Contactless IC Card and Reader/Writer Is it coming up on 5 years since we first heard the word ubiquitous? Its original ideal of being only a dreamlike image both everywhere and nowhere is finally beginning to convey a specific position. RFID is now spreading rapidly as a core technology of a ubiquitous society. RFID is short for "Radio Frequency ID", a technology for reading and writing IC chips using radio wave. Products combining a small IC chip and an antenna are processed to various tag types such as plastic cards, labels and stickers for portable use by people or use by affixing it to an object to be managed. Information on the tag is recorded, enabling various services simply by bringing it close to a reader/writer. Devices using RFID have increased for making payments at convenience stores or for mileage cards at airline companies, and there are those already using these as ID authentication systems for employee or student IDs. Cards have also been introduced that can make payments for game fees at recreation facilities and record game information played at game arcades to develop characters for continued enjoyment days after. It is also not that uncommon to have RFID tags embedded in tickets to prevent counterfeiting at large events like the World Cup or the Beijing Olympics. This technology is also starting to be used in public service cards such as IC driver's licenses, IC passports and resident registration cards. Affixing RFID tags to each component or module when assembling products in factories enables detailed recording of the process they are in or what inspections have been conducted, enabling efficient production management. Finished products are shipped based on tag information, break-bulked at the logistics sites and shipped to each location to accurately check whether the products have arrived at retailers. The retailers also use it for inventory management by counting the number of products stored in carts without having to check each product one by one, and getting automatic notification if there are any stock-out items. Especially in the food distribution field, it is starting to be used for tracking and traceability when there is a breakout of Mad Cow Disease or Avian Flu to see where these meats have been shipped to. RFID technology, according to the meaning of this word, is to be everywhere at the same time into society, making our lives more convenient and abundant.