The market for radio frequency identification technology has evolved rapidly throughout the past few years, with new sectors, such as the aviation industry and food producers, embracing passive UHF RFID, and with new tags and readers with new capabilities hitting the market each year. It’s been difficult for those who deploy RFID solutions—the systems integrators—to keep up. But there’s good news for integrators.
Avery Dennison and RFID Journal have teamed up to produce a new white paper, titled “Passive RFID: Market Trends and New Market Opportunities for Systems Integrators.” The paper covers key trends in the RFID market, including the use of passive UHF RFID to improve inventory visibility in retail, the global focus on enhancing sustainability, which is driving adoption in the food sector, and the push by airlines to reduce the incidence of lost luggage through RFID tracking—which is likely to pick up again once the COVID-19 pandemic is under control and people begin flying again.
The paper explains how RFID complements or enables other technologies, such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, geolocation and the use of drones for inventory taking. It also provides real-world examples of how RFID and other technologies work together.
For example, the document explains how BeefChain is working to ensure farmers get premium prices for animals raised without stressors that impact commodity cattle, such as concentrated feeding operations. BeefChain one of the first companies to ever place cattle into a blockchain. It has created an initiative with the Wyoming Business Council and Avery Dennison that will allow consumers to track the steak on their plate all the way back to the ranch at which the animal was raised. This gives ranchers greater control over the value of their sales by proving, via blockchain technology and RFID, that the beef they are selling is what they claim it is.
Meanwhile, New York-based brand Rochambeau created a limited run of just 15 jackets, each with an embedded RFID tag that acted as a VIP pass to highly sought-after events hand-picked by the founders, including a tasting menu for two at a high-end restaurant and velvet rope entry to an exclusive nightclub. The company’s Bright BMBR jackets were powered by Avery Dennison’s Janela solution, and each had a custom Near Field Communication (NFC) tag and a QR code under a hidden zipper pocket in the left sleeve. The tag and QR code contained serialized codes that connected the jackets to their data profiles in Evrythng‘s IoT cloud. Consumers only had to use their smartphones to access the hidden content behind them. The experience of the jacket was also extended through geolocation. When a wearer reads the NFC tag within 500 yards of one of the stores, he or she gained access to another personalized gift.
In addition, the paper features an important section on how to ensure RFID delivers value in different sectors, including cosmetics, health and beauty; food products; and aviation, automotive and manufacturing. If you are a systems integrator and want to understand the latest trends, I encourage you to download the white paper.
Mark Roberti is the founder and editor of RFID Journal.