Simon Japs, Informationsforum RFID

Mr Japs, how important is RFID in Germany? 

Very important. Germany is home not only to leading suppliers of the technology, but also to many users. Among them are major enterprises such as the retailer METRO Group or the logistics firm DHL. In addition, German research facilities lead the field with their work on RFID and the Internet of Things.

Are SMEs also interested in the technology?

We have just conducted a survey that shows exactly that. 62% of the SMEs surveyed are interested in getting to know the benefits of the technology, and 65% believe that RFID will be important for SMEs. Unfortunately, SMEs lag behind in the actual implementation of RFID technology. Better information and support are needed to close this gap.

How are companies using the technology?

Most applications relate to logistics or the control of production processes. But we are seeing more and more applications that put consumers into direct contact with the technology. As yet, these are just small dots on the RFID map, but their number is increasing.

Could you give some examples?

Even today, consumers are using RFID in many ways in their everyday lives: be it in the car, at security checks or at the fitness centre. Most people aren’t even aware that they are using RFID technology, however. We have learned that the technology is only perceived as such when critical reports appear. By contrast, if an application works in an automatic and convenient way, the RFID technology behind it is barely discussed at all. We take this as the starting point for our work. We point out the advantages of RFID, without ignoring the critical aspects.

How does this work in practice?

We are involved, for example, in events that provide a range of groups – such as consumers, companies, politicians and journalists – with information about the technology. At the same time, we seek to foster dialogue between critics and proponents of RFID. Our online information portal http://www.rfidabc.de/ tells consumers about the range of possible applications, in an intuitive and entertaining way.

Is your work beginning to bear fruit?

In contrast to a few years ago, the surveillance aspect now no longer dominates opinions about RFID in the media and in society. An increasing number of people know about RFID and are positive about its applications. Prejudices against the technology are slowly beginning to dissipate.
At the same time, we are noticing a limited readiness among consumers to get informed about the technology. Their interest increases when they come into contact with the technology. One important conclusion from our work is: if RFID technology is to be accepted by consumers, it has to bring them benefits.

In 2008 you held a logo competition. What was the aim of the contest?

There is a consensus in society that those RFID applications with which consumers come into direct contact should be labelled accordingly. The problem is: to date there is no standard logo – like there is for EPC applications, for example. So, we called on design students to develop such a universal logo for RFID. The main purpose of the competition was to raise public awareness for the need for a standard marking and to advance the debate further.

Organisation

Informationsforum RFID considers itself a platform for dialogue for representatives of business, politics and society at large. Its members are global leaders companies in retail, consumer goods, automobiles, IT and services. Together, they promote the further use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and give fresh impetus to the debate about the technology’s applications.