[LINK] RFID and Intelligence - the Fturue

[Geoff Ramadan]

Eleanor Lister wrote:
<snip)
> so what is the right question?
> 
> i'm not quite sure how i'd word it, but i suggest that the notion of a
> "Wired World" comes in there somewhere, and perhaps this is one of the
> manifestations of that.
> 
> i am told that IPv6 (?)  the dotted hex thing, would have enough codes
> to give one for every grain of sand on earth ... is this true?  even if
> not so, it's going to give an awfully large number of IP addresses, and
> if every single RFID has one, we have to ask questions like "what is
> privacy?  how is it preserved?  is it important?".
> 
> i think this is a change on the order of discovering fire, or inventing
> the wheel ... it promises to change the world dramatically.
</snip>

Eleanor

Let me paint a picture for you.

In the not too distant future, RFID will converge with sensors. With the 
introduction of IP6 you will be able to deploy these as Internet "aware" or as 
appliances.

Also with the introduction of Zigbee and other mesh networking technologies, 
these sensors will both talk to each other and to some host system via the 
Internet, where ever you can get a wireless connection... which will be 
everywhere by this time.

Virtually every manufacture item will have an embedded RFID tag.

All shipping containers, pallets, boxes and reusable shipping containers, 
including your milk container, will have a embedded RFID tag.

All medical instruments (eg. scappels, tweezers etc) and devices will have an 
embedded RFID tag.

All pharmaceuticals will have a RFID chip.

All vehicles will be have RFID fitted as standard. Your tyres will have a 
embedded RFID tag with sensors communicating the pressure to your onboard 
vehicle computer.

Any person that travels will have a RFID Passport.

All people will use RFID payment cards for cash and loyalty.

All farmed animals including dairy, sheep, pigs and chickens will have an 
embedded RFID tag

All domestic animals will have a embedded RFID tag.

All rubbish bins will have an embedded RIFD tag to track your waste.

All mobile phones (computers) will have an embedded RFID tag

All medical slides and tissue samples will have a RFID tag

All forensic evidence will have a RFID tag attached.

All important documents will be RFID tagged.

All uniforms, police, fire, industrial, caterers etc, will have an sewn in RFID tag.

All people will have a RFID ID and/or health care card

Many wifi netwrorks will be able to read RFID tags

Many, machines (eg. motors, drill bits) will have RFID/Sensor communicating to 
the host computer, its machine condition and status.


I think you get the picture.


With the introduction of "rfid/sensors" and "wireless" everywhere, "computer" 
will now sense their own environment.

Computers will NOT need humans to, enter via keyboards, data to "synchronise" 
events to the real world. Computers will "sense" the environment, and respond 
accordingly and talk to other computers, all seamlessly and unobtrusive.

With this a new breed of "intelligent" software will evolve (Microsoft 
i-everywhere no doubt)

Now ideally in order to make all this work, will be the need to embed RFID 
sensors in humans.... or at least track them.

 From where I sit.... this is where we are headed.... for good or bad... I see 
the momentum driving us forward. .... and no Chairman of the Automatic Data 
Capture Association will have ANY effect on this outcome.

So I agree with you Eleanor, we need to start dealing with the real issues.

The outcomes are in total conflict with privacy. ... infact the definition of 
privacy will probably have to be rewritten.

The issues are enormous and concepts will challenge us all.

I have no idea where to start with this.

And telling me that RFID technology is evil, is not going to help.

Regards

Geoffrey Ramadan, B.E.(Elec)
Chairman, Automatic Data Capture Australia (www.adca.com.au)
and
Managing Director, Unique Micro Design (www.umd.com.au)

ps. Craig - I do see the irony in this and my last post to you!!