|
Current Thinking Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) - a disruptive technology or just a fancy kind of barcode? We all know what barcodes are, don’t we? They are all around us and have become a part of everyday life. They are the means by which our shopping is automatically logged and tallied at the supermarket checkout, they are on parcels and packages we receive and on our holiday luggage as it is checked in. If you work in any kind of manufacturing or logistics facility you probably see or may use barcodes every day. On a personal level your medical records will have barcodes and if you have a new style driving license or passport you will already be bar-coded. Barcodes are cheap, simple to use and have found uses far removed from their early days in the automotive industry. Despite this, however, standard barcodes have their problems. They are easily damaged and generally do not contain much information. They are passive, read only, and once printed cannot change. There is a limit to how small they can be made without becoming difficult to read and they can’t be used on many surfaces. There have been attempts to get around some of these problems and it’s true to say that some of the newer types of barcodes can address issues such as damage or volume of information. However, a major limiting factor to the use of barcodes is the need to have the barcode in view. Essentially, you can’t read what you can’t see. |
Future Thinking |
Harnessing The Power of Inovation and Imagination |
Links to Sponsors |