What is RFID?

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is technology used to track and trace objects using radio waves. Tagged items, such as cases of chocolate bars, are identified by a unique number using radio waves emitted from special RFID readers. RFID systems are considered by many as the next generation of identification from barcode systems because they allow producers and suppliers to scan items in bulk, hands-free, thus saving time and money. Instead of having to identify each item individually, RFID technology can identify (say) 20 or 100 chocolate bars at once, for example.

Each RFID application consists of RFID tags, readers and a computer system. Tags are made up of a microchip and an antenna and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but as the technology advances, tags are getting smaller.

The market has developed a variety of tags to meet different tracking and tracing requirements. Some tags are passive, meaning they do have their own power source. These are the more typical and low-cost tags and the ones most often used to track consumer goods and food. Other tags are active, having their own power source that send out signals to readers at predetermined intervals. There are also semi-powered tags referred to as semi-passive tags.

Reading Tagged Items

Once items are tagged, a reader is needed to transmit information via radio waves between the tag and the computer system. Readers can be either stationary (fixed) or hand-held mobile devices. Readers include built-in antennas, or they are connected to antennas. They also contain other electronic components and a power source, such as a battery. A common RFID application used by retailers includes passive tags placed on stationary readers mounted at the dock doors of their distribution centres. When a worker moves a pallet or a case from the warehouse on to a truck’s loading bay, the RFID reader at the dock door activates and reads the tags on the pallets or cases. This information is then 'sent' to the enterprises computer system. 

In most cases, the information collected via the reader is only a number and contains no identifiable personal or product information. It simply gives the object a unique identity.

Interpreting RFID Information

Transferred via a reader to a system’s database using EPC compliant software, the unique product or item number can be associated with other important information, such as production date and location in the supply chain, serial and batch numbers, and a record of intermediary suppliers. If a chocolate bar were to go bad, this information would be crucial in helping suppliers track the problem throughout the supply chain to its origin or production. The information also helps suppliers and retailers manage inventory, so that the chocolate bar you want is sure to be on the shelf when you walk down the confectionery aisle.

RFID for Access Control

In some cases RFID is the basis for access control systems, such as keyless entry to office buildings. All you need to do is wave your building pass with a tiny RFID tag on it in front of a reader. If the card’s unique ID matches your personal data stored in a special computer system, the door will unlock and you will be admitted to the building. Companies which operate these security systems can collect information on the movement of workers through secure sites, but the use of this information is limited by practice and regulations.

Another example: some countries are placing RFID in passports to speed up border control procedures. In this case, personal information, such as birth date and a physical description, may be stored on a computer system and linked to a tag’s unique ID; in other cases, biometric data could be stored on the chip. Here again, this information is safeguarded by strict regulations already in place.

The Basics of EPC/RFID - Video