February 25, 2005

RFID tags for Sweden's Vasalopper Ski Racers

stor-grupp.jpg This year as many as 15,800 people are expected to participate in Sweden's Vasaloppet cross-country skiing competition, reports Sweden.SE.

And every skier will wear a Radio frequency identification (RFID) chip, enabling an electronic reading of their time as they pass through the various checkpoints.

The data is compiled into comprehensive time reports which are posted on the internet. In 2004, Vasaloppetīs official website received nearly 19 million hits on race day alone.

Moreover, by signing up to Vasaloppet's short message service, family and friends can follow the progress of individual skiers with information sent direct to their mobile phones."