Using RFID Tags Around the House?

Attacked-by-gremlins writes "I have a larger family and various items in the house (some tools, some pieces of clothing) 'travel' unexpectedly. We joke about gremlins doing that, but it's tiring never to be sure that I'll find an object where I left it two days ago. For the sheer hacking fun of it, I'm thinking of sticking RFID tags on some and trying to triangulate a position with several tranceivers placed in the house. Has anyone have any suggestions for this amateur 'Google Home'? Thanks."

Comments

Why Not?

[FurtiveGlancer]

Beats the heck out of everyone learning to be considerate of each others' property. What benefit would that have in real life? ~

Re:Why Not?

[ciaohound]

You obviously don't have young children, or if you do, turn in your geek card now for dismissing appropriate technology for a problem that has vexed geek dads for generations. My dad attached his scissors to his desk with a chain. We learned to subvert that by using his letter opener to pry open the link. Voila, scissors walk off and disapper. With kids of my own, I find that anything of value must be physically secured, with lock and key. It is irritating when they pull out the entire set of pots, pans, and storage containers and build a barricade in the kitchen, but that's what kids do, and it is kind of cute, after all, and it's probably just a phase that they go through. But no matter what, the door to my basement office stays locked.

Range

[Cyner]

There's some equipment out there with decent range, but it's usually quite expensive. My $50 do-it-all tranciever has a range of about 6 inches. With the lower frequency tags you get better range, but still I don't think I've seen trancievers with anywhere-in-the-house type range.

Re:Range

[isleshocky77]

I would have to agree. I just had to do a project for a senior class on tracking people on RFID. It's so bad that decided to use another technology. RFID is just too expensive for anything over centimeter ranges. We ended up going with Zigbee devices from Texas Instruments. If you want to read about our setup it's all here. http://peopletrackerinc.com/ Their really cheap and small, accurate up to 1-2 meters with about 100 yard range. It uses something similar to 802.11 for wireless transmission. It's extremely cool if you want to look into. We have the entire setup up and running to track people within a building.

To do it effectively won't be cheap....

[barc0001]

Really. Most sub $100 readers have a range that can be measured in millimeters. To get something with about 3' or 4' of range for a single reader will cost four figures. I've done some fairly extensive testing with these readers, and it is possible to boost the range by adding external antennas (for more money). So I guess what I am saying is that what you are planning on doing is technically possible, but is not feasible for most peoples' "tinkering" budgets.

Now, where dd I put that RFID scanner?

[MessyBlob]

Now, where dd I put that RFID scanner?

Re:Now, where dd I put that RFID scanner?

[eln]

Well obviously you'd put an RFID chip on the scanner as well. Christ, do I have to think of everything around here?

Re:Now, where dd I put that RFID scanner?

[jblake]

Me too!

Serious suggestion (don't use RFID)

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Buy two hammers separately. Make sure they are identical. Make sure you also have two receipts.

Next time someone misplaces your stuff, use one hammer to break their hand. If the skin breaks and blood gets on the hammer, throw it in your neighbor's yard and find a way to plant the receipt over there.

When the police come to find you, explain that you found your spouse, kid, dog, whatever in a crazed state with broken fingers. They must be hallucinating because they are blaming you. Hey, look at that! Maybe your neighbor just went inside, and, oh my god, there's a bloody hammer right next to his birdbath! Well, case closed, officer.

You'll never have anything misplaced again.

You might want to try a loc8tor

[samael]

http://www.loc8tor.com/

Re:$$$ budget?

[agurk]

Depending on the size of the home he might consider using readers which only covers every door. So the system atleast keeps track of which room contains said item.

I do not know if this would be cheaper, just a thought.

Garage Sale

[Setherghd]

Have a garage sale, and get rid of everything you don't need.

If you're losing items in messy closets or bedrooms, then you probably need to clean up the clutter. That or you own way too many valuable possessions that may be stolen or permanently lost. Live simple.

I live in a small, energy-efficient home. I own exactly what I need and no more. I have a computer, a desk, a chair, books, an acoustic guitar, a bike, and a couch. And that's about it.

All of my cookware and utensils stay in the kitchen and never leave. Cleaning supplies stay in a closet. My toothbrush in the medicine cabinet.

I never lose a thing. Ever.

Last room entered

[SoundGuyNoise]

Instead of trying to triangulate a position, you might be able to put a receivers on doorways, and log to a network each RFID signal received. This way when you look up your hammer, you can tell which doorway it last passed.

The RFIDHouse

[CopaceticOpus]

For this to be really useful, I think you need an RFID tag on every item in the home. First, construct a new home with a single entry point (you can add emergency exits for fire safety.) The front entry room will contain a computer and an RFID tagging device. Every single object that comes through the door gets tagged, named, photographed, and described in the computer system before it is allowed into the house.

It's a little work upfront, but think of the advantages. No time wasted organizing your possessions. No time wasted "tidying up." Nothing can ever be out of place, because nothing BELONGS anywhere. The mixing bowl might not be in the kitchen, but it's no trouble. Just search for it using any of the dozens of wall terminals installed around the house, and a series of flashing arrows will direct you right to your desired object.

Re:Can RFID triangulate at short ranges?

[Eristone]

My current employer (i.e. disclaimer - I work for 'em) has stuff that does this -- it's definitely not cheap though. Uses active RFID tags and wireless access points to do the triangulation stuff.

Re:Use the other hammer to beat a dead horse

[bugnuts]

So, what's the second hammer for? A redundant array of independent hammers? No, it's so that everyone knows you still have a hammer, and you're not afraid to use it.

Re:Remember 'The Meaning of Life"

[flaming error]

> Your problem is a human problem that CANNOT be solved by technology

Huh? My cordless phone at home is rarely in its cradle. But I can push the pager button, it beeps, and I found the phone. I'd say technology can help find misplaced items.

Or you could use technology to abuse your children (just kidding, kind of) until they bend to your will. That might work too.

Re:Can RFID triangulate at short ranges?

[choseph]

Maybe buy a a bunch of cheaper receivers and put them on every door jamb in the house. At least then you'll have a "last seen in this room" style locator.

Ah, yes, I remember that Blessed State

[jeko]

Once upon a time, I too was single. When I put things down, they remained there until I picked them up again.

Then I got married, and the sudden Alzheimer's onset began. Things... Things began to move. It began small, tv remotes, car keys and the like. Soon it extended out to clothing, kitchen appliances. And then things began to just -- I'M NOT CRAZY DAMMIT! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! -- things began to DISAPPEAR. Treasured old jeans, t-shirts I'd had since high school, important tax receipts from 1992, they all began to just go away with no explanation.

Then the poltergeists came, and my wife insisted on calling them children. I fiercely hold my TV remote in my hand, knowing that if I loosen my grip on it it will fly across the room. Change on the desktop, shiny hand tools, anything that beeps, whistles or lights up, DVDs of any stripe, anything less than 60 lbs of dead weight can fly away in a heartbeat.

But I'm safe now, here in my closet. I got my favorite Leatherman, my surefire flashlight, my solid brass Zippo lighter and MY TV REMOTE DAMMIT and I am NOT LETTING GO OF THEM! NOT LETTING GO!

And I am not opening the door. They're MINE, YA HEAR ME? MINE!!!!!!