E-Business: Radio Frequency Identification

By: Felisa Guerra Fernandez

RFID is a technology that uses communication through the use of radio waves to exchange data between a reader and an electronic tag attached to an object, for the purpose of identification and tracking. This technology has been used since the 1970s. “RFID is a machine that reads tags and those tags give the reader all the information of the person, the product, the car, the animal etc. While it is not necessary to show the tag as with a bar code, it can read hundreds at a time and can be read through clothes, case, box, containers etc… even several meters away from the machine. Is a machine that consists in a tiny ship computer with an antenna.” (Katherine Albrecht and Liz McIntyre, Summer 2002)

The RFID’s purpose is to make it possible that each product or each item in a shop has its own identifying number, the same with people and cars, each one has their own and unique license or ID. RFID has two types, one is called: “FIXED RFID and the other MOBILE RFID. The fixed are those tags that are stationary like the things that don’t move, and the mobile tags can be used with the stationary tags which help the reader communicate with the mobile tag. Examples of mobile tags are: vehicle, humans, animals, passports, transports payment detectors, inventory control etc. All objects of which are in motion, which is why it’s more difficult to detect the information given by mobile tags, than in the case where the object is stationary.” Recently the RFID is working and developing very fast for the implants of tags for the human, the main reason for this is because of all the kidnappings around the world. These tags are implanted under the skin. Also they are making them for the prisoners so they can’t escape from jail. In the casinos they have a RFID machine that scans the face and eyes of everyone that goes inside and helps them recognize when someone is on the black list, the only place where the machines can’t be placed yet is in restrooms. (Minho Jo, Hee Yong Youn, February 2009)

Advantages: “It’s a very efficient and effective way for the companies to track their products. RFID tags contain information on the product that is easy to read, and more importantly it helps the companies in reducing labor costs, human errors and time spent checking in products.” (AIM North America, Thursday March 17, 2011)

Disadvantages: “The most important is the privacy issue. People have been complaining about the RFID because they don’t have anymore privacy, every time they enter a place, the RFID machine scans all the information they have with them. There is another huge problem they want to start putting these tags on new clothing and that’s even worse because these tags theoretically could track a person around the world, if there were readers in specific locations throughout the world, personal information may also be embedded in these tags.”I found more issues such as technological imperfections, cost of the technology and no proven way to set up an RFID system for a company. (AIM North America, Thursday March 17, 2011)

The government and corporations are the two groups that offer the most concern for privacy issues. Hidden tags and readers threaten to take away human mystery, offering a world where people see, feel and hear only

what the government and large corporation want people to.

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