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| Is RFID better than using bar codes? |
| The answer is “YES”. The big difference between the two is bar codes are
line-of-sight technology. That is, a scanner has to "see" the bar code to read it, which means people usually
have to orient the bar code toward a scanner for it to be read. Radio frequency identification, by contrast,
doesn't require line of sight. RFID tags can be read as long as they are within range of a reader. Bar codes
have other shortcomings as well. If a label is ripped or soiled or has fallen off, there is no way to scan
the item, and standard bar codes identify only the manufacturer and product, not the unique item. The bar
code on one milk carton is the same as every other, making it impossible to identify which one might pass
its expiration date first. |
| RFID is ideal for dirty, oily, wet or harsh environments. RFID tags and
readers have no moving parts so require no maintenance. RFID tags can be read and write, intelligent, and carry
larger amounts of data compared to other identification systems. Unlike bar codes, RFID tags are virtually
impossible to copy or counterfeit. |
| RFID is fast. The tag can be read and communicate back in milliseconds.
RFID systems can also read multiple tags at once, much faster than bar code.
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| What is the difference between low, high, and ultra-high frequencies? |
| Just as your radio tunes in to different frequencies to hear different channels,
RFID tags and readers have to be tuned to the same frequency to communicate. RFID systems use many different
frequencies, but generally the most common are low-frequency (around 125 KHz), high-frequency (13.56 MHz) and
ultra-high-frequency or UHF (860-960 MHz). Microwave (2.45 GHz) is also used in some applications. Radio waves
behave differently at different frequencies, so you have to choose the right frequency for the right application. |
| What are the “pain points” of implementing an RFID solution? |
| The biggest “pain point” with RFID is its potential to change your existing
business processes because ultimately, you can collect much more relevant data and have it in real time. RFID
is an enabling technology. You can’t extract all the benefits of this technology without fundamental business
changes, system changes, and data changes. With early adopters, we have, middleware, and professional services
to integrate these components into your bar code legacy environment. If you are not working with bar codes already,
obviously you will need to make an investment in back-office, manufacturing, or WMS systems to use RFID data. |
| Are there any standards for RFID? |
| Yes. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has been making
RFID standards for more than 20 years. ISO 15693 and ISO 14443 are well-established HF standards. The EPCglobal Gen
2 standard has been adopted as a global standard (ISO 18000-6C), and ISO 18000-7 is an international standard for
active tags operating at 433 MHz. |
| What is the difference between passive and active RFID? |
| Passive tags do not have internal power; they are activated by the electromagnetic field generated by the reader, and transmit information back to the reader. Passive tags have practical read distances ranging from about 10 cm, up to a few meters.
Active tags have an on-board power source, such as a coin cell battery, and a microprocessor for performing special tasks. Active tag data transmissions have a much longer range than passive tags; an active RFID reader can monitor populations of active tags at distances up to 100 meters.
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| What is the Future of RFID |
| RFID is said by many in the industry to be the frontrunner technology for
automatic identification and data collection. The biggest, benefit would ultimately be in the consumer goods
supply chain where an RFID tag attached to a consumer product could be tracked from manufacturing to the retail
store right to the consumer's home. |
| Many see RFID as a technology, its existence and the amazing ways in which
this technology can be put to use, as a new standard set within the industry and RFID systems will be reaching
near their full potential anytime soon. |