RFID in Japan

Chinese and Taiwanese elementary schools introduced Hitachi's RFID System that reads RFID tags carried by kids at school gates etc. and sends email notification to parents.

The system will be tested in Japan as well this fall. The cost of the system is paid by parents. Schools pay no money.

via Nikkei Shimbun, July 21, in Japanese

NEC Announced on July 26 a new ruggedised wireless RFID PDA called Pocket@i EX. The operating system is Microsoft Windows CE 5.0, featuring IEEE802.11b/g WiFi, VoIP, Bluethooth, and a function to communicate with vending machines.

There are a few types of this device. One type features an integrated RFID reader (ISO15693). Another type features an integrated barcode reader that can read 1D and 2D barcodes (including QR). Available from August 1. Shipping starts early September.

via NEC press release (in Japanese)

Edy and Suica are two major RFID-based services in Japan. Edy is widely used for payment at retail stores and Suica is widely used as train passes (and it can also be used for payment at some ratail stores).

NTT DoCoMo's so-called wallet phones currently support Edy only. However, they will support Suica as well on January 2006.

Edy and Suica currently require different kinds of reader devices even though they both use very similar RFID technology. NTT DoCoMo and JR East announced that they will work together to develop a reader device that can read both Edy and Suica RFID tags. This will eliminate the need for retail stores to install two reader devices. would also be more convenient for consumers.

via Asahi.com, July 27,l 2005, in Japanese

On July 21, Amazon's Japanese branch announced "Amazon Mobile Associate Program." This is a new addition to their services for mobile phones. (If you remember, the company introduced Amazon ScanSearch last November, which allows some camera phone users to scan a regular barcode and buy a corresponding product on Amazon's mobile website. )

"Amazon Mobile Associate Program" is a suite of services for placing Amazon ads on wireless websites and getting some commission based on relevant sales. Interestingly, you can also use QR Codes to sell stuff and get commission. Let's say you just got a really cool shirt. Then, get a special URL for selling the same shirt on Amazon using the service, convert it to a QR code, print and paste it on the shirt. Next day you are strolling in Harajuku with your famous walk, then someone walks up to you and quietly scans the code on your shirt. You feel a bit unconfortable but stay calm and talk to yourself "that's okay, I'll probably get some money."

via ASCII24, July 21, 2005, in Japanese

Takashimaya, which is one of the largest retailers in Japan, now sells anti-skimming cards called "Sherry" at their department stores. Consumers can just put the cards in their wallets in order to prevent their RFID-chipped train passes etc. from skimming attacks.

The anti-skimming card functions by creating "reverse" electro-magnetic field like Taiyo's technology. Not sure if the cards sold at Takashimaya are manufactured by Taiyo or not.

via Nikkei Shimbun, July 14, 2005, in Japanese

Traditionally, barcodes are printed on paper. But ,they are now displayed on various things including computers, PDAs, mobile phones, digital paper, tv, etc. So, why not animated barcodes?

fyi, this QR code includes a link to a mobile website for a dance festival. So, I guess it's a dancer?

This is a variation of design 2d barcodes developed by Ginga Tsushin.

via QR Code Blog

A funky idea for consumer tracking -- to embed tiny RFID chips in stuffed animals.

Purebi is a consulting firm for amusement arcade businesses. They advocate for detailed consumer tracking at amusement facilities and are exploring the use of RFID in that context. They are now collaborating with Hitachi, the manufacturer of the super tiny RFID chips called mu-chips, to build a "crane game" (e.g., UFO Catcher -- see the above photo) with all stuffed animals (they are the things in the glass case) RFID-chipped.

How are the stuffed animals used for consumer tracking? They are used like consumer loyalty cards. Let's say, you played the UFO Catcher game so many times and finally successfully fetched your first stuffed pikachu. If you show your pikachu, which you are so proud of, to an RFID-enabled kiosk terminal in an amusement facilty, you also have a chance to win some free gift. Everytime you come to the amusement facilty and use the kiosk terminal, the amusement facility captures and accumulates your data. The company thinks that using stuffed animals (rather than plain plastic RFID cards) is an important factor in successful consumer tracking and marketing.

BTW, below is the photo of the famous finger along with a tiny dot (mu-chip).

via ITMedia, July 20, in Japanese

Hitachi announced yesterday a new mirror that functions as a computer display. It will be available for purchase in Japan on Septermber 30.

It combines a half mirror and a diffusion film to directly display digital information (text, photos, video, tv shows, websites, flash movies etc.) on a mirror surface using an LCD projector. This technology, called Miragraphy, also integrates sensors, RFID readers, barcode readers, cameras, etc. So, the mirror can automatically respond when people are aruond and personalize digital contents based on their sensed identities.

The Miragraphy device could potentially be used at restaurants, bars, hotels, trainstations, airports, sports clubs, show windows, designer clothing shops, and accessory shops.

via ITmedia and Hitachi press release < Slashdot Japan