The Roots, Rules, and Rise of RFID

This article has offered a brief excerpt of the basic requirements and current development trends in (passive) RFID systems in different application areas. Even after reaching a sophisticated state of development, RFID technology is still dependent on sufficient acceptance at the market. Conventional bar code systems lack programmability, have low storage capability, and need a line-of-sight connection to the reader. If the fall in prices for low-cost tags continues, barcodes could be largely replaced in some years. In this case, additional features like positioning or sensing will become even more attractive for commercial and industrial application fields.