Introduction

RFID is a technology used to track and trace objects. Tagged items, such as cases of chocolate bars, are identified via radio waves with special RFID-enabled readers.

RFID systems are considered a generation ahead of barcode systems because they allow producers and suppliers to scan items in bulk, thus saving time and money. Instead of having to identify each item individually, RFID technology can identify 20 chocolate bars at once.

Each RFID application consists of tags, readers and a computer system. Tags are made up of a microchip and an antenna and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but as the technology advances, tags are getting smaller.

The market has developed a variety of tags to meet different tracking and tracing requirements. Some tags are passive, meaning they do not emit any signals. These are the more typical and low-cost tags and the ones most often used to track consumer goods and food. Other tags are active, sending out signals to readers at predetermined intervals.