High-frequency (HF) tags and readers use inductive coupling to communicate. Ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) tags can also employ inductive coupling in the near field. Why can't 2.4 GHz inductive coupling be utilized? —Name withheld ——— That's an interesting question, and...
My company grows Kumamoto oysters in floating bags, and would like to control individual bags with RFID tags. What types of tags could I use that would be waterproof 24/7 in salt water? The tags would not normally be immersed, but would always be at least wet, and...
What is the difference between the two terms? —Name withheld ——— In the world of radio frequency identification, "generation" refers to the version of the standard employed. EPC Gen 2 was the second version of the air-interface protocol standard for passive...
Erick Jones, a leading researcher in the area of auto-identification technologies, will focus on the development of innovative solutions for health care, manufacturing and transportation.
For example, I want to find my television remote. Can radio frequency identification help? —Name withheld ——— In 2005, RFID Update (now owned by RFID Journal) wrote about a product aimed at consumers, being sold by a company called iAutomate (see Consumer Product:...
In public libraries, there are concerns among staff members that deploying RFID technology will result in job losses. For example, employees who check out books could be replaced by self-checkout machines that use RFID technology. How do you respond to this very real...
Is it easy to utilize radio frequency identification in this manner? —Name withheld ——— No, it's not easy. I wrote about the issue of stealing credit cards in a recent blog posting (see Are RFID-Enabled Credit Cards Safer Than Magstripe Cards?). There are those who...
Are such companies making use of the technology? —Name withheld ——— I am unsure what precisely you mean by a "global retail discount operator," but I'll take a shot at answering your question. Wal-Mart Stores is employing passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radio...
I have a nursery, and am considering deploying radio frequency identification for inventory control. Would RFID tags hold up to weather? And if so, is there a specific tag or company for that application? —Name withheld ——— There are probably two ways to use RFID to...
I am a college student, and I am writing a proposal for my English class. I would like to know how much it would cost to implement RFID technology (tags, software, middleware and so forth) for 40,000 individuals, in order to track them in the event of an earthquake....
I am seeking investment opportunities related to radio frequency identification. Can you help? —Name withheld ——— If I had a good idea of which businesses would be the most successful, then from an investment perspective, I would sell RFID Journal and put the money...
Is radio frequency identification always the preferred technology? —Name withheld ——— For every data-capture application, it is important to consider the type of data that needs to be captured, as well as the most cost-effective way of capturing it. Parcel-delivery...