RFID - the technology that keeps on giving
We’ve all heard of RFID, a technology that’s been around since the 1930s. Did you know that it’s now one of the fastest-growing technologies in the world?
Originally discovered during the development of radar, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has proven useful in all kinds of applications, from tracking library books to identifying lost pets to providing visibility into complex supply chains.
The technology is simple and versatile, consisting of a tiny RFID chip/antenna and a RFID reader that interrogates the chip via radio waves. No line of sight is required, and the tiny chips don’t require batteries – the power comes from the RFID reader.
Exponential RFID Market Growth
According to a presentation at the recent RFID Journal Live Conference (May 9-11, 2023), the RFID tag market is growing exponentially. This vibrant market growth will continue as RFID is integrated into more and more systems, including Geographic Information Systems, robotics and more.
The lasting impact of one person on the industry
Early on, in 2002, a reporter for Information Week realized the potential of the fledgling RFID market. About that time, manufacturing companies were trying to get a handle on how to prevent pervasive problems with inventory management and managing shipping information. RFID was one of the many technologies that was being tested to help resolve these problems. The reporter, Mark Roberti, focused his investigative skills on learning all he could about this fledgling technology. Little did he know that the result of his efforts would create a new career and an industry powerhouse.
Soon, Roberti created a website just to post his RFID articles, but it wasn’t until a reader asked about a subscription to the website that he realized he could make money by sharing his fascination with RFID. By 2003, Roberti was organizing annual conferences and online events. In 2007, his efforts received an unexpected boost by a corporate mandate by Walmart – that all suppliers must begin using RFID tags to mark their products. Of course, this mandate resulted in a rush of interest in RFID, as well as a lot of pushback from suppliers. More importantly, a patent holder for RFID technology began to enforce its patents. This stymied the corporate investment in RFID -- until Roberti stepped in and helped the industry manage licensing issues.
Before the advent of social media and e-commerce, the RFID industry found itself the focus of misinformation. In 2008, some consumer organizations began boycotting clothing with embedded RFID tags, erroneously believing that the tags would enable companies to spy on their customers. These groups got a lot of media attention, but the inherent versatility of RFID enabled manufacturers to resolve the issue (if not the misinformation). The RFID tags were simply placed on removable tags.
Growing with RFID
Back in 2010, Berntsen recognized the potential RFID could have on marking and managing underground infrastructure. Leveraging its broad expertise in infrastructure marking, the company began developing a system based on RFID technology that enabled users to digitally locate and manage their infrastructure assets. Unlike mapping or GIS platforms, an RFID-based system starts with the physical asset marked with an RFID tag. A simple scan of the tag verifies the asset’s identity and ties it to its specific digital record in a corresponding digital platform. RFID alone can provide this two-factor verification of any asset – a benefit especially relevant for buried infrastructure assets.
Today, Berntsen’s InfraMarker Connected RFID is leveraged by Esri to provide RFID verification to its customers that rely on ArcGIS to manage their assets. More and more organizations are benefitting from the versatility and security of InfraMarker RFID.