RFID Technology

About RFID Technology

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is an extremely useful form of wireless communication. With applications ranging from supply chain visibility to access control, RFID is an essential technology for all modern businesses to understand.

What is RFID?

RFID systems use radio waves to identify objects remotely. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation, just like light or microwave radiation, but with a much longer wavelength and lower frequency. RFID objects communicate with each other by emitting and receiving these radio waves.

How RFID Works

All RFID objects have their own RFID tags, which unqiuely and automatically identify each object. RFID systems also include RFID readers, which read RFID tags on objects and therefore identify them to the central system.

RFID Applications

RFID has many applications. Logistics companies use RFID to track the items as they move through the supply chain. Some retailers are tagging their merchandise with RFID EPC tags and arming their employees with RFID readers, which allow them to take inventory in seconds by reading RFID tags, rather than having to manually record stock levels.

RFID is also used in access control systems. Doors can read RFID tags on ID badges or fobs and open only if the person with the tag has permission to enter the controlled area.

Libraries take advantage of the ability of RFID tags to be read from multiple angles to speed up their check-in and check-out procedures. The library user can place a pile of books on the checkout scanner and instantly have them added to their account, rather than having to scan each book individually.

RFID Benefits

RFID news focuses on the many benefits that RFID readers and RFID tags can offer. As mentioned, RFID tags can be read in any orientation, even if other non-metallic objects block the line of sight. RFID readers can also read tags from a distance and read multiple tags at once.

Another major advantage of RFID is that it is possible to change RFID tags at any time, simply by overwriting the data they store. This benefit is extremely useful in many applications, as it makes the tracking system flexible and adaptable to any situation.