Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a concept that was initially patented in the 1970s, but the technology to enable it was much too expensive to allow for commercial developments. RFID is the use of wireless signals to transfer data between microchips. The chips can be inserted in tags, cards, or even living beings.
RFID is already in use in multiple industries and for various purposes. The device in your car that lets you zoom by in the fast lane at a tollbooth, while deducting a dollar amount from your account, is an example of RFID technology in everyday use. Another instance of RFID usage includes implanting a microchip into your pet’s neck to allow you to locate it if he or she goes missing.
There are a number of different technologies one can use to create RFID tags. The simplest tags are labeled passive tags and need to be extremely close to a scanner to be read.
RFID technology was the key in getting 100% reliability about where a shipped item is at any given moment and when it got to its destination in real-time. This information is extremely valuable data to a logistics’ company.