• rfid

    Violet Mir:ror is USB RFID Enhanced-Reality Gizmo for Your Gadgets

    You won't be chanting "Mir:ror Mir:ror, on my desk" rhymes if you buy Mir:ror and want it to tell you some interesting info: instead you'll be waving your possessions over its USB-connected sensor, whereby small RFID stickers ID the objects, and prompt your computer to display enhanced-reality style info. For example, wave your brolly near it and get a weather forecast, or your TV remote to get tonight's schedule. So... it's kinda weird, but sounds strangely compelling. Which is perhaps no surprise when you learn it's made by Violet, who also bring us the weird-but-interesting animated internet "buddy" Nabaztag. More »
    10/27/08
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    Comment by pzich: I'm gonna guess PC only for this one? That'd be a shame... 1 Responses | Other threads

  • rfid

    GE's Battery-Free Sensor is a Breakthrough in RFID Technology

    GE's new battery-free sensor could be just the kick in the pants RFID needs to start living up to its potential. The platform uses a conventional RFID tag coated with a chemically or biologically sensitive film that draws power wirelessly from a handheld reading device. Naturally, eliminating on-board batteries means that manufacturers can make smaller sensors (as you can see in the image above) at a lower cost. So, with any luck, this technology will lead to new tracking and info-swapping applications across a wider range of industries. [Gizmag]
    10/15/08
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    Comment by ぶっちぎり IN THE FACE!: I thought RFID tags used this type of induction power since the acronym RFID was first coined? 21 Responses | Other threads

  • pets

    Plexidor is Automatic Star Trek-Like Door for Your Pets (and Only Yours)

    Now, if this door makes the classic Pphssshshm Star Trek door noise when it opens and shuts, the manufacturers are onto a winner. It sounds like a neat solution for dogs and cats that like to roam: you pop a weatherproof RFID tag in their collar, and when they approach the Plexidor pet door it automatically slides up to let your pets in or out. Its safety mechanism means it won't guillotine your pet if they dawdle, and it shuts automatically so you only get your animals in your home. It's made of the same stuff as football helmets, so it should withstand some tough weather, and it's available now for between $130 and $800, depending on features and size. [Electronic House]
    07/28/08
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  • hacks

    Wireless RFID Deadbolt System: Unlock a Door with Your Cellphone

    Using a Phidget RFID Kit, a Kwikset Powerbolt 1000, relays, a PC board, wire, and some basic software, a couple of guys managed to piece together a unique new wireless door locking system. RFID locks are nothing new, but this lock can be controlled via an RFID key fob, laptop or even a cellphone. As you will see, the concept demonstrated has potential but it still needs some more tinkering to be truly practical. More »
    12/13/07
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    Comment by TechWhiz: This is definitely some tech I could use. I operate several shave ice stands, and looking to open more. If... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    Apple to Make Networking Easier with RFID Tags

    Setting up a wireless network is pretty easy (for most of us), but Apple wants to simplify the process even further by putting RFID transceivers into wireless base stations, like the AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme. All network info (like encryption keys and SSID info) would be stored in the base station. Devices that you want to connect to your network would be fitted with RFID tags, so when the two come face-to-face (the device and your base station), RFID info can be read/written to the tag without having to configure anything. As an example, the patent mentions an Apple Wi-Fi remote... More »
    03/08/07
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    Comment by Brad: @bmoctta: A good print server should be completely OS-independent. Did you go out and buy the cheapest one you could... more » | Other threads

  • gadgets

    RFID Embedded Shoes Stop the Thieves

    The European shoe manufacturer, Reno, is doing something different to stop the increasing amount of shoplifting going on at its stores. Rather than installing more cameras, or using those ink-exploding things, Reno will be embedding RFID tags in all of their shoes. The RFID tags will be able to track when a cheap-o decides to stroll out with a new pair of shoes, unpaid. Upon finding the thief, a stereotypical 1920's shoemaker will come clob the person to death, retrieving the shoes (I wish). All purchased shoes will have the RFID tags deactivated at checkout. –Travis Hudson More »
    03/02/07
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    Comment by Hello_Newman: They must be really expensive to do that. Doesn't stealing a pair of shoes limit who you can sell it... more » | Other threads

  • gadgets

    RFID Experimentation Kit

    The RFID Experimentation Kit is the toy I always dreamed of owning. This kit includes over 12 different types of RFID tags, a USB RFID reader and a book full of fun projects. It does require a minimal amount of technical knowledge, but the kit includes every piece of hardware needed to complete basic and even advanced RFID projects. Think of it as your child's introduction to stalking. It is available for $100 and, unfortunately, is currently on backorder from Thinkgeek. –Travis Hudson More »
    02/27/07
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    Comment by OlgaJahoobies: IS there anything available that can modify the tag data i.e. with read/write capability. Other than that I am... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    How To Disable the RFID Chip in U.S. Passports

    Beginning January 1 all United States issued passports will include a little RFID chip that has all of your delicious information embedded. The passports with said RFID chips are clearly marked on the front, and the RFID chip is in the back. There is only one fool-proof method to destroying the RFID chip to prevent those RFID-hacking hobos from taking your information: bash in the chip with a hammer. This is really the only method that won't destroy the rest of the passport. Some of the other methods that definitely won't work includes washing, microwaving or stuffing the passport down your pants (sorry, Jason, RFID signals penetrate the pants). More »
    12/26/06
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    Comment by s0crates82: TomTheGeek - what about metal thickness? density? type of metal? Could you superglue sheets of foil to a wallet and... more » | Other threads

  • portable media

    Stalking 101: Hack the Nike+iPod Sport Kit

    A couple of scientists at the University of Washington managed to build a small scanner that could read the RFID signals that the Nike+iPod sports kit puts out. The range on these Nike devices are 60 feet, so it would be very easy for the right geeky person to track your every move. The scientists also linked their scanning system to Google maps for ultra-precise movement monitoring. More »
    12/14/06
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    Comment by FЯeeMan: simple solution to the tracking via RFID enabled everything: Passport, meet Mr. Hammer. New shirt, meet Mr. Hammer. Notepad, meet Mr. Hammer. Cell phone,... more » | Other threads

  • gadgets

    Digital Angel Corporation Awarded Patent for Implantable RFID Microchips

    Rejoice, diabetics! No, you still can't have any delicious donuts, but you can more closely monitor your glucose levels without the need for finger pricks. Digital Angel (the company name sounds like a myspace username or something) was awarded a patent for their embedded bio-sensor system. More »
    10/26/06
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    Comment by Xenobiologista: The molecular biologist in my lab is diabetic and has an implanted insulin pump. It used to crack me up... more » | Other threads

  • gadgets

    VJ'ing Remotely with the Go Dance Glove

    This somewhat simple glove allows a VJ to control their video mixing remotely with the help of some RFID. The wrist brace prototype has eight buttons. The buttons control basic features of video mixing, and the wrist brace can also activate mixing features with arm and body movements. Edited image via Techeblog – Travis Hudson More »
    09/11/06
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    Comment by JEmobile: I love the Go Dance Glove, it's soo bad! more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    Hertz to try RFID Rather Than Keys for Rentals

    A Hertz at the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport in France will begin using RFID to start up and check out cars, rather than keys. A group of 60 frequent Hertz customers will be guinae pigs in this test to see if using RFID-enabled cards for vehicles will speed the rental process. There are 10 Renault Megane cars equipped with the RFID technology. More »
    08/10/06
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    Comment by Jeff The Riffer: The photo isn't related to the article. From the article, the RFID reader in the car will be hidden away... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    RFID Tag, for the Kiddies

    More »
    07/06/06
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    Comment by jrghoull: u know these are great and all...but where are the ones for pets? when i get older and have kids... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    World Cup Tickets Get RFID Security

    GOOOOOOOAL! Who scored? Oh, security scored one on the baddies with the RFID embedded World Cup tickets. Riots have always a concern with big name true football games in Europe. The RFID embedded tickets won't stop riots throughout town, but at any given time the FIFA will know the name, address, birth date, nationality and ID card/passport number of all fans watching the World Cup in 12 different stadiums. At least it will be secure within the stadiums. Get the full security scoop after the jump. More »
    05/30/06
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    Comment by BWGunner: Once again, Gizmodo puts out untruths about RFID. RFID chips do not grant clarvoyance to the security team, there is... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    RFID-Enabled Casino Chips

    A Korean company has begun embedding RFID tags into casino chips. This technology will make getting chip counts a whole lot easier. The range on the RFID chips will be around 3 meters, perfect for the average poker table. The RFID tags will communicate with an RFID compatible handheld and this technology will aid in player-to-player gambling interactions as well as dealer-to-player interactions. More »
    03/24/06
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    Comment by renssem: Doesn't this make it easy for a criminal with some technology in his pocket to narrow down who to mug? more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    It's Raining ... RFID?

    The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication is developing a system that will allow information to be gathered about disaster areas with the help of RFID. The system would distribute RFID tags from the sky upon the disaster area and allow for all kinds of information to be gathered wirelessly. Most importantly, the RFID tags would include heat and vibration sensors to aid in finding survivors. It's estimated that 10,000 tags would be required to cover the area the size of a large airport. More »
    03/20/06
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    Comment by Xzavier: Who thinks of this stuff??? It's just plane STUPID! more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    First Bendable RFID Tags

    Semiconductor Energy Laboratory and TDK Corporation have created the first bendable passive RFID tag. The prototype is 800um thick and process improvements look to move the thickness of the RFID compnents closer to 100um which would cut the final size in half. Since paper is commonly over 300um, the tag could be embedded in documents and would not alter the shape or texture of the paper. This would allow for RFID-enabled business cards and contracts can be made RFID tamper-resistant—perhaps moving DRM into the analog world of contracts. More »
    03/13/06
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    By rhbaby

    Comment by ldsdj: Sh*t... They really ARE gonna put this crap in everything, aren't they? more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    Maintaining Sake Temperature With RFID

    As everybody knows, sake needs to be kept at a consistent temperature in order for it to be the best that it can be. But how do you ensure that the sake stays at that temperature all the way from the warehouse to your tabletop? NTT and others are keen on RFID as the solution to this problem. Sake bottles would be tagged with RFID tags, which would then send temperature data to sensors on the truck transporting the sake. The sensors relay this information 3G-style to the sake s home base. The point of all this? When the customer checks out the sake at the store, he can read the bottle s temperature history, indicating whether or not the sake had any temperature irregularities in transit. See, RFID s not totally evil. It is now totally anal as well! More »
    03/13/06
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    By Gizloco

    Comment by ninjamurf: Unfortunately sake tastes horrible at any temperature. more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    Tooth Implanted ID System

    Some scientists at the Catholic University of Leuven have semi-succesfully accomplished an interesting feat—embedding ID information in human teeth. More »
    03/04/06
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    Comment by Rob O.: Why do researchers continue to pour resources into developing new mechanical ID systems when there's already a far better system... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    Teeny Tiny Hitachi RFID Chip: Big Whoop

    Smaller than a grain of salt, Hitachi's newest RFID chip measures .005 x .005 inches and is 7.5 micrometers thin. Using Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology, it uses an external antenna to receive radio waves (2.45 GHz), and transforms it to energy to wirelessly transmit a 128-bit unique ID number for a high level of authenticity. But most importantly for Hitachi, it can make more of these chips on one single wafer, increasing production by four times. More »
    02/06/06
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    By tgrumet

    Comment by Justapspfan: Soon RFIDs will be so small that you can inhale them and be tracked wherever you go covertly. Got to... more » | Other threads

  • wireless

    S&M Tech, DIY RFID Implants

    It appears there are a handful of people, primarily engineers, who are taking the plunge and implanting RFID chips into their hands. Purpose? For automation, of course. Having an RFID chip implanted can save time doing things such as logging onto computer work stations, unlocking electrically-locked doors, ordering pizza and buying porn. Mikey Sklar, one of the pioneers of this self-chipping procedure, will be explaining the grisly process, telling why he did this, describing different tagging options and offering even more self-chipping information at the next Dorkbot meet-up in NYC on Wednesday January 4th at 7 pm. More »
    12/29/05
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    Comment by dichron: wow, can we say implant rejection? look at how swollen it is! more » | Other threads

  • cellphones

    Pac-Lan: Jackassery Made Easy

    Seems like everyone is trying to scale up the game of Pac-Man lately. Enter Pac-Lan, a game where players keep tabs on each other with their cellphones while physically playing Pac-Man in costumes and all. Created by researchers at Lancaster University's Department of Communication Systems, each phone has a pre-programmed map based on the university's campus. The players have to run around to yellow dots stuck on lightposts that are actually RFID tags that beam the player points. Everytime a player collects a point, his or her location shows up on everyone else's map—that way the people playing as ghosts can come and try to chomp down on the Pac. Next up, the New York City MTA will announce that the subway system is being remodeled as a citywide Pac-Man maze. More »
    12/12/05
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  • gadgets

    Electronic RFID Passports

    Those silly terrorists. They may be handy with their guns and bombs, but they will never be able to hack the Gibson and compromise the new electronic RFID passports that will be in affect by October 2006. They wont be eliminating passports all together, they will be embedding an RFID contactless chip into the passport that contains a picture, name, nationality, date of birth, location of birth, and with other information such as fingerprint or iris scans possibly coming in the future. It's a brave new world, people. More »
    10/27/05
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    Comment by edd: If your making screening/sheilding for your passport then you could use the following http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/shielding.html IF not then you need to use a... more » | Other threads

  • pdas

    Gizmodo Ink

  • Palm cuts a deal with RIM that will put Blackberry's email software on a version of the Treo 650. What has gotten Palm so amorous lately? First, they allow Microsoft's PocketPC OS to bespoil future Treos, and now they're in bed with RIM. Either they're in total desperation/survival mode or someone snuck a roofie in their drink while no one was looking. [WSJ (reg)] More »
10/17/05
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By Noah R