RFID- A Small intro to A really Small Smart Chip with a Big Utility


Intro

(Radio Frequency IDentification) A wireless data collection technology that uses electronic tags for storing data. Like bar codes, they are used to identify items. Unlike bar codes, which must be brought close to the scanner for reading, RFID tags are read when they are within the proximity of a transmitted radio signal.
RFID Tags Store More DataBecause RFID tags hold more data than bar codes, which generally contain only a product ID, the RFID tag can be used for tracking individual items. For example, one of its first uses was to track livestock and other animals. Taking that a step further, in 2004, an amusement park in Denmark launched a child tracking system that uses RFID wrist bands. If children are lost, they can be found by the numerous readers around the park. Tags are also attached to retail products for security purposes, and libraries use them to track books and videos.


Passive Vs. Active Tags

The tag, also known as an "electronic label," "transponder" or "code plate," comes in two forms. "Passive" tags have no power source but use the electromagnetic waves from the reader up to approximately 15 feet away to transmit back their contents. Such systems are used for ID badges because employees need only pass by the reader rather than have to stop and insert a smart card. For high security, such systems can instantly display pictures of the people as they approach manned entrance and exit ways.
"Active" tags use a battery to transmit up to 1,500 feet. These are used for tracking trailers in yards and containers on the loading dock. RFID systems use frequencies in the kilohertz, megahertz and gigahertz ranges.

RFID Goes Way BackAlthough first used in World War II to identify friendly aircraft, RFID technology began to materialize in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1997, Mobil introduced its Speedpass system that lets you wave the tag in front of the pump to record your transaction and debit your credit card. Automatic highway toll collection systems are RFID, and General Motors' OnStar vehicle tracking system is a satellite-based version of it.

When Tags Cost a Penny

When the price of tags becomes economical enough, it is expected that RFID will take off in other venues. For an ultimate example: were the tag to cost only a penny or two, it could be placed on supermarket products, and everything in the shopping cart, except produce, could be read at once


A Scenario

The internet is out of its womb! Its tentacles spreading to unexpected levels gaining a rip on the way the world runs. Does it sound a bit ominous? Not really if we are to go by what the recently published report of the International Telecommunication union (ITU) talks about.

Imagine Rosa has just quarreled with her boyfriend and needs a little time to herself. She decides to drive secretly to the French Alps in her smart Toyota to spend a weekend at a ski resort. But it seems she must first stop at a garage - her car's RFID sensor system(required by law) has alerted her of possible tyre failure.
As she passes through the entrance to her favourite garage, a diagnostic tool using sensors and radio technology conducts a comprehensive check of her car and asks her to proceed to a specialized maintenance terminal. The terminal is equipped with fully automated robotic arms and Rosa confidently leaves her beloved car behind in order to get some coffee. The “Orange Wall” beverage machine knows all about Rosa’s love of iced coffee and pours it for her after Rosa waves her internet watch for secure payment. When she gets back, a brand new pair of rear tyres has already been installed with integrated RFID tags for monitoring pressure, temperature and deformation.The robotic guide then prompts Rosa on the privacy-related options associated with the new tyres. The information stored in her car’s control system is intended for maintenance purposes but can be read at different points of the car journey where RFID readers are available. However, since Rosa does not want anyone to know (especially her boyfriend) where she is heading, such information is too sensitive to be left unprotected. She therefore chooses to have the privacy option turned on to prevent unauthorized tracking.



Finally, Rosa can do some shopping and drives to the nearest mall. She wants to buy that new snowboard jacket with embedded media player and weather-adjusting features. The resort she is heading towards uses a network of wireless sensors to monitor the possibilities of avalanches so she feels both healthy and safe. At the French-Spanish border, there is no need to stop, as Rosa’s car contains information on her driver’s licence and passport which is automatically transmitted to the minimal border control installations. Suddenly, Rosa gets a video-call on her sunglasses. She pulls over and sees her boyfriend who begs to be forgiven and asks if she wants to spend theweekend together. Her spirits rise and on impulse she gives a speech command to the navigation system to disable the privacy protection, so that her boyfriend’s car might find her location and aim directly for it. Even in a world full of smart interconnected things, human feelings continue to rule.


This is no science fiction, its how the ITU says the world will be in 2020.