Researchers from Magellan Technology, a firm based in western Australia, have developed radio signal-based bagtags to ensure that the luggage of air passengers is not misplaced during transit (New Scientist, Vol 145, No 1961).

Unlike the currently used optical scanners, which 'read' the codes inscribed on the tags, the new system relies on radio transmission signals from the electronic tags. Says Magellan's John Henderson, "While most bag tracking systems, currently in vogue, are 70-90 per cent accurate, the 'bagtag' system is accurate about 99.99 per cent times."