RFID Definition and Uses

Technology has advanced drastically in the past few years. Many devices have been created to make our life easier, and they have served their purpose. Among those devices is the radio frequency identifier. A Radio frequency identifier is a technology device that is used for collecting, storing, and retreiving data. It does that via RFID tags, transponders, or code plates. An RFID tag is an electronic tag used for tracking or identifying an item. It is a very small gadget that is about the size of a grain of rice, which is installed in an animal, person, or product to identify them. This is a demonstration of an RFID that is about to be embedded in a person's hand:

All RFID tags contain at least two parts;one is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, and the other part is an antenna for receiving and transmiting the signal. The concept of an RFID device is very similar to the concept of bar codes used to identify objects in a grocery store for example, or any commercial store. When purchasing items at a store, the clerk scans these items and is able to track their name, number, type, and more detailed information through the bar code sticker on them. However, the RFID has the capability of identifying items faster and more efficiently than bar codes, as well as serving other purposes too. RFID tags differ from one another in terms of their strength and signal absorption, and they can read the codes of items at varrying distances; some tags can track objects that are several meters away. To learn more about the RFID system and how it works, check out this website http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/rfid/htm.
The following illustration is an example of an RFID tag:



References:
http://www.ocr.ca/browse_category.asp
http://pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2452,t=RFID&i=50512,00.asp
http://www.transcore.com/pdf/AIM%20shrouds_of_time.pdf