RFID in Japan

via picturephoning.com

Fujitsu has just unveiled a new type of ¡Èinvisible¡É barcode, called FP (Fine Picture) code, which allows data to be embedded directly into color print photographs. [ Pink Tentacle via deli.cio.us/regine]

IBM Japan and Connect Technologies co-developed a system for printing and capturing/decoding "invisible" 2D barcodes using special ink that responds to black light. Yes, the barcodes show up only when they are exposed to black light. That's kind of cool. In their usage scenario, they do talk about a cell phone that has a camera and a blacklight LED for lighting.

via Lnews

via wireless watch japan:

DoCoMo labs has demonstrated that they can insert audio data on broadcast signals - in music and voice - which can be translated by enabled mobile phones into text messages and URL links.

also: ITmedia

QRy is a QR Code company that offers so-called QR Charcters, which combine manga/anime flavored characters with QR codes. Examples include: QRobo(left) and NijigenJin(right).

thanks, don q!

Five Japanese companies including Fujitsu and NEC developed a systematic method to facilitate information sharing using varieties of barcodes and RFID tags. They have agreed on a method to create conversion tables that allow a company to translate the serial numbers used by other companies into the company format. This systematic method may facilitate information sharing across different companies, which would be useful for building traceability or retail systems.

In February 2007, the companies will test the system in collaboration with Japan Airlines, for tracking passengers' baggages. Based on the result of this pilot test, they intend to establish a standard that other companies can also use.

via Nikkei Shimbun, June 27, 2006

At Kasumigaseki Station in Tokyo,

For an hour or two each day over the course of two to three weeks, one of the station's ticket gates will be closed to the general public. A newly-developed biometric camera, capable not only of photographing faces, but of analyzing facial data and in essence converting each person's face into a unique bar code, will be at work, snapping shots of participants in the experiment as they pass back and forth through the gate. Its point is to assess how well the camera works.

via The Japan Times < SmartMobs

NTT DoCoMo yesterday announced that they developed the acoustic OFDM (Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing) technology, which can be used to embed URLs and text data in broadcast music/audio. Consumers' mobile phones "listen" to the music/audio and extract the embedded URLs/data. About 100 characters can be transmitted in a second. (To deploy this technology, broadcast stations will need to install a dedicated encoder. Mobile phones need to be enhanced with a decoder mechanism as well.)

DoCoMo thinks this technology can also be used at shopping malls and supermarkets. Then, the sound from in-store speakers would probably be delivering information about specials, ads, discount coupons, etc. ITmedia describes this technology as "Sound QR Code" or "Sound Toruka" (Toruka allows wallet phones to receive information from RFID readers.)

A similar technology exists for ultrasonic sound, however, DoCoMo's technology uses audible sound that can be transmitted through regular speakers. Also, it sounds like the data transmission speed (1kbps) is pretty good.

via ITmedia

Speechio is an information appliance that reads a 2D barcode printed on a paper document and reads the document with a synthesized digital voice. It's designed for people with visual impairments and the elderly.

The system uses a 2D barcode called SP Code that can encode a larger amount of information in a small space. So, a page of text information can be encoded and compressed in a small square at a corner of a document. When the document is printed, it's easier for machines to read it - there's no need for complex OCR processing.

Mitsui Sumitomo Bank recently announced that they will print SP Codes on some of their brochures for better accessibility.

via Nikkei BP