RFID, Under the SkinSmaller than a grain of rice and costing as little as $2, the Radio Frequency IDentification chips are causing quite a stir amonst technology enthusiasts thanks to Amal Graafstra. The 29 year old entrepreneur and many of his friends have had the chips implanted into their hands to help them with daily tasks such as opening locked doors and logging into their computers. As it cannot be lost or stolen it has many advantages over a key, or a password for example and can always be removed at a later date. There is a broad range of applications and a bright future for RFID tags, however support for the technology is split because of privacy issues surrounding the tag readers. |
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UK Mobile TVMobile TV is making a debut in the UK courtesy of Arqiva and O2. Sixteen channels are expected to be available during the initial trial of 400 people in Oxford. This will be a step up from downloadable content, already available from many network operators, with mobiles instead receiving TV signals directly. The trial may also go someway to helping to solve the worldwide mobile TV format war. However, the future looks very promising for a technology which is already expected to have millions of users worldwide by 2010. |
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Google EarthGoogle Labs latest offering sees a mixture of internet search tool, maps and satellite imagery come together to form Google Earth. Importantly this application in the basic form is completely free to download and use, allowing anyone with a basic broadband package or above to marvel at the features it provides. Find any place in the world instantly and easily and Google Earth will display it using satellite images where available. You can get very accurate directions from one place to another and annotate your favourite places. The 3D world also allows for a seemingly limitless control over the camera, showing terrain and even buildings in the case of some larger cities. This is an application that is a must for all broadband users. |
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WakamaruThe small robot developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which is currently available in Japan, was developed as a household companion. Dubbed Wakamaru after young samurai boys, the robot stands three foot tall and contains a vast array of technology. It was envisaged to have many uses from just a helper around the house to working within the health care environment. Wakamaru differs from many other robots that have been developed in that it does not just respond to actions from people but can also spontaneously react and perform actions from what it has learnt about its surroundings. While expected to be available for ,300 it won't be in everyones price range, but will definitely pave the way for more technology of its kind. |
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