SEMINAR : RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION

What is RFID? 1. It is a method to automatically identify objects, animals or people

by means of radio waves.

2. This means RFID devices (spy-chips) are attached to the object that we wish to identify.

3. In case of objects the RFID device is glued on it.

4. In case of animals the tag is injected.

5. In case of humans the wrist-band that a person wears contains RFID device.

Is this only automatic identification technology?1. Certainly not, the most commonly used identification technology

that all of us know, is the barcode.

2. This is set of funny thick and thin lines that we see on all items, be they computer parts or shampoo bottles.

3. What do they do? They help identify what the item is, who made it and such kind of information.

4. For example, consider your library ID card number that is represented by barcode. The barcode scanner scans this barcode and hence the number. The scanner is connected to a database and this number points to the rest of information which includes name-of-person, date-of-birth, residence etc.

But you must be thinking, even a barcode reader can do same function as RFID reader, so what is the point?

1. Well a barcode reader can read a barcode one at a time. One RFID reader can identify hundreds of tags in its range within a fraction of a second.

2. Barcode reader requires clear line of sight. Barcodes get dirty and damaged.

In case of RFID line of sight is not required, even in case of dirtying they are still visible to the reader.

1

Components of a RFID System:1. A transponder or tag consisting of a microchip and an

antenna. Information to be processed is written in microchip. The antenna is used to emit/receive radio signals.

2. An transceiver or reader consisting of a transceiver, decoder, and antenna. The transceiver is used to receive radio signals which are decoded to byte stream by decoder. The antenna is used to emit/receive radio signals.

How does a RFID system work?

1. The object to be tracked is affixed with a RFID tag or transponder. A RFID tag can store up to 2000 bits of information

2. The reader is kept at some distance3. When the object containing RFID tag comes within the range of

radio signals emitted by the reader, the tag is activated and it starts sending the information stored in it in the form of radio signals.

4. The reader captures the radio signals, decodes it to a byte stream, and sends the information for further processing to the host system connected to it.

So what is the use of RFID?These are not the only applications. By studying these applications you can come up with your own application.

Animal Identification.1. Injectable RFID tags are used for animals today. The number of

RFID tag is unique and cannot be altered. 2. These tags were easily read from the distance, with a hand held

reader.3. The reader is connected to a remote database which correlates

the unique RFID tag number on the animal with other data like. Distinguishing features of the animal. Last vaccination done. or whether it is a pet animal or wild tiger or endangered

species.

Anti – Theft System.1. In past the only anti-theft systems were CCTV ( Closed Circuit

TV ) cameras and watchful security guards. 2. Ofcourse cameras are useful. But mostly they are useful only

after a theft has taken place. 3. And what if the security guard in the jewelry Shop picks small

item (say a diamond ring).4. RFID technology is used to trigger the alarm when somebody

tries to walk off through the door antenna with an item without paying for it.

2

Luggage Handling1. Lost or misplaced luggage takes up large chunk of an airlines

headache list.2. Ofcourse airline luggage is fixed with barcode tags at the time of

luggage check-in. 3. Unfortunately, the reader cannot read all barcode tags because,

barcode reader requires a clear line of sight, and the luggage article may get bunched together because the careless loading of the staff. This makes barcode labels not only unreadable and damaged but labels themselves are lost.

4. Instead of ordinary barcode labels we can use RFID tags. The RFID readers have several advantages over over barcode readers like:

Many bags can read at one time. No problem of misaligned and dirty.

Blood Banks1. In typical hospital emergency room, the patient himself is asleep

or unconscious, unable to talk or communicate or talk. 2. Typically patient is not known personally to nurse. 3. The nurse gets confused and hence transfuses the wrong blood

or contaminated blood. What happens, patient will sleep forever (in other words get killed).

4. The RFID solution is to embed a tag into the blood bag. 5. The nurse who transfuses the blood can scan the bag before

transferring;6. the patient has also wrist-band RFID tag which identifies him

uniquely. 7. In case of wrong blood a reader can throw warning. 8. The patient will be grateful to the technology, if he knew what

was about to happen with him.

Office printers and cartridges.1. Have you faced a problem when your printer gave you an ink low

alarm, and you spent a lot of time searching which new print cartridge could be compatible with your “out of ink” printer.

2. The RFID solution is to embed RFID tags inside both print cartridges and the printers.

3. Before opening the seal, the printers RFID reader senses the cartridges RFID tag and displays the message on PC which is attached to the printer. The message could be a warning like “STOP This Cartridge is not suitable for me”

3