RFID in Japan

Intel unveiled a prototype of so-called Healthcare Tablet PC at Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Japan. The company is putting efforts in the healthcare IT domain, focusing on the standardization/interoperability of various healthcare devices and the development of devices for healthcare workers.

The potential of the latter was demonstrated by the Healthcare Tablet PC prototype, which is equipped with an RFID reader, a patient information viewer, a digital camera, etc. Nikkei has a photo.

KRD Corporation developed a system for managing surgical knives and other medical equipment using RFID tags. Tools for medical operation are RFID-tagged and and the system captures the histories (e.g., records of sharpening, disinfection, etc.) of the tools. Small (diameter: 6.5mm, thickness: 2mm; 13.56MHz) RFID tags are either embedded in or attached to surgical knives, clamps, scissors, etc.

Information about past surgical operations are associated with the RFID tags. When a doctor puts a box of tens of surgical tools on an RFID reader, the computer may display warnings such as "This tool must be disposed" or "That tool is not sharpened"

via Nikkei Shimbun, February 22 (in Japanese)