[Air-l] RFID

[Jonathan Cornwell]

To Michael:
But what of the technology-mediated serendipitous encounter? Perhaps the
issue rests on one's perception of whether the glass is half full or half
empty. For example, large-scale social events can be overwhelming affairs
for those tending toward the introverted end of the personality scales (a
not-uncommon trait amongst us scientific types, yes?). Such tech might
facilitate connections that would otherwise not be made. On the other side,
RFID badges like Reid describes are certainly no more privacy-compromising
than all the rest of our info tech... and not unlike V-Cards or profiles on
social network environments like MySpace, et al. Finally, if such badges are
opt-in, then the privacy/control issue disappears via choice.

To Barry & Ellis:
I recently came upon a couple of published studies in which electronic
tracking was used to measure and analyze social networks in physical space.
Unfortunately, these articles were outside my immediate lit search needs so
I didn't keep them. If I remember correctly, one was at MIT and involved
several hundred students and staff volunteers who were tracked by their cell
phones. I don't have much more detail than that as I was skimming abstracts.
In any case, some researchers are, in fact, finding practical use for RFID
and other electronic tracking in human subjects (since, of course, such
tracking has been done for years with animal subjects, especially in the
wild).

And, Ellis, wouldn't mapping activity in physical space would have some
corresponding value to your work in Social Geometry... realworld vs.
theoretical spaces and all.

Finally, Social Psych 101 teaches that proximity is a major factor in
liking... a premise that could be further validated with RFID.

Jonathan 

-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Michael Zimmer
Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 1:40 PM
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org; wrc at tcfir.org
Subject: Re: [Air-l] RFID

And thus you lost all control to selectively distribute information  
about yourself. (short of wrapping your badge in tin foil)

On Aug 25, 2006, at 3:08 PM, Dr. W. Reid Cornwell wrote:

> Barry and Ellis,
>
> For the last year, we have been looking at experimental designs that
> incorporate RFID.
>
> I attended a conference where the badges were RFID and when I  
> approached
> someone that shared my interests (logged at registration) the  
> badges not
> only recorded the data but beeped on both badges to inform us that  
> we were
> kindred spirits. It was awesome. Can you imagine this for group  
> research?
>
> Reid
>
> ________________________________
>
>
> Dr. W. Reid Cornwell
> The Center For Internet Research
> P.O. Box 6369
> Breckenridge, CO
>
> 720.212.0719 (phone)
> 970.485.5109 (mobile)
> wrc at tcfir.org
> http://tcfir.org
>
>
>
>
>
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