Amazing RFID: 8 Current Uses of Radio Frequency Identification

There is a good chance that by now that you have heard the acronym RFID being thrown around in polite technology-related discussions. What exactly does it mean, and even more importantly - what does it do and why is everyone so excited about it? It’s time you learned, because it’s changing the world you live in. Radio Frequency Identification refers to a tiny chip and antenna combination that is capable of holding, storing and transmitting up to two megabytes of data. RFID is from the same family as the magnetic strip and bar code but has significant advancements which will see the technology put into widespread use over the next few years.

The advantages of Radio Frequency Identification are many and include being able to assign an item with a unique identifier. Another perk to the new technology is that RFID tags do not have to be physically placed. Tagged devices can be read from up to 20 feet away from the reader and multiple items can be queried simultaneously. For example, if you had a shopping cart full of items at the grocery store, you could walk through the cashier aisle and all the products would be tallied up immediately. The potential everyday use of RFID is seemingly endless and to help you understand both its concept and possible applications here are 8 more tangible ways it is already being utilized.

Hospital Patient Identification

Hospital staff of the very near future will be equipped with PDAs capable of reading RFID tags while patients wear wristbands that are fitted with the tags themselves. Unique identifiers linked to electronic patient records allow nurses to positively identify patients before going into surgery, receiving medication and more. These records can contain both classic medical chart information and digital photos to reduce the risk of clerical human error during the clinical process. This system will also be used to administer preoperative patient checks which will update surgery schedules instantaneously, eliminating delays and improving the efficiency of operating rooms.

Household Appliance Monitoring

Thanks to RFID, you may never have to live through the horror of cleaning up after an overflowing toilet again. AquaOne Technologies have designed a new toilet system called the H2Orb. It is a water level monitoring system that is powered by Radio Frequency Identification technology. The H2Orb can recognize when your toilet is leaking, overflowing, has an open flapper or a number of other common malfunctions. The device consists of three parts: a tank sensor, a bowl sensor and a control unit powered by a cell battery. If a sensor detects a problem, information is transmitted to the control unit which in turn produces an audible alarm or can even be configured to shut off the water supply. If this seems like technology overkill, think of how much damage the water from a damaged toilet, washing machine or heater could do to your home.

Conference Attendee Management

The high-level of crowd traffic at large conferences makes tasks, people and schedules hard to manage. Once again, RFID can come to the rescue! There have already been conferences held that have deployed RFID technology on name tags that automatically track an attendee’s session and meal participation. The data collected not only helps event planners prepare with future conferences, but also assists in managing current conferences in real time. If a room gets filled to capacity, for example, a decision can be made to repeat the session. If a visitor lost in a sea of exhibits needs to be reached in an emergency they can be tracked down almost immediately. Conference staff has always tracked session attendance, but they have had to scan bar codes on name tags one at a time. With this new RFID technology there is virtually no delay as they are tracked immediately upon entering the room.

Service Industry Applications

If you have ever been too nervous to ask the girl or guy at the next table if you can buy them a drink your bashful prayers have been answered. Pubs and bars have begun to install pop-up touch screens at tables which are equipped with RFID technology. Not only can you order drinks without leaving the comfort of your seat, you can communicate and flirt with other tables via an instant messaging feature. Customers can scroll through drink menus on the screen and place a libation order that will be instantly transmitted to the bartender and wait staff. Credit can also be sent to another table which is the twenty-first century virtual equivalent of buying someone a drink. And luckily the screens and touch pads are completely waterproof so when you decide it’s time to head home after an unfortunate spill you can still use the device to call yourself a cab.

Shopping Assistance

High-end fashion retailers just got high-tech, too. Not only are boutiques and department stores using RFID to track merchandise from the supplier to the distribution center, the technology can also help you find a belt to go with those perfect pants. Many dressing room mirrors now have RFID readers that detect what has been brought in from tags attached to the clothing. A screen on the wall then displays appropriate matching clothing choices or accessories for the apparel you are already trying on. The retailers also have shelves with built-in RFID readers designed to show customers what is currently in stock as well as available sizes and colors.

Home Networking

The always innovative Apple Inc. has patented a new system that simplifies the process of managing and configuring a home computer network. A router is equipped with an RFID reader while the computers and peripheral devices have RFID tags. Devices can include laptops, PDAs, printers, secondary routers or even an MP3 player. When these devices are brought into the proximity of the router it automatically transmits network settings to the devices and configures a network connection automatically. The user does not have to do anything but physically pass the device in front of or near the router. Even if a device is turned off the information will still be stored on the self-powered RFID tag and used whenever it is turned on.

Stocking the Refrigerator

Don’t know what to make for dinner? Why not ask just your fridge? Samsung has already developed the very first RFID-enabled refrigerator which can tell you the exact current contents and what you are in danger of running out of. The ‘smart fridge’ can also display recipes which consist only of the groceries you currently have. Samsung recently stated that soon fridge inventory checks will be possible from a laptop or mobile phone so that much-needed groceries can be picked up on the way home from work. It is predicted that a little further down the innovation road, when our televisions are also most certainly RFID equipped, viewers may see custom commercials for items running low in the ice box.

Casino Security

When casino mogul Steve Wynn recently introduced yet another casino to the Vegas Strip, he brought innovation along with him. The Wynn Las Vegas has high-tech betting chips designed to prevent counterfeiting, card counting and other bad behavior. These new chips look just like the old ones only they are fashioned with, you guessed it, an inner RFID tag. There are computer systems and RFID readers throughout the casino that can identify legitimate chips and detect imitations. In 2004, a casino in Reno lost $26,000 to a scheme involving counterfeit chips. The Wynn is also using the chips to help account for credit they issue to players, as managing credit risk is a huge challenge to any big casino's operations.

Although Radio Frequency Identification is only recently becoming more commonplace, technically the basic concepts have been in use for over 50 years. One of its first uses was to quickly identify and track aircraft during the Second World War. With modern advances in technology, the cost of manufacturing RFID devices has been reduced to the extent that tags are now available as a "throwaway" inventory or control device. What was once reserved for B-52 bombers might soon be attached to a loaf of bread. One thing is for certain – RFID is here to stay and over the next few years will become as common as the bar code.