The intelligent FedEx package embodies a lot of the research that I am very interested in, as well as more of what the Personal Information Architecture group is about. The idea behind the project was to create a package that intelligence beyond that of an ordinary package; an object that could interact with the environment around it.
The first challange was the identification of a practical tagging system. The tags needed to be readable in an ordinary office setting, and inexpensive as far as creation. Bar codes, RFID, infrared ID, and other tags were considered. The final choice was to create a new sort of two dimensional bar code that was readable by a video camera.
The video tags were chosen because the tags are almost free to print, and video cameras should be coming for ubiquitous in everyday life. Once the tagging problem was solved, the package was linked to the digital world. Relevant information about the package, its sender, and its recipient were stored in a database. The ID sensed by the video camera was passed through the infrastructure created by others in the PIA group to applications waiting to respond. One of the most obvious applications was to bring up tracking information on the package. Presenting the package to the camera near a comuter would reveal the delivery status of the package. Taking this one step further, the package could then call forth the personal home page of the sender, or information on the package's contents. Other ideas included the idea of presenting the package to the phone and having it automatically dial the sender, or bringing it near a TV and having an appropriate video clip played.
One application that can be used from your browser right now is the "singing telegram" FedEx package. This uses the concept of attaching a sound file to a FedEx package, so that a more personal touch can be added to the package. Try it out, using either an actual FedEx airbill number or your phone number, including your area code.