Attention: Drivers, Shoppers & Athletes!!!

Have you ever seen people drive straight through a toll without stopping and wondered how they could? We did too! Thanks to RFID, the SpeedPass and E-ZPass were introduced to the automotive industry; proving to be a great success. The sports industry is currently using RFID to generate a new product that can help people monitor their everyday footsteps. Supermarkets and other shopping areas are integrating the RFID to elevate consumer satisfaction and to improve their logistics. Expect an entirely new way to shop in the upcoming years!

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The automotive industry stays on the competitive edge for the newest and advanced technology. Exxon Mobil introduced “SpeedPass” in 1997 to add convenience to drivers on the go. By 2004, the number of SpeedPass users surpassed 7.4 million! (https://www.speedpass.com/forms/frmHowItWorks.aspx?pPg=howTech.htm&pgHeader=how) Another successful innovative technology has been the E-ZPass. E-ZPass is a RFID unit that minimizes travelers’ time by allowing them to drive thru tolls without stopping which helps drivers save time at toll booths as well as help them arrive at their destinations quicker.

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Mark the date- February 22^nd ! The newest in sports accessories for the fitness community is making its grand debut! Nike+ is releasing its latest product called the Nike+ Fuel Band. It is intended to motivate and enhance athletic individuals by keeping track of their daily activities through an accelerometer. The Nike+ Fuel Band keeps track of people’s movements and transfers the data through their mobile phone by using Bluetooth technology. This mobile application enables the user to set daily goals and to monitor their progress through the Fuel Band. These goals can be achieved by doing everyday activities such as running, dancing, skateboarding and other physical activities. (http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,fuelband&sitesrc=glfl_fuelband)

Supermarkets are integrating their business services from bar codes to RFID tags. The video below illustrates how a customer can grab different items from the shelves and walk past a checkout scanner that can simultaneously scan all groceries within a couple of seconds. No more standing in long lines! Studies at Sunchon National University in Suncheon, South Korea and Rice University in Houston have developed a RFID tag that uses ink lace with carbon nanotubes that enables the tag to be printed on any surface made of plastic or paper. This new technology has improved the business efficiency in supermarkets by reducing handling compliances and the cost of the RFID tags.

Cows, Tolls and People... Oh my!

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What do cattle, pharmaceuticals, automobile production, tolls, pets, clothes and people have in common? You may think this is a random list of objects; however all of them are interrelated through a technology call Radio Frequency Identification. This is a small device designed for tracking in real time any type of object. The picture to the right shows the size of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag next to grains of rice. That’s pretty small! Some RFIDs don’t even require a source of power. The device works by receiving and transmitting a signal through radio frequency waves. According to a RFID journal website, the cost of an RFID tag starts at $0.05 each and can go up to $100 each, depending on the application and use of the tag.  

( http://www.rfidjournal.com/faq/20/85 )

                                                                

This technology exceeds bar codes in the easy use of scanning objects, which makes things more efficient and effective. Unlike bar codes, the RFID tag can be read through a box or container. Multiple tags can also be read concurrently. For example, while grocery shopping, the RFID can scan all your items that are in your cart simultaneously. RFID can offer several opportunities in different industries such as hospitals, libraries, schools and sports. It can be used for inventory management, product tracking, and identification.

A disadvantage of the RFID is the privacy concern. Customers that are purchasing items with a RFID tag may be concerned that their privacy will be jeopardized because items purchased with the tag on them can possibly be tracked even within the customer’s home. Who wants to be tracked down?

Over the next few months, expect to learn more about the newest innovations in the Radio Frequency Identification field. Tune in to hear interesting stories on how the RFID has been creatively used in different fields such as: implantation into living organisms, pharmaceutical purposes and business innovations.