subject: RFID Technology: Building Better Barcodes [print this page] RFID Technology: Building Better Barcodes
Barcodes swept the retail industry by storm during the 1980s and 1990s. They improved inventory. They prevented shoplifting. They made life easier. Those ubiquitous black and white strips changed retail checkout lines forever. No longer did employees have to memorize prices and partake in laborious inventory endeavors. However, while barcodes affected retail stores exponentially for the better, we're also familiar with some of their flaws.
Most likely, you've stood in a checkout line watching a clerk try to scan an item over and over again, only for them to call over the loudspeaker for a price check. Typically, this happens because the scanner can't fully read the barcode; sometimes they're torn or concealed. This is the primary drawback to barcodes. They need to be in direct sight of the scanner. However, RFID technology is capitalizing on this shortcoming.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is, essentially, an improved barcode. Scanners can detect the tag without having to view it directly. For example, Mobile Exxon's SpeedPass uses a key fob to replace credit and debit cards. Also, E-ZPass serves as another example. These devices act like barcodes but don't require a direct line of sight. RFID technology can be read through clothing, non-metallic materials, and even the human body.
Technology presents and interesting paradox. Through advanced algorithms and formulas we strive to make things simpler. And that's the case with RFID technology. Through this new, advanced technology, we make things simpler. We make things more efficient. RFID technology has already begun to infiltrate retail stores and shows no signs of slowing down.
