RFID Taking Over

If you have gone through my first article about RFID you must have got some idea as to what RFID is all about.

i believe that RFID is going to take the world by storm. Bar code is a very old technology and i believe it is going to be totally replaced by RFID. The RF tags are getting smaller thinner and more affordable. lets take an example to see the difference between RFID and bar code.

A library - considering a system is automated bar code and RFID will look to work in a similar manner while checking out a book or checking in. but RFID as apposed to bar code can detect theft you cannot go out of the library with a book tucked under your shirt if it has an RF tag and there are RF readers Placed near the door of the library.
not just theft but inventory management also becomes very simple. The anti-collision type of tags come in handy here. all you need to do is hold the reader in near a row of books and there tags will be read and thats that. no need to climb near a book take it out read its bar code non of that any more with RFID.

RFID is also being made famous by IBM in there add about tracking goods using RFID. it has become so simple to track shipments. RFID has a potential in every field and there is not a single place where RFID is not being tried. Its like a magic chip. but it also has its drawbacks i will write on those to.

visit me at www.insigniasecure.com

Basic RFID

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as the name suggests this technology is basically based on the power of Radio waves ie there ease of use and data carrying ability. Mario Cardullo's U.S. Patent in 1973 was the first true ancestor of modern RFID which tells us that it is a young technology.

(The Pic. is of what RFID tags look like)

How it works - Basically there are two different parts first is the transponder (tag) the other is the receiver. These two are a slightly confusing words as the receiver which receives data from the RF tag is the one which is transmitting Radio waves which are used to communicate and power up by the RF Tag (incase of Passive Tags).

The Tag contains the data and the receiver is basically like an antenna which is connected to some sort of controller to which it transmits the data.

RFID can be largely classified into two types 1) Passive 2) Active

Passive RFID tags have no internal power supply. They rely for power on the incident RF waves for power, the tags convert the RF waves into power with the help of a coil, this is then used to transmit back the data in the chip to the reader using what is know as backscattering

Active RFID tags have batteries inside them and this makes them more reliable and more powerful. The range of these tags increases dramatically.

The Problems faced by RFID is that radio waves cannot travel through metal, also radio waves find it hard to travel through water.

RFID can be used for a lot of application from complete inventory system management, to college management.

For more info you can log on to www.insigniasecure.com