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Case Studies
by Anita Campbell on July 27, 2005

Up to now I wasn't aware that individually-tagged items of clothing were being sold at mainstream retail outlets in the U.S. like Old Navy. Oh sure, we've heard about RFID used in pilot programs and in exclusive high-end outlets like Prada. But Old Navy?
The photo is courtesy of Meghan Trainor, an artist who has created art works using RFID. If you go to her site you will see some creative uses involving RFID, including using RFID to activate a sculpture and to create an unusual audio work. (Be sure to launch the movies on her site.) She works in an interesting intersection between art and technology.
You can also find photos relating to her RFID projects over at her place on Flickr, which is where I found the photo of the skirt.
Thanks Meghan!
UPDATE August 1: Michael writes in shedding some light on this tag: "I believe the tag Meghan Trainor found (and you reported) at Old Navy is *not* an RFID tag. I think it's an RF EAS tag. This tag stores no data other then a state (on/off) used for security (at the exit gates).
If I had to guess I think it's this:
http://www.checkpointsystems.com/default.aspx?page=productsdisposabletags."
Permalink: Will We See More RFID Tags in Clothing?
Trackback: http://publish.creative-weblogging.com/publish/mt-tb.pl/8015
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It is very interesting to read news from the past. So much has changed.
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I've recently broken one of these tags open and it is from Checkpoint. It is also probably exactly the tag that is outlined in the previous posts link. This link does state that these tags have the ability to be both security and inventory devices. Meaning these tags probably have a the ability to hold a few bytes of data.
My guess is that they are disabled through either setting it to an "off" position or through a full "kill" command before it leaves the store.
Just thought I would put my .02 in...even though it's been a year since the first posts.