Friday, April 24, 2009
Week 1 Journal
What is RFID ?
What RFID is all about? RFID, stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It refers to to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. The chip typically is capable of carrying 2000 bytes of data or less. It uses radio frequency to transfer a unique a unique identification from a tag to a reader.
Picture of an RFID chip
The RFID System
The whole RFID system consist of 3 components. A RFID tag, a reader and the predefined format for the information.
RFID Reader
RFID tags are also categorised into 3 different types.
Active Tag: It has a built-in power supply, such as a battery, as well as electronics that perform specialized tasks. It can communicate with the absence of a reader. Moreover, it has a long range of operation of up to 1.5km in open field. The chips are usually larger then passive tags. http://www.abrfid.com/rfid/articles/passive-active-tags.aspx
Passive Tag: Passive tags are comprised of three elements: an integrated circuit or chip, an antenna, and a substrate.The RFID chip stores data and performs specific tasks. Depending on its design, the chip may be read-only (RO), write-once, read-many (WORM), or read-write (RW). Typically, RFID chips carry 96 bits of memory but can range from 2-1000 bits.
http://www.abrfid.com/rfid/articles/passive-active-tags.aspx
WiFi-based Active RFID Tag
RFID Passive Tag
Advantages of RFID
- Does not need to be positioned precisely relative to the scanner.
- Work within a few feet of the scanner. Very fast and efficient.
- Able to track items from company to company or from country to country.
- Able to track items in bulks instead of one by one.
RFID and its Application
Supply chain automation - the key early driver for developments and implementation of the technology
Asset tracking - tracking of assets in offices, labs, warehouses, pallets and containers in the supply chain, books in libraries
Medical applications - linking a patient with key drugs, personnel giving the drugs, biometric measurements
People tracking - security tracking for entrance management or security, contact management
at events, baby tags in hospitals to manage access to post-natal wards
Manufacturing - tracking of parts during manufacture, tracking of assembled items
Retail - tracking store trolleys in supermarkets, active shelves
Warehouses - Real-time inventory by automated registration of items in a warehouse or store-room
Livestock - implanted RFID tags in animals for tracking and linking the animal to food, location.
Applicable to farming as well as exotic breeds in zoos
Timing - sports event timing to track athletes as they start a race and pass the finish line.
http://www.rfidexchange.com/applications.aspx?applications=s (Click on the links for more details of the applications)