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RFID in China: 7000 Years of Innovation

 

Monday, August 27, 2007
Adi Tedjasaputra.
by Adi Tedjasaputra

Yesterday was the last day of a 3-month exhibition about scientific discoveries and technological inventions made by the Chinese for the past 7000 years. The exhibition held in Singapore Science Centre covers eleven areas of Chinese invention, i.e. astronomy, compass, gunpowder, printing, mechanics, architecture, weaving, ceramics, paper making, bronze casting and traditional medicine. It was interesting to find RFID technology being used to demonstrate Acupuncture associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Acupuncture is a well-known medical technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Seeing a human body as a delicate balance between two opposing and inseparable forces: Yin and Yang, Qi or Chi (vital energy) is believed to circulate throughout body along meridians influenced by the balance between Yin and Yang. In a healthy body, Chi flows freely through meridians without blockage, stagnation or weakening. Xue (acupuncture points) are the locations where Chi of the Meridians rise close to the surface of body. It is believed that a human body consists of 12 main meridians, 8 secondary meridians and more than 2,000 acupuncture points (See reference 1, 2 and 3 for more information).

RFID Acupuncture.One of the exhibition highlights is an Interactive Acupuncture Chart. The main part of the system is a human body model illustrated with meridians and acupuncture points. This model gives visitors an opportunity to learn about different meridians and acupuncture points available throughout human body. Some key acupuncture points are tagged with small black coin-shaped passive RFID tags with a diameter of 14 mm and thickness of 3.2mm.

Another important part of the system is a flashlight-shaped RFID reader connected to a host computer. The 125kHz RFID reader serves as a probe to the human body model. Whenever a visitor points a key acupuncture point that is tagged with an RFID tag, a touch-screen display located nearby the human body model will give a corresponding information.

The system was interactive and easy to use for the visitors of all ages. The visitors explored and played with the system without realising the technology complexity. Some visitors who are interested to find the key acupuncture points related to their illness explored the human body model with the RFID reader easily.

Interestingly, during my exploration with the system, I accidentally discovered one of the RFID tags on the floor nearby the human model. Instead of examining all the key acupuncture points on the human body model to find the origin of the tag, I scanned the RFID tag and read the corresponding information on the touch-screen display. I easily located the exact location of the tag where the tag originated on the human body model. I put back the tag where it belongs and I was satisfied that the system functions as it should be.

Thanks to Cheong Hee Kiat for his generosity and recommendation.

The writer is the Founder of RFID Asia - The Prominent RFID Community in Asia.


References

1. Wikipedia. Acupuncture. Wikipedia. Retrieved on 27th August 2007.
2. NCCAM (December 2004). Acupuncture. NCCAM. Retrieved on 27th August 2007.
3. ICBS, Inc. Channels or Meridians in Acupunture. ICBS, Inc. Retrieved on 27th August 2007.


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