[LINK] RFID in Govt, and in People
Kim Holburn
kim at holburn.net
Tue Oct 3 13:10:40 AEST 2006
On 2006 Oct 03, at 1:09 PM, Geoff Ramadan wrote:
> On my brief skimming, the articles make no mention of "magnetic"
> beam forming. They are all referring to "beam-forming" in the "far-
> field" EM waves or "wave cancellation".
The last link was about audio beam forming; beam forming can be done
with any wave forms.
> Library RFID systems use 13.56Mhz RFID technology. "Near-Field" or
> "inductive technology".
>
> I don't know how how this translates.
>
> A traditional "magnetic" beam-former would need to use some form of
> "magnetic conductive" medium like ferrites, (the stuff that
> transformers and inductors use).
I assume RFID tags are powered by some kind of low frequency
electromagnetic waves? You would just need a grid of things to
produce a moving magnetic field like say electromagnets and software
of course.
>
> Reg
> Geoffrey Ramadan
>
>
> Kim Holburn wrote:
>> On 2006 Oct 03, at 12:36 PM, Geoff Ramadan wrote:
>>> Kim
>>>
>>> Libraries are already using RFID for books and security. Though
>>> not in the way you described. A reader is either at the Counter
>>> or is in a "self check-out" systems.
>>> check out.
>>> http://www.dalibtech.com/
>>> http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/Libraries/Structure/About/
>>> TheCentre.aspx
>>>
>>> I assume you are joking about the clandestine reading?
>> Not really, a flight of fancy more like. With a directed magnetic
>> beam former and an rfid reader it wouldn't be too hard.
>> It's hard to find non-technical stuff on beam-formers:
>> http://www.embedded.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=60401726
>> http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1990IPRSP.137..267Y
>> http://www.innovative-dsp.com/products/ancapp.htm
>>>
>>> Reg
>>> Geoffrey Ramadan
>>>
>>>
>>> Kim Holburn wrote:
>>>> I have thought for a while that Libraries would be a great use.
>>>> for RFID A reader at the door would mean you would just have to
>>>> walk out with the books and the library could automatically
>>>> check them out to you! Also staff could locate a miscatalogued
>>>> book much more easily than now.
>>>> On the other hand, for privacy reasons maybe it wouldn't be such
>>>> a good idea!!! I clandestine reader at the door could tell
>>>> someone what you were reading - but then a government
>>>> organisation wanting that info could look up the database anyway
>>>> and I seem to remember a bill that allows ASIO to hack into
>>>> databases and read and change data legally.
>>>> On 2006 Oct 03, at 11:13 AM, Geoff Ramadan wrote:
>>>>> Roger
>>>>>
>>>>> Most RFID inquiries our industry get (including us) are crap.
>>>>>
>>>>> Most people have no real understanding of RFID and their
>>>>> applications, and even less understanding of the limitations,
>>>>> including Government Departments.
>>>>>
>>>>> We generally find that solutions to customer issues can be
>>>>> found in other technology means, including barcoding or process
>>>>> changes.
>>>>>
>>>>> I can quote you one example where a Government department
>>>>> wanted to RFID tag documents, thinking that they could wave a
>>>>> magic wand and locate them. What they really needed was a
>>>>> process change, as their work practices were extremely sloppy
>>>>> with no accountability.
>>>>>
>>>>> However, there is a growing interest and applications in "non-
>>>>> human" asset management as indicated in the article.
>>>>>
>>>>> There is a strong trend towards active RFID tags for "location
>>>>> based tracking" of assets. Hospitals and Mining being an
>>>>> excellent example of this type of applications. The assets are
>>>>> expensive (eg. Medical devices) which are very mobile and need
>>>>> to be located efficiently, therefore gaining better utilisation
>>>>> and lowering capital costs, while improving services.
>>>>>
>>>>> In Government departments I suspect there is an interest in
>>>>> asset tracking of notebooks.
>>>>>
>>>>> Regards
>>>>>
>>>>> Geoffrey Ramadan, B.E.(Elec)
>>>>> Chairman, Automatic Data Capture Australia (www.adca.com.au
>>>>> <http://www.adca.com.au>)
>>>>> and
>>>>> Managing Director, Unique Micro Design (www.umd.com.au <http://
>>>>> www.umd.com.au>)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Roger Clarke wrote:
>>>>>> SMH/Age Next Section
>>>>>> 3 October 2006
>>>>>> Not so smart
>>>>>> Almost a third of Australian government agencies have set
>>>>>> aside money for RFID-related projects, despite knowing little
>>>>>> about the technology, a new survey has found.
>>>>>> RFID is the short-range wireless technology used in
>>>>>> 'contactless' smartcards and e-passports.
>>>>>> Consultants Booz Allen Hamilton interviewed people in 28
>>>>>> Canberra-based government departments. Fewer than 10% had a
>>>>>> good understanding of RFID standards, although money had been
>>>>>> allocated for RFID projects. Three-quarters of respondents
>>>>>> plan to investigate or use RFID within the next three years.
>>>>>> [The local Booz site, which uses the suitably sceptical domain-
>>>>>> name 'bah', doesn't seem to provide any information on the
>>>>>> matter:
>>>>>> http://www.bah.com.au/Whats_New/press_releases.htm
>>>>>> [If anyone has any knowledge about what BAH thinks the 21
>>>>>> departments think they plan on doing with RFID, a posting to
>>>>>> the list, or an off-list note to me, would be appreciated.
>>>>>> There are a few potential applications, e.g. in Defence
>>>>>> Materiel; but most agencies don't actually do the kinds of
>>>>>> physical things any more that RFID is potentially useful for]
>>>>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>>>>> _________ In addition, the part of the Oz IT Section that
>>>>>> operates purely as a relay for Media Releases (IT Business)
>>>>>> has a breathless piece on RFID today.
>>>>>> Fast track for radio tags
>>>>>> Ben Woodhead
>>>>>> Australian IT Section
>>>>>> OCTOBER 03, 2006
>>>>>> http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,20500547%
>>>>>> 5E15302%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html AUSTRALIAN businesses are
>>>>>> attaching radio frequency identification tags to sheep,
>>>>>> trains, heavy mining equipment and nurses as they take
>>>>>> advantage of the technology's ability to track assets and people.
>>>>>> ...
>>>>>> [The report is completely lacking in scepticism. That the
>>>>>> reporter is prepared to have his name on it is a testament to
>>>>>> how little self-respect many journos have these days.
>>>>>> Although I'd better allow for the possibility that 'Woodhead'
>>>>>> is a pseudonym, intended to convey that the reporter thinks
>>>>>> the same about this kind of rubbish as the rest of us do.
>>>>>> [Especially noticeable is the equivalent treatment of people
>>>>>> and things. There's no distinction at all drawn between
>>>>>> tracking and controlling gamblers, nurses and prisoners and
>>>>>> doing the same thing to sheep, cattle, and mining and hospital
>>>>>> equipment]
--
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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