Hey, if any of y'all are going to be in Kobe after April, find out if it's true that the city is running a pilot project to embed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in public places, to be read by anybody's PDA. According to RFID in Japan (which says the story comes from an article, in Japanese, on CNET Japan).
Hey, if any of y'all are going to be in Kobe after April, find out if it's true that the city is running a pilot project to embed Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips in public places, to be read by anybody's PDA. According to RFID in Japan (which says the story comes from an article, in Japanese, on CNET Japan). Apparently it's called the Kobe Autonomous Movement Support Project, and according to the PowerPointy slides in this PDF, the city tested it late last year.
The only part of the CNET Japan story I can read - my Japanese has rusted to dust -Â confirms that the technology comes from something called "YRP Ubiquitous Networking Laboratory," which seems to push ubiquitous computing applications.
The idea in Kobe -Â again, if any of this is true - would be that buildings, signs, sidewalks, or whatever would get RFID chips, and putting your PDA or cell phone near one would give you information. What kind? Dunno. Where you are, what's nearby, touristy stuff. My old urban planning professor once said that every city has a narrative, and the most successful destinations are those that expand visibly upon that narrative. He was talking about all the Freedom Trail-like stuff around Boston, but I guess implanting data in all your buildings (and having a cell phone-obsessed population) could work, too.
Via We Make Money, Not Art.

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems
SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope
Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects
The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
