Radio-Frequency Identification - Essay Example

Radio waves found to be useful in many other fields and identification and tracking of objects is one among them. The technology used for the identification or tracking of objects with the help of radio waves is called Radio frequency identification or RFID. More precisely, radio frequency identification (RFID) describes a “system that transmits the identity of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves” (What is RFID?, n. d). This paper briefly analyses history and various features of RFID.

History and Evolution of RFID During the middle half of twentieth century, barcode technology has evolved to identify objects using some printed lines. During the same period itself, researches to develop RFID tags were started and “the first active form of RFID was developed by British scientist, Watson-Watt and his team during this period (Roberti, 2011). Commercial use of barcodes started in the 1960’s. In the 1970’s universal grocery product identification codes and universal product codes were introduced.

In the early part of 1990’s IBM developed an ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID system. This technology contributed heavily to the development of electronic product coding (EPD) technology. The present Universal Product Code and bar code technologies were evolved from EPD. Between 1999 and 2003, EPD technology developed a lot and the current form of bar codes to identify products evolved out of it (Roberti, 2011). RFID tags and barcodes appear to be similar in its functioning. Both are used for identifying objects.

At the same time there are certain differences in the functioning of barcodes and RFID tags. While bar codes need printed lines for identification, RFID tags needs nothing like that. RFID tags can be used to identify even distant objects whereas barcodes have limitations in doing so. Moreover RFID tags work much faster than barcodes. In short, bar codes and RFID tags have different uses and both are used for different purposes. Components of RFID Tags/transponders, Readers/Antennas/transceivers, Middleware etc are the major components of RFID.

Tags are the major part or heart of any RFID system. It stores information about the object being tracked in its memory. RFID readers read this information from the tag memory to identify the objects. Data transfer between tag and memory is taking place with the help of radio waves of suitable frequency. Readers and antennas are used for the transmission and reception of radio waves between tags and Middleware software. “Middleware software is responsible for data retrieving from readers, data filtering, monitoring of tags, storing tracking histories etc” (Overview of RFID Components, 2006, p.1-2). Tags or transponders consist of an integrated electronic circuit in which a capacitor is enclosed to send and receive signals from the object.

The electronic circuit of the tag could be read only and in some cases it could be used to read or write information. Antennas are usually powered by batteries or usual power supply. These antennas will be connected to a laptop using wireless technologies so that the computer can send and receive instructions to it (Basic RFID Components, 2003). RFID tags are usually enclosed in a plastic container in order to avoid any damages to different climatic conditions. It is capable of reading signals from any objects irrespective of whether the objects are dirty or covered with paints or grease.

The memory capacity of RFID tag can be even up to one