British Scientist Infects Himself With Computer Virus...

Well not himself but a chip implanted within himself. Dr. Mark Gasson from the University of Reading contaminated a modified RFID chip, similar to those used to chip your pets, and is experimenting with the infected device and systems that it may connect to. The ramifications, as Dr. Gasson explains in this BBC video clip, could be extensive as more and more uses for the chips are found and more devices are scanning for the data contained within the chips.

"This type of technology has been commercialised in the United States as a type of medical alert bracelet, so that if you're found unconscious you can be scanned and your medical history brought up." says Dr. Gasson. An infected chip could hold an entirely different payload than that which is intended for use by the system scanning it. 

Can you say Minority Report?

RFID In The Operating Room

Radio frequency identification devices (RFID) are becoming a popular means of keeping track of things, including helping to identify patients in a hospital, and revealing the location of equipment. Dutch scientists are now claiming that RFIDs can have a negative effect on life-saving equipment, even in some cases turning off critical medical devices. Research conducted at Vrije University in Amsterdam, tested the effect of holding both "passive" and powered RFIDs close to 41 medical devices. According to this BBC report "A total of 123 tests, three on each machine, were carried out, and 34 produced an "incident" in which the RFID appeared to have an effect - 24 of which were deemed either "significant" or "hazardous". In some tests, RFIDs either switched off or changed the settings on mechanical ventilators, completely stopped the working of syringe pumps, caused external pacemakers to malfunction, and halted dialysis machines." Proponents of the technology say that the type of RFID used in medical situations are much less likely to have occurances than those used in retail situations and that any medical rated tag would have to meet a standard, meaning it is very unlikely that interference with medical devices would occur.

Ford Offers Hi-Tech Features To F-Series Trucks and E-Series Vans

Ford Motor Co. is offering up some innovative features to appeal to contractors and business owners. The company announced yesterday that it was rolling out four new features branded as Ford Work Solutions. “Our truck customers are smart - and they work hard,” said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. “Ford Work Solutions provides truck customers new technologies and tools to help them work even smarter and further boost their productivity.” The lineup includes:

• an in-dash computer system that provides full high-speed Internet access via the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and navigation by Garmin;
• Tool Link, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system enabling customers to maintain a detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment stored in the pickup box;
  
• Crew Chief, a fleet telematics and diagnostics system; and
• Cable Lock, a security system to discourage theft of tools too large to fit in the cab.

It's funny, I never saw Ford as a Geek's company but these features would make Tim Taylor drool! On second thought my '79 Pinto wagon was a little on the geeky side...

IBM to help pharmaceutical industry in fight against couterfeiters

We've all received the annoying e-mail spam offering cheap pain relievers or erectile dysfunction drugs, and in many cases what you'd receive, if you actually fell for it, is counterfeit medication. IBM has created a system that it calls "ePedegree" to track medications from the manufacturer, to the pharmacy, and all points in between. Using RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags similar to those already employed in the retail industry, the system allows the drug companies to create electronic certificates of authenticity for medications. It's a cat and mouse game however, as other measures have already been employed only to be faked within a few months. IBM says the system has other uses "for keeping track of expiration dates, batch numbers in case a drug is recalled, and so on." Globe and Mail story here.

The intelligent bookshelf coming soon

Two enterprising young gentlemen in the Netherlands have developed a bookshelf that is aware of a books presence and will eventually use fingerprint scanning techniques to authenticate users and keep track of who has borrowed books from the shelf. Using RFID technology, antennas in the bookshelf, and a PC to track the books entry and departure from the shelf, the system has many promising uses. Here is a video demonstration:

Thanks to engadget for this story.

Wine bottles going high tech

I enjoy a nice glass of wine from time to time, and my purchases generally range from $15 to $35 a bottle. I'm not in the same league as the real collectors who will think nothing of dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars for a single bottle, and I tend to consume my purchases as opposed to putting them in the cellar! So it has never occurred to me that wines might be the target of counterfeiters much like fine art, but apparently this is enough of a problem to warrant the vintners to turn to tech companies for help. As this Globe and Mail article describes, the industry is experimenting with RFID chips in corks and anti-counterfeiting techniques for the labels similar to those used in currency. Some big players such as Eastman Kodak Co. are developing technologies to assist the wine makers.

By the way, here is my wine recommendation. Enjoy!