real id

Running with RFID in the Boston Marathon

Sun, 15 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

The Boston Marathon has been around for nearly 111 years. RFID technology hasn't been around for nearly that long. The historic event was run without RFID for its first 99 years, but began using the RF tags for runners in the centennial running of 1996. The same qualities that made the Department of Homeland Security leave RFID out of the Real ID mandatory spec make it perfect for verifying the position of runners. RFID's promiscuous nature allows race organizers to verify the time when runners cross the 10K, half-marathon, 30K, and finish lines. This year, runners will be able to give friends a family members a URL to use to keep track of their times, or have email alerts sent automatically. With RFID tags getting smaller, the future of RFID for the Boston Marathon seems bright, indeed.

For the complete account of RFID at the Boston Marathon:
- Read the write-up at NetworkWorld

RFID gets smaller

Sun, 11 Mar 2007 20:01:37 -0400

Intel has begun shipping samples of a new RFID receiver that puts practically everything needed for a variety of RFID reception systems into a single 8 x 8 mm chip. The new chip, which should begin shipping in production quantities later in 2007, should dramatically reduce the cost of both low-power and longer-range RFID systems. Perhaps a state or two will consider such a system as a (non-required) Real ID candidate.

For more on Intel's new RFID chip:
- read the article at Tech World

Editor's Corner

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 19:01:39 -0500

Looking ahead
It's always interesting to look to the future. Right now it seems that the U.S. is consumed with which 65 teams will make the NCAA basketball tournament. You can pick your brackets, but the selection committee will work without your input. Technology prediction is like that, too. Take Real ID, one of the initiatives to flow from the response to 9/11. Nearly everyone would have bet that RFID would be part of the requirements, but the final proposal leans on a bar code--and not even the most information-dense version--for encoding information.

I think leaving RFID out was the right decision for now. There are still too many issues with security remaining to be addressed for RFID to be the right technology for this particular application. In too many cases we believe that our current challenge has never been faced, in any form, by anyone before. Responding to the challenge must, therefore, require the newest technology. New technology may help, but understanding the nature of the challenge, designing the process to respond, then picking a technology that's best suited for implementing the process will take us farther in more safety than looking at the technology first. -Curtis

RFID out for Real ID

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 19:01:37 -0500

The Department of Homeland Security wants government ID (notably, driver's licenses) to be more accurate and harder to forge. For months, the Real ID initiative has driven discussion based on the assumption that it would require RFID and biometrics as part of future licenses. When the proposed regulation was released on March 1, though, neither was included as a requirement. Instead, DHS has mandated 2D bar codes to encode information on the documents. RFID and biometric information could still be part of your next driver's license, but it will be at your state's behest--not the federal government's.

For more on Real ID:
- read the article at eWeek