RFID tag you’re it

IBM has launched a “Smarter Planet” advertising campaign. It illustrates different scenarios about how everyone on the planet generates copious amounts of data. They theorize that by gathering and interpreting it can lead to smarter decisions, early diagnosis, and in general make life easier and therefore better for everyone.

We might not realize it, or the extent, but the idea of a global information and tracking system is well into development and reaching into our lives every day. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is being used more than ever before and as the manufacturing costs come down its popularity is growing as well.

In the not too distant RFID future, consumers will be able to check out of stores without interaction. Scanners will be able to read the codes of the shopping cart contents as well as the consumer’s banking information. In one swoop it will tally the total and deduct it automatically from the customer’s credit card. Of course this also leaves people vulnerable to information theft by proximity, a practice called skimming.

RFID was initially developed to track large items like cattle or railroad cars over long distances. As the costs drop it now tracks everything from cars to medical records to pets to shampoo.

Types of RFID tags currently in use:

Active

• 850 to 950 MHz



• 100-300 feet



• Internal battery



• Battery powers radio to broadcast to reader

Semi-Passive

• Internal battery



• Reader powers broadcasting



• Range similar to Active tags

Passive

• Reader is power source



• 20 ft



• Cost 7-20 cents on average

Data storage

• Read-write data can be changed, updated or erased.



• Read only tags cannot be modified after initially written.



• Write once, read many (WORM) tags can append data but not overwrite what is already there.

Controversy over RFID technology is founded both in science fiction and science fact. Orwellian applications of RFID chips are limited only by the imagination. In the movie The Fifth Element the protagonist, Korben Dallas is unable to continue driving when his credits are usurped. Using animal chipping technology it’s not a large leap to consider using it to track and monitor humans. Passports are already being chipped.

More immediately, people can be fined if the RFIC chip on the milk carton they purchase turns up in the dump instead of the recycling center. They can be penalized in healthcare points if their doctor can pull up a record that shows they have been buying pizza and pastries. While it may seem like a good idea to keep people in check and do the right thing but giving up personal liberties and freedom will never lead to a smarter planet.

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By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner, and work-from-home mom.