The History and Applications of Radio Frequency Identification

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Radio frequency identification (RFID) A small chip or tag that reads radio waves and is used to identify people or objects. The chip stores a serial number and or information linked to an object or person. The chip is attached to the antenna which allows the chip to transmit information regarding a person or object to the receiver which then reads and then converts the radio waves to a digital information that is then passed to other devices such as computers that eventually processes every bit of information for use. Both the chip and antenna are called RFID Transponder and it does not have to be in line of sight. RFIDs can be attached to or implanted in products, animals, or even human beings. Brief History In 1935, during the second World War, Sir Robert Alexander Watson-Watt, from Britain discovered how a radar could use radio waves to locate physical object. This application was known as Identify Friend or Foe (IFF Transponder). The British forces used this application where it detected incoming aircraft by sending out impulses of radio energy and detecting the echoes that came back. This system was later on adapted by the Germans, British, Japanese and Americans, all using radar to warn of approaching enemy aircraft. In 1970s, The US government used RFID to track nuclear materials in transit and also around this time, the US Department of Agriculture partners with research lab to develop a new passive RFID system to track cows and other livestock, controlling outbreaks of animal diseases such as bird flu or mad cow diseases. In 1990s, RFID transforms into a networking technology (tags like barcodes that are linked to an online database) used to track items in supply chain. Diagram below illustrates how RFIDs work. ... ... middle of paper ... ...the patient information in a shortest period of time, which means less patient mix- up and fewer mistakes due to human error in entering the data in a nurse’s computer. A scanner device could be used to enter in the updated information. Productivity would increase since the doctors and nurses would not have to go to a computer to enter in the updated information. This would allow doctors and nurses can see more patients. iii. Immediate contact with Emergency Services This technology is very useful when it comes to safety emergencies. In mass casualty events, it is difficult to track the location of patients and critical assets. RFIDs implanted in patients are used to track their location in disaster. The location of the patient is stored to a database and can be visualized on a tracking console. Figure below indicates how RFIDs are useful in emergencies.

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