History of RFID Technology

RFID is not a "new" technology. It is fundamentally based on the study of electromagnetic waves and radio, which was rooted in the 19th century work of Michael Faraday, Guglielmo Marconi and James Clerk Maxwell. The concept of using radio frequencies to reflect waves from objects dates back as far as 1886 to experiments conducted by Frederick Hertz. Radar as we know it was invented in 1922 and its practical applications date back to World War II, when the British used the IFF (Identify Friend or Foe) system to distinguish friendly aircraft returning from missions on mainland Europe from unfriendly aircraft entering British skies. Radio waves would be sent out from the command centre, and then received by the transponder on the aircraft, if it was within range of those radio waves, which would send back a signal announcing itself as friendly to the base. [This is essentially the same technique used with active RFID tags, but on a much larger and more powerful scale, as aircraft needed to be identified from a range much greater than 100 to 300 feet.] The 1948 publication of Harry Stockman's paper "Communication by Means of Reflected Power" introduced the concept that would eventually become known as radio frequency identification,especially in the "passive" and "semi-passive" sense. In other words, Stockman's paper proposed the idea that electromagnetic radio waves could power the transponders/tags to which they are transmitting. However, as points out, the miniaturization required to make this technology a reality was not yet available. Yet, in the late 1960s, a miniaturized form of radio frequency identification became quite common in the form of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) tags, which were (and still are) used to help prevent the shoplifting of merchandize, such as articles of clothing. Obviously, since these tags could fit in the palm of one's hand, they could not hold as much data (or bits) as the large transponders on airplanes in WWII. In fact, EAS tags contained only 1 bit of information, which is just enough to announce their presence, and trigger the alarm on the antitheft gates of the store. Fortunately, the years from the 1970s through the 1990s saw a dramatic sophistication in the technology used in RFID devices, and several new applications of this invaluable technology. Tags became smaller, and capable of holding more information than the single bit tags of the '60s. As a result, governments and corporations began using RFID technology for electronic toll collection, railroad car tracking, animal tracking, access control (to offices, parking lots, gated communities, etc), and factory automation. The basic theory underlying RFID technology has been understood since the 1930s. Early on it was discovered that the introduction of a conductive material into an electric or magnetic field could alter the fields characteristics. That occurs because the conductive material both absorbs and reflects the energy in the field. If the field is a radio frequency, or RF, the conductive material is capable of imparting a reflection of the source field radiation. RFID technology takes advantage of that characteristic by manipulating the sequence and rate at which that reflection occurs, called modulation. RFID tags are designed to deliberately

reflect the source RF in sequences that are interpreted as information in the form of digital data.

RFID DEFINITION RFID (radio frequency identification) is a technology that incorporates the use of electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the radio frequency (RF) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to uniquely identify an object, animal, or person. RFID is coming into increasing use in industry as an alternative to the bar code. An RFID system consists of three components: an antenna and transceiver (often combined into one reader) and a transponder (the tag). The tag, also known as an "electronic label," "transponder" or "code plate," is made up of an RFID chip attached to an antenna. Transmitting in the kilohertz, megahertz and gigahertz ranges, tags may be battery-powered or derive their power from the RF waves coming from the reader. RFID tags can be made to look like postage stamp sized stickers, and can be attached to any number of things

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF RFID RFID technology has a number of advantages. Human intervention is required to scan a barcode, whereas in most applications an RFID tag can be detected hands off. Barcodes must be visible on the outside of product packaging. RFID tags can be placed inside the packaging or even in the product itself.

You must have line of sight to read a barcode. RFID tagged items can be read even if they are behind other items. The readability of barcodes can be impaired by dirt, moisture, abrasion, or packaging contours. RFID tags are not affected by those conditions. RFID tags have a longer read range than barcodes. RFID tags have read/write memory capability; barcodes do not. More data can be stored in an RFID tag than can be stored on a barcode No line of sight requirement. The tag can stand a harsh environment. Long read range. Portable database Multiple tags read/write. Tracking people, items, and equipment in real time RFID tags are very simple to install/inject inside the body of animals, thus helping to keep a track on them. This is useful in animal husbandry and on poultry farms. The installed RFID tags give information about the age, vaccinations and health of the animals. RFID technology is better than bar codes as it cannot be easily replicated and therefore, it increases the security of the product. Supply chain management forms the major part of retail business and RFID systems play a key role by managing updates of stocks, transportation and logistics of the product. Barcode scanners have repeatedly failed in providing security to gems and jewellery in shops. But nowadays, RFID tags are placed inside jewellery items and an alarm is installed at the exit doors. The RFID tags can store data up to 2 KB whereas; the bar code has the ability to read just 1012 digits. Disadvantages Of RFID Expense is one of the more significant disadvantages of RFID, but there are ways to manage this. Passive tags are relatively inexpensive and, with some types, you can peel them off and stick them on various items, either manually or with an automated application system. Each has its own unique serial number. However they dont have some of the advantages of active tags.

Active tags are more expensive because they are more complex. They comprise a microchip, a radio transceiver, an antenna and have a battery. Active RFID tags can help overcome some RFID disadvantages The read range of a passive tag is similar to that of a barcode. However the active tags are smart and more powerful, and can transmit and receive over a greater distance. While they cost more, you may still save overall, depending on the application. When pricing an RFID system, consider costs over the system lifetime, not just the price on the day you buy it. You need to do a full lifetime costing to determine the viability of using RFID. The labour saving may be significant, so dont be put off by up-front initial costs. You may recoup these in a very short time. Do a cost-to-benefit analysis and consider the big picture. You can lower the initial costs. To get started, you can buy an RFID kit and carry out a trial. If this goes well, you could then build up your operation in small achievable steps, especially if cost is important. Use active tags that are reusable. Depending on the type, you may be able to remove, relocate and reprogram them. This is a practical way of overcoming one of the major disadvantages of RFID... the high cost of active tags.The RF gives RFID its strength but is also its weakness, and potentially also one of the disadvantages of RFID. RFID can only work if theres enough RF signal strength. RF carries the information between reader and tag. And thats about it. So what can go wrong? If you dont understand it, quite a lot. However, you can minimize RF dead spots. You can minimize these by using more than one reader and circularly-polarized or multipleaxis antennas. May be difficult to troubleshoot if you have problems with the RF link Another of the disadvantages of RFID is that you cant see RF (its invisible) and the tags may be hidden. So if you cant read a tag youre less likely to know why, than with a bar code ID system you cant be sure if the tag is even there? So what can you do? Test the reader by using a known-good test tag. This lets you verify that the rest of the system is working. If it is, move the reader around and closer to the target tags. Affected by metal Some of this depends on how you install your system. Metal objects will affect an RF field, so dont expect 100% reliability if youre working near metal objects. Metal is common and in a warehouse it may be hard to avoid. So just lower your expectations and work around it.

How? RF is like light, except you cant see it. Both RF and light are electromagnetic energy. Like light, with RF you can get patterns of RF light and shade around structures, you just cant see it but an antenna can detect it. A receiving antenna is like a pair of electronic eyes. A transmitting antenna is like a light bulb they both radiate electromagnetic energy. But... you can move RF tags from the RF shade into the RF light. So movement between tag and reader can actually help, because you can move the tag from an RF dead spot into a position where the signal is strong and it only takes an instant to read a tag. The same applies if the tag stays still and the reader moves. So if the first read attempt fails, there may be many more opportunities. After all the tag only has to be read once to establish that its actually there. You can minimize this problem by using an RFID system that uses lower frequency RF. The patterns of light and shade increase with frequency. Tags may be vulnerable to Electro-Static Discharge (ESD) damage This may affect tags attached to insulating materials such as plastics. The problem is usually caused by friction and can occur when items rub against each other and build up an electrostatic charge. This may occur during manufacture, processing, transport and handling. Theres a sinister side to ESD. The damage isnt always immediate or obvious, and ESD may be one of the leastunderstood disadvantages of RFID. ESD can degrade an RFID (or any other electronic) device and make it operate erratically. It may fail completely, a minute, an hour, a day or a month later. Theres no way of knowing. Proactive ESD protection is a worthwhile strategy. Often theres enough moisture in the air to provide a leakage path that will slowly discharge any electro-static charge that starts to build up. But on a dry day...! You could fit two tags to minimize the risk if its critical. There are various ways to minimize these risks, including making sure that charges cant build up in the first place, or if they do, they are discharged in a controlled way that doesnt stress the microchip. If necessary, you can measure and monitor electric fields from charge build up with a suitable instrument.

RFID Tags
In its basic form, an RFID tag consists of a silicon integrated circuit (an IC Chip) connected to a small antenna. There are two general categories of RFID tags, passive tags and active tags. The most common of these is a passive tag (shown above), socalled because it has no internal battery power. Instead, passive tags are powered by energy drawn from the RF carrier wave transmitted by the interrogator. The modulated carrier wave transmitted by the interrogator is sensed by the Antenna. The carrier wave induces a small alternating current (AC) in the Antenna. Inside the IC Chip a Power Rectifier and Regulator converts the AC to stable DC and uses it to power the IC chip, which immediately wakes up. The Clock Extractor separates the clock pulses from the carrier wave and uses the pulses to synchronize the Logic, Memory, and Modulator sections of the tags IC chip with the Interrogator.

RFID TECHNOLOGY IN INDUSTRIES HOSPITALS An ActiveWave RFID system can be used to track patients, doctors and expensive equipment in hospitals in real time. RFID tags can be attached to the ID bracelets of all patients, or just patients requiring special attention, so their location can be tracked continuously. ActiveWave RFID technology can also provide an electronic link for wirelessly communicating patient data. An instant assessment of critical equipment and personnel locations is also possible through RFID technology. These applications can be combined with ActiveWave access control to allow only authorized personnel to access to critical areas of the hospital. Benefits of using ActiveWave RFID Systems:

Continuously track each patient's location Track the location of doctors and nurses in the hospital Track the location of expensive and critical instruments and equipment Restrict access to drugs, pediatrics, and other high-threat areas to authorized staff Monitor and track unauthorized persons who are loitering around high-threat areas Facilitate triage processes by restricting access to authorized staff and "approved" patients during medical emergencies, epidemics, terrorist threats, and other times when demands could threaten the hospital's ability to effectively deliver services

Use the patient's RFID tag to access patient information for review and update through a hand-held computer

RFID Applications in Supply Chain Management There are as many RFID applications as there are businesses. Some RFID applications have been around for decades, others are just starting to emerge. RFID, itself, is not a new technology; however, it is being used in many new and different ways. The roots of RFID technology can be traced back to World War II when radio waves were used to identify friendly aircrafts, in the 1970s New York Port Authority introduced an RFID device used for toll collection. While RFID applications used earlier are still around today, many more RFID applications have emerged since then. Today, the largest RFID application aids companies and governments in supply chain management. RFID is being used to manage products through production, distribution and retail. Manufacturers can especially benefit from implementing RFID applications in supply chains because they can decrease costs associated with product tracking and inventory management and increase the accuracy and timeliness of inventory data. Experts say that early adaptors of RFID applications in supply chains have seen a significant increase in revenue. RFID Applications in the Distribution Chain RFID Applications can be used to monitor and manage the movement of the finished products throughout a supply chain. RFDI tags can be attached directly to the items and materials or they can be attached to the containers that carry them. Pallets, trailers, totes, carts, cargo containers, and reusable transport items can all be tagged. Readers placed throughout a facility can monitor movement and location of inventory, thus providing real time data. This can be within a warehouse, a freight yard or within a retail location. RFID applications in the supply chain enable more frequent and accurate inventory counts RFID applications in the supply chain can also decrease costs associated with inventory counting In addition, RFID applications in fleet management have demonstrated significant ROI. RFID applications in fleet management enable a more cost-effective long-range tracking solution, global tracking of containers and cargo, reliable tracking of capital and inventory assets during transportation and increased security. By placing RFID tags on long range vehicles, trailers or other mobile assets, companies can gain visibility into their business assets utilization. RFID Applications in Retail and Product Marketing As in the distribution chain, RFID application in retail can greatly aid in reducing the cost of keeping accurate inventory data. With fewer people and less time, retailers can keep accurate inventories. Associates can spend more time providing service to customers rather than counting product.

RFID Applications in retail can greatly aid in ensuring proper product mix and availability are maintained for customers. The accuracy of the real time inventory data that is provided by RFID applications, enables product marketing managers to ensure that hot selling items are properly stocked and to ensure replenishment order for these items are placed as quickly as possible. Slow moving items can be quickly identified. This allows product marketing managers to take corrective action to goose demand through promotional or advertising activity before a fire sale is needed. Thus RFID applications help product marketing managers maintain their margins. RFID applications are, also, a significant aid in deterring theft in retail environments. Items tagged with RFID devices can trigger alarms when they are removed from the store without being properly deactivated. RFID applications have been successfully deployed for anti-theft purposes for several decades. RFID Applications in Brand Protection RFID applications can be used to protect brand identity by product marketing managers and to protect consumers from counterfeited products. RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting are, generally, aimed at high-value end consumer products. The unique identification number on standard RFID tags can be used to verify the authenticity of the products to which they are attached. These unique numbers combined with encryption algorithms can create authentication schemes that are extremely difficult for counterfeiters to circumvent. RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting can be used in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, electronics, entertainment, retail, IT and many more. It is estimated that counterfeiting costs legitimate companies nearly $600B worldwide each year. The payback even modestly successful anti-counterfeiting efforts can be very high. RFID applications represent one of the most promising methods for countering this major problem. By placing RFID tags on products at the point of manufacture, manufacturers can trace products throughout the supply chain. The pharmaceutical industry is creating an RFID application that will document the authenticity of their products at retail. Not only will the products have a unique ID, but information about the chain of custody for the product will be stored on the RFID tag or in an associated database. If the product is not properly tagged or the tag is not associated with the proper chain of custody then you know the product is counterfeit. While many anti-counterfeiting efforts are a large expense that most US companies face, RFID applications in anti-counterfeiting have a high ROI. By placing RFID tags on products at the point of manufacture, not only can products be traced throughout the supply chain, but it can also prevent counterfeit products from entering into the supply chain.

RFID and the Supply Chain

A simple Supply Chain consists of end-customers or consumers who buy goods or services from a retailer at a store or through other channels, such as an e-commerce website. The retailer may stock the goods and tools to provide the services from a wholesaler or a

distributor. The distributor normally buys goods in large quantities from a manufacturer who makes the goods in a factory or a production facility. The manufacturer buys raw materials from suppliers.

FUTURE OF RFID