RFID in Japan

SUICA is the popular "touch and go" RFID train pass/prepaid train ticket in Japan. I use the prepaid SUICA, so everytime I use up all the amount stored in the card I have to use a ticketing machine to add more money on it. This may change soon. JR East is introducing a service that allow some passengers to automatically recharge SUICA when they go through a ticket gate. Passengers will be able to reconfigure the default settings with SUICA using ATM machines -- when the cards should be recharged, how much, etc.

via nikkei shimbun, july 5

JR Tokai announced that they will introduce an RFID train pass called TOICA this coming fall. It's basically the salme thing as JR Easts' SUICA and JR West's ICOCA. TOICA can be used in the Nagoya area and beyond.

via Keitai Watch, February 16. (in Japanese)

Toy maker Omnicl unveiled a case for RFID cards, which can tell your fortune with colorful light patterns. The case responds to the RF signals generated by nearby RFID readers. Then, the seven LEDs show one of the eight color patterns.

One can put train passes (e.g., SUICA), payment cards (e.g, Edy), and photos in it -- and everytime she goes through a ticket gate or pays for groceries, it shows a pattern that could make her happy or otherwise.

The product's name is"Light Fortune Telling Happy Time Card Case." It will be released on March 23. The price will be 924 Japanese Yen (about US$8)

via WebBCN, February 16, 2006 (in Japanese) < Yamada-desu

The number of Mobile SUICA users exceeded 20,000 on February 5. It was about a week after the day when the service was introduced.

via Keitai Watch

Related
Mobile phones can be used as train tickets from today
Rants and Raves on Mobile SUICA
Mobile SUICA Press Conference Video
Mobile SUICA on TV

On January 24, 2006, ASTREC (Advanced Airport Systems Technology Research Consortium) and Saitama University tested a human navigation support system called APITS (Airport Passenger ITS) in Tokyo.

APITS is still under continuous development but they demonstrated the following features at the pilot test.

(1) Guiding travelers to their gates so that they can catch right flights without troubles
(2) Informing travelers about restaurants, duty-free shops, and other airport facilities

via Nikkei RFID Technology, February 8, 2005.

ASTREC is an organization with an interesting mission:

The objective of "Advanced Airport Systems Technology Research Consortium" (ASTREC) is to establish an airport system where both convenience and safety requirements are met through the use of e-Tag (RFID) in a seamless ground and air transportation system. Research activities are conducted jointly by the airport operator, airlines, home-delivery companies, RFID technology related companies and system vendors under the direction and cooperation of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) and other respective government agencies.

I've heard about them RFID-tagging baggage in order to allow "hands-free" travel (see, for example, the entry "More on the Ubiquitous Networking Forum's report"). But, this new trial sounds interesting as well.

Here's DoCoMo's recent TV commercial featuring Mobile SUICA.

He is going on a date. He keeps talking with some guy, who asks about the date, all the way. He is also followed by the famous penguin and leaves traces of his whereabouts till he gets to a park. That's how I saw it. Biased?

Vlogging-style video available on YouTube, reporting from the joint press conference announcing mobile SUICA. (in English)

[report by Gail Nakada (wireless watch japan) ]

Mutsutake Otsuka, President & CEO, East Japan Railway Company speaks to the audience.

About Mobile SUICA - not everyone is happy.

1. Some wallet phones (including DoCoMo D902i) can't be used for the Mobile SUICA service.

2. Users must have a VIEW card (JR East's credit card) to use the Mobile SUICA service. Consequently, many young students wouldn't be able to use the service.

3. Users must install 3 heavy-weight applications on their wallet phones.

4. Cumbersome to initially configure the software. Some design flaw in UI.

Still, it's a cool service, I think - I wouldn't mind using an RFID train pass with color display and wireless networking. Hopefully, these things will soon be fixed.

via ITmedia