RFID: new opportunities.
TZ has written more than once about the possibilities of mass application of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. Because, you must admit, there are few new technologies that were predicted to have such brilliant prospects as RFID. But, as often happens, the practical application of the new technology revealed some problems.
In the latest material published in TZ on this topic, its author analyzed these problems.
Let us remind readers of the main points of this article.
Next, there will be a normal process of mutual rapprochement
Leonid STASENKO, Relvest Group of Companies
It seemed that only a few days remained until mass implementation. I remember, for example, that from January 2006 all goods supplied to the Wallmart retail chain were to be equipped with RFID tags. This was not even a forecast, but one of the points of the company's business plan. That is, the EPC (electronic product code) system was to be widely used. However, once again, «Akella missed the mark…» This happens often, and in general, this is a normal phenomenon. Any interesting technological innovation, as we know, on its way to life goes through periods of delight, detailed familiarization, as a result of which a certain healthy skepticism appears and then real application. Only as it is implemented into everyday life does growth begin in terms of an integrated assessment of the perception and effectiveness of a particular product. Yes, RFID is used, but the efficiency of use leaves much to be desired. It is no coincidence that within a year of the start of the implementation of large pilot projects (not laboratory, but real ones), the second generation of the EPC standard was urgently developed, because the first version simply failed in practical use.
What are the reasons? The main one is probably the problems with the anti-collision mechanism. One reader can read any number of tags due to this mechanism. But in practice, it was necessary for one tag to work in the field of several readers (for example, inventory of goods on supermarket shelves by two managers from both sides simultaneously). And such a mode was somehow forgotten in the first generation of EPC… Another source of problems is the issues of mutual influence of tags located nearby. At low frequencies, when close to each other, tags simply upset each other, up to the complete inability to receive a signal. Low-frequency antennas, when located close, begin to work as coupled circuits. And anyone familiar with radio engineering knows what this is. The greater the connection, the more the «humps» of the resulting amplitude-frequency characteristic creep to the sides with a dip in the middle, i.e. at the main operating frequency. As a result, there is no signal at the reader. Approximately the same phenomena occur at high frequencies, which it was decided to use in logistics and goods accounting systems.
So, if we go back to EPC GEN-2, the developers changed the operating algorithms, complicating the circuitry of the tag crystal. The problem was partly solved, but the crystals became noticeably more expensive. Although, if you remember, it was predicted that by 2010 the cost of crystals would be about three cents.
And it was also necessary to rebuild the technological lines for the production of crystals, redesign the readers, rewrite the software, i.e. a colossal amount of work. It cannot be said that the technology does not work at all, never and nowhere. Almost all of us encounter it, for example, in access systems, which have long been using RFID by 99%. The same transport payment systems (for example, the subway) have been working for many years. There are many examples of quite successful use of RFID technology. For example, when organizing the accounting of products and monitoring their passage through certain points in production with the help of RFID tags, there are practically no failures. This is because everything is ordered there, everything is at a certain distance, in certain places. Everything is deterministic, and there are no such interferences that are almost inevitable in the conditions of the same sales area or operating warehouse.
The system also works in libraries. But as a system for accounting for the receipt and issue of books with simultaneous recording on an RFID library card, when the librarian's work is automated.
However, you must admit that the scale of RFID application today is not at all what Western analysts recently promised. Life turned out to be more complicated. Perhaps RFID developers hoped that the technology would find its way on its own. It happens, but such cases are still an exception. And the rule is this: not only should technology go into life, but life should also go towards technology.
In any case, there is no need to lose optimism. There is a technology, in the creation of which considerable money has been invested. There are good developments. And there are many processes where it really can and should be applied. And while the systems of global accounting and control of the movement of goods are being finalized to the required parameters, other solutions are being promoted into practice, implementing specific applied tasks.
So, what will happen next? A normal process of mutual rapprochement. Those to whom RFID will bring real benefit will understand that they need to do something a little more, spend some money, in order to receive real income from the implementation of normal automation of some processes in the foreseeable future.
The author's forecast of the technical task seems to be coming true. Because today the idea of integrating radio frequency identification data and video images has become a reality.
Radio frequency identification integrated into video surveillance systems
Armin BIRSAK, Dallmeier
Checking out and paying for products at the supermarket exit using RFID transceivers, without the customer even having to put all the products on the conveyor belt, is still a distant future plan. However, the integration of RFID data and video images has already become a reality within the framework of the Network for Innovative Logistics.
The goal of the project is to integrate radio frequency identification data and video images. Radio frequency identification provides data transmission via radio waves, contactlessly and without mutual visibility. The core element of this technology is the so-called RFID transceiver, also known as a radio tag, which consists of a chip and an antenna connected to it. The antenna can absorb the energy of electromagnetic waves, thus activating the chip to transmit the data stored on it back to the reading device, namely the RFID reader.
Ultimately, according to the developers, the use of an innovative logistics network (ILS) will provide comprehensive logistics IT solutions and services in the field of production, storage and transportation.
Two Western companies have joined forces, one of which has extensive experience in creating video surveillance systems, and the other has good developments in the field of RFID. The experimental design work was based on existing interfaces.
As a result of very close collaboration, a solution was found that can be used in practice in a variety of areas.
For the first time in history, it is possible to output data transmitted by an RFID tag, such as date, time and serial number, in the form of a video image. For this purpose, the RFID reader sends the data to the recording device via a local network. The data is then output by the PView control software in or next to the video image itself.
An important application area for this technology is the documentation of the risk transfer of logistics service providers. In order to be able to clearly identify subsequent claims for damage or losses during transport, a complete record of the goods is kept during their entire stay at the logistics centre, right up to the moment when the goods are handed over to the carrier or forwarding agent. In this process, the consignments are carefully inspected upon arrival and departure. In addition, they are filmed with a high-resolution colour camera. The data from the registration process is stored by the digital registration system together with the image data, ensuring that the images and the consignment data can be clearly matched at a later date.
This technology can be used wherever goods are handled. Therefore, its application areas in addition to logistics include retail and manufacturing. Many other applications are also possible. By integrating RFID tags into ID cards and/or passports, people can be greeted by a video image when entering the building. In this way, cases of fraudulent use of ID cards can be identified. Another possible application is to ensure compliance with fire safety measures using an integrated visitor counter.