RFID

RFID (an acronym for Radio Frequency Identification) is an automatic identification technology, similar in concept to a bar code. An RFID tag consists of a small integrated circuit attached to miniature antennae, which is capable of transmitting a unique serial number to a mobile or stationary reader in response to a query.

Every RFID tag has a unique identification number. The identification number includes not only the traditional information contained in a printed barcode (indicating manufacturer and product type), but also a unique serial number for that tag, meaning that each product or item will be uniquely identified.

Most RFID tags are passive: they do not contain a power source and obtain the power needed to operate from the query signal itself. These passive tags can transmit their identification number from a few millimeters to several meters, depending on the available power. When the tab comes within range of a reader, the tag is powered by the reader's radio frequency field and transmits its ID to the reader.

RFID tags also can be active, which means they contain a power source and can send their identification number over distances of several tens of meters.

RFID proponents believe that the ability of these systems to deliver precise and accurate data about tagged items will improve efficiency and bring other benefits to businesses and consumers alike. While these developments may offer significant benefits for industry and consumers, some applications have raised privacy concerns. The capacity to encode unique identifiers at the individual item level may have revolutionized thinking about inventory management, but it has also raised fears that this technology might be used to track individual products out of the store and into consumers’ homes or otherwise monitor individual consumer behaviors.