What is Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID)?
Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) is a technology that allows automatic identification of objects, animals or people by incorporating a small electronic chip on its "host". Data is stored on this chip and can then be "read" by wireless devices, called RFID readers.
The concept is similar to traditional barcodes. A barcode represents
information in a condensed format (usually lines) that takes little space and
can be read by a machine.
Compared to barcodes, RFID tags are "smarter": the information on the micro-chip can be read automatically, at a distance, by another wireless machine. This means RFID is easier to use and more efficient than barcodes: there is no need to pass each individual object/animal/person in front of a scanner to retrieve the information contained in each tag.
Linked to databases and communication networks such as the Internet, Smart Tags can help to:
- detect counterfeit pharmaceuticals
- track the lifecycle of dangerous chemicals
- identify the location of a container
- sort pallets in a warehouse, etc.
RFID has been around for some 50 years, but lack of relevant technological knowledge prevented its development. Now, thanks to recent achievements in Information and Communication Technologies, RFID can be used in many more situations, particularly in business processes.