Slashdot Mirror
Michelin to Include RFID Transmitter in Every Tire
An anonymous reader writes "According to the RFID Journal, Michelin (the tire manufacturer) has announced that it is planning on embedding RFID transmitters into every tire. The article states that 'the microchip stores the tire's unique ID, which can be associated with the vehicle identification number.' Let the privacy invasion begin!" If they're going to embed electronics in tires, I wish they'd start with tiny pressure gauges. (See also this story from a few days ago about the coming surge in RFID tags.)
The tire makers are just trying to comply with the law! The TREAD (Transportation, Recall, Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation) Act requires tire makers to track all of their tires in case they need to recall them. Blame Congress, not the tire makers.
Oh, and to respond to the editors comment about how they should make tired that track tire pressure instead, they already do! (Is it okay for me to tell the editor to RTFA?
They put in in people inside a capsule thats the size of a grain of rice and most of that size is the capsule. The devices consist of a single TINY microchip (grain of sand size) and a very tiny inductor (two grains of sand size).
a ts/rfid/index.htm, which manufactures a whole line of the devices.
The devices are powered by received RF energy, which the "reader" transmits. This isn't crazy, remember crystal AM radios? Did you know that you can listen to AM stations using a reciever that's powered BY the AM signal? Did you know that you can string a long wire parallel to the power lines and steal power from the electric company via electrical induction?
You can read ALL about commercial RFID systems at http://www.microchip.com/1010/pline/frequency/rfc
-73, de n1ywb
www.n1ywb.com
Since a lot of ppl are asking a lot of the same questions about RFID devices, I thought I'd answer some here.
More information can be had from Microchip, a leading manufacturer of RFID devices. A lot of this information is coming from their RFID Design Guide
1. What is an RFID tag?
An RFID tag is a very small microcontroller and radio transmitter/receiver. They typically consist of a single chip and a single coil which behaves as an antenna.
2. What does an RFID tag transmit?
Most RFID tags transmit a single large integer number, unique to that individual tag. A serial number, if you will. Some RF tags also have a very small amount of ROM/EEPROM, and so could transmit a little more info and can even be reprogrammed by the "reader".
3. How are they powered?
The RFID "reader" device emits RF energy. The RFID tag receives this energy and uses it to power itself. It's a lot like an old AM crystal radio. The device transmits its number over and over at a very high bps for a high level of data redundancy.
There is a whole shitload more technical modulation theory and stuff that goes on here which I'm leaving out. If you aren't a ham or other radio type person it would probably be meaningless. Again if you would like more info, look here.
-73, de n1ywb
www.n1ywb.com
True, the government doesn't really care about you (unless you happen to be from certain unpopoular countries these days). Companies, on the other hand, would love to know all about you so that they can target your particular interests for all sorts of products they'd like to sell you. They're the ones you really have to worry about when it comes to privacy issues, because they really *do* care about your personal info.
-- Will quantum computers run imaginary-time operating systems?
if you had an emp that could do that, that would probably be the least destructive thing to do with it
I suspect something on the order of 10's of watts (very low power) would easily do it. Even if it was on a harmonic of the original frequency, in which case you might get away with consumer hardware. Or, even something as simple as a strong magnetic field - you can make one of those if you have a coil and current.
..don't panic