In this year’s Boston Marathon, runners wore shoelace RFID tags to track their time from start to finish, according to a PC World report.
Just days before the race began, runners picked up a numbered bib and an RFID tag that could be laced into their shoes. Along the 26.2 mile race there were 11 mats which collected information and then relayed it to a variety of outlets.
Anyone could sign up on the Boston Athletic Association’s web site to follow a specific runner’s progress. Friends and family members could sign up to receive text message alerts, which were sent out at four points throughout the race.
RFID technology at the Boston Marathon is nothing new. However, in previous years, runners needed to wait to return their RFID tags after the race, creating a long bottleneck in the streets. But this year officials chose to use disposable tags, which runners could simply toss out after crossing the finish line.
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