Dec 06, 2022In the past two decades, the retail and apparel sector has emerged as a hotspot for radio frequency identification (RFID) deployments. A growing number of retailers are using RFID technology, as well as Near Field Communication (NFC) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), to automate inventory data, reduce out-of-stock situations, improve processes, increase customer engagement, provide automated checkout and payment options, locate goods, identify counterfeits and enable omnichannel shopping.
Not only can RFID streamline inventory processes, but it can allow for 100 percent accuracy during restocking—something that isn't possible without the technology. For obvious reasons, that benefit appeals to retailers and to retail customers alike. During the pre-vaccine period of the COVID-19 pandemic, RFID proved especially vital since the technology allowed stores to remain afloat and provide alternate shopping methods to keep customers and employees safe from what was then an alarmingly deadly virus.
In recent years, RFID and other Internet of Things (IoT) solutions have also been increasingly deployed in the healthcare sector. RFID-enabled technologies, including real-time location systems (RTLS), allow hospitals and other medical facilities to monitor patients, expedite care, locate equipment, identify expired drugs, prevent infant abductions, protect those with dementia, foster good hand hygiene, prevent infections, track vaccine and medicine administration, and more. When the pandemic put unimaginable stresses on hospitals and caregivers, having the technology in place proved more vital than ever.
The technology's worth has been proven many times over. There's no longer a question of whether or not businesses can benefit from RFID. It's widely accepted that they can. The question now is which industry segments will be the next to embrace RFID and IoT solutions on a larger scale for asset tracking, inventory management, operations improvement, supply chain management and other uses. Will it be manufacturing? Energy and utilities? Construction? Food and agriculture? Aerospace and defense? Packaging? Logistics and transportation? Hospitality? Automotive? Education and libraries? Entertainment?
RFID and IoT technologies are already being deployed in all these sectors to improve efficiency, visibility, security and access control, as well as for myriad other applications. But which will be the next to truly match the technology's successes in the RFID and healthcare industries? Chime in below and let us know what you think.
Rich Handley has been the managing editor of RFID Journal since 2005. Outside the RFID world, Rich has authored, edited or contributed to numerous books about pop culture. You can contact Rich via email.
