Smart Elevators

RFID in Japan: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation developed a technology that combines RFID tags and cameras for controlling elevators. With their technology, elevators don’t make people wait for them. Instead, they wait for people.
By combining RFID and image processing, they claim that their system could tell if a person wanted to use an elevator or was just waking near an elevator (without any intention to use an elevator.)
This technology seems to have many useful applications — Handicapped people and the elderly may be able to get on an elevator without the trouble of pushing buttons. Also, in an office building, employees could move back to their “home floors” without selecting a floor number everytime. Moreover, tags can be used to prevent unauthorized persons from getting on an elevator.
Some technical challenges still remain. The company wants to commercialize the technology in 5 years.
via Nikkei Sangyo Shimbun, December 22, 2004, in Japanese.
Elevators Get Smart [RFID In Japan]