head. He'd then do the same over parking meters, over and over until he got a reaction from passersby. I can't remember if he was a Jackie Chan fan, but people either thought it was cool or would be scared of him.

Nowadays, this sort of urban acrobatics (aka parkour, freerunning, freestyling) is becoming commonplace, as witnessed by the 20 videos in the SplashCast included in this post. (Works like a slideshow, but each "slide" is a YouTube video.)

What some Parkour fans have done, though, is turned their acrobatics into a sort of performance course using RFID tags and readers. The gist of it is that they'll wear tags on their clothes or as part of a wristband. A course will have been plotted out beforehand, and RFID readers will be placed at key points, recording when a participant passes by.

It's an ingenious use of technology, but with or without it, it's incredible to watch these guys and gals defying gravity. Of course, the standard disclaimers apply: don't try this at home without someone to train you. Somewhere on YouTube is a video of people getting hurt in Parkour.

Surge of Cashless NFC Vending Machines

NFC, or Near Field Communication, is a technology that's been in use in Asia and Europe for a few years, allowing consumers with appropriate NFC-enabled cell phones to pay for all manner of self-payment purchases, such as bus fares and movie tickets, or for items from vending machines.

To date, that hasn't really been the case in North America. However, MasterCard and USA Technologies are in the process of pushing out 6,000 vending machines in over twenty American cities. Customers can use an NFC phone for purchases, thanks to the new e-Port technology from USA Technologies.

One thing I see holding back the popularity of such vending machines is the lack of NFC phones, though Nokia is making progress in that regard. Still, ABI Research said back in 2004 that by 2009, about 50% of all cell phones would have NFC. What remains is to see whether consumers become comfortable using such a payment method.

Can RFID Implants Be Subverted?

[editorial] In a series of proto-cyberpunk short stories and novellas that I wrote in 2002, set in an alternate, near-future Earth country called the United States of North America (Canada and the US), a roving, microchipped band of digital rebels escape from a USNA government that is essentially a dictatorship pretending to be patriotic. Paper is outlawed, thinking for yourself is highly frowned upon, and everyone is being microchipped "for their safety." (By which I mean RFID chips, though I never refer to RFID.)

These rebels have "underground" meeting places where chips are either removed or disabled, and from where their "subversive" activities are planned. These are the true patriots for freedom and justice, but they are looked upon as hackers and criminals, particularly because they disable the RFID microchips. From their perspective, they do this because they feel the chips are a threat to their privacy and general well-being, and that control of the chips can be subverted by malicious parties - counter to this fictional government's claim that the chips are safe.

Well, truth may be stranger than fiction. According to a security researcher in the UK, Adam Laurie, implanted RFID chips can be hacked by malicious parties and thus controlled. Laurie cracked codes for an RFID id card, a livestock chip, and a chip that a volunteer from the audience had previously had implanted.

You can argue that these demonstrations are not sufficient to be concerned about RFID implants, but obviously I'm going to disagree. As a "proto-cyberpunk" writer, I make it a point to write fiction that considers worst case scenarios of the use of technology. Most of my proto-cyberpunk stories are strongly influenced by the work of science fiction author Philip K. Dick, long-deceased and the author of the novels that were turned into Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report, and others. They are very dystopian, and not afraid to speculate on the "what might be" aspect of world politics (see The Man In The High Castle) and the misuse of technology.

I'm not saying that my stories equal Dick's, but they are definitely written in the same spirit. That said, I see RFID as both a blessing and a curse. I am of the staunch opinion that just because something sounds like a conspiracy theory does not make it false. RFID is unfortunately an ideal technology for both very good and very evil - quite possibly more so than any technology in history has ever been. In the wrong hands, it will be misused under the guise of self-preservation. And any proof of that possibility is something that we all need to take note of.

RFID Tag A Tree?

RFID can be used for many more applications than might seem evident. Subni RFID Webservice is a social networking website that encourages people to tag objects and map metadata to this site's database. For example, if you tag a tree, I presume that you can share information such as latitude/ longitude, type, age, city, country, date of tagging condition of tree, etc.

I say "presume" because while you have to register to use the service, they tell you after you waste time filling out the form that they're not taking new members. (They also don't bother setting up the form for anyone outside the U.S.) However, their applications page diagrams what look like very interesting applications - with no text whatsoever to describe them, unfortunately.

Basically, at the time of this writing, this site is a tease, hinting at what could be. Very frustrating but also exciting. For example, they describe a Subni application called Soundtag, which converts information from an RFID tag on a prescription bottle to sound. This would help visually impaired people know that they have the right medication. This is a brilliant idea, and while other companies might be doing something similar, I haven't come across it elsewhere.

Other applications that they describe on the site suggest tagging physical objects. This has the potential for some powerful municipal applications.

For example, amongst the client computing projects that I've worked on, one of the more interesting ones was a forestry-style application for a municipal tree database. For the sample database, I drove around wooded areas and photographed a few clusters of trees. Theoretically, I would have attached some identifying badge to each tree, then recorded approximate geographic coordinates. This information from the field would have been synced up with a central database later, when I "got back from the field."

Now imagine if there was an easier way to manage such a database, and make it central. So put it online, and use durable RFID forestry tags. Provided handheld readers have a wireles connection to the Internet, field agents could update a database - private or public - in real-time. Add environmental sensors and a memory device like the i-Disk RFID flash drive, and environmental conditions could be stored for later analysis.

In fact, any municipal assets such as park benches and bus shelters, could be tagged in this manner. What might also help is a means for citizens to report problems with an asset. At present, if a tree goes down, a bus shelter is smashed, etc., a citizen makes a call and gives the nearest intersection.

In the future, they might be able to use their NFC-enabled cell phone (dual-mode Wi-Fi/ cellular) to call in the information using a VoIP application over a municipal Wi-Fi network. The VoIP client could file-share the data from the asset's RFID tag, minimizing what a citizen has to do. And if tags had IP addresses, like RuBee tags do, the information could be accessed remotely, saving municipalites the cost of gasoline, wear and tear on city vehicles, and the scheduling of personnel - except when needed.

RFID + Security: Don't Mess With Las Vegas?

A glimpse of the TV show Las Vegas would suggest to you that security for casinos there are high-tech, marvellous operations. Well it just might be true. A surveillance tech company called Third Eye has a new RF-based security system, SATS (Security Alert Tracking System) based on a wristband biosensor (from SPO Medical) that monitors employee's heart rate. If the rate suddenly increases, management is alerted by an RF signal from the wristband.

The premise is that if a casino employee's heart starts suddenly beating rapidly, they are likely under stress. This could be due to some emergency such as a robbery, or possibly because the employee is planning a theft.

RFID has some very important applications in health care, and this biosensor is no exception. But the idea that every casino employee would have to wear these wristbands, in case they just might be planning a theft, could turn into a Minority Report-like situation. The movie stars Tom Cruise and is based on the Philip K. Dick novel of the same name. The idea is that law enforcement officers can stop crimes before they start by arresting future perpetrators, based on technology that can read the latter's thoughts and determine that will/may commit a crime.

The SPO Medical wristband in and of itself is not my issue but rather Third Eye's intended use of it by casino clients. It seems to move life into the realm of guilty until proven innocent. An odd thing for a company whose name is borrowed from a spiritual concept of the inward eye of self-enlightenment.

i-Disk RFID USB Flash Drive

Pretec has come up with a tiny waterproof USB flash drive that combines RFID technology to allow remote reading of data. Memory sizes range from 128Mb to 1 Gb. Applications for use involve environments such as hospitals, airports, and warehouses. [Digitimes, Gizmodo, Medical Design Online, Loftwares]

Considering that most RFID chips have puny memory storage, technology like this has numerous applications. For example, such a drive could replace/ supplement the patient records that hang on a clip board in a hospital. In fact, since the device is so small (smaller than an American quarter) it could be used in a number of consumer devices as well, say for payment solutions. However, the USB technology would be unnecessary in some devices.

One other application might be to use it to replace the "dog tag" id tags that US soldiers wear. The Pretec device could be fashioned into a new set of dog tags and carry a soldier's details. This use would maybe put paid to VeriChip's idea of imposing forced chip implantation into members of the military.

RFID: To Regulate Or Not To Regulate?

Law makers in the US and EU have been considering regulating the use of RFID in their respective districts. The European Union commissioner backed off, deciding to let the technology mature before imposing regulations.

In Washington state, RFID legislation didn't make the Floor. It sought to impose rules on how RFID would be deployed and used to collect personal data. In Wisconsin, a new bill was just passed that prohibits US currency and documents to be embedded with chips. Previously, the state passed legislation banning forced chip implants.

Implants in particular are going to be a hot law issue in the years to come, Companies like VeriChip have been trying persuade anyone and everyone to implant, including soldiers, and diabetics, and have used them on corpses during disaster recovery.

RFID Gazette - Wed Mar 14, 2007

Managing Portable Toilets With RFID
Many thousands of portable toilets across Europe will have their maintenance scheduled more reliably using low-frequency RFID tags. [via RFID Journal]

VeriChip Still Pushing Implants?
Despite VeriChip's poor showing post-IPO recently (due mostly to doubt about the market for RFID implants), their VeriMed Patient Identification System seems to have created a bit of a buzz at the Atlanta Diabetes Expo. The system requires an implant chip, and is supposed to help health professionals, if a patient arrives at hospital and cannot communicate. For some reason, VeriChip seems to always suggest that a bracelet or badge of some sort wouldn't be durable enough.

Intel Goes UHF
Intel, the world's largest manufacturer of computer processor chips, released their first UHF transceiver chip, the R1000, recently. [via RFID Blog] The chip has attracted attention from several companies. Alien Technology, who plan to use the R1000 in new RFID readers, as well as CAEN and ThingMagic, a startup funded by Cisco and MIT. Intel's chip is expected to usher in lower RFID reader prices.

RFID Gazette - Tues Mar 13, 2007

Mobile Payments Initiative
Two organizations have launched a joint initiative for the financial services industry to enable mobile payments. They are looking at two types of payment. One would be for purchases via NFC and other contactless technology. The other would be transfer of funds between the accounts of two consumers. It should be noted that PayPal, the payments processor owned by eBay (who also own the Skype VoIP software company) already allows mobile payments through SMS text messaging.

Apple Into RFID?
Not quite. However, they have filed a patent for a wireless home networking system that uses an RFID reader. The system would assume that a variety of devices (laptop, PDA, iPod) would have an RFID tag and the network would automatically configure a network connection for it. [via RFID Update; they have a link to the patent.]

Very exciting application. I heard nothing about this until now. The drawback is that Apple technology has traditionally been very singular, with the company typically not licensing/ authorizing clones. This sounds like a fascinating application, but it might only ever be used for Apple products.

If You Can't Beat'em, Confuse'em:
So IOActive's researcher Chris Paget was told to put off his "clone RFID cards" talk at the Black Hat conference recently, based on the charge that the demonstration would violate HID Global's patents in card readers. Huh? Defeat "enemies" with confusion? I don't even know where to start with this one. The validity of this claim is questionable. Other RFID presentations did continue, however. Still, this is a bad precedent and stinks of bullying.

Why Amal Graafstra Got RFID Implants

Amal Graafstra, author of the book RFID Toys, is one of the first people to implant himself with an RFID chip. His first chip was in one hand, and he later implanted a second chip in the other hand. As he's said a few times, he doesn't need to carry around keys.

If you want to know more about why he did it, read Celebrating a mark in his right hand [via Trossen Robotics]. I've always maintained that while I don't believe in forced implants, I have no problem with someone who willingly gets implanted or even does it themselves. I have friends/ acquaintances who have done other types of body modifications, including implants of small balls, horns or other shapes. That said, I'd go for other types of implants/ piercings or tattoos and scarifications, etc., before I'd ever get an RFID implant.

RFID Credit Cards: Hot or Not?

Late last week, I went to a sub-post office to get and send a money order for a credit card I was accepted for. As I was signing my money order, a young woman paid for a purchase with her credit card. She was surprised when the clerk didn't ask her to sign a receipt, and pointed this out. The woman behind the counter indicated that it wasn't necessary (the younger lady had an RFID credit card, which surprisingly can be used without a signature). She had a puzzled look on her face and chuckled nervously.

I don't blame her; I'm not big on RFID credit cards. But then I thought, what am I going to do if my new card has an RFID chip? Legally, the card belongs to the issuer. Disabling the chip could be considered an act of vandalism. So that leaves two options: (1) don't use the card. (2) get an anti-RFID sleeve/ wallet. Since I want the card, I haven't got much choice, do I?

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RFID Applications: Tiny Chips For Currency?

The tiny powder RFID chips that Hitachi recently debuted are small enough to be embedded in paper. Reading that in the York Dispatch, it triggered a thought: the US government (collectively) has long desired a way to track paper currency. Some or all American bills have had a thin strip of metal for at least a decade. (My apologies: I don't know which denominations.) But now they may have the means of embedding RFID chips into paper currency.

If you watch enough police dramas on TV like I do, you start thinking of all the times monitoring the literal flow of ransom money would have been helpful. Then there's the other side of the coin, so to speak: the Big Brother scenario, which RFID more than any other technology could support, especially if it becomes as ubiquitous as being in currency. And with RFID in powder form, the potential for abuse grows. Hopefully, that's not the case.

Designer RFID Chips For Luggage?

With several thousand pieces of luggage going lost at airports daily, RFID chips sound like an ideal way to reduce the chances of loss. RFID Ltd. is introducing a set of RFID-enabled designer luggage tags for high-end bags from Chanel, Dior, Gucci and others. The tags will vary in color and grain to match the bags they're used with.

The tags are in production now. However, RFID Ltd. has to convince airports to adopt the associated BagChip RFID system,which would include readers from Alien or Symbol. Hopefully, RFID Ltd and others will similarly serve the rest of us who are not part of the jet set crowd and don't buy designer bags.

Canadians Eager For RFID In Grocery Stores?

A survey in Canada suggests that we are eager to see RFID in grocery stores. I'm not one of them. In fact, I find it kind of surprising because Canadians are generally more conservative about technologies that potentially invade privacy. At least, they have been in the past, when RFID-enabled money cards (not credit, not debit) were trialled.

Well, things do change, including attitudes. And it's more than possible that this video from IBM is the reason for it. It's been running in Canada since at least 2005, possibly earlier.

The survey findings seem to contradict the general reaction of consumers towards RFID chips in everything they buy. (This is based on an educated guess, from the thousands of RFID articles I've scanned or read in the past year.)

If the opinions of the 1,056 shoppers surveyed are truly representative of 35+ million people, then there's hope for the acceptance of item-level RFID. On the other, given that 80% of those surveyed had never heard of RFID, I'm a bit doubtful that the general Canadian populace is eager for it in their grocery items. That said, if IBM and Marnlen's new clipped tags are used, there may be more consumer acceptance in Canada and the US.

RFID Roundup - Tues Feb 27, 2007

Big In Japan
McDonald's restaraunts in Japan will allow customers, later this year, to pay for purchases using NFC-enabled mobile phones. (Nokia is one company that has already rolled out NFC phones to be used for payments.)

Hyundai Adopts RFID
Hyundai-Kia Motors is implementing RFID in their Supply Chain to collect real-time distribution information. They are moving from applied bar code labels. They'll be using UPM Raflatac tags.

Dallas Newspaper To Use RFID
The Dallas Morning News will be the first newsaper to use the RFID-enabled Smart Cart system from Cannon Equipment. The system helps to track cart shipments.

What's RFID To You? Toy Or Serious Tool?

Gizmos For Geeks has a great synopsis of the perceptions of RFID: "Depending on who you ask, RFID technology is either the 'Mark of the Beast' or a global panacea destined to rescue the grocery stores and Wal-Marts of the world from shoplifting." Of course, that's true and RFID is much more than that.

RFID, like computing, is so many things to so many industries, with supply chain applications straddling those industries more than any other application. Payments via smartphone are poised to become the application that really takes RFID "to the masses".

However, RFID still lacks popular appeal. But the handy little kit that Gizmos for Geeks reviews may help. Unlike a lot of other RFID kits, this one is just under a $100, has a USB cable, a dozen types of RFID tags, and projects that the average geek or wanna-be can probably do. (As opposed to a trained RFID field person.) The RFID Experimentation Kit also includes a copy of the book RFID Toys by Amal Graafstra, who implanted himself with not one but two chips.

VeriChip Implant Creepy?

Finally, someone with a lot more influence in the RFID industry than I said it: VeriChip implant unnecessary and a little creepy [Spychips]

Thanks to RFID Journal's Editor and Founder Mark Roberti for saying what had to be said. I've been pretty vocal about the questionable use of implanted RFID chips, a la VeriChip, and have repeatedly said that some wearable object with an RFID chip is just as good. Which is what Mark Roberti says as well.

On the other hand, Roberti also criticizes media for bad press regarding implants. I assume I am such a person. Or maybe not. Regardless, I see absolutely nothing wrong with making people aware of useless or offensive applications of RFID.

I could be misunderstanding, though Roberti didn't say he's against monitoring people with RFID, as Liz McIntyre points out at SpyChips. In fact, you have to read his article and decide for yourself. Nothing against him personally, but while he says it's creepy and isn't a big fan of implanting people, there could be some benefits of doing so.

From my viewpoint, all power to anyone who wants to willingly have an RFID chip implanted in themselves, but I'll continue to maintain that no one has any right to force an implant on anyone for any reason.

VeriChip's recent poor IPO performance would suggest that not many people think there's much of a market for living human implants. (VeriChips were used to identify the dead during disaster recovery in New Orleans, after Hurricane Katrina.)

Implant Thyself, VeriChip

In one of my random updates about VeriChip, I'm unpleased to report that the chairman of VeriChip's parent company still hasn't had himself implanted with an RFID chip - as far as I know - despite claiming he would do so, what, about two years ago? Now, if you've kept up with the RFID industry, you might know that VeriChip is planning an IPO (which they filed for a year ago). And this in the midst of poor performance for some companies in the industry and the generally accepted view that most human beings would never willingly allow themselves to be implanted. Feel free to disagree, but in my opinion, forced implanting is one of the worst applications of RFID, not to mention a travesty of personal privacy, regardless of the political BS being fed to us. Besides, there are so many useful, legitimate, non-infringing applications.

I haven't followed the IPO but I'm thinking they'll have a very hard time with it. (Even VeriChip, in their SEC filing, stated that many patients would be unwilling. Apparently a lot of doctors are uncomfortable with implanting their patients - thank goodness.) Nevertheless, they don't seem to be having any problem implanting 222 people in total with RFID chips, for a sales total of about US$100K. [Speaking of implanting, one of the character's in this week's episode of Smallville is abducted and has a tiny GPS chip implanted in his/her shoulder (don't want to spoil it). Though at first, I thought it might be an RFID chip.]

RFID On CSI:NY TV Show

Singer Nelly Furtado appeared on last night's CSI:NY franchise as an amazingly successful shoplifter at high-priced New York boutiques. Towards the very end of the episode, one of the CSIs found a device in a purse they confiscated from Furtado's character. And guess what? It was a "credit card scanner" which, according to two other CSI characters is "based on RFID", "works remotely" and "from three feet".

I'm guessing that the writing team read that New York Times article about the inherent security flaws in RFID-based credit cards, which I've discussed a few times. No doubt the episode was shot months ago. Since the NY Times article, credit card companies have skirted around the issues or outright denied them, but have said that their cards (meaning the new generation) are secure and have new security features.

Still, that's not going to stop speculation from TV shows and movies. RFID tech was also mentioned in Law + Order: SVU a few months back.

State Opposition To RFID-Based National Driver's License Spreads

Privacy advocates are no doubt beaming as the opposition to a US National Driver's License spreads to at least seven states, sparked by Maine's initial opposition. Issuance of the RFID-based licenses is part of the Real I.D. Act of 2005, which was backed by the House of Representatives, and is to be implemented in 2008.

While Maine is being credited for triggering the new revolt against the National Driver's License, New Hampshire objected back in April of 2006. State legislators voted against it, despite N.H. being a Republican-run state. Maine's legislature voted against it last month, followed by Georgia and several western states expected to pass laws soon.

Talk is of as many as fourteen states objecting in the form of legislation against Real ID. However, I'm wondering if this would have happened had Democrats not gained their victory in Washington recently. If a Democrat takes the Oval Office in 2008, will the whole project be scrapped? Under it's strict guidelines, citizens of states that don't use it may not be able to travel or even open bank accounts. It's general stance seemingly goes against American tradition, which is to let each decide on certain matters.

New Diet Courtesy Of Your RFID-Enabled Fridge?

This sort of thing has been tried with different technologies in the past, but now Samsung has a refrigerator that uses RFID to tell you when certain foods are running low. [All Headline News via RFID News] Of course, to facilitate this, all of your food would have to have item-level tags. (Though there are a few produce suppliers who are experimenting with food grade RFID tags.)

Now here's where the really interesting stuff comes in: connecting a refrigerator to a cell phone. So, if both your phone and fridge have a wireless technology such as Bluetooth, the fridge could transfer information to your handset. In fact, if you had the right application, the whole setup could create a shopping list for you. My feeling is that we'll see more of these types of solutions. Though whether they are a good thing for humanity or will just make us more lazy has yet to be seen. Just make sure you pay your cell phone bill, or you may you go hungry.

RFID Roundup - Sat Dec 30, 2006

Walgreen's Expanding RFID Use
Drugstore chain Walgreen's started an RFID trial project in late 2005, in which 50 of their 5500+ stores took part in. They are now deploying another RFID system, Wireless Asset Net from I.D. Systems, for materials handling vechicles. The system will help control access to these vehicles, which is a requirement of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration).

RFID Aids Process Improvement
Managing Automation reports on a ChainLink Research survey finding of 275 manufacturers that RFID use is tending towards operational efficiencies. Another important finding of the survey is that many of the companies plan to spend twice as much on RFID in 2007 compared to 2006.

RFID 2007: NFC Contactless Payment Use To Grow
Mohammad Khan, President and founder of ViVOtech, Inc., says that contactless payment has become a worldwide phenomenon, with North America leading. There have been over 18M cards issued in the US and Canada, and over 250,00 POS (Point of Sale) systems accepting those cards. By the end of 2007, there is expected to be 40-50M cards and 400,000 POS systems. Then there's the rest of the world, with several dozen countries already in the middle of trials, and many more millions of cards lauched.

Options For Disabling Your E-Passport's Chip?

A couple of weeks ago, there were a couple of articles around the blogosphere talking about how to disable the RFID chip in your new e-passport. Engadget has a great photograph of a simple, low-tech option. Now, while one article said that a passport is still valid even with a disabled chip, The Inquirer says that a tampered passport might get you "25 years in prison and a special customs search with rubber gloves.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't. The security issues have yet to be resolved and might be worse than formerly thought. Two European tech consultants found that cloned e-passport data can be purchased on the Internet. Not only that, the RFID reader they bought on eBay had a blank chip and software for cloning and copying the data onto the chip.

Gentag Wins RFID Patent For Sensor Networks

Gentag, Inc., has received a broad patent entitled "RFID Based Sensor Networks" that apparently covers a wide range of wireless devices including cell phones, PDAs, and laptops. Such devices, if RFID-enabled, would be nodes in sensor networks such as those used in crowdsensing applications. [via MoreRFID]

It's hard to say right now what the implications of this patent are, by my own personal opinion is that this could be a coup, as sensor networks based on mobile devices will very likely grow in importance in the medium to long-term. This would be both for experimental community-based projects and commercial applications. Combined with Internet databases, some very powerful applications could result.

The patent is actually co-owned between Altivera (Gentag) and Symbol (Motorola).

Tagging Tokyo With RFID + Wireless Tech

Ginza shopping district is being blanketed with 10,000 RFID tags and infrared + wireless transmitters as part of the Tokyo Ubiquitous Network Project. Each beacon has its own unique code and the tags and transmitters will supply location information. The beacons are synced with an Internet server, and the idea is that, eventually, the system will help shoppers navigate this very popular shopping area. And in four languages, no less: English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (three of the big four Asian languages, typically labelled CJKV - though Vietnamese seems not to be part of this trial. [Korean is no surprise, as South Korea has been investing in RFID.]

This a brilliant, innovative use of RFID and wireless technologies. I'm assuming that besides the 3.5 inch touch panel terminal displays they're using in the trial, suitable RFID-enabled wristbands/ watches or even smartphones might possibly used in the future. For a different look at RFID-enabled grids, see the badge-tracking array experiment conducted at the latest Chaos Communication Congress.

Now Here's How To Track People With RFID

Wired's Quinn Norton writes about the Chaos Communication Congress (CCC) in Berlin, Germany, and how attendees are paying 10 euros each for an RFID badge that reports their location. There's an array of 35 monitoring stations that pick up badge locations and produce a constantly updated public XML feed.

The badges are part of an experiment and are voluntary, but it reflects exactly what I've been saying as to how RFID could be used to track people, given the right technical environment. There have been vocal naysayers here on this blog, but the CCC is proving exactly that it's possible. If you doubt me, consider that electronic civil liberties pioneer John Perry Barlow, one of the founders of EFF (Electronic Frontier Founddation), is talking at the CCC. One of this badge project's leaders also openly states:

The idea was most of this surveillance technology slowly faded into your lives, and we accepted them.... [we want to] make it possible to bring it into people's heads.

Meaning, if I've interpreted everything correctly, they want the general populace to be aware of what's going on and the potential misuse of RFID. Before you get your knickers in a knot, noticed I said potential, not actual. And that's all I've really been trying to do. Embrace the good, legit uses of RFID. Beware the questionable. You'll have to define the latter for yourself, but I partially define it as anything that violates a citizen's privacy and gives them no benefit whatsover.

RFID World Map

RFID Tribe has put together an RFID map of the world (via The RFID Weblog) using Google Maps. The map geocodes uses of RFID by companies, associations, universities, etc. And you can add your own RFID points of interest. There are 233 points as of this writing What would be interesting is to cross-reference this map with IDTechEx's RFID case studies database containing over 2400 instances of projects in 92 countries around the world (as of Dec 23/06). The database is also categorized by industry.

Now assuming IDTechEx's information at least has city data, these points could be cross-referenced with the CIA's worldbook, which would include Latitude/ Longitude values for each city's geographic center. Grab a Google Maps API developer code, massage the IDTechEx data, and you have a great starting point for an auto-generated world map. Such a map would also provide a nice overview of where the most activity in RFID is.

The only drawback is that IDTechEx database is probably internal and the case studies themselves cost many hundreds of dollars each. Though who knows. Maybe IDTechEx will launch their own Google Map of studies.

RFID Roundup - Tues Dec 26, 2006

Hybrid RFID: GPS Receivers
Fujitsu Software Technologies has a hybrid tech device that combines an RFID tag with a GPS receiver. The receiver is accurate within 3-5 meters (10-16.5 ft) and the unit sends out a unique ID and geo info to an RFID reader up to 200 meters distant. The device is about US$170. [Nikkei via RFID in Japan]

Contactless Vending Machines
If you live in Dallas, New York or Chicago, that can of Dr. Pepper or Snapple that you're thirsting for can be paid for with your MasterCard contactless credit card. Cadbury Schweppes vending machines are going contactless and will also accept all major credit cards. [via Storefront Backtalk]

Worst RFID Uses?
Just catching up on my RFID reading and came across Gemma Simpson and Jo Best's Top 10: the best, worst... and craziest uses of RFID. I gotta say, pretty much all of these would have made it to my own similar list, with the exception being Dutch bookstore chain BGN, who have already proven the value of their conversion to radio frequency technology.

RFID SurvivalTags For EMS Workers

RFID, Ltd., is completing the design of uniforms embedded with RFID tags. The uniforms would be worn by firefighters, EMTs, and police. In the event of a high-risk situation, the tags can be used to pinpoint the wearer's location, making rescue easier. The design was spurred on by fire chiefs, whose squads are typically at high risk. Said Nicholas Chavez, president of RFID, Ltd.

...not only monitor locations of their squads but also their heart rates, respiratory developments, and skin temperatures.

This could in fact be an incredibly groundbreaking application of RFID, if it saves even one life. The uniforms are been targeted at the one million US firefighters.

source: Biz Yahoo.

5 RFID Issues

RFID Update has a 3-part series on RFID trends for 2006. Number 10 was "RFID and the Citizen: Passports, Privacy, and Politics". I would have have put this as number 1 myself, in terms of public concern. Their number 1 was "The Industry itself". Each item has a number of links to related articles, and the series is definitely worth a read to get a perspective of what's happening. These types of articles are never easy to write - I know first hand. But here are my 5 issues in RFID (not quite the same type of list).

1. RFID and identification. Should citizens be concerned? Is it all fear-mongering or do we really need RFID citizen cards between Canada and the US?
   
2. The industry itself. How's the industry doing? Can it support RFID IPOs?
   
3. Item-level tagging. I'm referring to the retail industry and the intent of giants such as Wal-Mart to tag everything. A reduction in price for item-level tags should push this application forwards.
   
4. RFID in the pharmaceutical industry. The FDA D-Day, Dec 1st, has come and gone, but in fact, a US Federal Court judge apparently issued an injunction lifting the e-pedigree requirements on certain drugs. The pedigree requirement is a good idea, especially for fighting drug counterfeiting, by the industry has been self-admittedly behind the curve. Will they catch up in 2007? Well, it's been 10 years since an e-pedigree solution was mandated. What's taken so long? (Item-level tagging costs, technological hurdles, etc.)
   
5. RFID in payment systems. Do we need contactless credit cards? Are they secure? And should it be legal for merchants to refuse cash?

Of these, three concern me, but only because of my own personal feelings about them. I've written about them often enough, so I'm not going to repeat myself. You'll notice, though, that I'm talking less about the technology and more about issues.

Contactless Payment Fobs At Bank of America

Bank of America (BoA) is testing out contactless payment fobs provided by Oberthur Card Systems. This particular fob is actually a "sub-card" that would be included in a MasterCard PayPass, and can be popped out and then included in a keychain. This is said to be a first in the US. It's being predicted that alternate form factors will further the adoption of contactless payment.

BoA recently threw out a non-customer who wanted to cash a check drawn on a customer's account. Seems BoA forces non-customers to undergo fingerprinting. The man politely refused, stating that Federal laws mandated the bank to cash checks drawn on their bank. They said that their own rules indicated fingerprinting, but refused to show him proof when he asked. They then ignored him until he left, with a security guard tailing him. Talk about getting right into identification methods.

British ID Database Dropped

Silicon wrote earlier in the week that the UK ID card database, NIR (National Identity Register), has been ditched. This includes dropping the plan for iris-scan biometrics. There are still three systems sharing the same information; it just won't be one big database. Fingerprint and facial biometrics are also still part of the national ID plan, which will see the first cards being issued in 2009, with mass issuance in 2010.

This is an interesting turn for the UK, which some civil liberties group Privacy International has ranked as being as bad as China in Russia in terms of surveillance. Though this turnabout is still in risk of failure. I'm speculating here and am somewhat uninformed, but I'm wondering if this change of direction has anything to do with the fact the current Prime Minister Tony Blair's term is ending soon. Despite being a Labour Party leader, he took a very right-wing leaning.

MasterCard Contactless PayPass On The Ohio Turnpike

The Ohio Turnpike is testing MasterCard's NFC-based contactless PayPass payment cards for toll plazas. According to a Telematics Journal report, this is the first toll road in the US to accept payment cards in self-service lanes. It should be noted that other toll roads have used pre-paid contactless cards for several years, though these are not credit card based. RFID in toll road systems have been in use in Toronto, Canada for nearly a decade and are also being tested in Argentina and other parts of South America. The same NFC technology in the PayPass started off in key fobs, which were introduced to consumers to pay for gas at some stations in North America (at least Esso in Canada and Exxon in the US).

I Am Not A Number: Scaring People Into RFID Implant Submission

[commentary] Way back when, noted actor Orson Welles was a radio personality. Quite possibly his most famous radio performance was a reading of "War of the Worlds" (which was made into a Steven Spielberg movie starring Tom Cruise just a few years ago), which gave the impression of an invasion from Mars. Except some hapless Americans didn't know it was just a radio play, despite station breaks. And as some people tend to overreact, several families met their demise at their own hands, in family pacts, rather than be captured by these Martians. It gives me chills right now thinking about how people buy into fiction.

And I get the exact same chills when I read about insane press releases from companies like LimbID System suggesting that everyone not only implant themselves with RFID, but do it multiple times, for each limb of your body, so that you can be identified should the worst happen. And the worst, of course, is easy to guess at given the current climate of fear we live in.

What's really tacky is the home page, which has a banner of a smiling woman with wind-blown hair beside a picture of four men carrying coffin. Sickening that they would prey on the the fears of Americans like this, and have the gall to include a "testimonials" section. If you decide to buy into nonsense like this, you could get their Deluxe Option, which supplements the Standard Package (forehead, solar plexus, inside elbows, shins) by adding 8 more RFID tags, for a total of 14 tags in your body.

I'm hoping that, as RFID Buzz suggests, that this might just be some sort of kooky joke.

Nike + iPod Sport Kit RFID Flaw

You've no doubt seen them: those fitness buffs jogging in the neighborhood or park with their Nike shoes and the tell-tale white iPod earwires, listening to music while getting healthier. They might just be the owner of the RFID-enabled Nike / iPod Sport Kit, which lets runners monitor their efforts.

But researchers from the University of Washington think that a security flaw in the Sport Kit (which uses an active RFID tag) lets stalkers also monitor runners. They claim that someone with a scanner can track a jogger's regimen from a distance of up to 60 feet, even from a car. They could go as far as  skimming RFID data and recording jogging times and even plotting routes on Google Maps for later use. [Info Shop via RFID News]

While this potential threat shouldn't be taken lightly, one thought comes to my mind. The average human being isn't going to go to such lengths. Anyone who does go to all that effort to stalk someone doesn't need to utilize the Sport Kit flaw to do so. Their sickness would prompt them into doing it by other methods. In this scenario, I think, it's the person and not the technology that's to blame. On the other hand, this flaw can be exploited by more than just stalkers, possibly encouraging borderline personalities into surveillance activities that they might not otherwise bother with.

RFID + Big Yellow Taxis

Joni Mitchell's famous song Big Yellow Taxi (covered by The Counting Crows) talks about "paving paradise and putting up a parking lot." Well in Philadelphia, they're not discovering paradise, but half of the taxi cabs are making the city more like paradise for riders who don't have cash on them. As long as customers have MasterCard's PayPass contactless payment card or keyfob, they can pay for their fare. The wireless credit and debit card payments technology, supplied by VeriFone Transportation Systems, is actually expected to also help the Philadelphia Parking Authority determine if cabs are serving the entire city or only certain parts. [Digital Transactions via Loftwares]

Now all you have to worry about is actually finding a cab when you need one. While there was no mention of payments by NFC-enabled cell phones, this development in Philly is one more step towards the possible ubiquity of RFID-based mobile + contactless payment options for consumers.

SMARTRAC Gains US e-Passport Contract

Despite concerns over the security of the new e-passports, the US and other countries are forging ahead with their issuance. And SMARTRAC has gained from that, with an order from Infineon Technologies for millions of RFID contactless inlays. The inlays will supply 70 of 95 e-passport projects. SMARTRAC has opened a fourth factory in Thailand to handle the demand. The US project alone could mean 13-18M inlays per year for SMARTRAC. Said CFO Dr. Christian Fischer

The US order allows us clear capacity planning. By the end
of 2006, we want to achieve a production capacity of approx. 13 million
high-frequency inlays per month.

[via Contactless News]

RFID Implant Undetectable?

Earlier in the week, I wrote about a Law + Order TV episode in which one character unwittingly has an RFID chip implanted into her (on the back of the neck, I believe). I argued that this isn't possible, especially since the character is "septic", meaning susceptible to infection. That means she should have known right away that her husband tagged her.

Mark Roberti, Editor of the RFID Journal backs up my claim, indicating that it's very difficult to get away with a secret implant. Generally speaking, my observation over a decade (?!) of Law + Order viewing is that the scriptwriters do due diligence in understanding new technology. But in the case of RFID, they did not get it right/write. And planting the chip deep into the body so it's not detectable (except with an X-ray) would be useless since it would generally cease to function. (So vague references in the X-Files show were also quite fictionalized.)

[via RFID Weblog]

RFID In Hollywood: Law and Order

Or New York, to be precise, where the TV show Law + Order: Special Victims Unit (SVU blog) is filmed. Tonight's episode, Choreographed, starred a bunch of well-known TV actors, including Bob Saget. Saget's character explained to Detectives Elliott Stabler and Olivia Benson (who is back from a special assignment with the FBI) about how he uses RFID, radio frequency identification to get access into the building the lives in.

If you've followed the L+O franchise for more than a year, you know that their scriptwriters usually do due diligence and at least seem to make an attempt to research the science and technology that gets mentioned in the series. They didn't go into it in great detail, but the fact that it got mentioned typically means it has some importance in the episode. It's the old smoking gun method of fiction writing: don't introduce any prop that does not have some significance.

Of course, you don't find out RFID's relevance until there's about 15 minutes left. It appears that someone has implanted an RFID chip into one of the characters without her knowing, as the lab finds out when the woman collapses. Guess who? It's Bob Saget's character who did it, and he says "in 15 years, everyone will be implanted with a chip," in response to the question about why he did it. But the gist of it is that he implanted his wife because she was cheating on him.

The p