RFID tags are placed on items to identify or track those items over time or throughout their lifecycle. RFID tags can be used to track all types of objects in industries like healthcare, retail, and manufacturing, to keep track of assets or inventory. This guide covers the main aspects to consider before deciding on or purchasing an RFID tag. Each tag may vary significantly from another, which makes choosing one that has been designed to work in environments and applications similar to your application essential in order to achieve the best results.
RFID tags communicate with RFID readers and antennas via electromagnetic waves. The reader/ antenna combination directs electromagnetic radio waves to the RFID tags in the vicinity. The energy from the waves, harnessed by the RFID tag’s antenna, forms a current moving towards the center of the tag energizing the integrated circuit (IC). The IC turns on, modulates the energy with data from its memory banks, and directs a signal back out through the tag’s antenna.