Seiko Precision Introduces Hybrid RFID Tags
Seiko Precision, Inc. is going to introduce "hybrid RFID tags" (SecureTag WT-300). It's based on the idea of combining an active RFID tag and a passive RFID tag in a single package (and thereby providing dual communication ranges).
The active-tag component provides the communication range of about 50cm, and can be used to track people's whereabouts in large spaces. The passive-tag component provides a shorter communication range, however, its identification/authentication mechanism is more secure.
It may sound similar to NICT's hybrid radio frequency identification system, which they presented at Mobile Response 2007?Workshop last year.
Seiko Precision's Press Release in Japanese
Original Source: RFID in Japan
Dr. Shin'ichi Konomi has been RFID in Japan's contributor since April of 2004. He received his Ph.D. from Kyoto University, Japan and was a postdoctoral research scientist at Fraunhofer IPSI, Germany. He has been building and testing various ubicomp applications using RFID since 1998. Shin'ichi often collaborated with his colleagues in Japan, co-organizing International Workshops on RFID (2004) and playing a role as a liaison for ALAN-K Project, an international project for introducing a new computer-supported learning environment for Japanese kids (2002). He also writes articles on technology and media arts in Japan for we-make-money-not-art.com.