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What is RFID ?
Wireless communication and
the air interface
Carrier frequencies
Data transfer rate and bandwidth
Range and Power Levels
RFID System Components
Transponders/Tags
Basic features of an RFID transponder
The Reader/Interrogator
RF Transponder Programmers
RFID System Categories
Areas of Application for RFID
Standardisation |
Areas of Application for RFID
Potential applications for RFID may be identified in virtually every sector of industry, commerce and services where data is to be collected. The attributes of RFID are complimentary to other data capture technologies and thus able to satisfy particular application requirements that cannot be adequately accommodate by alternative technologies. Principal areas of application for RFID that can be currently identified include:
Transportation and logistics
Manufacturing and Processing
Security
A range of miscellaneous applications may also be distinguished, some of which are steadily growing in terms of application numbers. They include:
Animal tagging
Waste management
Time and attendance
Postal tracking
Airline baggage reconciliation
Road toll management
As standards emerge, technology develops still further, and costs reduce considerable growth in terms of application numbers and new areas of application may be expected.
Some of the more prominent specific applications include:
Electronic article surveillance - clothing retail outlets being typical.
Protection of valuable equipment against theft, unauthorised removal or asset management.
Controlled access to vehicles, parking areas and fuel facilities - depot facilities being typical.
Automated toll collection for roads and bridges - since the 1980s, electronic Road-Pricing (ERP) systems have been used in Hong Kong.
Controlled access of personnel to secure or hazardous locations.
Time and attendance - to replace conventional "slot card" time keeping systems.
Animal husbandry - for identification in support of individualised feeding programmes.
Automatic identification of tools in numerically controlled machines - to facilitate condition monitoring of tools, for use in managing tool usage and minimising waste due to excessive machine tool wear.
Identification of product variants and process control in flexible manufacture systems.
Sport time recording
Electronic monitoring of offenders at home
Vehicle anti-theft systems and car immobiliser
A number of factors influence the suitability of RFID for given applications. The application needs must be carefully determined and examined with respect to the attributes that RFID and other data collection technologies can offer. Where RFID is identified as a contender further considerations have to be made in respect of application environment, from an electromagnetic standpoint, standards, and legislation concerning use of frequencies and power levels.
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