RFID Lowdown

Gamma-Proof RFID Tags

-- By Pushpa Sathish, Staff Writer

Item-level tags that serve a valuable function in special-purpose applications just took a step closer to reality, if claims by AdvantaPure are true. The company, which provides highly sterile products for the pharmaceutical, biomedical, food and cosmetic sectors, has come up with a tag that can tolerate the radiation from gamma rays that are used to sterilize products. GammaTag overrides RFID’s vulnerability to these rays, according to AdvantaPure’s CEO Ken Baker, allowing the process of sterilization without leading to a loss of data or the destruction of the tag itself. The process of decontamination is simplified since the tag permits gamma radiation for the entire unit. RFID Update reports:

The read-writable GammaTag is a high frequency (HF) tag with two kilobytes of storage and a read range of 50 millimeters. It can be used with all sorts of industrial containers and components, including sample and production bags, tanks, filters, manifolds, tubing and hose, storage vessels, and complete single-use systems.

Biometric Passports: Freddy Gets Fingered

Thinking about getting around the UK biometric e-passport reissuing by being/ staying overseas? Forget about it. The UK not only plans to carry with their "Secondary Biometrics" project to pull ex-patriate British citizens into the National Identity Register but it plans to fingerprint them. Time was when a civilized country only fingerpinted people when they were arrested. No wonder the UK has been declared an endemic surveillance society by Privacy International, a civil liberties watchdog, who puts the country in the same category as China and Russia. Next thing you know, they'll want to implant people with RFID chips. Maybe they should offer them free lunches and record their palm vein patterns. Might take a while and cost a few quid, but then, the Secondary Biometrics program isn't over until 2010 and hasn't even been costed out. Free lunch might cost less.

Biometrics Defeats The School Bully?

If you haven't experienced it yourself, you've seen it happen, at least on TV. The school bully and his lackeys "persuade" the milk money out of the weaker kids. Well a Scottish school has a solution to that problem, but for a different reason. For some reason, they're employing "palm vein scanning" biometrics supposedly as a way to encourage kids to eat better. [InfoWorld via SecureID News]

How does being able to identify a child by their palm encourage them to eat better? Well, the idea is that students from low-income families get free meals at school. But under old methods where students presented a ticket or coupon, they were sometimes picked on/ teased and wouldn't take advantage of the free meal.

It seems like an extreme solution for a good cause, and I still don't see how it encourages them to eat any better, unless students are limited to only healthy items. Because the system is new, privacy groups haven't weighed in yet, but had criticized a previously considered fingerprint-based system.

The InfoWorld article also indicates that the students are happy (why not - it's like something out of science fiction). Something as fun for kids would be a LAKS watch, which has RFID/ NFC technology and can be used for contactless payment. Though it'd probably be too costly a solution, since every student would have to have one under the premise that no student should feel singled out and thus stigmatized. But at least with the biometric system, the school bully can't steal your milk money.

More About Facial Recognition Systems

A hybrid RFID/ biometric facial recognition system called TETRAGATE debuted recently which had astounding specs: the ability to scan 60,000 faces in one second and recognize people at 60 feet. A similar system is being tested in Germany by their BKA (Bundeskriminalamt) and applied to crimefighting. One attempt to blow up trains was already thwarted using the system, which recognized the faces of known criminals. While that's a noble use of the system, I'm wondering how long it'll be before a more advanced system gives us a society like that of Philip K. Dick's Minority Report, to give us a machine version of the precogs that "see" a crime before it's committted.

RFID Journal has more details of the German test.

Tagged - You're It

With online forums existing for pretty much any topic these days, it's not surprising that there's one called Tagged, for RFID implants. There are less than 800 members, but there are nearly 3,000 posts regarding RFID implants, including a sizable number containing technical info. Besides the list of members who have been tagged (some of whom have been prominently featured in the media, and some who are soldiers, if I've understood their post correctly), there are also tips on what activities you can and cannot do with a chip.

I came across the forum link, as well as that of AR+RFID Lab (a collective of artists using RFID), while reviewing an older article about artists and RFID at Wired - some of whom are implanted as well. But these aren't the only non-industrial uses of RFID out there. There's also one form of Parkour (Jackie Chan-like urban acrobatics), Pac-Lan and La Fuga, all of which are outdoor activities involving two or more participants. The RFID-enabled form of Parkour is competition, so there is more than one participant. Regular Parkour might be performed by one person. (One member of the Tagged forum mentioned that he gave up martial arts before his implant but does Parkour.)

Then there are video games including Snakes and Ladders and Mattel's Hyperscan hybrid video games platform. There are even children's dolls, for example Naoru-kun from Bandai, who are best known for their Tamagotchi electronic toys.

So there are people - albeit a very small segment of society - who are happy and proud to have a microchip implanted on them, typically between the webbing of thumb and forefinger. And there are still others using RFID in innovative ways in daily life. Acceptance of these uses of radio frequency technology might be an indication that a younger generation will actually welcome ubiquitous RFID into their lives.

NAIS Animal Tagging Initiative Finds Texas Resistance

Spychips reports that the US initiative NAIS (National Animal Identification System), to tag and identify all livestock into a federal database, is running into resistance in the state of Texas. This despite the fact that RFID chips have been successfully used to roundup cattle stolen by rustlers. The general intent of NAIS is to track and control diseased food animals, including the ability to retrieve information about which farm an animal was born on. Once NAIS is in effect, all newborn, sick, dead, slaughtered, sold or transported livestock must be reported, or fines are levied (US$1,000 per day) by the USDA.

According to the Spychips article, two Texas counties have signed anti-NAIS resolutions. There is also resistance in the state of Indiana, amongst the Amish community, who feel that NAIS goes against their religious beliefs. Mandatory compliance of NAIS was already delayed from 2005 to 2007, due to mass protests. There are other livestock uses of RFID that do not involve NAIS, including monitoring the body temperature of cows.

MedicAlert To Use RFID Cards

MedicAlert is a non-profit service in North America where members with life-threatening allergies and other medical conditions wear a special bracelet or necklace engraved with identification. This allows paramedics to access information about the member, in case of an emergency situation. However, that access can take time, which could mean the difference between life and death for some people.

To reduce the access time, MedicAlert, with Siemens Business Services, will start issuing RFID-enabled cards to a select group of its members in the US. Medical information about each member will be stored on the radio frequency tag, which can be accessed by a handheld reader, thus reducing access time to almost nil. Once the patient has been taken to a hospital, more detailed patient information can be accessed from MedicAlert database. The initial phase was tested in late 2005, with another phase to follow. [via Webwire]

The healthcare industry is increasingly finding new applications for radio frequency technology. Some current applications include asset management, patient records managment, patient management. This is in addition to the use of RFID to pedigree pharmaceuticals in order to fight counterfeiting.

RFID Applications: Contactless Payment

[This post is part of a short series aimed at giving a quick overview of existing and future applications of RFID - radio frequencyidentification - technology .] RFID has been used for contactless payment for over a decade in the form of both smart cards the size of a credit card as well as small cylinders used as key fobs. Initial trials for key fobs were for payment at gas stations and their snack bars. More recently, contactless payment is being tested via cell phones embedded with an RFID chip.

In the case of contactless cards, some people are concerned over the privacy aspects of contactless card use. One concern is that cash is anonymous; contactless cards are generally not (some are, some are not). Another issue that crops up is the lack of privacy due to RFID use in CRM (Customer Relationship Management). If a retailer you frequent tracks all of your purchases thanks to item-level tagging and a contactless credit card, they have a record of your shopping behavior. While retailers may think that this enables them to provide CRM functions, consumers might be thinking that they don't want this type of information recorded. Though it already happens even without item-level tagging, if you use either a debit/ ATM card or credit card. RFID doesn't change that.

As for issues about data being intercepted from smart cards, contactless cards in particular have a read range of only a few centimeters, so this is highly unlikely. There, however, protective, RF-blocking wallets and sleeves available for those that are concerned.

RFID Applications: CRM - Customer Relationship Management

[This post is part of a short series aimed at giving a quick overview of existing and future applications of RFID - radio frequency identification - technology .] There are a number of ways that RFID can be used to reward VIP customers. One method that is being tested in a select few banks in Europe and Canada is a permission-based system that identifies a customer as they enter a branch location. The customer signs up to carry an RFID-enabled card, which is scanned at the entrance. The appropriate bank representative is immediately notified electronically, and that person can greet the customer and assist them accordingly.

There are of course less vanity-based CRM applications of RFID which simply involve retrieving customer information such as recent shopping habits. (Provided item-level tagging is used.) This information could then be used in stores to make recommendations for new products or services.

RFID Applications: Baggage Tagging At Airports

[This post is part of a short series aimed at giving a quick overview of existing and future applications of RFID - radio frequency identification - technology .] It's one of those things that few people like to talk about, but radical elements in society generally make it necessary to implement processes that ensure that unchecked baggage does not get loaded onto airplanes. This involves the use of RFID to track baggage. If baggage has to be transferred to another plane on a succesive leg of a flight, and the person who original checked in the baggage does not check in for the same successive leg, the baggage should be withheld. RFID technology is one efficient way this is being tested in a number of airports.

A less critical but no less important reason for using RFID for baggage tagging is purely for the convenience of passengers: reducing incidences of lost luggage. This in turn reduces airline operating costs, as they have less claims to pay for.

Dog's Best Friend - RFID Chips?

Dr. Katherine Albrecht, co-author of the book SpyChips, explains why RFID chip implants may work for pets but not for humans. She points to a Houston Chronicle article about a dog that strayed 1,400 miles but was returned to its owner thanks to its microchip. (Though there are even older stories of dogs lost on vacation who found their own way home, thanks to some innate homing ability.) Dr. Albrecht says that it's stories like this make people thinking implanted chips can be used to "find anything that goes missing."

Since RFID does not work like GPS (Global Positioning System) devices, and implanted chip read ranges are about twelve inches, an implant cannot be used to find a kidnapped child, lost or captured soldier, etc. I have to agree with her assessment, and it's my primary reason for feeling that this "let's chip everyone" agenda of some groups such as VeriChip Corp. is pure and utter crap, and more of an attempted cash-grab than for any legitimate reason. (Do the math and figure out how much companies stand to gain if they can scare people into accepting a law that forces all human beings to get chipped.)

A few years back before I knew much about RFID beyond my experience with a certain contactless payment card, I wrote a large series of post-cyberpunk short stories set in a futuristic America (USNA - United States of North America = USA and Canada combined), where scanners are placed in a mesh-network formation all over cities, and a band of microchipped rebels manage to escape and find a way to jam the scanners. Short of a society with RFID readers placed in close formation, I don't think implanting people with microchips will have any real functional use, beyond maybe identifying the dead during disaster recovery.

Philips Semiconductor To NXP: The Transformation

A few months back, Philips Semiconductor, a division of the giant Royal Philips Electronics, was spun out as NXP. As a result, NXP received a private equity deal worth over US$8Bln. While Philips gave up majority ownership - keeping only 19.9% - they still have a stake, and it's been business as usual [Contactless News].

Since NXP formed, they kept the existing management team and have continued to work on various existing projects, particularly those involving RFID. According to Contactless News, NXP are focusing their efforts on five markets: automotive, identification, home, mobile and personal, and multimarket semiconductors. The 80.1% stake that Philips sold went to a private equity group formed by three equity firms. The reason for the sale was that Philips wanted to focus on consumer electronics.

Free RFID EBook: TheVeriChip.com

--By Raj Dash, Staff Writer

TheVeriChip.com is a website offering two free documents (in single e-book) offering to reveal "the truth" about the VeriChip. VeriChip Corporation has an RFID microchip that has been designed to be implanted into people - and approved by the FDA for medical applications.

Since then, the VeriChip has caused a storm of controversy amongst civil libertarians and as a result, average citizens. Applications of the chip to date, around the world, has been for identifying dead bodies during disaster recovery (including Hurricane Katrina), volunteers for implant (including the chronically ill), as well as involuntary use (though not confirmed) amongst prisoners and the mentally ill. And even accidental use of microchips, though not the VeriChip itself. Not to mention, suggestions that the VeriChip be used for US soldiers, to replace the dog tag.

A quick scan of the ebook shows that they discuss all of the companies financially related to VeriChip Corporation, as well as the uses of the microchip. They also have a number of updates on the website, including one that is sure to fan the flames of controversy: an 11 year old girl whose parents are making her get chipped for fear that she might be kidnapped. (Prior research shows that the vast majority of childnappings are perpetrated by a disgruntled parent before or after a separation or divorce. It is otherwise rare.)

That said, I have not read the ebook yet, so I cannot vouch for any of the information inside.

RFID VIP Treatment: You Don't Know Me Like That

--By Raj Dash, Staff Writer

So you walk into a bank or store and suddenly people you don't know greet you by name and lavish you with attention. At least that's what would happen if banks, stores, and other places implement NCR's new RFID system, designed to help businesses cater to VIP customers. They can do this if you voluntarily agree to carry a special membership card embedded with an RFID chip.

While this might be ideal in private clubs, nightclubs, semi-private golf courses, I'm not so sure that treatment like this would necessarily be well received in openly public places. Though I could be wrong. However, only a few banks and retailers have tried the system, reluctant to invade customers' privacy.

RFID Standards: What Is ICAO?

ICAO stands for the International Civil Aviation Organization, an agency run by the United Nations and headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Part of their interests include border-crossing procedures, which are typically conducted at destination airports. As such, ICAO is overseeing the standards (PDF, 40 pages) for the new RFID-enabled e-passports.

These passports started being distributed in numerous UN member nations, especially in the European Union, in August 2006. Security experts have pointed out the security risks and shown how the data from the RFID chips in these e-passports can be cloned. The ICAO acknowledged the risk of something called a permanent RFID "session key". But about the cloned chips, industry groups say there is a little risk.

It's these sorts of inconsistencies about the potential security risk that no doubt get up the backs of civil libertarians and likely the general populace. While education about RFID is important, a lack of a trusted authority providing a definitive answer about security risks is likely to produce a lot of resistance to these e-passports.

RFID Privacy Issues: No End In Sight?

Sara Scafe Toole writes at OpEdNews that there is probably no end in sight to the privacy issues surrounding RFID, which includes smart cards, and e-passports. Her prediction:

...what is to come will be very intrusive, and invasive to allof our privacy; here in the US, and everywhere else.

She starts by pointing out that the US State Dept has already moved their old deadline of Dec 31st to Oct 26th for all passports, which are ICAO-compliant, to be embedded with RFID. This is despite reports that the information from said chips can be intercepted and cloned, according to experiments conducted by various security experts. It's possible that influential people might become security targets at airports.

Toole's recommendation, which is the same as many others, is to get a new passport now, before the changeover. It takes a day in most US cities, and while you may eventually have to get it replaced with a chipped version, at least you'll have a bit of delay.

Keep in mind that her article is an op-ed (opinion-editorial) piece.