since its Christmas..

I'd like one of these http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/25/technology_at_the_museum_of_old_and_new_art/
please thanks!
 And congratulations to Times7 again http://send.uprise.co.nz/t/ViewEmail/r/59517417C6E8BA72/43F49B0C53E10EF51726EA5DA1051479

RFID wristbands in action ...http://www.aut.ac.nz/news/aut-news/2012/november/world-record-at-aut-millennium-open-day
http://www.brucepulmanpark.com/index.php?id=10
have a good xmas !

The last few centemetres

There are "RFID-TYPE: drugs eghttp://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/769822?src=mp 
early days yet, but getting round the issue of moving from labelled dispensers to actual drugs is trick - we've also looked at this issue - http://www.igi-global.com/chapter/wisp-based-devices-part-home/68745 
maybe this can give an audit-able path from manufacture to patient ?

More silliness

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/30/electronic_tags_for_tv_musical_chairs/
This application reminds me of a "telepresence" application to identify if people using collaborative computing systems were still actually physically present - basically it used photoresistors to see if the chair was occupied.
 More academically - starting to see activity recognition coming into the mainstream - http://www.tru-it.rutgers.edu/publications/bodynets2011.pdf
Still waiting for the NFC Iphone, but Galaxy  III works well - now want a NFC tablet !
More silliness - http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/auckland-transport-ends-snapper-contract

NFC Fear Mongering ?

An article in the "Daily Mail" which does have a bit of a reputation for alarmism about the security risks of NFC payments. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2137106/Your-card-details-stolen-air-Information-robbed-radiowave-thanks-new-contactless-technology.html . Interesting comments about people learning how to disable the RFID. 

 

Pay by Bonk ?

Always love The Register's use of words http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/31/iphone_5_rumour_nfc_chip_on_the_way/ describes NFC payments as "pay by Bonk".  Also interesting to see http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/01/31/french_nfc_paris_metro/ effort made to make the design of smart cards more interesting.
I'm still not convinced that automatic payment is really sorted in the NFC world, but transport etc. is certainly OK.

NFC where to now ?

NFC is the nearly technology at the moment. Payment systems are being pushed, but people may not really want to use their phone for everything, especially when they already have touch to pay systems. Maybe other applications like four squary sort of things ie location and presence based systems may be more appropriate, or maybe NFC phones will just be used to identify the serial number of your fridge !

Farewell Charlie Walton

Charlie Walton was a true pioneer of RFID - he has just passed away aged 89. One of his first inventions was an RFID- based door unlocking  device - and this is probably still the most familiar application for most people.
More at :http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/27/charlie-walton-inventor-of-rfid-passes-away-at-89/. One interesting of his life is that he was very much an "inventor", and this is certainly something that inspires young people, perhaps more than ISO standards or ROI.