RFID is beginning to revolutionized the way business in done and in a way a part of technology in e-Commerce. RFID is first used in the supply chain but now it evolves into various business purposse like RFID in apparel, RFID in advertisement, RFID in automobile, RFID in medical, and a lot more to come. With increasing usage or implementation of this technology, large research will be done to enable more usage of it and price that will decline will enable all industry in using this technology.What is RFID??
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification which it is a kind of technology that uses radio waves in doing automatic identification relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. It is more similar to a small electronic device that consists of small/silicon chip and antenna that might be capable in carrying 2000 bytes of data or maybe less than that. It can be both attached or implanted into a product, animal or even person. This RFID device act the same as a bar code or even a magnetic strip enacted behind a credit card or even ATM card enables information available just with a scan of the device. Mainly, the key feature of this technology is the ability in instant tracking of tagged object.How It Works??
RFID should have several components in its system like tags, tag readers, edge servers, middleware and application software. With this complete system, RFID enables data transmission, data storage and tracking purpose. The tag of RFID will transmit data which being read by RFID reader or tag reader and data being processed based on the particular application.Pros & Cons!!!
Pros:
· Able to scan within distance
· Low maintenance
· Accessibility and availability
· Unique Features
· Mobility
· Low cost due to increasing demand
Cons:
· Read range and Interference
· Non-standardized standards
· RFID reader and tag collision
· Privacy and security
This is mainly a general understanding of RFID...Please proceed to The Emerging of RFID for leaving comments. Thanks.
References:
Technovelgy, “What Is RFID”, Viewed 25 August 2008, http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Technology-Article.asp?ArtNum=20#Security
RFID Journal, Viewed 25 August 2008, http://www.rfidjournal.com/
Wade, J, “Pros and Cons of RFID”, Viewed 25 August 2008, http://203.6.199.77/articles/ad/0c0213ad.asp
6 comments:
Since this topic is about the Innovation and Technology, and it seems that Mayi is more towards the side of RFID. So, I decided to comments on RFID part of the technology. Here, my discussions will be more towards the RFID that used in Wal-Mart Company. I hope this little comment will able to help you on your proposal and report writing.
In recent years, Wal-Mart had imposed the radio frequency identification technology – RFID, in the business. This RFID will work more capable than a bar code which enables the suppliers to know the movements of the stocks in the stores. It can even trace the locations of the stocks immediately in a split second. Of course, this has to work closely with the improvement of the satellite systems in order to maintain it. In addition, this radio frequency identification technology is still lack of basic infrastructure especially for the stores that are located in the outskirts area. This has to be overcome by expanding the systems which will cost a lot to widen its coverage. The RFID technology is still not fully been used by all the suppliers on the stocks as it need to cost millions and millions of capital to impose this new technological system.
Besides that, the Wal-Mart was using the universal bar code, which allowed the retailer to generate all kinds of information including subtle shift of power from manufacturers to retailers (Wilbert, C., 2007). Recently, Wal-Mart is developing on RFID which used to transmit data stored on small tags attached to pallets or individual products. The radio frequency identification technology tags hold much more data than bar codes (Wilbert, C., 2007).
The advantages of imposing RFID by Wal-Mart is enable to trace where are the stocks, whether on warehouse, store shelf, loading dock, or still on the assembly line. With the used of radio frequency identification technology, it can improve on accuracy, efficiency, and prevent hand-counting and even minimizing theft (Wood, M.B., 2004). Not only that, Tom Torre, associate director of business-to-business supply chain innovation at Procter & Gamble Co., the radio frequency identification technology has the ability to capture data from retailers as the key potential benefit. It also could give Procter & Gamble better insight about sales on Wal-Mart (Carol, S., & Bob, B., 2004). In addition, the radio frequency identification technology individual item on tag will probably raise the privacy issues. For example, it can attach to the shopper’s children when they do shopping in Wal-Mart. If their children happened to be lost in the stores, they can be easily be tracked in minutes or even seconds (Turban, E., et al, 2006).
In addition, Wal-Mart expects to gain more benefits from the use of RFID which they had been invested so much money in it. Thus, in order to cooperate all its business partners to cooperate with the company on this to enable the success of the RFID technology into action. Therefore, those related business partners will be able to get reimbursement which includes the retailers, customers, the management itself, and other parties as well.
In conclusion, even thought Wal-Mart Company do realized that this implementation of RFID technology requires a lot of capital investments, but they believes that it will produce the long-run benefits to the company, suppliers and even the customers at large.
Reference:
Carol, S. & Bob, B., 2004, “RFID Tests Wal-Mart Suppliers”, Computerworld, vol. 38, no. 14, pp.1-45, Business Source Premier, EBSCOhost, AN12886528, viewed 31st August 2008.
Turban, E., King, D., Viehland, D & Lee, L., 2006, “Electronic Commerce: A Managerial Perspective”, Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Wilbert, C., 2007, “Introduction to How Wal-Mart Works”, HowStuffWorks Inc., viewed 31st August 2008, http://money.howstuffworks.com/wal-mart.htm.
Wood, M.B., 2004, “Marketing Planning: principles into practice”, Prentice Hall, Gosport.
After reading the article “Introduction to RFID” by Mayi, I interested to focus on the pros and cons of RFID. I would like to share some special and interesting scenario of here.
Pros of RFID
Using RFID to Check-in Hotel
For the past few years, the customers want to check-in a hotel; they need to take the keys or access cards from the hotel counter. But everything is going to be changed now. Hotel which equipped with RFID will now able to offer remote check in though their customers’ mobile phone.
Prior arriving hotel, the customers will receive their booking confirmation, room number and an encrypted room key access code via SMS. Therefore, avoiding long lines to waste time to check-in they can then go straight to their room and use their mobile phone to unlock the door and enter. Besides that, the customers can make order or request though RFID in the room.
RFID in Food Industry
In Japan, some of the Japanese restaurants are using the RFID for stock control and autopayment. Those sushi restaurants calculate the bill by scanning RFID tags attached to each of the plates. Besides efficient to the restaurants, it also brings convenient and save time to the customers.
Besides sushi, RFID also be used at McDonald restaurants in Korea. With RFID, Koreans can order a big Mac via their mobile phone. The customers just need to plug in the RFID reader which located in each table to their mobile phone to make an order rather than queuing at the counter. With this amazing service, the customers will notify with an SMS message when their order is ready so they can pick up their meals at the designated counter and the cost of the meal is charged to their phone bill. It sounds great to customers who hate to line up.
Cons of RFID
RFID Chips linked to Fast-Growing Cancer
DailyTech reported that California State government had blocked employers to require their employee to get chipped which means that implanted with an RFID chip. The RFID chip is used for radio identification and tracking. The report stated that a few studies on RFID implants in animals test subjects exposed that the implants led to an increasing of malignant tumor growth.
However, there are many arguments against to this issue. For my opinion, I think that more research needs to be done before final conclusions are drawn.
References:
Dallas, 10 June 2008, Signature RFID/NFC by VingCard® to be Showcased in Guestroom 2010® at HITEC, http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4036304.search?query=how+to+use+rfid+to+check+in+hotel
IDTechEx, 10 Reb 2006, Food and Livestock RFID – Where, Why, What and Next? www.idtechex.com/.../en/articles/00000434.asp
Ubergizmo, 16 Sept 2007, Order a Big Mac via cellphone, http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2007/09/order_a_big_mac_via_cellphone.html
Jason, 3 Sep 2007, California Blocks Mandatory ID Implants in Employees, http://www.dailytech.com/California+Blocks+Mandatory+ID+Implants+in+Employees/article8712.htm
Although RFID having so much advantages like what Ai Ling mention about Wal-Mart Company, there are so many aspect we have to see before implementing it.
First of all, the cost of replacing bar codes for the item is huge. The company will incurred huge cost and is unbeneficial if the item is cheap and cannot cover the cost of the RFID tags.
Next is the problem of the signal. Some materials which are created from metals and liquids can cause problems of reading. The placement of the RFID tag will also take a long time because it has to be put at specific location on case and cases stacked in a specific direction to get a consistent reading.
Do we ever think of the reading of RFID? RFID are different from bar code because it does not require of line-of-sight reading and can read code within its range. So how can we determine things we want to read properly? Even though you can get directional RFID readers, they are still not as selective as a visual device.
Lastly, there is possibility of RFID tags fail in reading. If the tags are been damaged, one would be aware of the missing without abilities of tracking the products and this can cause problems to the company to recover or retrieve back the missing products.
viewed 04 September 2008, http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Technology-Article.asp?ArtNum=60
i found one blog which is mostly about the issues of RFID.
It is quite interesting.
Interested please via www.rfidblog.org/
RFID in Bejing Olympic 2008
As we all know, Beijing Olympic was proceeded successful last month. But do you ever think that RFID technology will be implemented at Olympic Games. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing represented one of the largest RFID uses to date, giving the technology a boost for even bigger implementations to come.
From ticketing to security, RFID plays a big part in keeping everything under control. The China organizations used RFID to take care 3 million of the Olympic tickets. Those are for athletes, journalists, and spectators. These tickets will be featuring RFID tag of size 0.3 sq mm and 50 micron in thickness which would not be noticeable to the ticket holder.
However, the RFID chips embedded in Olympics tickets were not carrying personal information. Besides, the RFID tickets are designed primarily to combat counterfeits, functionally for check-in and etc.
In my opinion, Beijing Olympic is spreading the education about RFID around the world as there are a lot of people still lack of knowledge about “what is RFID?” Though the major event, more people will know well and awareness for this high tech.
In the other hand, succeed of the RFID in the Olympic will attract more people and companies looking forwards to spread the adoption of this technology.
One world One dream
References:
Philip, 7 Aug 2008, RFID goes prime time in Beijing Olympics, http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10010136-1.html?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=Crave
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