World`s smallest RFID chip unveiled

Hitachi has unveiled what it claims is the world`s smallest RFID chip at 0.15 x 0.15mm and a thickness of 7.5 micrometers.

Mobile Mag says the size reduction from the current RFID standard chip size of 0.4 x 0.4mm was made possible by silicon-on-insulator technology, which has resulted in a 10 times increase in the number of chips that can be made from a standard silicon wafer.

Hitachi is working on ways to further improve the chip such as cutting antenna size and broadening communication coverage. Its size means the chip can be embedded in documents, extending the number of applications for RFID-based tracking and tracking systems.

Scientists at Philips Research have created a fully functional 13.56MHz RFID tag, based entirely on plastic electronics as an alternative to conventional silicon-chip-based RFID tags, reports the EE Times

The new plastic electronics RFID chips can be printed directly onto a plastic substrate along with an antenna without involving complex assembly steps and at much lower cost than processes using silicon-based chips.

Phillips is touting the new plastic RFID tags as a possible replacement for barcode, saying the new tags will make it economically and practically possible to produce package-specific and item-level identification codes that can be read wirelessly.

A project is under way at Microsoft India Development Centre (MIDC) in Hyderabad that aims to push Microsoft`s presence in RFID, reports Silicon India.

The MIDC-incubated Microsoft`s RFID product is likely to be released during the third or fourth quarter of this year to become the first product to be released to the global market that has been developed completely by the MIDC.

Although RFID is in the early stages of adoption, Microsoft sees the potential of this technology that will enhance control of key business processes to increase business performance and enhance customer service for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and other industries.

RFID technology in the retail consumer products goods sector reached $161 million in 2005 and predicts it will reach $1.5 billion by 2010, says US analyst firm Venture Development.

Microwave Engineering quotes Tom Grant, the CEO of RFID equipment manufacturer ThingMagic as saying that once the market begins to grow, it will become a multibillion dollar business, noting so far, adoption has been compliance driven.

The article says most of the companies that adopted RFID to comply with mandates in 2005, found it challenging to measure an internal return on investment (ROI). However, industry experts say ROI is achieved when data from RFID tags flows into enterprise resource planning platforms or warehouse management systems and are available in real time as products move through the supply chain.

Alien Technology has opened its Radio Frequency Identification Solutions Centre, Dayton, for RFID education, research and development and real-world implementation.

Dayton Business Journal says Alien expects to host visitors from Europe, Asia and Latin America in coming months as the company works to facilitate the adoption of RFID globally.

The facility also will showcase products from Alien`s competition in line with its aim of educating users of the technology as completely as possible.