TouchCounters: Interactive Electronic Labels

Toss your sticky white labels and tacky clear containers.  These new electronic labels, created by Paul Yarin at the MIT Media Lab not only tells you what is inside a box, but they can relay the information over the web.

“TouchCounters are interactive electronic labels consisting of modular electronic devices with an integrated communication and sensing system. They are attached to physical storage containers in order for someone to get a better idea of what is inside these objects. The project also has a Java component that will relay a container’s status and contents to remote users over the Internet.”

The devices also employ light nodes to visualize usage frequency for the containers, as well as a comparison of usage between them.

While this would be a cool-to-have in your home, the real potential of this technology is warehouse stock management, especially for small businesses.

TouchCounters
[via rb.trends]