.FLYINGHEAD THE COMPUTING UNPLUGGED INTERVIEW
.TITLE Understanding RFID
.AUTHOR David Gewirtz
.SUMMARY RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is both a fascinating and controversial technology. It came to the general public’s awareness in discussions about embedding RFID tags in clothing, to track the purchase of clothing items in stores. The general paranoia from that, of course, is the idea that RFID could be used to compromise individual privacy — a new version of Big Brother is watching you. What is RFID, really? What are the advantages and issues? In our quest to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the topic, we’ve been very fortunate to enlist the help of Martyn Mallick, one of the leading experts on RFID technology. Over the next three articles, we’ll be talking to Martyn and learning all about RFID. If you’re interested in emerging technologies, this is a series you won’t want to miss.
.OTHER
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is both a fascinating and controversial technology. It came to the general public’s awareness in discussions about embedding RFID tags in clothing, to track the purchase of clothing items in stores. The general paranoia from that, of course, is the idea that RFID could be used to compromise individual privacy — a new version of Big Brother is watching you.
What is RFID, really? What are the advantages and issues? In our quest to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the topic, we’ve been very fortunate to enlist the help of Martyn Mallick, one of the leading experts on RFID technology.
Over the next three articles, we’ll be talking to Martyn and learning all about RFID. If you’re interested in emerging technologies, this is a series you won’t want to miss.
.TEASER Tap here to read the full interview.
.Q David
Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do for Sybase.
.A Martyn
I’m Martyn Mallick, director of RFID Technologies at Sybase iAnywhere. This role allows me to be involved with all aspects of RFID technology including the product roadmap, partner relations, marketing programs and customer implementations.
I am also an evangelist for RFID technology and our product offering, which sees me delivering training and presentations at leading industry conferences such as RFID Journal Live! and RFID World.
.Q David
I knew of iAnywhere as the AvantGo folks. What else does iAnywhere do at Sybase?
.A Martyn
Sybase iAnywhere is a subsidiary of Sybase that focuses on enterprise mobile computing. We have technologies across the realm of mobile and remote computing including mobile database and synchronization, mobile management and security, wireless email, mobile Web technology, and of course RFID technology.
In most cases, we are providing the software infrastructure that organizations use to build either internal solutions or products they take to market. We continue to have great success with worldwide market leadership positions in mobile and embedded databases, mobile management and security, mobile middleware and synchronization, mobile email, and Bluetooth and infrared protocol technologies.
Tens of millions of mobile devices and over 20,000 customers and partners rely on our "Always Available" technologies. The products from Sybase iAnywhere include SQL Anywhere, Afaria, OneBridge and RFID Anywhere.
AvantGo, however, is now part of Sybase 365, a new subsidiary of Sybase, Inc., following the acquisition of Mobile 365. Sybase 365 leads the world in the global delivery and settlement of mobile messaging interoperability, and the management and distribution of mobile content.
.Q David
What is an RFID tag?
.A Martyn
RFID tags come in different formats. The most frequently discussed is the passive tag, which consists of a small microchip, an antenna and a substrate and does not contain a power source.
.CALLOUT They get their power from the RFID reader’s antenna.
The microchip stores a unique number — usually encoded from a number of different pieces of data — and possibly some other data uniquely identifying the item to which the entire tag will be attached. The microchip typically only holds 64-128 bits of data.
The antenna uses radio waves from the RFID reader to get power and to broadcast the data from the microchip. Finally, the substrate will protect the microchip and antenna and allow the entire tag to be affixed to whatever item it uniquely represents.
For example, a paper sticky label can have the microchip and antenna between two layers of thin paper with an adhesive backing to allow it to be attached to a cardboard box or a small plastic housing can be placed on a keychain.
Passive RFID tags are essentially disposable and used for many asset identification and supply chain applications. This is the type of tag that Wal-Mart and other retailers are requiring as part of their mandates. If an application requires more memory on the tag or further read ranges, an active RFID tag could also be used.
.Q David
What’s the difference between active and passive RFID tags?
.A Martyn
Active tags contain a power source, usually a battery, possibly solar, or some other power source; which means they typically have a larger read range and more memory since the power source gives more power to the radio waves.
They communicate to specialized readers using different, often proprietary protocols and data. In addition, many of the active tags we see coming to market today also incorporate other sensors such as temperature or light sensors, and can communicate the sensory data along with the tag identification data.
.Q David
Doesn’t that mean that RFID is radiating at a very long distance? I thought RFID was a very short range device?
.A Martyn
When you configure RFID readers, you have control over the power used by the antennas to give you control over the size of the "read zone." Some systems require larger read zones like loading dock doors — you want to make sure you don’t miss any items coming/going.
Some need small read zones, for example, access control systems, which require the person to hold an ID badge close to the reader without worrying about picking up other tags.
Passive systems can have a read range of about 10 meters (30 feet), while an active system can be in the hundreds of meters.
.Q David
Can these RFID tags that are radiating cause interference with other systems?
.A Martyn
Yes. This is why it is important to set up your RFID reader network correctly to minimize the interference the RFID readers might have on other systems like WiFi networks, paging networks, mobile phones, etc., but also to minimize the affect of those systems on RFID.
For example, you might use proximity sensors to turn on RFID readers only when the packages enter through the dock door so that the reader is only reading (and emitting RF) when required.
.Q David
Are tags on all the time?
.A Martyn
In a passive RFID system, the tags don’t have a power source, so they are only "on" when a reader is trying to read them — they get their power from the RFID reader’s antenna.
For Active RFID, some tags are always on, emitting a signal periodically. Others (sometimes called semi-active) hibernate until woken up by a reader; then they power up and emit their signals for a defined period of time.
This saves battery life so that the tag is only using power when there is a reader present. This is the technology used by many highway toll systems.
.Q David
So RFID is not just about automating shopping checkout?
.A Martyn
By no means is that true, as RFID is being used in many industries, including supply chain and retail, but also healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, asset location tracking, access control, automated payment systems and so on.
However, the shopping cart scenario does get people thinking about some of the benefits of RFID on top of typical barcodes or other ways that items are tracked or identified today.
.Q David
Isn’t RFID just a barcode on steroids?
.A Martyn
Some look at RFID that way, but that viewpoint minimizes the abilities of what RFID can offer. While barcodes and RFID do share some of the same advantages, such as improved data accuracy by collecting data at point of activity and reducing the cost and errors of manual data capture, RFID offers a number of unique advantages.
RFID doesn’t require line of sight. For example, you don’t have to break down a pallet of boxes just to "scan" the tag on the box in the middle of the pile.
RFID performs in rugged environments. For example, you can have RFID tags encased in plastic or glass to protect them from weather, dirt, etc. whereas some printed barcodes could easily get dirty or worn off, making them unreadable.
Some RFID tags can be rewritten so you can change the data on the microchip. You obviously can’t change a printed barcode on a metal can or product box.
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You can read multiple RFID tags at once. Makes it easier and faster to read a pallet of goods, shopping cart of items, warehouse of products, etc.
And, most importantly, RFID tags are unique to one another. This means that individual items can be identified even when all items of a certain type have the same barcode.
We’ve got a lot more coming on the topic of RFID. Martyn will be back next week, where we continue our in-depth Q&A.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Sybase iAnywhere, visit http://www.ianywhere.com.
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