Commercial Utilization of Mobile RFID

Abstract

The basic functionalities of mobile devices (e.g. phone calls, text messages, browsing the in‐ ternet) are extended to the interaction with physical objects from the real world as a result of the establishment of mobile devices as ubiquitous and personal computing platforms [1]. In this context, mobile interaction with the physical world, the use of mobile devices as media‐ tors for the interaction with the physical world, become more and more popular [2]. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is one of the enabling technologies that turn mo‐ bile devices – commonly mobile phones – into readers of RFID tags attached to physical ob‐ jects [3]. RFID technology that is used in the context of physical mobile interaction is mobile RFID. This technology enables mobile devices with embedded micro RFID readers to read RFID tags [4]. Via mobile RFID people can contact RFID tagged objects anywhere [5]. The studies in the relevant literature (see Section 2.1) focus mostly on the realization techniques, architecture of the physical mobile interaction and its perception by users and the conse‐ quences of this perception. Advantages gained by physical mobile interaction – realized es‐ pecially by mobile RFID have not been discussed comprehensively. This study aims to provide an analysis to address this gap and provide a comprehensive discussion. There are indeed a few studies (see Section 3.2.1) in which advantages of using RFID technology in mobile devices are discussed. However, they are discussed briefly while discussing applica‐ tions of RFID enabled mobile phones and how to use RFID technology in mobile phones.