The design of an RFID-based interaction system at ICEHOTEL

Abstract: ICEHOTEL, being a very creative and innovative company, wants to explore various possibilities of improvements and enhancements through the use of interactive information technology. They have thus started a cooperation with the department of informatics at Umea university(UmU) about "interaction design in cold environments". This thesis is a part of that cooperation, together with some other projects and theses from UmU. This thesis focuses on the use of RFID technology in the design of an interaction system and interface at ICEHOTEL. The reason why RFID is the best choice for doing so in comparison with other existing solutions is its strong combination of robustness, simplicity, exibility and cheapness. RFID is based on radio signals transmitting information between special receivers and transponders (tags). The receivers are easy to connect to any system that o er interaction. The tags would be placed inside the gloves that visitors carry at ICEHOTEL, giving the gloves another purpose than to just protect from the cold. The resulting interaction system would o er a very intuitive and easy interface based on hand gestures. This can work very well as long as the uses of the tags and the interface are carefully designed and adapted. Which this thesis proposes ways of doing. Another great thing that the tags oer, in addition to a possibility for an easy to use interface, is identication of users. This is due to the unique ID number that every tag has and which it automatically transfers to the receivers when they are in contact. This and the capability for additional data to be stored in the tag gives lots of opportunities for personalising the service o ered through the interaction system. Suggestions on how this can be used at ICEHOTEL and how to design such implementations are an important part of the thesis. The identication process is not free from problems though. The storage and possible retrieval of personal information presents privacy and security issues. The technology was tested through the development of a prototype, and it was proved that the technology is very usable and functions well in the special environment at ICEHOTEL. Some further testing of the proposed system would be required however, before any bigger implementation is performed.