Radio-Frequency Identification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Radio-Frequency Identification - Essay practiceRadio waves found to be put onful in many other fields and identification and trailing of ends is one among them. The technology use for the identification or tracking of objects with the help of radio waves is called Radio frequence identification or RFID. More precisely, radio frequency identification (RFID) describes a system that transmits the identity of an object or person wirelessly, using radio waves (What is RFID?, n. d). This paper briefly analyses history and various features of RFID. History and commenceing of RFID During the middle half of twentieth century, barcode technology has evolved to identify objects using some printed lines. During the same period itself, researches to develop RFID tags were started and the first active form of RFID was true by British scientist, Watson-Watt and his team during this period (Roberti, 2011). Commercial use of barcodes started in the 1960s. In the 1970s universal grocery harves ting identification codes and universal product codes were introduced. In the early part of 1990s IBM developed an ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID system. This technology contributed heavily to the development of electronic product coding (EPD) technology. The present Universal Product Code and bar code technologies were evolved from EPD. Between 1999 and 2003, EPD technology developed a lot and the current form of bar codes to identify products evolved out of it (Roberti, 2011). RFID tags and barcodes appear to be kindred in its functioning. Both are used for identifying objects. At the same time there are trusted differences in the functioning of barcodes and RFID tags. While bar codes need printed lines for identification, RFID tags needs nothing like that. RFID tags tolerate be used to identify even distant objects whereas barcodes have limitations in doing so. Moreover RFID tags work much swift than barcodes. In short, bar codes and RFID tags have different uses and both ar e used for different purposes. Components of RFID Tags/transponders, Readers/Antennas/transceivers, Middleware etc are the major(ip) components of RFID. Tags are the major part or heart of any RFID system. It stores information about the object existence tracked in its memory. RFID readers read this information from the tag memory to identify the objects. Data transfer among tag and memory is taking place with the help of radio waves of suitable frequency. Readers and antennas are used for the transmission system and reception of radio waves between tags and Middleware software. Middleware software is responsible for data retrieving from readers, data filtering, monitoring of tags, storing tracking histories etc (Overview of RFID Components, 2006, p.1-2). Tags or transponders consist of an integrated electronic circuit in which a capacitor is enclosed to send and hold signals from the object. The electronic circuit of the tag could be read only and in some cases it could be used to read or write information. Antennas are usually office staffed by batteries or usual power supply. These antennas will be connected to a laptop using wireless technologies so that the computer can send and receive instructions to it (Basic RFID Components, 2003). RFID tags are usually enclosed in a plastic container in order to avoid any damages to different climatic conditions. It is capable of reading signals from any objects no matter of whether the objects are dirty or covered with paints or grease. The memory capacity of RFID tag can be even up to one