Outlooks for UHF RFID-Based Autonomous Retails and Factories

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) in the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) band with passive tags was envisioned for logistic purposes to track a large number of tagged items. However, the present designs of hardware and air protocols still fall short of the required functionality to deploy in large autonomous facilities such as retail shops and assembly factories. This paper presents the evidences of the current RFID limitations, and illustrates the possible paths towards future adoption in large-scale logistic applications.