The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
In September, I wrote about the emerging technology of RFID or radio frequency identification devices. These small tags were a brand new technology that many companies were looking at as a way of tracking inventory and following their stock closely. What a difference a few months can make. Since that column was written, RFID tags have moved from being a technology predicted to take off in a few years, to something that has quickly moved front-and-centre in many companies. The first to hit the news was Wal-Mart. This company called in its 100 largest suppliers several months ago and informed them that they would have to have all of their products RFID tagged by 2005 or Wal-Mart would no longer purchase products from them. Since Wal-Mart is the world's largest company, the suppliers of course began a mad scramble to ensure they were going to be able to meet this demand. It has apparently caused endless headaches for several companies, including Campbell's soups. Campbells sells over 35% of its soup through Wal-Mart, but the problem of getting radio waves to pass through metal, liquid-filled cans has been a huge technical problem. Another company working with RFID tags is the high-end clothing company Prada. This winter, Prada opened a new store in New York City that is supported by many different technologies including change rooms with glass that changes from transparent to translucent when you go in to try on your clothes, and cameras that allow you to see yourself from all angles. As well, people who are members of Prada's premier club now have cards with RFID tags implanted in them. As soon as one of these customers passes through the doors of the store, a message is sent to the hand held computers carried by the sales associates. A read-out can be quickly scanned with the customer's name, information about their size, clothing preferences, recent purchases, etc. Additionally, any of the clothes purchased at Prada now have RFID tags sewn into the seams. This way, the clothing the customers are wearing can be tracked as well. Coke has also announced that it will be running a promotion either this summer or next that involves RFID tags. Coke plans to implant tags into a few cans in a contest. Instead of the usual contest where the winner has to contact the company, RFID tags allow this to be turned on its head, as Coke plans to identify the winning cans from space. When one of the cans is opened, the RFID tag will transmit information to a satellite which will then notify the company, who can then track the can. Coke has been quiet about this so far, as they seem to want to judge public opinion. The biggest fear that people have about these tags is that they will allow companies to follow us into our homes with our purchases, and this contest will do little to allay those fears. ([email protected])
