Advantages And Disadvantages Of RFID Technology

The RFID technology does not consist only one separate device, that operates standalone, but it is a whole system that enables its application in practice. This system contains several elements and probably this is one of the reasons behind the difficulties the technology has faced, especially in the past, struggling for acceptance by the industry. All this elements have different stage of development and standardization, and that makes the harmonization of all components of a system always laborious. The general elements as explained by Miles and Williams in “RFID Technology and Applications” are the tags, the readers, controller, the network system and the software system (MILES & WILLIAMS, 2008, pp. 10-27). The whole environment is depicted
The power needed to activate the microchip is generated only when it is scanned. When the reading device is sending microwaves to the tag, the antenna is receiving them and by induction the waves are transformed into power for the chip that reads the info saved on itself and the antenna sends the data back to the reader. The biggest benefit is the lack of power source in passive transponders that allows for smaller sizes and lower prices, which leads to their much wider spread then the other types. The disadvantage is the very short distance of transmission that constrains the position of the reader to immediate proximity.
- Semi-passive transponders – these tags have a small battery that powers the chip. This way the antenna does not need to receive, but only to send the requested data.
- Active transponders – the active tags have their own power supply that is taking care of all the needed operations and keeps the chip always powered on. The benefits of this type of RFID is that it is capable of holding a lot more information and sending this information much further then passive tags – up to 10 meters. It is clear that the down side is the price, which makes it viable option just in limited
- Read/write – these are reprogrammable chips that allow the change of the information saved on them.

2.2.2. Reader

The other very important component of the RFID system is the reader. It is the device that is realizing the bidirectional data transmission with the RFID tag. Normally it consists of antenna, controller and software block. The controller is need to accomplish the interface with the backend software and database when such is required. Based on the classification by Jones and Chung the readers are two types (Jones & Chung, 2008, p. 30). The first type are scanners, shown on Fig.3, they are simple and normally handheld and their primary application is for RFID verification made onside. Fig3. RFID Scanner
Source: http://www.rfidshop.com/atid-at870-hand-held-uhf-rfid-reader-421-p.asp

The other type is smart RFID readers, Fig.4, there are normally connected to backend servers and databases and can fulfill much more complex tasks. Mostly they are mounted on specific locations and allow control over different programmable operations like for example inventory management in