For this blog I have decided to look at RFID tags.
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| RFID tag |
'RFID is an emerging communication system technology and is one of the most rapidly growing segments of today's automatic identification data collection agency.' RFID tags are a type of technology that uses communication via radio waves to pass data between a reader and an electronic tag which is attached to an object.
How it actually works...
Although during my research I came across a couple of sources which stated that there are three types of RFID tags the majority stated that there are two main types. 'There are two general classifications for RFID tags: active and passive'
Passive
Passive tags are commonly used in:
- Logistics such as manufacturing, warehousing and distribution.
- Security in libraries, bookstores, passports and airports
- Transportation in automatic vehicle identification, electronic toll collection and electronic vehicle control.
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| Tag on a passport |
- The tag functions without a battery
- They have a useful life of twenty years or more
- This tag (when compared to active) is less expensive 'Passive tags are mostly deployed primarily for their low cost and ease of implementation due to established standars'
- They are also extremely small, some as small and smaller than a grain of rice.
- They have almost unlimited applications in consumer goods and other areas.
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| This image shows just how small these tags can be. |
- They can only be read at very short distances, typically a few feet at most. this greatly limits the device for certain applications.
- It may not be possible to include sensors that can use electricity for power.
- The tag remains readable for a very long time, even after the product to which the tag is attached is no longer being tracked. During my research a came across this article about a store where I live having problems which RFID tags that they had put on razor blades.
Active
'Active tags prove to be extremely flexible in terms of the functionality they can offer. this is due to their on board battery which extends their reading range'
'Active RFID tags are now commonly being used to track and locate valuable assets in the health care, manufacturing and logistics market'. These tags are also used in the Department of Defense (DOD). They started to use active RFID in the 'early 1990's to help with in transit visibility of shipments'
Advantages
- These tags can be read at a distance of 100 feet or more, greatly improving the utility of the device. They have the longest communication range of any tag.
- They may have other sensors that can use electricity for power
- They have the capability to perform independent monitoring and control.
- They have the capability to initiate communication
- They have the highest data bandwidth..
- The tag cannot function without battery power which therefore limits its lifetime.
- These tags are typically more expensive than passive RFID tags.
- These tags are larger which may limit applications.
RFID tags and ice-cream? This is a fairly recent newspaper article from September 2010 which I found really interesting. It talks about how RFID tags can be used to enhance your social food experience. 'Izzy's ice-cream' is a shop in the US which serves over 100 different flavours of ice-cream but it can only serve 32 fresh daily. So Izzy's created 'RFID flavour tags' which allow customers who are signed in to know what flavours of ice-cream are being served, it is updated every 3 minutes.
Future?
It is thought that in the near future RFID tags could be used to reduce the ques in grocery shops. This article explains how a new tag has been developed which could replace the bar codes which are on the products we buy. This will allow the consumer to not have to que to pay for their goods., instead they would have to run the trolley by a detector which would instantly know what was in the trolley making food shopping a lot less stressful.
Bibliography
Lehpamer. H. 2008 RFID design principles, Noorwood ARTECH HOUSE
Rida. A. 2010 RFID- Enabled Sensor Design and Applications, Noorwood, ARTECH HOUSE
Web sources
Daniley. G. 2007 A guide to selecting an Active RFID tag. TheManufacture.com, 11th May, Available at: http://www.themanufacturer.com/us/content/5547/A_guide_to_selecting_an_Active_RFID_tag. Last Accessed: 08/01/10
Kumar. N. 2010, (Future of Retail) New RFID tags could reduce lines at grocery stores, 28th April, Available at: http://www.psfk.com/2010/04/future-of-retail-new-rfid-tags-could-reduce-lines-at-grocery-stores.html ;Last Accessed: 08/01/10
Millward. D 2007 . Airports to track passengers with radio ID tags, 10th April, Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548100/Airports-to-track-passengers-with-radio-ID-tags.html
Last Accessed: 08/01/10
RFID Tags: Passive Tags or Active Tags, 2010, Online, Available at: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/rfid-tags-passive-tags-or-active-tags.html Last Accessed: 08/01/10
U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2006, Defense logistics: More efficient use of RFID tags could potentially avoid millions in unnecessary purchase, Online, Available at: http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm Last Accessed: 08/01/10
No named author. 2010, RFID tags to enhance your social food experience, 13th September, Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/rfid-tags-to-enhance-your-social-food-experience-2077747.html Last Accessed: 08/01/10
Images
RFID Tag, Available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/midnightcomm/171587228/ Last Accessed: 08/01/10
Tag in passport, Available at: http://www.jasonkitcat.com/category/e-democ-e-gov/ Last Accessed: 08/01/10
RFID Tag on finger, Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1548100/Airports-to-track-passengers-with-radio-ID-tags.html Last Accessed: 08/01/10
Izzy's Ice-cream, Available at: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9176795/Ice_cream_with_RFID_chips_to_go Last Accessed: 08/01.10
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