RFID TECHNOLOGY

The Wave of the Future

J.J. Faxon
Andy Vu
Dustin Beck
Jessica Bentz
Mandi Ellis

Outline
History

of RFID
Types & Systems
Current Uses
Future Applications
Controversies

What is RFID?
A

technology that employs a microchip

with an antenna that broadcasts its
unique identifier and location to
receivers.
Employs a microchip called a smart
tag, broadcasts unique 96-bit identifier
to receiver.
Receiver relays the data to a computer.

RFID vs. Bar Codes

Does

not require human to manually

pass item over scanner.
More accurate inventory count.
Can be incorporated into product,
person, animal.
Can track each individual item.

History of RFID
1939

IFF Transponder
Used by allies in WWII
1945

Leon Theremin
Espionage tool for Soviet Union

History cont.
1973

Claims U.S. patent was first true

ancestor
1980

Retail
Use of RFID in tracking and access
applications appeared
Price, color, date of purchase

RFID Tags
Contains

two main parts:

Silicon chips
Antennas
Components

enable tags to receive

and respond to radio frequencies
queries from RFID transceivers.
Three types:

Passive
Semi-Passive
Active

RFID Tags cont.

Passive
Have no internal power supply
Electrical current inducted in antenna by the incoming
signal proves power for integrated circuit in tag to power up
and transmit response
Very Small, Limited Range, Unlimited Life

Semi Passive
Similar to passive tags, with the addition of a small battery
Battery powers the integrated circuit
Bigger, Longer Range, Limited Life

Active
Have their own internal power source
Many operate at fixed intervals
Also called beacons (broadcast own signal)
Large ( coin), Much larger memories, Longer range

RFID System

Objects equipped with RFID

tag
Tag contains transponder
with digital memory chip.

Interrogator: an antenna
packaged with transceiver
and decoder.
emits signal activating
tag.

Reader detects activation

signal, decodes the data on
the tags silicon chip.

Data passed to host

computer.

Growing Technology
Line

of Sight Technology
RFID superior over Barcode
Elements and accidents can disturb or
damage barcodes
Best

Buy, Wal-Mart, And Target

began implementation
Efficient in ability to track & respond
accordingly

Current Uses
Wal-Mart

now requires its suppliers to

use RFID tags on shipping crates and
pallets to improve inventory
management in the supply chain.
Fed Ex bought RFID-enabled aircraft
from Airbus to reduce maintenance
time and costs.
Cattle and farm animals are being
tagged to improve tracking and
monitoring of health.

Current Uses cont.

U.S.

Department of Defense to
better track goods along supply
chain (logistics and inventory).
Electronic payment credit card
companies moving to RFID-enabled
cards to increase efficiency and
reduce time at point-of-sale for
customer, merchant, and card issuer.

The Future of RFID

Medical
Drug Counterfeiting
Tracking & Tracing

Medical Passports
Foster Care System

Food Chain
Precautions
Shopping
Cashier-less check
out and payment

Household
Technology
Smart keys
Intelligent
washing machines
Monitoring
refrigerators
Intelligent
ovens/microwaves

Controversy
Privacy

Consumer Rights
Consumers should be informed if their
products have an RFID tag.

Tracking of consumers (Profiling)

RFID chips withstand dirt and scratches and
can be scanned from distances upward of 25
feet.
Personal Information Leakage.
Drawing the Line Need for Legislation?
Who Should Regulate?

Controversy cont.
Killing

of RFID Tags

Tracking vs. the washing machine

Options of killing after purchase
Medical

Implants/Personal Information
Verichip is a tiny implantable chip that holds
medical records
Bracelets to track infants in medical wards
and elderly in nursing homes.
Used in animals for tracking.

Controversy cont.

Medical
Health Risks
Hard to remove once implanted.
Long term effects unknown.

Religious
Mark of the Beast, etc.
The implanted RFID chip is certain to inflame
Christian fundamentalists, some of whom believe that
such chips are the Satanic mark of the Beast
predicted in Revelations 13:16 And he causeth all,
both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to
receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads.

Main Points
Slowly

becoming an industry
standard
Speeds up the supply chain process
Easier to manage inventory
Continually evolving
Controversial technology

Questions for you.

Define

RFID technology?
When was RFID introduced?
What are two main reasons RFID is
controversial?
Name the three types of RFID tags?
How are they currently using RFID tags?
How is RFID Technology expected to
effect households?

Questions?