RFID May See 'Explosive' Growth

Internet News ^ | January 20, 2006 | Ed Sutherland

[There You Go Again]

This is horrible....will make us more efficient and therefore more wealthy thereby producing more trustfund children who then worry about "global warming" and such luxuries our grandparents didn't have the time to worry about.....we need to go back to good ol' fashioned poverty and inefficiency.....

[SteveMcKing]

I would love for RFID to replace licence plates on cars - specifically, the front plate. God they are ugly!

[misterrob]

This anal-ist is conveniently ignoring the issues involved with jumping from 20 cent tags down to 5 cent. There has been much made of using ink jet or other forms of digital printing technology to get the costs down but we are years out from that becoming a reality.

Gotta love those hockey stick curve forecasts where things go up at 30 degree angles three years out from the start of the forecast period.

[Appalled but Not Surprised]

I'd pay real money to RFID my law files. No longer would staffers be tearing through the offices looking for the Jones Divorce File from three years ago.

[SteveMcKing]

"This is horrible....will make us more efficient and therefore more wealthy thereby producing more trustfund children who then worry about "global warming" and such luxuries our grandparents didn't have the time to worry about....."

Your statement 100% correct, in fact it is the very basis of the peaks and troughs of our civilization (we are presently in a trough, in my opinion).

"we need to go back to good ol' fashioned poverty and inefficiency....."

Your "solution" a very good one in some ways, although I know you meant it sarcastically.

[Sender]

RFID Jammers on eBay may see explosive growth. Along with Faraday cage steel fiber underwear.

[Myrddin]

Gotta love those hockey stick curve forecasts where things go up at 30 degree angles three years out from the start of the forecast period.

That has to be a standard Visio object. The marketing clowns depend on it. Just plant the curve, label the axes and stuff it into your PowerPoint slides.

The only thing funnier is when the Microsoft Project slingers whip out the PERT and GANNT charts and predict the future in an authoritative voice. Ass clowns in pinstripes who believe their own BS. Most of them don't even bother to talk to the people doing the real work.

[Myrddin]

I'd pay real money to RFID my law files. No longer would staffers be tearing through the offices looking for the Jones Divorce File from three years ago.

RFID devices are powered by an interaction with a magnetic field. They have a limited range between 12 inches and 10 feet. If all your files were tagged with RFID, there would be a deafening cacaphony of RFID replies. They aren't particularly directional either. You would be lucky to scan all your file cabinets and narrow down to the one that contains what you are seeking.

[RedCell]

There has been much made of using ink jet or other forms of digital printing technology to get the costs down but we are years out from that becoming a reality.

Actually, the market is starting to see an influx of conductive ink antenna designs as opposed to the typical copper antennas. These are in use today (I've worked with them myself and they have performed better than the Alien squiggle and a tad bit better than the Alien M tag in my specific instance).

And 20 cents a tag is a little on the low side. What tag you use is entirely dependent on what you are tagging. Take for instance if you're tagging a carton of plastic containers vs. a carton of frozen pizza. The plastic containers will offer little-to-no interference on tag readability whereas a frozen pizza, with one of those microwave reflector inserts will make the simple antenna (i.e. the 20 cent tag) less than optimal as there's just not enough signal reflected back to the reader upon power-up when you factor in the reflectivity of the carton contents. In the case of the pizza, you need a tag that has a meatier antenna (e.g. Alien's M tag). Those are about 53 cents a pop when you buy at volume. I'm no RF engineer but I understand things get really fun when you start to tag liquids.

The Gen2 stuff that's coming out now should (key word) address a lot of these issues. Alien's new super-squiggle design (as one example) seems to be performing quite well in tests and when you pair that up to the new Gen2 readers (more efficient designs) you've got what seems to be a decent advance in the usability of the technology. If this sounds wishy-washy it was meant to be. I have yet to see the newer stuff deployed out to the field and when it comes to RFID, I'm from Missouri, if ya get me.

One other note... the article seems to imply that the pharma industry has yet to take the dive into RFID. Not entirely accurate. Several pharma companies have already established mfg lines that incorporate unit-level RFID tagging. Also, since certain state laws are now in place to "help facilitate" mfgs and distributors to provide chain-of-custody documents in electronic format for drug shipments, that would make it a no-brainer to dove-tail RFID into the mix in order to compliment the receipt and shipment of these products through their warehouses thus improving the efficiencies of these operations, cut down on counterfeiting and improve visibility in the entire supply chain.

[ActionNewsBill]

Lawmaker Wants Texas Registration Stickers To Have Microchips

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Texans who own cars, trucks or SUVs may get a new high tech sticker on their car if one state legislator has his way. Republican representative Larry Phillips of Sherman wants Texas drivers to get an inspection sticker that is embedded with a microchip. The chip would house information about the owner's vehicle, registration and insurance coverage. There is no word if the proposal will make it out of committee.

[nickcarraway]

I've been to talks discussing 3rd generation and beyond tags. They may be below a nickle sooner than you think.

[Wiz]

RFID ping!

[Wiz]

GPS lite

[Wiz]

RFID integrated paper documents? Let's hope some wise criminals would not tear of the RFID tag from the document. However, nice idea. I buy it.

[Stirner]

Alien Technologies is a non-publicly traded company. If RFID does face "explosive growth" are there any publicly traded stocks that would be relatively pure plays in that product area?

[Erik Latranyi]

Just plant the curve, label the axes and stuff it into your PowerPoint slides.

I'm still waiting for the paperless office!

[cashmere]

look up symbol:
RFIL

[ovrtaxt]

Faraday cage steel fiber underwear.

lol

[sine_nomine]

Slippery slope argument.

The progress of an invention:
Step One - It goes against nature and God's law.
Step Two - We must outlaw it.
Step Three - How did we live without it?