RFID in Society – Preparing for the Internet of Things. Final Report & Summary Part 4 of 4

Abstract

This is the final of four project reports stemming from the RCN-financed project RFID in Society – Preparing for the Internet of Things (2010-2017). In addition to articles, conference papers, an exhibition, presentations, media contributions and a project website, the project has published the following reports: Del. 1 of 4: “Case Criteria & Selection” Del. 2 of 4: “Case Analyses & Evaluation” Del. 3 of 4: “Handbook of Methods” Del. 4 of 4: “Final Report & Summary” The RFID in Society project has truly been a knowledge-building project. The project has, through a cross-disciplinary approach (although with more focus on social science perspectives than technical perspectives and design), explored a range of different cases, methodologies, and methods of analysis – all with the aim of providing a better understanding of the RFID/IoT phenomenon and its potential future position in society. The outcome of the research can inform Norwegian research/innovation efforts as well as policy/organised interests when manoeuvring in the RFID/IoT field. From the project initiation until present day, we see that the discourse around IoT has changed. Starting from a very industry-focussed “ICT” domain, with RFID being the prime figure and key enabler for a future Internet of things, we have seen a dramatic reorientation towards consumer and societal application areas. With this has come the dwindling role of RFID (at least in consumer-related applicationareas) at the expense of a wide array of technologies that make things and environments “smart”, “intelligent” and “connected”. In terms of applications aimed at the consumer-citizen, we see a particular dramatic surge in smart consumer products, smart electronics, connected cars, wearables/smart health applications, smart homes, smart advertising. Hence, the primary techconsumer domain in the early phase – RFID in retail – has somewhat lost momentum (at least at the consumer end), while smart products have pushed forward (somewhat skipping retail, and enabling a more direct producer-consumer engagement). Now, the key enabler (for consumers) is the smartphone, with a range of communication capabilities towards smart environments (using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, apps, embedded sensors, etc.). Both the technological and the cultural premises have thus changed over the years, with consumers becoming considerably more active in “building” the IoT through direct participation (and consequent data generation) via their smartphones and smart-things – feeding the IoT with an exponential data stream. A major part of the potential for value-creation is identified in this IoT/Big Data symbiosis. Still, even with consumers engaging more vividly with IoT-type services and applications, research finds that consumer awareness is still low regarding the concept itself. We are still at a stage where IoT is more prevalent on the “discursive level” than on the “tangible-things” level. There is an inherent paradox of IoT, being part of two interlinked but conflicting developments; the data-driven economy and a stricter privacy framework. This “technology paradox” associated with IoT is still not solved, and will continue to boggle the minds of innovators and politicians in the years to come. In this landscape of a global technological disruption and pervasive technology development – affecting the whole of society – the RFID in Society project is merely one building block in terms of getting to grips with, and seeking to understand the impact of, the evolving Internet of things.

This is the final of four project reports stemming from the RCN-financed project RFID in Society – Preparing for the Internet of Things (2010-2017). In addition to articles, conference papers, an exhibition, presentations, media contributions and a project website, the project has published the following reports: Del. 1 of 4: “Case Criteria & Selection” Del. 2 of 4: “Case Analyses & Evaluation” Del. 3 of 4: “Handbook of Methods” Del. 4 of 4: “Final Report & Summary” The RFID in Society project has truly been a knowledge-building project. The project has, through a cross-disciplinary approach (although with more focus on social science perspectives than technical perspectives and design), explored a range of different cases, methodologies, and methods of analysis – all with the aim of providing a better understanding of the RFID/IoT phenomenon and its potential future position in society. The outcome of the research can inform Norwegian research/innovation efforts as well as policy/organised interests when manoeuvring in the RFID/IoT field. From the project initiation until present day, we see that the discourse around IoT has changed. Starting from a very industry-focussed “ICT” domain, with RFID being the prime figure and key enabler for a future Internet of things, we have seen a dramatic reorientation towards consumer and societal application areas. With this has come the dwindling role of RFID (at least in consumer-related application areas) at the expense of a wide array of technologies that make things and environments “smart”, “intelligent” and “connected”. In terms of applications aimed at the consumer-citizen, we see a particular dramatic surge in smart consumer products, smart electronics, connected cars, wearables/smart health applications, smart homes, smart advertising. Hence, the primary techconsumer domain in the early phase – RFID in retail – has somewhat lost momentum (at least at the consumer end), while smart products have pushed forward (somewhat skipping retail, and enabling a more direct producer-consumer engagement). Now, the key enabler (for consumers) is the smartphone, with a range of communication capabilities towards smart environments (using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, apps, embedded sensors, etc.). Both the technological and the cultural premises have thus changed over the years, with consumers becoming considerably more active in “building” the IoT through direct participation (and consequent data generation) via their smartphones and smart-things – feeding the IoT with an exponential data stream. A major part of the potential for value-creation is identified in this IoT/Big Data symbiosis. Still, even with consumers engaging more vividly with IoT-type services and applications, research finds that consumer awareness is still low regarding the concept itself. We are still at a stage where IoT is more prevalent on the “discursive level” than on the “tangible-things” level. There is an inherent paradox of IoT, being part of two interlinked but conflicting developments; the data-driven economy and a stricter privacy framework. This “technology paradox” associated with IoT is still not solved, and will continue to boggle the minds of innovators and politicians in the years to come. In this landscape of a global technological disruption and pervasive technology development – affecting the whole of society – the RFID in Society project is merely one building block in terms of getting to grips with, and seeking to understand the impact of, the evolving Internet of things.