Is there an RFID tag that can be embedded in a laptop and be read 50 to 60 at a time? — It sounds like you want to track laptops leaving a production facility. TNT Express, a Netherlands-based logistics and shipping company, tagged laptop boxes with Alien Technology's...
How do you test RFID applications? ——— I guess that depends on what you mean by test. You can deploy RFID readers and tag objects, then test whether the tags can be read in your environment, and on your products or assets. That's fairly obvious, though, so perhaps...
Can you please tell me how I might launch my own business in India, in the field of radio frequency identification? —Name withheld ——— That's an interesting question. I'm assuming you don't have a lot of knowledge of the industry, so the first thing you might consider...
Are any statistics or development figures available on your Web site, or on the Internet? ——— I'm not sure what you mean by development figures, but we have reported on the growth of the RFID market, and have published the results of surveys regarding end users'...
What is the maximum distance that an RFID tag can be used effectively? —Name withheld ——— With standard ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) systems, tags can be read from approximately 30 feet under ideal conditions. I have seen a passive UHF tag read from a distance of more...
Do you know of any companies that manufacture 2.4 or 5.8 GHz passive RFID semiconductors/chips? I have searched via Google and located several companies making active real-time locating system (RTLS) chips, but none making passive chips. Any help you could offer would...
What kind of battery, and of what voltage range, is utilized in active RFID tags? Additionally, where—and how—is the battery embedded? —Amar ——— Dear Amar, My understanding is that most active tags use batteries of 3 to 3.7 volts, though that differs between...
Is there an RFID tag available that can be interrogated through metal roofing systems, and that would work for 20 years? —Name withheld ——— To my knowledge, there is no such system. Radio waves bounce off metal, though there might be a way to accomplish what you hope...
Hello, How long do you think it will be before general retail stores adopt RFID to replace bar codes? Five years? Ten years? Is tag cost the major issue delaying the technology from becoming popular in retail? And what do you think an acceptable tag cost would be for...
Does inlay thickness—including the antenna and chip—contribute to the reliability of a smart card if there is an external magnetic stripe on it? I have heard that a 180-micrometer inlay is more reliable than a 330-micrometer inlay when used with an external magnetic...
Is radio frequency identification technology just an excuse for Big Brother to find out more about us? —Name Withheld ——— I just don't see how it could be—for several reasons. If the government wants to track you, it has already found the means, by getting you to...
The Obama Administration plans to spend $1 billion on food safety, but the RFID industry is not explaining why some of that money should go to track-and-trace technologies.