Tomorrow is NOW

(From RFID Journal)

• A Cincinnati-based company specializing in video surveillance, monitoring and video storage for government and business decided to implant RFID microchips under its employees’ skin as a security enhancement. For example, to gain access to the company’s data center, employees must raise their forearm up to a reader that determines if entry is
permissible.

(From www.spychips.com)

• In an attempt to combat the growing problem of drug counterfeiting, Pfizer will launch its first electronic pedigree later this year. As a result, RFID-tagged bottles of Viagra will be tracked as they leave the company’s headquarters until they are successfully delivered to distributors and wholesalers.

(From RFID Journal)

• Hitachi Ltd., Tokyo, presented its new Air Location Tracking II device in October 2006, which is capable of tracking the activity of people entering and leaving buildings. The active, WiFi RFID device can obtain position information about people inside in order to better facilitate emergency rescues.

(From Japan's Corporate News Network)

• One thousand CD and DVD rental kiosks found in retail locations have been installed with RFID technology to improve the tracking of customer rentals with more accuracy than bar codes. Touch Automation, Milwaukee, developed encoded tags that are affixed to the top of rental discs, to be read by the kiosk before customers receive their rentals. The RFID-enabled discs are then read again when customers return them to the kiosks.

(From RFID Journal)

• In May 2007, CVRD Inco Ltd., Ontario, Canada, contracted the Saratoga, California-based Ekahau to supply the RFID device Ekahau RTLS (Real Time Location System) for mining vehicles. The Ekahau RTLS offers real-time tracking utilizing standard, pre-existing WiFi networks, and can offer location within three feet of a corresponding tag. The president and CEO of Ekahau noted the products added advantage in finding trapped or lost miners in emergency situations, as well.