RFID gains momentum

Despite implementation challenges and adoption risks, RFID is moving forward with development continuing at a brisk pace, says a report by the Wisconsin Technology Network (WTN).

The report says from a supply chain perspective, the key driver has been compliance mandates mainly by Wal-Mart and the US Department of Defence, but EPC Global is also playing an important role by advancing industry-specific work groups.

In addition to the supply-chain environment, there is reported to be significant RFID momentum in safety and security, particularly in pharmaceutical and government markets.

WTN says while RFID has good momentum, the relatively high price tag of RFID creates a risk that end-users may be dissuaded from even testing the technology.

Although best know if its potential replacement of barcodes in the retail industry, the military could be the driving force behind RFID technology development and testing.

The US military is ramping up its use of the wireless technology, trying to make sure parts and supplies get to soldiers in the field as quickly and efficiently as possible, reports MENAFN.

The technology will be used to track shipments from suppliers and items sent to soldiers.

The Department of Defence recently issued its first guidelines for suppliers, saying that it expects to start receiving RFID-tagged items before the end of the year. The department has worked to make sure companies are ready for the transition, by setting up offices around the country, to help companies learn the requirements of the mandate.

"The department wants this because it`s going to help our readiness, it`s going to help our asset visibility, and it`s going to provide support to our war fighter," said a researcher for a logistics consulting firm for the government.

Canada is introducing food "traceability" requirements - records that track all links in the food supply chain, from farmers to processors to retailers to consumers - in response to recent food security scares, ITWorld Canada reports.

Drivers ranging from fears of mad cow disease and bioterrorism, to fierce territoriality, have led the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce regulation that will require whole chain traceability, requiring one-up, one-down tracking - record-keeping by each intermediary to track where products came from and where they are going, the article says.

Many are looking to RFID to automate the tracking, as it could, according to Justin Sherwood, VP of the western region for the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, become a nightmare. "You would have to support 15 to 20 ways to track products: beef one way, pork another, chicken yet another, and so on. The retailer would [face] a complete mess of information requirements and systems."

Kingston University library is installing an RFID book tracking system, Vnunet reports.

The library, which contains 432 000 books at four sites, will use the system to improve the way it manages the demands made by the university`s 20 000 students and staff.

"Chips are much easier to use than barcodes, which require greater accuracy. RFID is also quicker, because it can read more than one item at a time. You can put down a whole pile of books and get them checked out in one go," says Matthew Grove, e-services manager at Kingston University`s library.

"Cost and ease of use are big considerations for us," said Grove. "We don`t want to be forced to have someone standing next to the self-service machine to explain how to use it."