Public Applications of SpaceTag and Their Impacts

SpaceTag is an object that can be accessed only from limited locations and time period. SpaceTags are served and distributed from a central server which should be managed by a service provider. Users of the SpaceTag system can access SpaceTags with portable terminals equipped with location sensors and wireless communication device such as mobile phones. Users walk around in a city and find SpaceTags that can be only found at the location. SpaceTag is thus an inconvenient media, but suitable for gaming, advertising, city guide information, etc. A user can also put a SpaceTag at the location where (s)he is, which can be found by other people nearby. This feature also enables local public communication applications. In this paper, we will argue why this inconvenient but simple virtual platform can support various applications for a digital city. We will also argue social impacts of these applications.