An Introduction to RFID Technology
How it Works and How It's Used to Track Animals, Products and People
RFID is not a new technology but it is being used in new ways. RFID tags keep track of things using tiny electronic circuits that can be "read" by a special receiver.
What is RFID Technology?
RFID stands for radio frequency identification. Radio frequency waves are the invisible signals that travel through the air and the walls of our homes to bring us music and news. Radio waves can be sent at different frequencies, like the different stations on the radio.
In the U.S., the FCC has reserved some radio frequencies for uses other than commercial radio broadcasts. RFID technology is one of those uses.
What Is an RFID System?
- An individual Electronic Product Code (EPC) that identifies not only the type of object, but tells which specific object it is.
- An RFID tag, which is a tiny electronic circuit that holds the EPC code and other information about the object.
- A miniature antenna, made from a flat coil of wire, attached to the RFID tag. The tag and antenna are usually covered in plastic or glass.
- An RFID reader that sends radio frequency signals out to the tags and reads the signals that come back from the tags. Readers can be attached to the door frame of a warehouse, next to a conveyor belt, or incorporated into a hand-held scanner.
- Software, sometimes called "Middleware,” which takes the data coming in from several RFID readers, filters it, sorts it, and sends the important information on to the main business software.
Active vs. Passive Tags
There are two basic types of RFID tags: Active tags and passive tags. Active tags contain miniature batteries that power the electronic circuit contained in the chip.
Passive tags carry no power of their own. Instead, they “capture” radio-frequency signals coming from the RFID reader, convert the signals into power, and then transmit the EPC code back to the reader.
Benefits of RFID Technology
Why use RFID when barcodes are cheaper and easier to use? Barcodes have certain drawbacks. They can get torn off or ruined by water; and a person must find the barcode on the item before it can be scanned. --anyone who has stood in a long checkout line knows how annoying that can be.
With RFID technology, the radio waves can pass through objects, so you don’t need to see the tag to read it. This makes it possible for a fixed reader to automatically read tags as the object passes through a warehouse door, for example. That way, you need less human intervention, which reduces costs.
Also, because the tags are embedded in plastic or even inside the object itself, they are much less susceptible to water damage or tearing.
One benefit of using a specific EPC code for each individual item is that it makes it easier to recall specific items, such a group of tires that may malfunction, or a group of toys made with unsafe paint.
How Will RFID Technology Change Our Lives?
Some people worry that RFID technology will reduce our privacy, because the tags can be tracked almost anywhere, even after the goods leave the store. Others say that the tags are not completely secure, and can be read by hackers for unauthorized uses.
But many companies and governments are counting on RFID technology to make life cheaper, safer and more convenient.
RFID tags are already used for SmartCards, which make it easier to travel on toll roads. They are keeping track of cattle in France, and household pets here in the U.S. For humans, RFID tags implanted under the skin or carried in ID cards could provide important medical information, in case of emergency.
Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense, two of the largest buyers in the U.S., have begun requiring their suppliers to use RFID tags on the pallets and cartons they ship. They hope to save millions of dollars, while increasing the convenience and availability of products for their customers.
The "Smart" Store of the Future?
Each item labeled with an RFID tag would be scanned as you put it into your “smart cart.” Meanwhile, “smart shelves” will signal the store what needs to be restocked. When you are finished shopping you merely walk out of the store, your total cost calculated automatically and your bank charged the correct amount.
At home, you load the perishables into your “smart refrigerator,” which reads each product’s rfid tag, and makes note of expiration dates. Later that week, an item you bought is recalled by the manufacturer, due to food poisoning found in that specific batch and connected to you through the 's EPC code. You are immediately notified by e-mail.
This is a vision of the future than many proponents of RFID technology share.
