| RFID is the recognized acronym for Radio Frequency | | | | they describe to the in-bay of the vendor. The tags |
| IDentification. The core of RFID technology is that | | | | can then be up-dated or replaced and put in the |
| every RFID chip or tag is capable of sending a radio | | | | warehouse. Once there, RFID readers can keep |
| signal on a frequency totally unique to itself. | | | | management informed about what goods are where |
| Therefore, every RFID tag must have its own unique | | | | and if the sell-by-date is impending. |
| frequency and the RFID tag readers must be sensitive | | | | This has ramifications for the levels of stock that a |
| enough to be able to distinguish between frequencies | | | | business needs to hold, the amount of items sold |
| that are only a very tiny bit different from its | | | | cheap because the sell-by-date is very near and for |
| neighbouring tags. The difference can be microscopic. | | | | theft, all of which should increase company profits |
| Therefore, the technology needs to be sensitive and | | | | more than funding the cost of the tags, the readers, |
| discriminating, but not delicate, because the apparatus | | | | the printers and the software. |
| has to be used on the shop floor and by people who | | | | At the click of a mouse, managers will be able to see |
| are often in a hurry and in weather that may be bad. | | | | how much stock they have in real time and if this is all |
| In order for RFID to have the desired result, you need | | | | linked to the checkout cash registers, which are the |
| a tag, which is an smart kind of bar code and a radio | | | | most and least profitable items. This makes reordering |
| receiver, often called a (tag) reader. However, | | | | easy. Easy to the point of automation. For instance, |
| whereas a bar code can only retain a small amount of | | | | when stocks of the top ten percent of the best selling |
| information and the bar code reader has to be pointed | | | | items falls below 1,000 order 10,000 more. |
| at it, an RFID tag can hold much more data and can | | | | Automatically, no questions asked. |
| be read from a hundred metres or more - even out of | | | | RFID has many other uses as well. The principle |
| line of sight. | | | | outlined above can be applied to farm animals, a call |
| Passive tags will only reveal their details when required | | | | centre's computers, a fleet of commercial vehicles, an |
| to to by a reader, whereas an active tag is constantly | | | | record of domestic items, your pets, your car and |
| relaying its information. Obviously, active RFID tags are | | | | even your garden furniture. Some individuals who work |
| more expensive than passive tags, because they | | | | over a border are even having them placed under their |
| require a long life battery. | | | | skin so that they do not have to wait at customs. |
| These tags can be utilized to track goods from the | | | | And bear in mind that criminals on early discharge are |
| moment they leave the manufacturer of the goods | | | | also tagged. It is the same technology. |