Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a relatively new technology, first appearing in tracking and access applications during the 1980s. RFID allows for noncontact transfer of information (much like the familiar barcode) and consequently is effective in manufacturing and other hostile environments where barcode labels could not survive. RFID has established itself in a wide range of markets including livestock identification and automated vehicle identification systems because of its ability to track moving objects. The technology has become a primary player in automated data collection, identification, and analysis systems worldwide.

A typical RFID system is shown in the figure above. It consists of a tag, a reader, and some sort of data processing equipment, such as a computer. The reader sends a request for information to the tag. The tag responds with the respective information, which the reader then forwards to the data processing device. The tag and reader communicate with one another over a radio frequency channel. In some systems, the link between the reader and the computer is wireless.

What is RFID? | RFID Timeline | Recent Applications of RFID | The Major Providers of RFID |

What Industries Should Integrate RFID and When? | The Future of RFID