The Mheda Journal

I ran across this nugget of news today and found it interesting. Near Dehli, India, the government will soon make it mandatory for all vehicles to have radio frequency identification (RFID) cards to make payments along toll roads. According to this article in the Hindustan Times, Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath was quoted as saying, “Within 18 months, we will ensure that RFID is installed in every vehicle. It will be like a chip that you use for your mobile phone. You charge it with whatever amount you want and make the payment when required.”

Now this obviously is not a new technology, sounds like what’s called E-Z Pass here in New York and similar things in other states. And, clearly, it’s application in India doesn’t mean mandatory implementation is on its way here. I realize that. But I’m also envisioning a quicker, more efficient way to get through the toll plazas on my way back to Ohio from Central New York. If everyone was able to get through the traffic and avoid the lengthy backups that often occur now. That would be great.

Plus, it would be a boon for the RFID manufacturers who would instantly have a huge customer base to supply to. It’s too bad there isn’t some mandatory cure-all for other parts of the material handling industry. Though I will say, in talking to MHEDA members for our annual industry forecast, they say things are about to break loose in material handling and drive sales increases for much of the industry as end-users that have been sitting on old equipment finally cave in and buy new. So there is that to look forward to.

That was a very roundabout way of getting to my point, which is that sometimes it’s the little things that can make a big difference in turning a company around. Somewhere out there, someone is coming up with an idea—a new follow-up method or territory division or application for a product—that won’t look like much at first but will prove to be something big. Post-It Notes, for instance, started as a bookmark for someone’s choir hymnal. It may not even be something you have control over (a government mandate in this case).

I don’t know what that idea is for material handling distributors, but it’s out there somewhere. Hopefully in our industry forecast we’ll be able to stumble across a couple. Any thoughts?

RFID tag

To continue on the back-to-school blog theme for the second straight post, I ran across two more interesting uses of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology beyond efficient warehouse operations. A school district in California has proposed attaching the tags to preschool children to keep track of their whereabouts at school. While I understand the importance of not letting kids wander off, it seems a bit much. According to a New York Times editorial, the school district claims the tags are simply to eliminate attendance paperwork and pay more attention to teaching. A noble goal, but it seems a bit much. 

In a less invasive and more practical application, a school district in Illinois is using a RFID-GPS technology combo to monitor when and where students get on and off school buses. The children are issued ID cards that attach to backpacks and an electronic “reader” is located near the front door of the school bus. The date, time and location is coupled with the child’s name when a student enters or exits the bus. That information is transmitted in real time to a secure database at each school and the superintendent’s office. Knowing if, when and where a student got on or off the bus accounts for a significant portion of calls parents make to schools. This, it seems, is actually a good use of the technology. Particularly considering an acquaintance of mine whose child recently missed his stop on his first day of school and a brief panic ensued when he didn’t arrive on time. What do you think? Are these good uses of RFID technology?

It seems there is no end in sight for uses of RFID technology. It’s come a long way in just a few years. What else is out there? Where is RFID headed?

Some of my favorite things to read about in material handling are all the creative applications people have come up with for radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. No, it’s not just for tracking packages anymore. Some of the more unusual applications I’ve heard of include replacing credit cards, tracking prisoner/guard activity in penitentiaries and even ordering ice cream.

But today I read one that proves beyond all doubt just how pervasive RFID is. Apparently, the Australian sheep industry is in the middle of a controversy about whether or not to track the animals using electronic radio means or stick with the current paper-based system. The Victorian government and local saleyards are supportive of the introduction of electronic tagging of sheep. However, the Sheepmeat Council of Australia and the national saleyards body maintain the current paper-based sheep identification system is adequate.

A PriceWaterhouseCoopers report earlier this year indicated “a number of faults” with the current system, but change is slow to come. Sheepmeat Council of Australia President Kate Joseph, on the other hand, points to “the current high implementation and ongoing costs” of widespread use of RFID devices. So it’s a standstill at the moment.

I’d say “I’ll keep you posted,” but I doubt many of you have the means to capitalize on the burgeoning RFID market in Australian sheep. But it’s certainly an interesting application.

I wonder what the sheep would have to say?

It’s Friday, so there may be a few of you headed out to Happy Hour for a cold one with the gang after work. Those of you in the Atlanta area can do so without straying too far from the material handling field, one of the few places I know of where it’s OK to have a beer on the job.

All right, that’s probably a bit of a stretch, but there is a restaurant in suburban Atlanta that has incorporated RFID technology into its offerings. According to an article I found in Wireless Week, “a restauranteur in suburban Atlanta has introduced connectivity to a Wall of Beer, incorporating connected flow meters on the beer taps and a pair of NFC card readers next to the taps.”

Unfortunately, the article does not name the bar, but here’s how the system works. Bar patrons who are members of the establishment’s “beer club” can go to the Wall of Beer, log into the system with a card and serve themselves. The system records which beer was tapped and how much, and charges the member’s account accordingly. Sensors in the taps detect the flow, pressure and temperature to monitor the product.

For the consumer, the benefit is convenience and a feel of exclusivity. For the restaurant, the benefit is much more accurate tracking of beer dispensing. (According to the article, a restaurant typically only gets paid for 75% percent of the beer it dispenses, due to spillage, bartenders who give away free drinks and other factors.) You may notice that each of those outcomes positively benefits the restaurant’s bottom line. Satisfied customers buy more beer, and the bar is not turning its inventory quite so quickly. Win-win.

The article notes that this isn’t legal in all states; there are 16 that do not have an alcohol self-service provision. But the sensors can still be used for tracking purposes. At the very least, it’s another innovative use of RFID capabilities. Who knows, the next time you’re tipping back a pint at the local pub, you may be in the middle of your next sales opportunity.