The Internet of Things (www.itu.int: ITU Internet Reports 2005: The Internet of Things) is a technological revolution that represents the future of computing and communications, and its development depends on dynamic technical innovation in a number of important fields, from wireless sensors to nanotechnology. It will connect everyday objects to large databases via computer networks. The basic technology is radio-frequency identification (RFID) which allows collecting data related to the location of the objects. In case the RFID tag is equipped with sensors and actuators additionally, data describing the physical status of the object itself and its surroundings can be collected together with the position information. It is obvious that the single items in the expanded supply chains of the retailer giants will become RFID tagged objects and thus members of the Internet of Things. The driving forces for that evolution of millions of anonymous items to individualized smart objects arising from the enormous savings potential regarding the expenses necessary to control the complex flows of commodities in the retailer supply chains. And as a result things like running out of stock or wasted products will no longer exist as we will know exactly what is being consumed on the other side of the globe.
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