RFID Solutions

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Introduction | Features and Benefits

Introduction

Radio Frequency ID (RFID) is a means of automatically identifying objects. RFID technology involves RFID tags that emit radio signals and devices called RFID readers that pick up the signal. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a form of automatic identification (AutoID) technology that uses radio waves to communicate among a system of integrated circuits, RFID tags, readers and software to identify items. Radio waves transmitted from an antenna interact with an integrated circuit embedded on an RF tag, which sends radio waves back to a RFID reader. The RFID reader turns those waves into digital information, allowing the item that responded to be instantly identified.

RFID technology is not new, but it has only recently gained new life. The concept of RFID systems originated during World War II as a means of distinguishing friendly aircraft from enemy aircraft. Large powered RFID tags, or transponders, were placed on friendly aircraft. When interrogated by a radar signal, these transponders would give the appropriate response to identify the carrying aircraft as "friendly." This IFF (Identify: Friend or Foe) system was the first obvious use of RFID and present day aviation traffic control is still based on IFF concepts. The invention of the microchip and subsequent technological advances led to the design and use of passive RFID tags.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology systems can track and record the location, time of entry and exit from a designated area of persons and objects. RFID relies on radio frequency or "waves" between a card or tag and a reader in order to make identification and to carry out the tracking function. When the RFID tag or card enters or remains or leaves the magnetic field produced by the RFID reader, the data store in the integrated chip of the card or tag is read and recorded by the reader. The RFID reader then passes the number to a computer or local application.

As RFID is a "contact less" technology, it requires neither contact with a reader (as does magnetic stripe technology) nor a direct line of sight to a reader (as does barcode technology). RFID, therefore, reduces the problems associated with those "contact" or "line-of-sight" technologies. This means RFID can operate in harsh environments and will not be affected by temperature changes.

The significant advantage of all types of RFID systems is the no contact, non-line-of-sight nature of the technology. RFID tags can be read through a variety of substances such as snow, fog, ice, paint, crusted grime, and other visually and environmentally challenging conditions, where barcodes or other optically read technologies would be useless. RFID tags can also be read in challenging circumstances at remarkable speeds, in most cases responding in less than 100 milliseconds. The read/write capability of an active RFID system is also a significant advantage in interactive applications such as work-in-process or maintenance tracking.

Though widespread RFID solutions are on the horizon, there are a number of reasons why it is just growing out of its infancy. In the supply chain, not only does it require high up-front costs including software, hardware, data storage, but also the RFID tags are still relatively expensive when compared to barcodes. As standards bodies continue to focus on RFID, more solid global standards will begin to emerge. RFID will eventually amount to a paradigm shift in global industries in which automatic data collection is a key component.

Outside of the supply chain, many customers are looking to deploy automatic data collection infrastructures for the first time. For many of these deployments, RFID represents a compelling technology that can be - and has been - implemented with immediate benefits and a quick return on investment. Therefore, RFID could conceivably grow more quickly over the next few years in closed loop, outside the supply chain scenarios (healthcare, manufacturing, field data capture, maintenance logging, etc.) that are not as dependent on open, inter-operable standards for RFID tags and RFID readers. Rather than deploying to accomplish compliance, customers in these markets deploy to achieve business benefits. RFID technology represents an exciting opportunity for customers with automatic data collection needs. RFID offers many benefits including efficient, fast reading and security with difficult to duplicate RFID tags.