
What is RFID?
Radio Frequency Identification or RFID, is a tiny chip that makes it possible to read objects remotely using radio signals. An RFID tag can be seen as an advanced successor to the barcode. The biggest advantages that a tag has are:
Understanding RFID
RFID is a wireless system that uses radio waves to identify and track objects. The system comprises:
- Tags: These are attached to items and contain a microchip and antenna.
- Readers: Devices that communicate with tags to extract data.
- Software: Manages and interprets the collected data.
How RFID Works
- An RFID reader sends out a radio signal.
- The tag receives the signal and transmits data back to the reader.
- The reader processes the data and sends it to the management software.
Applications Across Industries
- Retail: Inventory tracking and loss prevention.
- Healthcare: Patient tracking and equipment management.
- Logistics: Real-time shipment tracking.
- Events: Contactless access and attendee management.
Differences between active, semi-active, and passive
An RFID tag can be active, semi-active, or passive. In the case of an NFC chip, it can be active or passive, depending on where it is located. But what does this mean?
Active tag
An active tag uses a battery and can be read and/or written with a reader, which sends and receives radio waves with an antenna. They can transmit a signal over a longer distance (from 100 meters to a few kilometers).
Semi-active tag
Like an active tag, a semi-active tag also uses a battery, but this tag can only receive a response when it receives a signal.
Passive tag
A passive tag uses the electromagnetic field coming from a reader, the received current is induced in a coil, which then powers the chip. For this reason, the response signal cannot travel large distances (from a few centimeters to about five meters).
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