|
Why has the Indian markets been largely untouched by the RFID revolution?
It is steadily changing. A lot of enterprises are evincing keen interest in the technology. It is really surprising about how much people are aware about RFID. In fact many firms are actively pursuing pilot projects. Indian markets would no longer be untouched by the revolution.
Are you working with Indian companies on an RFID implementation?
A few leading companies are currently in the early stages of implementation. Will be unable to share precise details as of now.
From which sector do these clients hail from? Is it retail only?
It is retail and manufacturing both.
Has SAP also tied up with any company in India for RFID?
We have tied up with TCS and Infosys as system integrators. There are more such partnerships in the offing.
Isn’t it strange, that while retail is the key driver behind the RFID adoption, SAP does not have a major client in this space?
But we are actively working with all the retail majors. Consider this: a majority of Wallmart and Home Depot suppliers are SAP customers. We are catering to the RFID ecosystem.
There has also been talk about the emergence of RFID viruses, your views.
Yes, like every other technological innovation, there will be malafide users who will try to misuse it. Similarly, counterchecks are evolving for RFID as well, like firewalls, etc. that will detect malicious behavior and take preventive actions. As we learn more and more, so will the protective measures evolve.
What are the innovative uses of RFID technology?
There are just so many, take for instance, in California, I just drive through the Expressways, while the tollbooths capture the data with the use of RFID tag and send me a monthly bill. Some hospitals are talking about tagging their patients with RFID to ensure that correct medicine is given to the correct patient. As mentioned earlier, a few countries are talking about RFID tagged passports. Chinese authorities in Shanghai, used RFID to track slaughtered pigs. Pharma companies are trying to curb counterfeit products with the help of RFID. In fact, Nokia has come out with a few handsets that enable RFID authentication. The application of RFID is only limited by your imagination.
|