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Future smart badges

February 2001

Smart badges are mainly used today for access to computers, building access, tracking and so on. In the future, even secure access to homes and cars may use the badge as an identifier. Since the badge holds personal preferences and data, equipment such as telephones and computer terminals would be able to adapt to that user instantly. Although this the main function of today's smart badge, as memory has become much cheaper and wireless communication better, it is now possible for it to hold a great deal of personal information. As well as communicating with fixed electronic equipment, it is also possible for badges to talk to each other. When two badge wearers met, their badges might exchange information. At first they would exchange fairly superficial details, then if various criteria were met, they might exchange more. Provided both badges agreed, they would then warn their owners.

This could have simple business uses such as finding someone at an airport or swapping business card information, but their social use is more interesting. The badges could be loaded with business card data, but also information on hobbies and interests, age, religion, and of course, sexual preferences, marital status and availability. The two main uses for such devices may thus be in business meetings and night-clubs. So in a few years, when you bump into your ideal partner, lights might flash, romantic music plays and you could save hours dancing with all the wrong people. It appears that Philips have thought of exactly the same idea and may release a product soon, and other companies have already released much simpler versions specifically for night clubs. In terms of communication technology, the badges could use infrared, radio, or ultrasound. Each has its merits, but infrared wouldn’t work if the badge was in a ladies handbag, or hidden behind clothing.

With satellite or in-building location technology, badge wearers would know precisely where they are and how to get to anywhere else, including finding a person that the badge has identified and located. It thus doubles as a tracking device. Another function the badge can provide is a body network, linking together electronic appliances in pockets, belts, handbags and briefcases. When people meet, their various appliances are automatically connected via this local network.

Such badges will doubtless evolve and will eventually interwork with ear-pieces, eyepieces, and eventually active contact lenses. Of course, they could easily be integrated into a universal interface. A Star Trek com-badge would give remote access to the superhighway and all the computers on it. Just by talking, files and messages could be brought over the network and played. Electronic cash could easily be incorporated into badges too, alongside an electronic shopping list, so that shopping might not require a visit to a till, just a data exchange between a chip on the product being bought, the badge, and the store computer as the customer walks out. The shopper may be automatically guided around the store to the products required, with appropriate personalised advertising on the way based on the shopper's profile. Credit cards, loyalty cards and discount vouchers may all be replaced by the badge. Similarly, electronic signatures and certificates could be badge based, avoiding the need to carry around a multitude of smart cards.

Eventually, as computing and software becomes more powerful and smaller, we will gradually see badges incorporate more and more computing facilities. But as part of the new 'fabric' of distributed computing, their communications links will always allow them to access far more than can ever be held in a single device.