Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is a technology that uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically stored information. Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader’s interrogating radio waves. Active tags have a local power source, such as a battery, and may operate hundreds of meters from the RFID reader. Unlike a barcode, the tag need not be within the line of sight of the reader, so it may be embedded in the tracked object. RFID is one method for Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC).
Some of the emerging trends in Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) include the use of RFID tags to track inventory in real-time, the use of RFID tags to track people and assets, and the use of RFID tags to monitor the environment.