What is rfid
Radio Frequency Identification is rapidly improving and
developing technology in today world. During the Second World War rfid
technique use in very first time (1970).Whether you may don’t know this
technology, but used in daily life. To understand bit of this just think about
barcode system in super market. That is the simplest form we can see.
Rfid technology is a means of gathering data by
touching/seeing a data carrier. Most important feature of this is tracking
objects and then uniquely identifying them. But no need direct sight line to
recognize. This will give great new potential.
How does it work
In an rfid system, there are tags integrated with
readers. This tag reader generates radio frequency signals which communicate
with rfid tags also capture reply signals from tags.
The Elements of an RFID System
·
RFID
tag
·
Readers
·
RFID
middleware
·
RFID
software applications
RFID tags
These tags can classify as two different types. They are,
o
Classification
by tag type.
§ Passive tags.
These tags don’t have power source in their own and usually operate
maximum 3m distance. When communicate with reader these tags have power. This
sim capable to hold 64 bit range data. Common as class 0 tags.
§ Semi – Passive tags.
These are just like other passive tags but the difference is maintaining
a battery power in tags.
§ Active tags.
These tags have their own power source and
capable to communicate 100m distance or more away (only need less signal to
process).
o
Classification
by memory type.
§ Read Only.
§ Write Only.
Readers
According to the design and technology readers
can be categorize as two types, they are
o
Read
§ Only read data from
tags.
§ different types for
different protocols, frequencies and standards
o
Read/Write
§ Read and write data
from/on the tags.
How RFID technology evolving in today and future
o
Reader
development.
In today rfid readers comes as wireless portable unit. That is very easy
to use and to development also. Readers are growing now to capture data from
long distance (more than 100m) with more capable of processing (using low
signal strength also) just as collecting data.
o
Standards
development.
There are many common standards used in today and you can customize them
also. They are,
§ EPC (Electronic
Product Code) Standards.
§ ISO Standards.
E.g.:- ISO
11784/ ISO 11785 -
Radio frequency identification of animals
ISO/IEC 14443 -Identification cards -
Contactless integrated circuit(s) cards
o
Tag
development.
At this stage most companies dislike to develop this because of the
cost. For one dollar product it is impossible thing to spent 3 cents for tags.
In that case in small business companies inspire to cut down this technology
from their business. If you go for more
capable tags then there are some additional costs also.
o
RFID
development kits
§ ntermec Intellitag® Radio Frequency Identification Developer's Kit
Whatever
RFID is today very typical and massively used in some business. Because it is
simple to use and no need any additional human recourses to process. Below are
some examples
o
In
supermarket/shops places this technology widely using (Barcode systems).
o
Warehousing
and supply chain.
These businesses are conduct by major companies so the demand for these
items is very high. So supply is also same as demand. In this case it is not
feasible thing to unpack all logistics and analyze at warehouse side/customer
side. So rfid is massy used in this
chain then no need to unpack boxes to check items.
o
Identification
and security.
This area is obviously better to used rfid because if there any failure
that is high risk. While transmitting data among reader and tags can encode
/encrypt data then nobody can see them. This is also can use to identify a
human using small chip. We can insert that chip to human body then we can find
him where he go thru rfid. This is very important to catch crimes.
o
Credit/Debit
cards.
o Animal tracking
o Inserted beneath the skin,
can be rice-sized.
There
are more ongoing researches of rfid. Thus near future will be very different
with this technology. Below are some of them,
o
Auto
generating receipt.
o
Track
shipping containers, or heavy machinery, trucks, and railroad cars...etc.
Key players and manufactures of
RFID
Look at the
statement which said by wall mart,
“Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and a number of its suppliers are using a
Dallas distribution center as the starting point for an rfid technology that's
targeted to one day replaces the bar code.”
What we can
understand through this is Wal-Mart is one of leading company which using this
technology. Not only there are another companies too.
§ Material
Handling Industry of America widely using RFID (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPqUUR5OFJg&feature=related).
RFID manufactures
·
Tag manufactures
§ Alien
§ Motorola
§ Impinj
§ ntermec Inc
§ UPM RFID
§ Zebra Technologies Corporation
§ Confidex …………………….
Etc.
·
Reader manufactures
§ Alien Technology
Readers
§ Impinj RFID Readers
§ Invengo RFID Readers………………Etc.
·
Antennas manufactures
§ Impinj RFID Antennas
§ ITS RFID Antennas ………………Etc.
Advantages
o
No straight signal line
required. Tags can be at any place important thing is reading range of reader.
o
Rfid tags don’t have read
range than readers. E.g.: barcodes
o
Tags have read/write
memory capability while barcode don’t have that.
o
One tag can use to store
large amount of data and also have unique identifier.
o
Tags are less sensitive to
dust, chemicals, physical damages….etc.
o
Tags can combine with
sensors.
o
For tag detection no need a human invention.
o
Tags are very easy to
install/inject inside animal body.
o
Reduce robbers.
o
Improve inventory
accuracy.
o
Location identification
Disadvantages and Limitations
o
Standardization
There is some standards (ISO, EPC) to
develop rfid systems in this case developing freedom is limited.
o
Cost
Cost of tags is depend on the tag type and
if you go for higher capable tags then cost also will be higher.
o
Collision
If reader tries to read several tags at a
time then there can be signal collision. To avoid these anti-collision
algorithms can use but it an additional cost.
o
Faulty manufacture of tag
All tags come in to markets are not 100%
failure-free today. About 20–30% of tags are with errors.
o
Frequency
There are many
factors to consider choosing a frequency. They are,
§ Transmission
mode
Basically rfid using two transmission
frequencies, indeed there are another more transmission rates too. But they are
banded t use. (UHF with typical frequency ranges of 433MHz, 865–956MHz and
2.45GHz)
§ Behavior
of tagged goods and environment
§ International
standards in frequency allocation (ISO,EPC)
o
Quick technology
obsolescence
Today this technology is rapidly changing
day by day. So the company is lazy to use this because there are data thefts
also keeping growing with the technology. So increase expenses.
o
Possible virus attack
If you use backend database together with
the rfid software, then again there is viruses which affecting to database
(sql/oracle).
o
Security and Privacy
Issues
There is different kind of people in world.
Criminals can misuse this technique to steal the private data (credit card
details). That is big impact to the security also. Because to do this no need big equipments just a small chip.
Keep it up..
ReplyDelete