Passive Aggressive
Passive RFID tags are increasingly being used for asset tracking, which has traditionally been the domain of longer-range-but more expensive-active tags.
By Mary Catherine O'Connor
Oct. 1, 2006—Companies such as Intermec and Symbol Technologies are making rugged, reusable Electronic Product Code Gen 2 tags that have a longer read range and greater memory capacity than earlier ultrahigh-frequency passive tags. Shoppers Drug Mart recently completed a technology trial using passive tags to track cargo trailers throughout its transportation yard.
Logistics firm Exel partnered with Symbol and Fluensee, a startup that makes asset-tracking software, to deploy the Shoppers Drug Mart pilot. The Canadian retailer is currently examining the results of the trial to determine the business case, but the Symbol tag performed even better than anticipated, according to Chris Brumett, Fluensee's vice president of operations. "Symbol recently updated the tag," he says, "and we were seeing a read range of 30 to 45 feet consistently." Symbol attributes the increased range to the tag's antenna design, and to the use of a metal plate behind the tag, which amplifies the tag's backscatter signal.
While that range is far less than the typical 300 feet of read range that active tags provide, the lower range comes with a significantly lower cost: Passive tags range from less than $10 to $15 each, compared with $50 or more for an active tag.
Oct. 1, 2006—Companies such as Intermec and Symbol Technologies are making rugged, reusable Electronic Product Code Gen 2 tags that have a longer read range and greater memory capacity than earlier ultrahigh-frequency passive tags. Shoppers Drug Mart recently completed a technology trial using passive tags to track cargo trailers throughout its transportation yard.
Logistics firm Exel partnered with Symbol and Fluensee, a startup that makes asset-tracking software, to deploy the Shoppers Drug Mart pilot. The Canadian retailer is currently examining the results of the trial to determine the business case, but the Symbol tag performed even better than anticipated, according to Chris Brumett, Fluensee's vice president of operations. "Symbol recently updated the tag," he says, "and we were seeing a read range of 30 to 45 feet consistently." Symbol attributes the increased range to the tag's antenna design, and to the use of a metal plate behind the tag, which amplifies the tag's backscatter signal.
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| Intermec's Large Rigid Tag is designed for tracking assets, even those made of metal or other materials that can cause RF interference. |
While that range is far less than the typical 300 feet of read range that active tags provide, the lower range comes with a significantly lower cost: Passive tags range from less than $10 to $15 each, compared with $50 or more for an active tag.
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