RFID And Bringing The World Into The Future

By Ruth Fisher


It used to be that in order to keep track of something, one had to use their eyes. Once it was out of sight, it was practically lost. But as society evolved, so did the tools used by humanity. Nowadays, keeping track of something is as easy as slapping a tag on it and using a CSL RFID reader connected, wirelessly or otherwise, to a computer.

RFID stands for radio frequency identification. This is accomplished through tags. Passive tags have no internal or external power source and must use the energy given out by the radio waves being given out by a reader. An active tag is powered by a battery and often has a greater range than a passive tag.

Ultra high frequency, more commonly referred to as UHF, are the frequencies at which many of the most essential systems in the world operate. A lot of things like cell phone coverage, GPS, and even Wi-Fi all operate on UHF. Many RFID readers are tuned to ultra high frequencies.

RFID tags are used widely in for security purposes. Items embedded with an RFID tag will often go off if taken out in a store. Similarly, identification cards can often contain chips in them, especially if there are systems in place to deny entry to outsiders. A chipped card simply allows entry into such places. Similarly, casinos chips are often tagged to prevent theft.

RFID tags can also be used to track animals. Many pet owners will tag their fur babies, so that if they get lose, finding them becomes easier. Zoos will also tag their animals to make sure that they remain where they are supposed to be.

Like a lot of technology, the speculations regarding the future are endless. It is hypothesized that using an RFID reader and a tag can make shopping much easier. It works by having readers at the door. Each item in the store is tagged. When a person exits with their items, the reader then takes note of all the tags as well the credit card and then the credit card is automatically charged for the cost of all the items, eliminating the need for checkout lines and cashiers. A lower scale version of this is already present in some countries, with people using their phones to pay for items instead of cards of cash. There are also some medical application, as it is speculated that the chips can be turned into dust and then injected into the human bloodstream in order to monitor the health of a person. Then there are those who fear that the same technology used to keep track of animals can be applied to human beings.

Now, simply picking a reader is easy. There are many that are currently on the market. Picking the right one is the key.

Like anything else, price should be considered. RFID readers can cost hundreds of dollars for even the cheapest variant. The investment is good, but it is still a considerable one. Some RFID readers will have to stay outdoors. As such finding a durable one is key. A weak one will break easily and necessitate another purchase.

Technology is great. Humans are great for advancing it so much. As tech advances, human society will change and advance with it.




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