Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a wireless communication method that uses electromagnetic waves to identify and track tags attached to objects, people, or animals. Here are the key details:
- Components:
- RFID Tags: These small transponders store digitally encoded data. When triggered by an electromagnetic pulse from an RFID reader, they transmit this data back to the reader.
- RFID Reader: The reader emits the interrogation pulse and receives data from the tags.
- Transmitter: The device that sends the interrogation pulse.
- Passive Tags: Powered by energy from the reader’s radio waves.
- Active Tags: Powered by batteries, allowing longer reading ranges (up to hundreds of meters).
- Functionality:
- When an RFID reader sends an interrogation pulse, nearby tags respond by transmitting their data (usually an inventory number).
- Unlike barcodes, RFID tags don’t require line-of-sight; they can be embedded in objects.
- RFID enables automatic identification and data capture (AIDC).
- Applications:
- Inventory Tracking: Used in industries to track goods during production or in warehouses.
- Pharmaceuticals: RFID-tagged drugs can be monitored through supply chains.
- Livestock and Pets: Implanting RFID microchips enables positive identification.
- Retail: Tags expedite checkout and prevent theft.
- Privacy Concerns: Reading personally-linked information without consent is a concern, leading to privacy-focused standards development.
