SAP Developing RFID-to-Second Life Inventory Tracker For Consumer Goods-- But Is It A Good Idea?
If I understand this prototype video from SAP, the enterprise software giant is developing a system for tracking consumer goods in real life via radio-frequency identification codes embedded on products, which are then displayed in a mirror reality grocery store in Second Life. (That's Erica Dubach of SAP below, explaining and demoing the technology.)
So for example, instead of looking at a dry spreadsheet which only displays numbers of products in a given location, you can actually see them moving through a 3D representation, from supply to display to consumer. (I suppose if a shelf collapsed on Aisle 5 in real life, you'd actually see the products strewn every where in the SL version.) Mixed reality immersive visualization seems like a good idea, I just wonder if it makes sense to create a 3D mirror world model of the store that you need to navigate through. Wouldn't it be better to represent the products with smaller icons in a scaled-down version of the store, small enough that you could get an instant visual snapshot from a single glance?
When does the tracking stop? Will they show me not only taking the porn DVDs off the shelf, buying at the register, but then also driving out of the parking lot, and then to my home?
Will they be able to track what kind of car make that porn DVD drove away in? Will they be able to track the name brand of the DVD player I use to watch my copy of "Gorean Girls Gone Wild"??
.... in all seriousness, I think it's a 110% great idea at this point. Keep moving forward with the project. Eventually someone will complain about the tracking and privacy issues, and then we can figure out if it's a good idea or not.
.... also, just for the record, I still think cloning is a good idea.
Posted by: Doubledown Tandino | Monday, November 17, 2008 at 11:31 AM
Would be cooler if you could shop from home and then a delivery guy shows up at your door with your stuff.
Posted by: Ann Otoole | Monday, November 17, 2008 at 11:42 AM
@ Doubledown: Lulz!
Posted by: Hamlet Au | Monday, November 17, 2008 at 11:52 AM
@ Ann ... several of those companies already exist. Starfruit in Second Life for example. Starfruit is a real life chocolate, flowers, and gifts delivery company where you can pay with lindens and the RL delivery guy shows up at your door. I've bought their RL products through SL myself and was extremely happy and impressed. That was close to 15 months ago... so I figure by now there's shops selling real life stuff....
Nyla Cheeky the fashion designer does this as well. At her store you can purchase her RL designs, clothing, costumes, gowns.... shes AMAZING!
I think the whole intention of the original American Apparel in SL was to get to that point... but they didn't realize it all doesn't just work after you wave a Starax wand at the store.
but yeah, check it out. There are definitely some places that sell RL stuff delivered after being purchased inworld.
Posted by: Doubledown Tandino | Monday, November 17, 2008 at 12:18 PM
As a recent graduate in RFID technology and a SL fan I really didn't expect something like this. It's pretty amazing though.
About actually rebuilding the store in SL, I guess that's just form. It looks nicer to show it like that during a demo. I'm sure it's just as easy to just set up a scale model with icons.
But what the store looks like isn't really the big deal about this anyway. The big deal here is the function, not the form. The function being the connection between SAP and SL. In itself not a huge accomplishment, given the modular nature of both pieces of software this was always possible - it just amazes that this step has been taken by the company behind SAP themselves. I would have expected a bridge connection like this to be coded by some independent guy making custom SAP plugins.
With the huge spread of SAP in big multinational corps, I guess this could lead to a small influx of new RL business presences in SL.
I guess it's time I make an avatar that doesn't look like a Mad Max character, so I can start showing Second Life to some business connections of mine without fearing their negative reactions to my extreme look.
Posted by: Eirik Haefnir | Monday, November 17, 2008 at 10:12 PM