Future of RFID Technology

Highs and Lows of RFID Discussed

by Yaroslav Lyssenko

[ 11/03/2005 | 03:29 PM ]

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is a small object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person. RFID tags contain antennas to enable them to receive and respond to radio-frequency queries from an RFID transceiver. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas active tags require a power source.

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The Tech Zone takes a look at what RFID is and how it is going to affect different aspects of human life.

“In the retail Industry and manufacturing sector it is difficult to imagine a time when items flowing through a warehouse or distribution center were not automatically sorted using bar code labels. It is possible, however, to imagine how that process could be improved with RFID tags. In this application, RFID tags make a good process better (with the economic impact depending on how “good” the performance of the current bar code system is). Beyond pure cost reduction, RFID-enabled sorting supports supply chain processes that are currently difficult or impossible with bar code technology. Higher data capacity in RFID tags allows more detailed and flexible sorting. Sophisticated customers sometimes specify detailed palletizing criteria for each order to facilitate cross-docking at their distribution centers. An order encompassing one pallet of facial tissue, another of bathroom tissue, and one of paper towels might require reconfiguration so that the customer receives three pallets, each with a mix of products and each destined for a different store. Data on an RFID tag could include not only to which outbound dock a pallet of towels should be transported, but also how it should be stacked before delivery,” writes The Tech Zone.

• The Tech Zone: How RFID Is Impacting Our Lives.