Electronic Labeling
Breadcrumbs: The Future of Ubiquitous Computing --> Electronic Labeling
Description
Electronic labels, so-called passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, also operate without a built-in source of power – they collect the energy they require to operate from the magnetic or electro-magnetic field emitted by a reader device. Depending on their construction, these labels are less than a square millimeter in area and thinner than a piece of paper. What is interesting about such remote-inquiry electronic markers is that they enable objects to be clearly identified and recognized, and therefore linked in real time to an associated data record held on the Internet or in a remote database. This ultimately means that specific data and information processing methods can be related to any kind of object.
If everyday objects can be uniquely identified from a distance and furnished with information, this opens up application possibilities that go far beyond the original task of automated warehousing or supermarkets without cashiers. For example, an intelligent refrigerator may make use of the labels attached to bottles, which could be useful for minibars in hotel rooms. Even more intriguing are scenarios where prescriptions and drugs talk to a home medicine cabinet, allowing the cabinet to say which of those items should not be taken together, in order to avoid harmful interactions. In a similar manner, packaged food could talk to the microwave, enabling the microwave to automatically follow the preparation instructions. With the emerging Near Field Communication (NFC) standard, mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices will be able to read RFID labels at short distances. The goal is to enable users to access content and services in an intuitive way by simply touching an object that has a smart label.
Wireless Future: Ubiquitous Computing
Replacing barcodes
RFID tags are often envisioned as a replacement for UPC or EAN barcodes, having a number of important advantages over the older barcode technology. They may not ever completely replace barcodes, due in part to their higher cost and in other part to the advantage of more than one independent data source on the same object. The new EPC, along with several other schemes, is widely available at reasonable cost.
The storage of data associated with tracking items will require many terabytes on all levels. Filtering and categorizing RFID data is needed in order to create useful information. It is likely that goods will be tracked preferably by the pallet using RFID tags, and at package level with Universal Product Code (UPC) or EAN from unique barcodes.
The unique identity in any case is a mandatory requirement for RFID tags, despite special choice of the numbering scheme. RFID tag data capacity is big enough that any tag will have a unique code, while current bar codes are limited to a single type code for all instances of a particular product. The uniqueness of RFID tags means that a product may be individually tracked as it moves from location to location, finally ending up in the consumer's hands. This may help companies to combat theft and other forms of product loss. Moreover, the tracing back of products is an important feature that gets well supported with RFID tags containing not just a unique identity of the tag but also the serial number of the object. This may help companies to cope with quality deficiencies and resulting recall campaigns, but also contributes to concern over post-sale tracking and profiling of consumers.
It has also been proposed to use RFID for POS store checkout to replace the cashier with an automatic system which needs no barcode scanning. However, this is not likely to be possible without a significant reduction in the cost of current tags and changes in the operational process around POS. There is some research taking place, however, this is some years from reaching fruition.
An FDA nominated task forcecame to the conclusion after studying the various technologies currently commercially available, which could meet the pedigree requirements, including RFID or Radio Frequency Identification technology. Amongst all technologies studied including bar coding, RFID seemed to be the most promising and the committee felt that the pedigree requirement could be met by easily leveraging something that is readily available.
Enablers
Inhibitors
- production costs
- incompatible standards
- privacy issues
- technological challenges in ensuring interlinked communications
- religious opinion
- computer viruses
Paradigms
By labelling items and objects with electronic labels proprietors can ensure several methods for controlling and storing related information. To the extend of developing interlinked networks of objects communicating with gateways, owners and each other.
Experts
Klaus Finkenzeller
c/o Carl Hanser GmbH & Co
Fachbuchlektorat
Kohlbergstrasse 22
D-81679 München (Munich)
Fed. Rep. Germany
www.rfid-handbook.de