Radio Frequency Identification or RFID technology has been around for decades but in the last few years RFID market size has witnessed tremendous growth. The global RFID market is at 18.45B USD at present which is expected to reach 36.5 B USD by 2030. With advancements in internet technology and wide area networks, RFID now finds applications across various industrial and commercial business domains.
The first use of RFID is said to have been around World War II and then there was the famous US seal, the listening device which was gifted to an American ambassador by a Russian counterpart.
Radio Frequency Identification is a wireless technology that uses an electromagnetic field to transmit and receive information with the help of RFID tags and Readers along with a dedicated software system to store and analyze data.
50 Interesting Facts about RFID
Here are 50 facts about RFID that one might find interesting:
1. RFID technology was first used during World War II by the British to identify friendly aircraft.
2. The first patent for an active RFID system was filed in 1973 by Mario Cardullo.
3. RFID tags can be as small as a grain of rice and can be implanted under the skin of animals or humans for identification purposes.
4. The largest RFID market is in the retail industry, where it is used for inventory management and supply chain optimization.
5. The real commercial success of RFID is linked to the efforts of Sanjay Sarma, Daniel Brock, Kevin Ashton, and other MIT AutoID-Centre researchers and collaborators who helped develop EPC (Electronic Product Code).
6. RFID tags can be read from a distance, without the need for line-of-sight contact. Some Active RFID tags can be read from a distance of up to 100m.
7. RFID technology is used in electronic toll collection systems, such as E-ZPass in the United States and FASTag in India.
8. RFID tags can now be read using smartphones as well and various UHF RFID readers support Android platform smartphones for better data collection.
9. RFID-based yatra parchi (ID card) is now used for keeping track of people going to the 14km high Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Katra, J&K in India.
10. RFID tags can be used to track and locate assets in real time, improving efficiency and reducing losses.
11. RFID technology is used in contactless payment systems, such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.
12. RFID tags can be used to monitor the temperature and condition of perishable goods during transportation. Such RFID tags are fabricated with relevant sensing material.
13. RFID technology is used in access control systems to grant or deny entry to authorized individuals.
14. RFID tags can be used to track and authenticate high-value items, such as luxury goods or pharmaceuticals.
15. RFID technology is used in libraries to automate the check-in and check-out process of books. The Vatican Library uses RFID to track around 2 million manuscripts and valuable books.
16. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of vehicles in a smart city.
17. RFID technology is used in healthcare to track medical equipment and improve patient safety.
18. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of livestock for better management and disease control.
19. RFID technology is used in the airline industry for baggage tracking and matching. Airport security is another area where RFID is being used.
20. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of inventory in a warehouse.
21. RFID technology is used in the automotive industry for keyless entry and vehicle tracking.
22. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of people in crowded events or buildings. Various seminars, meetings, etc. use RFID ground antennas to keep track of all the people coming in and going out.
23. In the manufacturing industry, RFID tags and Readers are used to monitor product lifecycle as well as machinery repair and maintenance works, resulting in a secure work environment and higher productivity.
24. RFID implants are used on animals to facilitate animal tracking, preventing the loss of pets.
25. Many people across the world use RFID implants (RFID implant size is about a grain of rice) to facilitate quick access control at the office and home.
26. RFID technology is used in the hospitality industry for access control and guest identification.
27. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of containers in a port.
28. RFID technology is used in the gaming industry for player tracking and authentication.
29. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of assets in a data center.
30. RFID tags are also used in Golf balls to track and find lost golf balls.
31. The technology uses MQTT protocol to enable IoT-like data sharing over IoT networks.
32. RFID sensors are used to monitor fill-level in waste bins, allowing for efficient garbage disposal.
33. RFID technology is used in the military for asset tracking and logistics management. Ammunition inventory is managed using RFID for better war preparedness.
34. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of parcels in a delivery network.
35. RFID technology is used in the entertainment industry for ticketing and access control.
36. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of tools and equipment in a construction site.
37. RFID labels now cost 4-5 US Cents (INR 5-6) which is a significant price reduction from 40-50 US cents it was earlier.
38. RFID technology is used in the agriculture industry for crop and livestock management.
39. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of patients in a hospital. RFID-backed access control is also implemented to secure various areas inside the hospitals.
40. RFID technology is used in the oil and gas industry for asset tracking and maintenance.
41. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of waste in a recycling facility.
42. RFID technology is used in the mining industry for asset tracking and safety.
43. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of documents in a legal or financial institution.
44. RFID technology is used in the education sector for student attendance and access control.
45. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of hazardous materials in a chemical plant.
46. RFID technology is used in the sports industry for athlete tracking and performance analysis. RFID-based tickets were recently used in FIFA 2022 held in Qatar.
47. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of rental equipment in a facility. Various AV rental companies use RFID to streamline their AV equipment renting operations.
48. RFID technology is used in the pharmaceutical industry for drug authentication and anti-counterfeiting.
49. RFID tags can be used to track and monitor the movement of assets in a museum or art gallery.
50. Chipless RFID is a new development in the field of RFID. These RFID tags don’t use traditional silicon microchips to store data but resonators and reflectors.
To summarize, RFID is an advanced AIDC technology that offers several benefits over barcoding technology that has been used since the 1970s. With the rise of Chipless RFID, with low cost at 0.01 US cents, barcodes might be replaced in retail operations in the future.
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