Tokyo's T-Engine Forum Envisions Universal Passive Identification

By Jim Farrell

RFID tags are undoubtedly the wave of the future for identifying physical objects and locations, but passive ID will also be around for a very long time. The T-Engine Forum (TEF) and its associated Ubiquitous ID laboratory have dozens of feasibility studies and test projects underway to prove the value and viability of the total technology.

Information can be everywhere

Anchoring information to locations is a key initiative for TEF. By placing large numbers of transponding RFID tags on streets, street corners, points of interest, throughout airports, and other facilities, people can be guided and information can be conveyed. Large scale feasibility studies were just completed in Aomori City and Kobe Airport, both in Tokyo. Most transponding RFID tags were powered by the RF signal of transmitter, but those requiring more power utilized solar power. The prime goal of the TEF technology in tagging locations is enabling autonomous movement for people traveling, whether they are able-bodied or physically challenged.

The National Museum of Western Arts uses Ubiquitous Code to offer better guidance to its visitors and to hold critical details about artwork and its history, ownership, and proper display. A Ubiquitous Communicator terminal shows the year when the work was acquired and where the work is supposed to be displayed inside the museum. The displays show Japanese text, but they can be switched to show English, Chinese, and other language texts based on visitors' preferences.

Medicine traceability is another critically important Ubiquitous ID (uID) Center initiative. Not only must the patient receive the correct medication in the correct dosage at the correct time interval, but the uID system must examine the unique reactions and allergies of individual patients, as well as potential interactions with other prescribed medications. TEF is working with several medical providers, including The University of Tokyo Hospital, Mitsubishi Pharma, and NTT on these projects.

Use of RFID tags is not necessary for all applications. TEF can use the built-in cameras of mobile phones to scan conventional barcode and two-dimensional optical code. Use of "hidden" codes using watermarking technology is an interesting way to provide information to users in an unobtrusive manner. A work of an art or a poster for an art exhibit will look less attractive if we attach a large barcode for marking purposes. By embedding code information by means of watermarking technology, this aesthetic problem can be avoided. By scanning such posters along the corridor of a bus or train station or airport, one could obtain information about upcoming exhibits and other events.

Supply chain initiatives

Food traceability studies have been sanctioned by various ministries of the Japanese government as well as feasibility projects in the Keikyu Store and the well-known Mitsukoshi Department store. Department stores in Japan often have fully stocked food supermarkets in their basements. Warehousing distribution efficiency addresses a big problem worldwide, and huge warehouses have been built around the world with RFID in mind. Keeping track of pallets and the product on the pallets can be enabled by TEF technology.

In Japan, passive and active RFID tags are used for inventory, product monitoring, and many types of customer information. A supermarket kiosk terminal shows the details of a strawberry package, which includes the name of the agriculture cooperative which shipped it, the name of the particular variety of strawberry, freshness dating, etc.

AOYAMA Trading, one of the largest men's clothing store chains in the world, conducted the feasibility study of using tags for its distribution management. One of the overhead costs in the distribution of men's clothing is the suits may require additional ironing at the distribution center before the clothing is finally delivered to local stores. This is because of the vibration, heat, and moisture the suits are exposed to during transport from the manufacturing plant to the local distribution center.

By monitoring the condition of the containers using active RFID tags (with batteries and sensors), the administrator can decide whether clothing in a particular container requires additional ironing or not after the container reaches the local distribution point. Currently, all the containers are opened and clothing is ironed one by one. In the experiment, an individual suit is also tagged with a passive tag and at the store front.

Then a customer or sales clerk can scan the tag at a kiosk terminal to learn where it was manufactured, and the system could suggest other accessories that go well with particular brand of suit. This experiment shows the value of combining different tags for different purposes in a system. uID architecture promoted by uID Center does not specify a single tag, but rather use various tags in the right places.

Jim Farrell is Director of the USA Liaison Office for the T-Engine Forum. Contact him at jjjf3@earthlink.net.