I was reading an article in the hardcopy version of New Scientist (couldn't find the article online to link to) about a new application of RFID -- a watch that you could program with important items that you couldn't leave the home or office without. You'd tag your keys, pager, cell phone, etc with small RFID stickers. The actual reader is too large to fit into a watch so you would have to install an RFID reader in the doorway of your house, or take advantage of RFID readers we already come in contact with out in the wild -- like the card reader at work that lets you in the door. The readers would ping the tags, the watch would decode that data and buzz an alarm if you tried to leave your house without your house keys or tried to leave work without your pager.

Just imagine the wonderful uses of the forgetfulness watch -- your wife could tag your wedding ring, the grocery list, your small child. Your boss could tag your laptop, the technical documents he wants you to read, the resumes you're supposed to sift through, your pager, cellphone, and blackberry. Every time you'd tried to exit a building, your watch would go off in a beeping frenzy alerting everyone to the fact that yes, you are leaving some important piece of yourself behind. No, you cannot be trusted to take responsibility for your own things; yes, you are shirking some duty or another. You'd really be better off forgetting the damn watch.

I can't wait to get an RFID reader. Imagine the fun things you'd find out about the people around you.