RFID tags use radio frequencies to identify or track items. RFID is an acronym for “radio-frequency identification” and refers to a technology whereby digital data encoded in RFID tags or labels is captured by a reader via radio waves. These radio waves transmit details from the tag to a reader, which then transmits the information to an RFID computer program.
RFID tags are made up of the following main components: a microchip, an antenna, and a substrate, or protective material layer, that holds all the components together. RFID tags are suitable for many different industries and applications, such as logistics, supply chain management, race timing, access control, laundry management, tool tracking, warehouses, and IT asset tracking.
RFID tags operate in three frequency ranges: Low Frequency (LF), High Frequency (HF), and ultra-high frequency (UHF). These tags come in different shapes and sizes and are either passive or active. Passive RFID tags have no internal power source; they must be “powered up” by the electromagnetic energy transmitted from an RFID scanner, and they are also smaller and less expensive to implement. Active RFID tags have their own battery, internal transmitter, and power source on board the tag. RFID tags/labels store a range of information, including serial numbers, short descriptions, and pages of data.