How Does RFID Touch Me? Let Me Count the Ways
Filed in archive RFID Basics on September 15, 2006
RFID is now being used in ways that touch us everyday. Despite concerns by privacy advocates, the march toward expanding the uses of RFID has not stopped. On the contrary, it is increasing.
To be sure, the area of passive RFID in the supply chain is taking longer to implement than early optimistic predictions suggested. Supply chain uses are more complex to do right, companies are finding out, and so right now many companies are in a "heads down" mode on their implementations ... working the bugs out, learning, refining, improving.
Meanwhile, other uses for this worthwhile technology are being found all the time and implemented. Real-time asset location tracking is one area that has seen a huge increase in popularity in the past year or two. RFID to prevent document counterfeiting is another area seeing growth -- for ticketing, access cards, even identity documents. Contactless payment cards are another booming area, in credit cards and other payment devices such as key fobs.
To read a fascinating run down of uses of RFID, especially in ways that touch consumers, head over to the RFID Lowdown blog. Mini Singh has rounded up 33 ways that RFID touches our lives as consumers. While you are there, be sure to give Mini's article a Digg (click on the Digg button in the post, and vote for it on Digg).
Thanks for alerting me to your post, Mini!
Tags: RFID consumers rfid ways touch does+rfid touch+count count+ways
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Response from:
Chris Kapsambelis
(09/16/06 8:12pm)
Lynne: I hope the rest of Thom's book is more real than the examples you describe about Wal-Mart and UPS. UPS is still studying the use of RFID. In 2005, when Thom's book was published, Wal-Mart was just going live with the initial pilot that involved less than 100 of their top vendors. There is no way that Thom could have observed the operation if either behemoth. More than likely he just repeated the rose colored hype that was running rampant in that time frame. Wal-Mart and its vendors are still trying to cost justify the use of RFID.
Response from:
Anita Campbell
(09/17/06 7:32pm)
Well Lynne, don't be too quick to assume that Friedman bought into hype. I have the book and Friedman clearly outlines that Wal-Mart was in the early stages of working with 100 customers. He mentioned the technology on perhaps 2 or 3 pages, in a matter-of-fact way.
The hyping which is well-explained by the Gartner Hype Cycle, has to do with the speed and ease of implementation -- it's neither easy nor fast, but as with most emerging technologies, initial reports made it sound as if it would be. I still believe in the eventual promise of RFID -- it's just now we know it will take longer to get there. To me it's not a question of "if" companies are going to use RFID in their supply chains, it's a question of when.
Anita
The hyping which is well-explained by the Gartner Hype Cycle, has to do with the speed and ease of implementation -- it's neither easy nor fast, but as with most emerging technologies, initial reports made it sound as if it would be. I still believe in the eventual promise of RFID -- it's just now we know it will take longer to get there. To me it's not a question of "if" companies are going to use RFID in their supply chains, it's a question of when.
Anita
Response from:
Chris Kapsambelis
(09/18/06 3:11pm)
Well Anita, Spoken like a true believer. Not all Technologies that enter the Hype Cycle emerge and surpass the initial hype. Of those that failed, three that come to mind: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and Voice Recognition. I believe that UHF Passive RFID is destined to join them.
Response from:
Lynne
(09/18/06 4:25pm)
Thanks, Anita. I can't help but think about job losses if/when RFID really takes off. With so many rapid changes, constant upgrading of skills is the only way to survive. We Baby Boomers and younger college grads typically take these things in stride and adapt. However, idividuals without that degree may initially take in on the chin. While they may have educational options available to them, it has to be intimidating if they haven't upgraded their knowledge/skills in years. 'Twas always thus.
Response from:
Anita Campbell
(09/20/06 2:08pm)
Hi Chris, yes, I make no apologies: I am a true believer.
As always, I deeply appreciate your comments. You have been a loyal reader and guest contributor, and you have opened my eyes to new ways of looking at RFID. I feel you have contributed to my understanding of this technology a great deal and made me look at it in a more realistic way. You have influenced my thinking more than our opposite positions may suggest.
Best,
Anita
As always, I deeply appreciate your comments. You have been a loyal reader and guest contributor, and you have opened my eyes to new ways of looking at RFID. I feel you have contributed to my understanding of this technology a great deal and made me look at it in a more realistic way. You have influenced my thinking more than our opposite positions may suggest.
Best,
Anita
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