Comments for My Thoughts

Comment on RFID and Baggage Tracking by Rob

Rob — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:56:42 +0000

Max, Thanks for your response but I have to disagree on a few points you made. As far as I know Las Vegas airport has not scrapped the RFID system, I was unaware that San Antonio had a similar system so I’m not sure the status. I fully agree with the implementation of limited data on RFID tags based on the security concern involved. The ID in RFID should be just that, simple identification data that allows you to pull data from a more secure system. It may seem fine for an RFID system to store the same information that is kept of the baggage tag but by opening that door you now give someone with no security knowledge the great idea to add additional data to the tag without understanding the consequences of their actions. Next you will start seeing passport information, security risk data, digital photos and much more focused personal data stored on a chip that can not possibly secure it well enough. Just look at how many times the NXP NFC tags have been hacked for the masstransit systems on the east coast.
I do agree with you on some of the infrastructure issues still needing some work. The longevity of the battery on the readers does need to be worked on but that will come with advances in battery technologies.
The way LasVegas implemented it was mainly to automate the belt system. They did not fully remove the bar code system so it was a kind of hybrid baggage tracking, which is very smart in my opinion.

Comment on RFID and Baggage Tracking by Max Korn

Max Korn — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 04:11:13 +0000

The RFID chip technology, including what Qantas uses which is called Q-tags are a real problem with the baggage areas. What Qantas has not told people is that the technology is not new, in fact Vegas and San Antonio trialed it first years ago and they had no choice but to scrap it due to too many ongoing problems. Here’s the low down on this so called fantastic system. The Q-tags that Qantas uses are a disc which has absolutely no info written on it. No name, no destination, no flight details. NOTHING. The only way to find out where the bag is going is to use a scanner which reads the tag and comes up on the scanners lcd screen. Great in theory except the scanners in use require a lot of battery power to scan rfid chips, much more than the familiar bar code tags so batteries run low and need to be charged frequently which results in battery being worn out over time. 2nd, there is a lot of frequency distortion due to the amount of frequencies and microwaves floating around the area so the scanner sometimes cannot read the tag, or in a lot of cases, the tag simply stops working and cannot be read. 3rd, there are screens placed around the baggage belt which read the tags so that the flight details come up on the screen and you can scan the bag to the right flight, however, when you have multiple bags on the belt there is a vast amount of flight details coming up on the screen meaning you have no idea which bag is which so you scan every bag hoping to pick the right one. Slows down the work process and therefore has potential to delay flights or in most cases, bags simply miss the flight. 4th, transfer bags connecting onto other flights is the biggest problem and is the cause of 53% of missed or missing bags in the world. When a Q-tag comes along with no details on it unlike the barcodes which do, you have no idea where that bag is going and if the connection is tight, then it just makes it that much harder. Yeah you do have a scanner, IF you can find one that works, IF the q-tag is working and IF the battery in the scanner is charged enough to read it. Working in the baggage area, I see these problems everyday and it’s getting worse. Qantas wont pay to fix or replace scanners and what was once a simple job of reading whats on the tag has now become a lengthy fustrating process that only creates more work rather than lessen it. It might potentially save a few mnutes of time for a passenger checking in but when you get to your destination and you have no bag, then you have to wonder if it is worth it at all. Save yourself some hassle, request a barcoded bag tag instead and then maybe Qantas will wake up and realize it’s a failed technology that simply does not belong in the airline industry

Comment on Google Wallet.. Has NFC arrived and will Apple be too late? by Smart Poster

Smart Poster — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:49:14 +0000

Seems like Apple have something up their sleeve on NFC, the will we won’t we scenario. No chance, Apple are working hard on Near Field Communication, the Money is in Mobile everything, NFC, apps, AR, marketing, advertising, coupons, loyalty and much much NFC enabled more. It’s coming along with an Ice Cream Sandwich! The competition is hotting up, will Apple melt the sandwich? Bring it on guys and make our lives easier!