MyGlobalCity

Legitimate Global Village RFID Applications April 28, 2006

After scouring a few RFID weblogs and websites recently, I came to the realization that there are actually numerous RFID applications that do not fall into the “tracking human beings” category. Such example applications including the teaching of English and preventing incorrect usage of prescribed medicines. Certainly these are legitimate, even noble applications of RFID.

Other non-privacy-invading applications include supply chain systems, preventing lost baggage at airports, animal/ pet tracking, and even validating/ authenticating poker chips at casinos. Or imagine forklifts that can operate on their own, and know what flats they have to pick up and move. Of course, the latter application might mean fewer forklift jobs.

In parts of Europe, an RFID application is being used to charge tolls to drivers. The result is that many fewer cars are being driven (at least during the trial), which of course results in lower emissions and thus less pollution. Other pollution-reducing applications of RFID are also being conducted.

A related technology called NFC (Near Field Communication) works over short-ranges for two-way communications. Such technology, often called “contactless”, is typically used for shopping, transit payments, gas station fast-lane payments and so on. But it could also be used to prevent collisions in traffic, especially during traffic jams at rush hour. NFC technology is also being used for smart posters. Imagine some sporting or entertainment event is coming up. You see a poster for the event and want some more information. Because the poster is equipped with an NFC-based RFID chip, you can wave your RFID-enabled cell phone or PDA at the poster and immediately download details about the event.

Now while there are countless legitimate applications of RFID and NFC technology, being an old-school anarchist punk raving about conspiracy theories, it’s the tracking-humans applications of such technology that worries the crap out of me. George Orwell may not have been predicting the future, per se, but may instead have written the novel-equivalent of a government plan leak. Who knows? But the good news is that the state has said no to cyborgs. Wisconsin has managed to pass a motion banning mandatory microchip implants. This would prevent private businesses and governments from forcing people to have RFID or other microchips implanted in them. But this bill won’t stop the idiots that voluntarily implant microchips.

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