RFID Tags Imbedded in Congressmen

We seem to have a real problem with our United States Senators, Congressmen and Politicians these days. We have scoundrels in the midst who are taking bribes from Lobbyists and prescription drugs too in trade for votes.

One insider at a party in Washington DC said the Kennedy Kid in Rhode Island has been addicted to prescription drugs for many moons and he is getting them from a lobbyist in the Pharmaceutical Industry? Is this true? Well, hard to say, as it is only a rumor and rather than get the Kennedy Kid in any more hot water my question is who else are the Big Pharma Lobbyists given drugs too?

You see America we have a problem when the drug suppliers are lobbyists or Doctors to Congressmen and we need to know what other favors these little scum are getting in return? Remember the Defense Contractor Lobbyists trading gifts and cash to the Congressman in San Diego?

Well if lobbyists are giving away free drugs instead of money, well you might say it is the same basic idea only they are saving a boatload of money as a Congressman’s ethics go for quite a lower price tag. So, speaking of tags, lets just put a satellite enabled RFID Tag under the skin of every congressman to see where they go and who they meet with and we may as well chip all the child molesters too? Consider this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID Golf Balls and Top Golf

For the Golfer who has it all now they can have RFID Radio Frequency Identification GPS Global Positioning System Golf Balls? Wow, if that sounds really high-tech, well it is because now you can hit your golf ball and know the exact distance it has traveled and in the future as there are more RFID enabled golf courses you can watch it all in real-time on your PDA wireless device which will keep score, suggest which club to use, interface with surface wind reading and do just about everything but make the shot for you?

http://gizmosforgeeks.com/index.php/news/2274

It is infinitely fascinating how much high-tech materials and innovations go into the game of golf these days. Much of the super high-tech break thrus find their way into sports equipment of all types. Such as Lance Armstrong’s bicycle, the Bob Sled Olympic Teams or even World Cup Sailing. And well that is a good thing as it means that there will indeed be a continuation of such entrepreneurial creations coming to assist in the forward progression of mankind.

In the past it has always been the military which gets the technology first yet in the new computer age we saw that Silicon Valley has constantly leap-frogged its best technologies and surpassed even that of the military in many instances. Today we see the same thing happening in sports and what better way to bring new innovations to market faster. Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID – A Gift From The Past

RFID technology that is being used by companies world over has been around us since 1920s. Many companies are using RFID tags which are embedded in many products to store and retrieve data and information. These tags have tiny antennae that allow them to send a signal to an RFID reader or receiver.

There are primarily two types of RFID tags – Active Tag and Passive Tag.

Active RFID Tag

An active RFID tag has its own power supply and as a result can be used to receive information from a greater distance. Active RFID tags can also store information Batteries of some active RFID tags can last for as long as 10 years.

Passive RFID Tag

In contrast, passive RFID tag does not have its own power supply. This type of RFID tag receives its power supply from an electrical current in the antenna that is produced as a result of the incoming radio frequency scan. A passive RFID tag can be used for sending and receiving information and data over a short distance only.

Nowadays RFID tags and readers are omnipresent. You will find RFID technology in bookstores and CD shops. It is used as an anti theft device. If a book or a CD has not been scanned, then it is the RFID technology that starts the alarm. RFID technology is being used in car alarms and car locking systems. Even animal are being tagged with RFID tags to keep a check on their whereabouts. This is specially true for wildlife where scientists keep a record of animals. A future use of RFID technology will be with prisoners. It is envisioned that prisoners could wear RFID tags to keep a watch on their movements and whereabouts.

There is immense use for RFID technology in today’s world and soon more and more companies and industries will start using this technology once the importance is realized.

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The Five Countries Big in RFID Adoption (Case Studies)

Many countries are adopting RFID technology. The adoption is increasing at a very fast rate. Many sectors in the business world are taking to RFID. The adoption is across sectors, industry and market. There are so many success stories and failure stories as well. Some countries are at the initial stage of planning and testing. Some others are at the advanced stage. RFID technology is available at different stages as the need of the using country. Some countries are leading in this endeavor and some are lagging behind. Some countries are spending huge amounts in RFID technology, its testing and evaluation.

You will find that some advanced countries are eagerly adopting RFID. Unites States of America United States of America is one of the leading countries in adoption of RFID. You will find largest number of RFID adoption cases. Also the value is highest in RFID adoption investment and buying. Many companies across sectors, industries and markets in USA have adopted RFID in their business. The order for RFID tools, softwares, and equipments is higher here.

US retail giants are using RFID to improve the efficiency of the supply chain thereby improving the customer satisfaction. US has started even e passport system where RFID tags are used in the e passport. In 2005, US processed 10 million passports. United Kingdom Many UK companies have followed the path leaded by the US counterparts. You can repay in the public transport in the UK. This system uses RFID technology. These are called as “Beep cards” in the Nottingham city, which allows a passenger to travel by using these cards. In London, you will find "Oyster cards” which allow traveling as you like and are valid for certain time. Australia Australia as an advanced country in technology has also set foot on the RFID path. Many a sector is seeing the new adoption.

Retail and pharma sectors are the main participants. RFID has creped into other sectors also. In the libraries, books are tagged with RFID tags; humans are tagged in the hospitals with these tags, cattle and racehorses are tagged. The food industry was also doing tests like tests done for tagging fish, tomatoes and other foods. Like libraries, RFID is used in Financial sector, Safety sector etc. In tracking vehicles, criminals, in law enforcement also RFID is being used in Australia. Australia has also got RFID in passport and cards used for payments. On vehicles and animals they use RFID to track it down at real time and get information. There is legislation in tagging in Australia. This legislation is for protecting the vulnerable industries. Netherlands Netherlands is also ahead in using the RFID technology at different sectors of it. It is very active in using RFID technology. Netherlands is using RFID in different cards. It also uses this technology in football matches and such other leisure and recreational activities. Like Australia, Netherlands using RFID in financial, security, safety sectors.

You will find item level tagging is generally seen in Netherlands. You will find it in logistics and postal sectors also. Like Australia, it also uses High Frequency (HF) far more than any other frequency in RFID. Malaysia Malaysia is also leading among the RFID using countries. Malaysia issued the first RFID passports or the e passports in 1998. It helped to get information about the person, travel history of the holder and his positions. Malaysia also uses RFID in Malaysia Expressways payment system, which is also known as Touch 'n Go system. Transport payment system is available for the benefit of the passengers. ProblemsCountries are facing many problems in adopting RFID. It may be technological, financial, regulatory or human resource. RFID adoption needs huge investments and so is popular with the advanced countries. Adopting RFID needs change in the existing system of the country, which is a time taking and complex process.

Sometimes it does not fit well with the existing system. Some problem may arise, as the developers of this technology do not understand the need of the particular area or country. It is evident in the case when the technology is imported from outside. Prospects RFID technology can create a positive effect on the country, on its economy as well as on the sector where it is being used. It increases the efficiency and the effectiveness of the system and sector, thereby improving the profitability.

Bikash is an MBA who works as an freelance writer. He worked for on of the best private banks in India. He has been writing for the last 5 years. He has worked with many US,UK and Indian clients. Visit him at http://bikiassam.tripod.com

Five Companies Big In RFID Adoption (Case Studies)

RFID Radio-frequency identification or RFID is new data-collection technology. This technology uses electronic tags to store identification data. A wireless transmitter sends the data to a management system for analysis. Companies are using it to different functions. The main uses of this technology for the companies are in the field of supply chain management. It is used by companies across sectors. Retailers and their suppliers are using this technology mostly. RFID is becoming a unique tool in the business process. It is a very powerful and important system. Most of the companies today adopting RFID to their business. They are not using this technology to their business only, but adopting at their suppliers level also. These companies are helping their suppliers to use RFID in their operation and improve the efficiency.

Companies are issuing mandates, which ask the suppliers to put RFID tags to products that are shipped to them. Even the FDA is looking at the RFID as a way of solving the problem with counterfeit drugs. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is one of the companies, who are leading the way. Wal-Mart started with adopting RFID to their distribution hubs. It planned to use RFID to its different distribution hubs to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of these hubs. But as they were unable to complete the projected target and as some of the suppliers had problem with the ROI also, they shifted their efforts towards stores. Albertsons Albertsons is a food and drug retailer. It launched an initiative to use electronic tags for tracking goods through its supply chain. It also asked its suppliers to proceed towards adopting RFID in their process. Albertson is using RFID in its warehouses.

It is using RFID tags to track cases and pallets. The main focus is on improving the customer satisfaction by increasing supply chain efficiency. Albertsons this initiative is trying to use RFID technology to track pallets and cases of goods in the movement through warehouses and stores. Best Buy Best buy started with pre-pilot testing of OAT System Inc.'s RFID framework, for its business. RFID tags are being produced by using this framework. For supply chain, it planned to use another software. One of the main suppliers of Best Buy, iRiver started the pre pilot testing for Best Buy. Best Buy has a mandate for its suppliers to use RFID in their business process. According to the mandate, the supplied item to Best Buy should come with the RFID tags attached to them.

Best Buy plans are to move to item-level tagging and to take the RFID adoption to another level beyond simple tagging of pallets and cases. Here it tries to differ from Wal-Mart, Target, Tesco and other retail chains. Tagging individual items is the main objective of Best Buy, which will increase the efficiency. The company is following EPCglobal guidelines for tagging pallets and cases. It has asked for requirements for suppliers which are similar to those issued by Wal-Mart and Target. Target Target is the fourth largest retailer in the United States. Target plan is to use RFID tags on pallets and cases. These pallets and cases are sent to particular regional Distribution Centers (DCs). Target is using EPC standards. Target has put forwarded a mandate for its suppliers, which asks them to apply RFID tags on pallets and cases, which are sent to regional distribution facilities. Target has levied its Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) mandate, thereby forcing the industry to adopt RFID.

Like Wal-Mart, Target used RFID tags in the products they carry. The company planned testing RFID technologies at the pallet and case level with selected vendor partners at first. Target worked with EPCglobal to develop common technology standards. These standards are supposed to benefit both retailers and their suppliers.

Metro Like other behemoths of different industries and of the same industry where it is operating, Metro has also set out to use RFID in its operations. Metro is one of the top five trading and retailing groups in the world. To meet the competition in the retail industry, Metro has also started to use RFID technology to increase its efficiency and profitability. Metro Group used Intel Solution Services in adopting RFID technology. It helped the company to develop and integrate RFID technology across different supply chain processes. METRO Group launched a European RFIDInnovation Center. Intel Solution Services performed testing and provided consultancy to the Metro group. Challenges These companies often face challenges and barriers in adopting RFID technology like problem in integrating RFID with existing systems where they made significant investments, problem with the cost of implementing, which is very high, problem with ever changing RFID Sector, where technologies keep on changing fast, problem in synchronization of data, which is developing slowly, problem with operation in the implementation time etc. While adopting RFID to the overall business, companies have to overcome these barriers.

Bikash is an MBA who works as an freelance writer. He worked for on eof the best private banks in India. He has been writing for the last 5 years. He has worked with many US,UK and Indian clients. Visit him at http://bikiassam.tripod.com

RFID Invading Our Lives?

How RFID technology will enter our Lives

With RFID technology a store owner knows everything about the item you take to the checkout including price, colour size etc. The USA now wants to put this technology into passports which would allow people to be mass processed through custom control, without having to form queues. You know what it’s like when you arrive home late and there is a queue of 200 people in front of you at the Passport desk. So a convenience would be faster people handling.

Credit card companies would be able to read your card simply by you waving it near a reading device. So we face a revolution in the use of RFID technology

But security on terrorist activity may be compromised because he could alter his passport to get though without an official actually seeing the falsified document.

And then there is the issue of personal privacy.
You buy an item using RFID and for the rest of the day a scanner could pick up the fact you just bought it and how would this compromise you if you are holding a RFID credit card.

Also consider the supply chain structure.
Now thieves could know what's being held in premises and what’s its value is.

There are some solutions fro specific cases
So for example when you buy something, there should be a tear off section your ticket to remove the device. So you will not be readable after you’ve bought your items.

Credit cards are a different consideration.
What would be the diving line between being close enough for the scanner to pick you up but not close enough for a thief to scan the card in your handbag?

An unacceptable situation would be where thieves could wander around shopping centres and simply get close enough to your wallet to scan you car card. Clearly there is some extra thinking to be done here and it may be some time before this is solved, where convenience is improved but your privacy is secure.

Maybe aluminum wallets are the answer? Time will tell.

RFID and security tags

RFID Systems To Track Products And Recycling In A Perfect Modern Civilization

Does the World really need RFID? What is so special about Radio Frequency Identification tags? What is wrong with bar codes? Well, the answer is quite simple actually and even though many people are worried about the future of RFID and privacy, I am more concerned about the efficiencies we can gain from this technology in free-markets.

Currently there is 1 Trillion Dollars unnecessarily locked in inventory in the US? That is almost 10% of our GDP. Ouch, 10% lost efficiency is not good. So RFID can help, we should use it, definitely. RFID technology is getting very good and at under $.05 US per tag, it is a viable idea.

Are you worried about recycling and over filling the dumps in the US with intense amounts of trash and waste? I believe we need a robust recycling program and it should be part of the "ethical code of conduct" for every citizen and part of each person's social responsibility and social contract with the Nation.

Meaning we recycle the RFID tags and allow them to be used at the unit level, when and if the price to make them reaches $ .03 and then robotic trash systems can separate out the recyclables. Sure, there will be some loss of RFID tags, our Online Think Tank Figures 23%.

Even considering the replacement and costs loss rates of 23% we can eliminate waste in inventories, which will lower prices and increase efficiency, while quadrupling our recycling efforts thru automation. Now then our trash collection flows and robotic systems can also scan the items for recycling and separate and guess what remove the tag for re-use!

A cradle-to-grave policy and hooked into the central computer system to eliminate waste, because every time your increase efficiency, you win. The Flows of Civilization depend on it. It is time to stop fighting the new RFID technologies and embrace all they have to offer.

L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

How RFID Technology Will Invade Your Life

With RFID technology a store owner knows everything about the item you take to the checkout including price, color size etc.

The USA now wants to put this technology into passports which would allow people to be mass processed through custom control, without having to form queues. You know what it is like when you arrive home late and there is a queue of 200 people in front of you at the Passport desk.So a convenience would be faster people handling.

Credit card companies would be able to read your card simply by you waving it near a reading device. So we face a revolution in the use of RFID technology.But security on terrorist activity may be compromised because he could alter his passport to get though without an official actually seeing the falsified document.

And then there is the issue of personal privacy. You buy an item using RFID and for the rest of the day a scanner could pick up the fact you just bought it and how would this compromise you if you are holding a RFID credit card.

Also consider the supply chain structure. Now thieves could know what's being held in premises and what its value is.

There are some solutions for specific cases. So for example when you buy something, there should be a tear off section your ticket to remove the device. So you will not be readable after you have bought your items.

Credit cards are a different consideration.

What would be the diving line between being close enough for the scanner to pick you up but not close enough for a thief to scan the card in your handbag?

An unacceptable situation would be where thieves could wander around shopping centers and simply get close enough to your wallet to scan your card. Clearly there is some extra thinking to be done here and it may be some time before this is solved, where convenience is improved but your privacy is secure. Maybe aluminum wallets are the answer? Time will tell.

Counting devices
Client counting solution to the retail sector offers a system is aimed at providing pertinent management information on client visit habits and related transactions.The system comprises client movement logging hardware - deployed in-store and a software suite which would typically run within head office and provide web browser access to count statistics.

Benefits
o Sales to look into conversion rate analysis to ascertain sales effectiveness and help improve Average Transaction Value and Units
o Marketing to assess the effectiveness of advertising and marketing campaigns
o Operations to provide insight into the effectiveness of staffing levels
o Security and exceptions will note movements after-hours and differences between people entering and exiting the store
o Environment to look at through-store footfall to ensure appropriate floor layout andcustomer awareness of in-store departments
o Low impact and quick installation
 

Management information
A simple to use browser-based software suite provides immediate access to management information right across your enterprise.Integration with management data allows automated linking with transactional and staffing data so you can see how wisely or not you are spending you money.

Sales transaction data should be automatically imported on a daily basis and the system database should be queried by third party products for further integration/analysis as necessary. Client counting can improve your operational cost-effectiveness, improve your advertising impact on sales and enhance the customer experience by ensuring staffing levels are appropriate to customer flow.

Arthur Stoller advises customers on the use of retail technology. Find out how you can implement protection for your shop by visiting http://www.rto.com

Digital Signage - RFID Data Can Open New Horizons For Retailers

A new report from research organization Datamonitor suggests brick-and-mortar retailers can make up some ground on their Internet rivals through the smart use of technologies like digital signage.

The report, "Shop X: where's the store heading?," notes digital signage systems have the ability to identify the presence of viewers, thereby turning up or down the volume control automatically; detect when a shopper points at an item, thus triggering relevant ads on nearby displays; and even figure out what sex and size a nearby shopper happens to be.

Sex and size? At first glance, that seems like a lot of fluff and hype, but it isn't. As retailers begin using RFID tags in their merchandise and start designing their digital signage systems with RFID sensors, making an educated guess about the sex and size of shoppers becomes possible.

If you aren't familiar with RFID, here are the basics: RFID (or radio frequency identification) devices use radio waves to transmit digital information, such as the information that's currently encoded in barcodes, to a special receiver. Like a TV or radio station, RFID tags can transmit at different power levels, which affects how far the tag can be separated from the receiver. Unlike a radio or TV station, these things are tiny -so small that they can be inserted under the skin of animals and people to serve as personal electronic IDs or embedded directly into merchandise.

(While I'm not going to use this space to discuss the privacy concerns raised by these devices nor reports last month of lab findings showing they possibly cause tumors in lab animals, I must acknowledge the existence of these serious issues.)

For retailers, RFID tags have been seen as a Holy Grail of sorts in the drive to reduce waste and improve margin. For instance, its backers see RFID technology as a way retailers can improve inventory control, track products from a manufacturer till they leave a store and enhance in-store security efforts. Working with a digital signage system, they can even assist in-store marketing efforts.

For instance, imagine it's the holiday season and a shopper enters a women's clothier after buying merchandise with an RFID tag embedded at the store next door -perhaps a pair of Manolo Blahnik high heels (for all of you Carrie Bradshaw fans out there.) If that retailer had an RFID reader, some interesting information could be derived from those RFID-tagged, trendy shoes, including size and model. With those two pieces of information alone -and a reasonable guess that the shopper is a woman- a database of commercials can be scoured to retrieve just the right one to playback for the designer shoe buyers- perhaps the right fragrance or designer dress.

If you let your imagination roam, you can begin to see why Datamonitor has identified technology as a way for brick-and-mortar retailers to begin competing more effectively with their online rivals. It's just possible that what cookies are to Web sites and marketers, RFID tags and digital signage systems could be to real-world retailers, namely a way to gather information about shoppers and market to them on a personal level, based on knowing something about who they are.

Whether it's RFID technology, proximity detectors, temperature gauges, motion sensors or any of a number of other input technologies and data sources, the bottom line is digital signage systems don't have to blindly prattle on with messages that are out of context. They can be enabled to gather information from their environment and display the appropriate content to better serve the shopper and the retailer.David Little is a digital signage enthusiast with 20 years of experience helping professionals use technology to more effectively communicate their unique marketing messages. He is the director of marketing for Keywest Technology in Lenexa, KS, a software development company specializing in systems for digital signage creation, scheduling, management and playback. For further digital signage insight from Keywest Technology, download our Six Basic Digital Signage Applications white paper; subscribe to our digital signage RSS feed that gives a diverse perspective on digital signage from experts around the world; and sign up for our Keywest Update news brief.

Vibrational Energy and Solar Powered Net-Centric RFID Cargo Container Communication Devices

Is it possible to secure the millions of cargo containers that enter our nation from around the world? The numbers are so staggering and the potential ways to hide insidious WMD are huge. But with new technology, we may be able to bridge the gap and protect the American People from a horrific International Terrorist Attack. How so you ask?

Using RFID active tags that can communicate with the satellite and other nearby boxes this may in fact be potentially viable. Of course, the power source will have to be able to handle weeks at sea, without recharging the batteries. One way to do this is to use the normal vibrational energy on the trucks, ships and cranes to power up a small battery using electro-magnetic induction principles and or a combination w/solar as well.

What will it cost to do this? It could cost as much as $50.00 per container, which is a small price to pay and indeed, those costs will also be worth their weight in gold due to the economies of scale and efficiencies they will provide to the over all logistics, reduction in payrolls and information flows to shippers. Knowing exactly where a container is, anywhere in the world at all times, is the equivalent of UPS or FedEx tracking of your overnight package, yet even better.

Knowing within 3 meters where your container is, and if any weapons of mass destruction, contraband or illegal material is inside is power. The power of information and guess what, we have all that technology and more and we have it today.

L. Winslow is an Economic, Political and Technology Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net Currently Mr. Winslow is planning a bicycle ride from Canada to Mexico and in Spring across the US from San Diego to Virginia Beach to raise money for charity. Previously he was a track star athlete, private pilot, involved in politics, community volunteerism and a Franchising Founder. Mr. Winslow has chosen 100 titles of Books he wishes to write and has completed ten thus far. The subjects include; Community Planning, Future Tech, Franchising, Small Business, and Third World Issues.

UUV RFID Tagging of Sunken Ships

As we label and track all the space debris orbiting our planet, we too need to tag and track all the human debris scattered on the ocean floors. Why you ask? Well to prevent our underwater salvagers from wasting their time and to help us patrol what is down there and why. If something is out of place off our coast lines and it is picked up by one of our unmanned underwater robotic surveillance vehicles, the unit needs to know if it needs to further investigate or simply move on as the object it has discovered is already in its catalog of known objects out there.

How can we prevent the redundancy and time expenditure to keep our UUV robotic coastline surveillance units efficient? Well, why not tag each piece of debris with an RFID Tag which can be sensed by the UUV, each tag will also work as if a GPS waypoint, but only in reverse telling the UUV where it is, the ocean floor depth and keeping it on track.

Why not use the debris humans have left in the ocean to help us navigate, protect our shores and make it all easier to find in the process. It is a no lose situation and one, which makes sense for so many reasons. If we do not do this we will have to lay down navigation points anyway, thus put more debris down in the ocean, so we may as well kill two birds with one stone? Consider all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID Tag Implants and the Mark of the Beast?

Radio Frequency Identification Tags are now being developed and available for use inside human beings. They will be implanted so they can assist in various things such as tracking, identification and even so they can unlock security gates and such. Currently there are a few being used to help track people in very important jobs and children so they do not get lost or abducted. One company a very popular bar and nightclub is implanting them in their best customers so they do not have to wait in line to get in the door.

As neat as this technology is there are some who call this the mark of the beast and the start of the end of the world. Revelations. One such gentleman came to an online Think Tank and posted some information and claims it is a conspiracy against humanity. On his Blog labeled:

Home Outlandish Security, RFID Implants and 7 year tribulation

http://homeoutlandishsecurity.blogspot.com/2005/12/q.html

He claims that our freedoms will soon be gone and we will be little more than human cattle controlled by various groups such as the Illuminati and other secret organizations? What do you think of all this? Do you believe that RFID Implants will lead us to the seven-year tribulation? Do you even believe in such things? What is your take on all this, are you a conspiracy theorist too? If so have you sought help for this condition? Think on this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID: New Hampshire HB 203: Does it Have Teeth?

The New Hampshire House Commerce Committee has unanimously recommended passage of a consumer privacy protection bill, which has already been tagged as the model for future consumer privacy legislation.
 

It's encouraging to see the citizens of New Hampshire take an active role in crafting their own future. This bill's existence is a sign of increased consumer awareness of RFID and potential abuse of the technology.
 

I have listed the provisions of HB 203 in italics below, followed by my comments (non-italicized). If indeed future legislation will be modeled after HB 203, we must make sure that the bill truly protects and doesn't just pacify.
 

HB 203 includes the following provisions:
1. Stipulates that no consumer product or identification document (such as a credit card or ATM card) to which a tracking device has been affixed, may be sold without a label containing a universally accepted symbol. The requirement also applies to packaging of the product.
There are no stipulations about the location of the label on the product or package. Therefore, a label affixed to the product inside a package, or to an internal portion of the package itself would satisfy the labeling requirement, but be undetectable by the consumer. From the perspective of consumer notification, nothing would be accomplished.
 

2. Requires that identifying labels be affixed to the product or document or its packaging by the entity that implants the tracking device in the product or by the entity that imports products that contain tracking devices.
The earlier in the supply chain that a label is affixed, the easier it is to obscure the label from consumer view.
 

3. Prohibits anyone from implanting tracking devices into human beings without the informed consent of either the individual or a legal guardian.
Is this really the issue? I'm sure that some people are afraid of stealth implantation, but the larger issue is the potential curtailment-- of access, commerce, resources, transportation, and other freedoms-- for people who are unwilling to accept an implant. "The Such & Such Company is pleased to inform you that we are converting to RFID-based commerce for all of our consumer services. We regret that we will no longer be able to serve those of you techno-dinosaurs who elect not to receive an RFID implant, but we wish you good luck in finding a non-RFID-based gas & electric provider/ bank/ pharmacy/ grocery store/ hospital..." That's the real fear.
 

4. Prohibits the state or any of its political subdivisions from issuing any radio frequency devices to track individuals, with exceptions such as incarcerated prisoners or residents of nursing or assisted-living facilities.
'Exceptions such as'... what exactly does that mean? Is the tracking limited to incarcerated prisoners and residents of nursing or assisted-living facilities or not? If not, what are the other exceptions?
 

5. Establishes a commission on the use of tracking devices to study their usage in government and business and monitor their effect on the economy and society. That's broad and vague enough to ensure that not much of anything gets done. Study their usage and do what? Monitor their effect and do what? Who will conduct these studies and how will they be conducted? Who is going to oversee the commission? What are the limits of its authority? Etc.
 

Unflinching analysis of proposed legislation is necessary to ensure adequate and appropriate protection for all citizens

Sally Bacchetta - Freelance Writer/Sales Trainer

Sally Bacchetta is an award-winning sales trainer and freelance writer. She has published articles on a variety of topics, including selling skills, motivation, pharmaceutical sales, parenting and RFID.

You can contact her at sb14580@yahoo.com and visit her RFID blog for an exploration of the ethical and social considerations of RFID.

RFID Implants with GPS, Digital Angel Product Review and Future Trends

The Digital Angel Corporation has been exploring implants of RFID Tags with GPS tracking capability. These subdermal microchip RFID Tag implants will be put into the skin of pets, CIA assets and even children. Some have talked about “Sexual Predator” and Child Molester use to protect people from repeat offenders.

Of course it has obvious uses in the military for "Blue Force Tracking" as it serves a niche in the Future Fighting Force Roadmap, as the modern battlespace becomes more mechanized, precise and integrates robotics and humans.

What about tracking your children? Not a bad idea, no need to deal with wristbands, which could be removed by the abductor. Of course similar units can be put inside cell phones or into Cargo Containers too?

Such technologies will replace ELTs (Emergency Locator Transmitters) in aircraft and other such things. Can you imagine the ability of manufacturers, retailers or the Government to track World Wide Equipment Inventories, etc.

Some fear Big Brother will wish to track all humans; Do you think someone will put one inside of you; if so why; what would be the motive? Still some fear such electronic tagging devices. Others say that we ought to put them inside of Al Queda and use them as a catch and releases to track them and child molesters too?

How about endangered species? Weather Balloons, dignitaries, Iraqi civilian workers and other versions on all handheld shoulder fired weapons and hand guns, which are manufactured World Wide? No matter how you feel about subdermal Digital Angel Technologies, they are indeed a wonderful tool and useful for many things. Many subdermal implants eventually will run on the vibrational energy of the human bio-system and never need any other power source and you will not even know they are there.

Other applications will be developed in the future to help athletes train, by measuring the distance and speed during workouts and thus help them with conditioning and training. Eventually integrated parts such as these will become a future trend as people learn to accept these technological advances. Think on it.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID and Business Ethics

RFID stands for Radio Frequency IDentification.

Its supporters tout its amazing power to streamline it supply chain. I am in agreement with those supporters. RFID will significantly increase the efficiency of supply chains. The problem with RFID is that the RFID tags will be released into the world and become a privacy and security nightmare.

I think that the true potential of this technology is as big as the internet. That is a bold statement, but think about it. The internet is electronic content in small pieces linked together. RFID taken to its logical limits becomes the internet of things. Imagine if every thing made in the world could shout out its existence. If you have enough RFID scanners and internet capacity you could place every man made object in its GPS location. Get your mind around that for a second. Every manmade object with real-time global placement.

This ends many things: cash, theft, and privacy.

Why would world wide RFID end cash? There would be no need to exchange currency because all of everybody’s possessions would be tagged. You go to a store you pick up what you want and then you leave. No stopping at the cash register (the cash register will be a relic like the slide rule) the RFID readers at the door know who you are and what you came in with and what you are leaving with and will debit you cash at the bank or put it on your credit card.

Why would word wide RFID end theft? Why steal anything the police will just pull out their PDA and find the item and arrest you. Also don’t try to cheat on your taxes the government all ready knows what items you posses.

The end of cash and theft sound like a wonderful ideas, but remember someone knows all that you have purchased where from and how much you paid. Do you want your child or boss to know every purchase you have ever made. Better not pick up that resume book at Barnes and Nobles because you boss who subscribes to a futuristic RFID listing service will be able to know you are looking for a job. I hope you never have an ex boy or girl friend track you down with the serial number from that pair of jeans they bought you. True world wide RFID is the "Internet of Things" (term taken from the book SPY CHIPS and website www.spychips.com) will end privacy.

Now governments are putting these RFID Chips into Passports and Drivers license. Public schools are tagging your children so they will be able to know who sneaks away for an unauthorized bathroom break. They use the same technology on your kids as ranchers use on their livestock. A government agent will be able to follow you around town from the comfort of a Fort Meade computer center. The potential for abuse is staggering. I feel that this issue is as significant as Cloning but it is not getting the press in the mainstream media. This is because the mainstream media is bought and paid for by corporations pushing RFID.

I am a Conservative Christian Business man. I believe in the right of business to make a profit if they work hard enough. On this issue I find my self allied with the far left fringe. This is because business is looking at the short term bottom line and not the long term effects on the world we share. Who wants to live in a world without privacy?

I call on businesses to think about your RFID strategy and its effects on the world we live in.

Brian Davis - Privacy Expert

Consumer advocate

http://www.DSBSecurity.com

Wireless Shopping with RFID

So wireless networking has got rid of your network cables and your USB cables... what can it do next? Well, the answer might surprise you: wireless is going shopping. There is a small army of uses for this technology and many are in use at this very moment.

RFID: Electronic Barcodes

Yes, that's right: RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is a replacement for the barcode, using wireless radio technology. But what's wrong with barcodes, you ask? Well, they need to be scanned, for a start. Supermarkets and other shops have small armies of staff in their stores, in fact, doing almost nothing but scanning barcodes and taking money.

RFID lets barcodes be replaced with radio signals, which can automatically be scanned. In theory, you could have a shopping cart full of RFID-labelled products, put it near an RFID scanner, and the things in your cart would be detected and their prices added up instantly.

Imagine being able to stop in front of a machine at the supermarket's exit, and do nothing but put your credit card in a machine before you leave (if your credit card is RFID-enabled too, you might not even need to do that). You can checkout in a matter of seconds! It's a win-win situation: it saves you time, and it saves the supermarket money. The only people who lose out are the ones getting paid to sit around scanning barcodes, but hey, that's technology for you.

How on Earth Does It Work?

Believe it or not, RFID tags contain tiny antennas, allowing them to transmit small amounts of data by radio. The majority of tags in use today do not have their own power supply (a power supply makes the tag larger and more expensive), which means that they must rely on power they receive through the air by radio. This is such a tiny amount of power that it is only just enough to transmit an ID number. This does work, however, from as much as five metres away.

For shopping use, tags that send numbers are sufficient -- a barcode is just a number in the form of lines, after all. These tags are now as cheap as 40 cents, and mass production means the price is only going to come down -- RFID is likely to become widespread in the next decade. The smallest RFID tags are already thin enough to be almost invisible.

Privacy and Other Uses of RFID

There are privacy concerns around the use of RFID, simply because it makes it so quick and easy to tag just about anything -- and the tags can be scanned without any human interaction. This, however, is also what makes the system very useful.

Pets are already implanted with RFID tags so that they can be identified if found, and the idea of humans being made to have RFID implants as a replacement for identity cards isn't as science fiction as it sounds -- it is possible today. As long ago as 1998, a professor was able to implant a tag in his arm. The technology is being considered for used on prisoners. In countries that already have ID cards or that will have them soon, RFID tracking probably won't be far behind.

If RFID shopping tags are left on things, then people could leave tags on their clothes or other products without realising it. This has all sorts of implications -- someone might be able to point an RFID scanner at your house and get a list of everything in it that still has a tag, for example.

RFID is already widely used in many industries. Warehouses use them to track pallets of goods, some libraries put them in books and airlines use them to track baggage. Usage is particularly common in building access control (the ID cards for employees that open the door automatically).

Travel is another growth area: many parts of the USA have the option of using RFID cards to pay at toll booth's, and the London Underground now uses RFID payment cards known as Oyster cards. There are even RFID car keys that can open the door while they're still in your pocket, without you doing a thing.

Environmental Concerns

As a footnote to all this, many people are concerned about the environmental impact RFID could have. Although they are small, using computer chips as a replacement for barcodes could lead to the equivalent of many thousands of computers being thrown away every year.

Information supplied and written by Lee Asher of Eclipse Domain Services
Domain Names, Hosting, Traffic and Email Solutions.

Conspiracy Theorists and the Mark of the Beast; RFID Implants

The Radio Frequency Identification Tags are able to help streamline distributions and transportation systems in a way, which was never possible before. They allow products and inventory with complete tracking while on the shelf of the store, warehouse or in route. As a matter of fact they can track just about anything you see. Anything you ask, or anybody? Indeed if implanted they could track anybody or every body from cradle to grave.

Do you really believe that RFID implants will lead to the "Mark of the Beast" scenario? Do you believe in that hokum? In the future small implants will allow the body to talk to medical devices, ask for nutrients it needs and deficiencies, even warn of problems. Implants can also help us track "Child Molesters" or our Soldiers or even volunteer peace workers in places they might be kidnapped? RFID Tags can help us track cargo, trucks, shipments to improve the flows of civilization as well.

Are you worried about your rights as a citizen or being implanted with an RFID Tag? Do you believe this is going to lead to the seven-year tribulations in Revelations? Are you spooked yet? Do you believe in secret societies and conspiracy theories? Boo! Think on this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID Passports Make a Lot of Sense

Soon Passports maybe a little harder to forge and contain much better information as the authorities are looking into RFID Radio Frequency Identification enabled passports to insure we know who is coming and going. The State Department is going to roll-out this concept on a prototype basis for government officials and employees first to see how it goes and if all goes well are wishing to have it set up for all citizens by Next year this time.

This should help secure our borders and let us know who is in our country and it will make airline travel safer and speed up the long lines too. The reader will be able to read the passport with a quick swipe of about 5 inches away or less and it will be read only like a CD ROM and only be able to be read by an official machine. It will have anti-skimming material so no one can illegally read it by walking by; unless it is open, even if they do figure out how to make a machine to read them. Every RFID Passport will have unique chip number. Some privacy right activists are a little concerned but the chips cannot be used to track individuals. Others ask why not? Why can’t we track those who come to our country, what are they trying to hide?

What sorts of information might the have? Well they can store 37 Kb or a small file with things like name, nationality, sex, etc, but will not have social security numbers or residence addresses? Some say big deal you could look that up and then someone could rob their house knowing they are gone? The electronic passports will also contain a digital signature and have enough data storage for biometric information too. Since there are 57 million people with passports now it may be awhile as only about 8-million come up for renewal annually, but many feel this is a giant step needed for Global Security. What do you think?

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

Energy Saving LED RFID Tag Readers Running on Vibrational Energy

Can we build the newest robotic warehouses for the Gillette, Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense to be ultra energy efficient? Can we turn off all the lights and save on the energy? Can we turn off all the peripherals and save that energy too? If there is a natural disaster and the power goes off can the warehouse run on minimal back-up energy and do so for weeks?

As we saw with Hurricane Katrina and Rita the power went out, but delivery of goods to Wal-Mart went on. What if the warehouses where all the products were had their power out also, then what? Can we prevent such a potential eventuality?

I propose that we use the rumble of the conveyor belts and robotic fork lifts to power up the LED RFID Tag readers using electromagnetic induction technology to charge a capacitor instead of the headlights working off the power grid, a battery or the back-up power in an emergency. Currently there are some nifty micro-flashlights being used which you can buy which use a similar technique and are available thanks to the Everlite Flashlight technology research lab. These smaller flashlights work by shaking them for about thirty seconds and shine for about 6 minutes and they shine quite bright since they use a very bright LED light. Here is a link to this home use flashlight:

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/details/ee_shakelight.html

Here is a quick movie you can watch online to see how this technology works.

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/movies/ee_forever.MPG

I propose we use the robotic warehouse machines, motors and their vibrational rumble to run robotic sensors and RFID readers. If the RFID LED Tag readers get too dim from not enough robotic activity, then they would revert back to the battery or back-up power. Perhaps this is a good way to save back up generator fuel so it lasts longer and conserve energy when the power is working fine? Think on this.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID Tags Read for 69 Feet

We now have RFID Tags that can be read from 69 feet, not just any RFID Tags or using just any system, no this system and these tags were designed by Hackers at the annual Defcon Conference in Las Vegas Nevada. No matter who designed it, it works and one of the biggest problems with RFID in the passive type tags was range. Having a system, which can read them from afar or thru containers means additional security can be achieved in the transportation industry. This means we can use them in cargo containers, trucks and shipping containers. Imagine a truck driving down the freeway and the SmartHighway reads what is inside. Not just what is inside, but every single package in every box, on every pallet; think of the possibilities?

We can use this knowledge to show where everything is at all times in our massive transportation and distribution network, which serves 300 million people. Imagine FEMA needing something, which just happens to be passing by on the detour route? Re-directing the freight can save lives. Having such instant information about our civilization can help shippers, distributors and system monitoring folks with real-time data, which can help us to streamline our system to the ultimate efficiency. This efficiency will give back to the whole of our civilization in increased profits and lower costs to our citizens.

Think about efficiencies available by the use of the next generation of RFID Tags, the future is here. Think about this, always be thinking efficiency.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

RFID: Strengthen the Position for SAP; United States

SAP Inc., a global leader in client/server enterprise application software that for years been the backbone to RFID application has seen a 1,000% spike year-over-year in customers, interested in RFID deployment. Acting as a link to RFID data and business applications SAP expects great things further and expedites toward new horizons.

RFID gives trade greater visibility into their supply chains and would stem inventory leakage. This in turn finds United States of America create more in-house and outsourcing jobs especially leading to manufacturing sector. Also "drives product excellence" by brining consumer goods companies closer to the buying action, says McDermott. With real-time understanding of customer’s buying pattern, manufacturing of newer product line proved to be successful and largely contributing to businesses.

“I think consumers would give up a little bit on the privacy side for speed and efficiency”, McDermott said while commenting on the Americans willingness to forgo a level of privacy in order to gain the benefits of RFID in coming years. He further says privacy, as a barrier to adoption, is "nothing more complex than just knowledge."

On the whole, RFID around the world finds larger acceptance especially among the large corporatism and government agencies faces real challenge with consumer awareness. Further demand for unique standardization and harmonization is of the essence to counterfeit the niggling problematic aspects of RFID spectrums.

Rahul Ghosh, working as freelance industry analyst working is a regular contributor and has written many articles and commentaries on diversified industry sectors. For further discussion with the writer, email at rahulghosh@rediffmail.com

The Skinny on RFID

RFID is the abbreviation for Radio Frequency Identification. RFID is a method used to store and retrieve data using RFID transponders or tags. RFID tags have antennas that allow them to accept and respond to queries from the RFID transceiver. There are passive and active RFID tags. The difference between the two is that passive tags do not need an internal power source, but active tags do. RFID technology is already used in many technologies today. The future of RFID technology seems limitless as new ways to utilize its effectiveness are discovered frequently.

Passive and Active Tags

As stated before, passive RFID tags do not have an internal power supply. There is a minute electrical current induced in the antenna by the radio signal it receives. This small current is enough to power the tag to respond to the signal. Passive RFID tags have a very brief response because of their limited power. They are very small, and may be used in the future for medical purposes or, as some fear, tracking devices. Passive RFID tags can be embedded within the skin because of their small size. The smallest RFID tag in existence in 2005 was 0.4 mm by 0.4 mm. Passive tags have a read distance that ranges from 10mm to almost 6 meters. Passive tags are cheaper than active RFID tags and as a result are more commercially available. Active RFID tags have a longer range and larger memory capacity than passive RFID tags and may therefore be able to store a significantly higher amount of information. Active RFID tags may have a battery life of up to 10 years.

How it Works

In order to understand the uses, and potential uses, of RFID technology, one must understand the RFID system. RFID systems consist of tag readers, tags, edge servers, middleware, and application software. Having an RFID system will allow data to be transmitted by a tag, which is then read by the RFID reader and processed in accordance with the application’s specifications. Data transmitted can have information about the location of the tag, or specifics concerning the product tagged. Typical RFID systems have a small and inexpensive tag on a product. There is then an “interrogator” which has a certain range in which to detect the RFID tag, activate it, and receive the response.

Current and Potential Uses

RFID technology is used in every day life. RFID tags are found in CD stores and in library books. When an alarm goes off because an item was not purchased or checked out, that is the RFID tag responding. Wal-Mart has even used RFID tags on shipments to improve supply chain management. Other RFID tags are used to track trucks in shipping yards. More recently, RFID tags have been used in automated tool booth systems like the E-ZPass system on the east coast. Mobile gas also implemented RFID technology to allow customers to simply pull up to the pump, pump gas, and then leave without having to scan a credit card or pay a cashier.

RFID technology has great potential and is constantly being improved. RFID workers are constantly trying to improve the current usage in systems like E-ZPass. It was recently announced that the eastern states will be improving E-ZPass so that cars can move faster through the tool-booth (35mph rather than 5mph). RFID technology may also be used to monitor inmates, and potentially parolees. Some consumers worry as to citizen privacy invasions by the government. RFID technology is always growing, and the government may be able to use RFID to inspect citizens, or keep track of them. Currently, however, RFID technology seems to be limited to the innovation sphere. RFID technology has been utilized to make the lives of consumers easier and more efficient. Despite the qualms of some citizens, RFID has a very bright future.

John Hanson writes about RFID technology for RFID Lowdown ( http://www.rfidlowdown.com ).