Identification has become more and more important in today’s world. From students identification to employees identification, it is common to pull out a plastic card from our purse or wallet to prove we are who we claim to be.Widely use RFID technology make our life more convenient.
Hitachi holds the record of the smallest RFID chip, at a size of 0.05mm × 0.05mm. This is 1/64th the size of previous record holder, the mu-chip. Manufactures make it possible by using the silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. These dust-sized chip can store 38 – digit numbers by using 128- bit Read Only Memory (ROM). A major challenge is the attachment of antennas, thus limiting read range to only millimeters.
RFID offering advantages over manual system or use of barcode. The tag can be read if it was passed or near a reader, even if it is covered by object or not visible directly. Tags can be read inside a case / carton / box or other container, unlike barcodes, RFID tags can be read hundreds times at a time. In the other hand, barcodes can only be read once at a time when using current devices.
RFID provides a way for organization to identify and manage tools and equipments ( asset tracking ) , without manual data entry. RFID is being adopted for item level tagging in retail store. This provides electronic article surveillance (EAS), and a self checkout process for consumer. Automatic identification with RFID can be used to inventory system. Manufactured products such as automobile or garment can be tracked through the factory and through shipping to customer.
RFID tags are widely used in identification badge, replacing earlier magnetic stripe card and so on. These badges only need to be held within a certain distance of the reader to authenticate holder. Tags can also be placed onto vehicles, which can be read at a distance, to allow entrance to controlled areas without having to stop the vehicle and present a card or enter an access code.
