There are two new parts in the Lego Mindstorms NXT catalog that are going to get builders excited. First, there is an infrared link sensor that is set to make NXT robots interact with other robot kits and devices. The thought of building a robot that could control other Lego creations is exciting to say the least.
The other new addition, which is a little more expensive and a little less exciting, is an RFID sensor which will allow programmers to lock functionality of programs to specific RFID transponders. (more…)
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A lot of concepts never really make it off the ground, but the Take a Seat Chair, a chair which follows a person around a library could just have the right stuff. The way it works is that you swipe your library card on the square on the front of the chair. Once that has been done, the chair will go where you do; the magic courtesy of an RFID chip. Dutch designer Jelte van Geest created them for the Openbare Bibliotheek Endhoven Library Design project. (more…)
In this Science Punk video you learn how to remove an RFID chip from a card in such a way that it can be installed into something else. The card in question is an Oyster Card, which is used for purchasing public transportation tickets and buying stuff from vending machines. The method would work for anything that has an RFID chip in it though; all you need is acetone to soften the plastic. [Science Punk]
In this Science Punk video you learn how to remove an RFID chip from a card in such a way that it can be installed into something else. The card in question is an Oyster Card, which is used for purchasing public transportation tickets and buying stuff from vending machines. The method would work for anything that has an RFID chip in it though; all you need is acetone to soften the plastic. [Science Punk]
Want to hear something scary? Of course you do. This story starts with a young Australian man by the name of Dan Himbrechts. The municipality that Himbrechts lived in suddenly decided to change the trash cans that were in use by neighborhood residents. Himbrechts thought it odd because the trashcans in question were all in reasonably good condition and not in any need of replacement; he went out to investigate and found an RFID chip concealed in the handle of the trashcan.
Some 90,000 residents of the City of Ryde have similarly chipped trashcans, a big brother nightmare of monstrous proportions. Some 90,000 residents will have their garbage practices monitored. According to a spokesperson for the City of Ryde, the devices were installed in order to keep track of the areas that were not recycling enough. The government would be able to then target the areas in question with educational campaigns. It sounds innocent enough, but why didn’t they tell residents about the installation, instead of concealing the RFID chip without their knowledge. One thing is for sure, if I lived in a neighborhood where this was going on, I would be ensuring that my RFID chip went out with the next load of trash.
