RFID Touch Panels of the Future, named SKIN

Personally, I think this is pretty cool. Siemens headquarters in Vienna, Austria has a 34 foot long set of interactive, RFID reading, motion sensing, touch screens in their lobby. These touch screens have a motion sensing camera set up so that they can detect when someone is walking by and attempt to engage them with relevant content. These touch screens seem to be able to access the internet with their own search engine ability.

In addition, these screens have a RFID reader. If the person carries an RFID tag recognized by the system (such as a Siemens visitor card) the content can be customized for them. This content can be custom created on the spot by a specified Siemens employee.

However, I do not want to stay too long on the touch screens themselves. If you want to learn more go to http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/8829/1. What I want to focus on is the last two paragraphs of the article.

They refer to SportScheck, a retailer in Munich, installing one in their flagship store. It goes on to say that they could be used in retail for further information about a product.

So, as is my common practice, I thought about the implications of this. If every product is tagged with RFID, the customer can come up to the touch screen, product in hand. The screen can read the product and submit relevant information about it.

However, this information does not seem to be limited to what is within the system (unlike previous systems). It seems these panels can access the internet as well. How amazing would it be to come up to the touch screen and it instantly produces pictures of celebrities wearing the pants you are thinking of purchasing? In addition it could suggest further clothing options which would match the pants, inventoried within the store.

Ok, so that might seem interesting to those interested in fashion. However, for video gamers out there, envision this. You walk up to the screen with a RFID tagged video game. The screen automatically goes to www.gamefaqs.com where it shows customer reviews of the game. In addition, it pulls up actual footage of gameplay in one corner of the screen and places other screenshots throughout. Does this excite the more male demographic just a bit more (or is it just me)?

So, you are now seeing some of the more creative applications of these panels. However, let us take this one step further. With this technology, what is stopping these panels to be used as automated RFID checkout systems? A virtual, on-screen person can walk you through the process, reading all of the RFID held in front of the reader. With a simple payment system attached to the screen the customer can make payment (or simply make payment with the NFC feature on their phone).  The RFID tags would then be deactivated, allowing the customer passage through the RFID sensing security system located at the stores entrance.

How quickly would this system pay for itself? Considering the $67,000 to $81,000 price tag per screen, it would take a while. However, are these prices sure to drop? You bet. Are there technical difficulties which still need to be worked out? I’m sure. But is this where we are moving? Without a doubt.

Interested in RFID? Do you have a new RFID business innovation you need implemented? Contact Ron Pulvermacher of Matrix Product Development at 608 834-1661. With 20+ years of RFID experience, Ron can provide the expertise you need to make the implementation a success. Contact him today.