RFD goes RFID

barcode rfid

It’s the time of year when retail is king, so let’s take a look at where retail technology is heading. Recently, inside of a new DVD I found a loose barcode sticker. I peeled off the backing material and saw a Radio Frequency Identification Device.

Besides being a security and stock control device for brick-and-mortar stores, RFID can be used by online retailers to more easily track products packages, containers, etc. There are also potential applications in healthcare. I still see packages from Amazon that have incorrect or totally missing tracking information, so there’s plenty of room for improvement.

If you haven’t already seen one of these things, or if you have and didn’t know what it was, you can painlessly learn about RFID by watching this Flash presentation from IBM. Be patient with the download.