Make:

MAKE will be at HOPE (Hackers on Planet Earth, July 18-20). We will be doing talks, having a mini-Maker Faire and I think this going to be one of the biggest tech-hardware-hacking conferences of the decade - here's an announcment about the RFID they'll be using during the event!

This summer, hackers from around the world  will track the movements of thousands of visitors to New York City.

As part of a social experiment, attendees at a hacker conference in July will be issued badges with electronic tracking devices.  Large displays  will show in real-time where people go, with whom they associate, for how long and how often.

The tracking technology, known as RFID, is fast becoming an unseen part of everyday life.  This July, for the very first time, the general public will be able to participate in the transparent operation of a major RFID tracking program.

Conference attendees will participate in games built around the tracking system.  Players will seek ways to protect their privacy, find vulnerabilities in the tracking system, employ data mining techniques to learn more about other participants, and choose how much personal information they will disclose in order to play.

This demonstration will be open to the public at The Last HOPE conference from July 18-20 at the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City. The first 1500 preregistrants will be guaranteed an RFID badge enabling them to participate in the game.  More information and preregistration is available at http://www.hope.net/.