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August 30, 2005
Hong Kong airport to use RFID to improve security and efficiency
In a bid to beef up its security and improve operational effectiveness, Hong Kong's International Airport at Chek Lap Kok which opened on July 6, 1998 is moving forward with perhaps one of the largest Radio frequency identification (RFID)implementations at an airport.
RFID refers to the technology that uses devices attached to objects that transmit data to an RFID receiver. These devices can be large pieces of hardware the size of a small book like those attached to ocean containers or very small devices inserted into a label on a package. RFID has advantages over bar codes such as the ability to hold more data, the ability to change the stored data as processing occurs, does not require line-of-sight to transfer data and is very effective in harsh environments where bar code labels won't work.
Technologists for years have touted RFID's capabilities in curbing terrorism my allowing monitoring of cargo around the world. The project in Hong Kong is one of the first of its kind. The $50 million project is intended to boost security while improving baggage-handling efficiency at the airport.
The airport handles about 38 million passengers and 17 million bags each year. The old system that used bar coding was being stretched due to high volume of luggage through the airport. Errors were generated when baggages sat on each other making it impossible for barcode machines to record entries without human intervention.
RFID tags and readers, on the other hand, are accurate at least 95 percent of the time. When fewer bags have to be dealt with manually, better security and lower costs result. A system that can improve security is obviously beneficial, but it's a much easier sell if it can help pay for itself through cost savings.
With baggage, the cost justification is simple. Every missing or mishandled bag costs an average of $100 to replace or transport to its owner. About 1 percent to 2 percent of the total bags handled are lost or misplaced each year. At Hong Kong's airport, if 1 percent of the bags went missing, rectifying the problem would cost $17 million a year.
While security was certainly an important consideration, the primary reason was operational efficiency and to be able to address growth. They wanted a good customer experience, according to an airport official.
Passengers should see no difference with the RFID system because the silicon chip and antenna that make up the RFID tag are included in what looks like a bar code strip, which is attached to the bag using an adhesive inlay. The RFID printer encodes the tag with an International Air Transport Association "license plate" that includes the basic airline information along with passenger information and the flight number.
RFID readers track the bag at various nodes — explosives-detection systems, baggage carousels, loading devices and conveyor belts — providing an audit trail and assurance that the bag is heading for its correct destination.
About a dozen other airports in Asia have shown interest in deployments similar to Hong Kong's. It's unclear how soon U.S. airports will show interest. "It's very difficult to get airports in the [United States] to embrace RFID or any new technology.
Posted by admin at August 30, 2005 08:00 AM