The Evolution Of The Barcode... The RFID

Shopping at the grocery store, you walk up to the register and wait for the cashier to scan your items and pay. This has been the norm ever since the barcode has been introduced. Now, there is a new, more intricate version of the barcode known as a RFID or Radio Frequency Identification tag. These tags are more useful to users because they can transmit data wirelessly. From its conception, RFID tags track shipments all the way until they are placed in a cart and bought at a store. Here they can be read by antenna's, using electromagnetic energy to trigger the transmission of data.

The only reason RFID tags have not come full circle is because of how many different companies and sectors use barcodes. In the supply chain field, RFID has been implemented and makes distribution much more efficient. Now, tags are located on pallets and not individual products. The RFID scanners are used to track what leaves and enters the store or warehouse, where it's going/came from and at what time. This detailed information is sent to a system which records all data. As you can see this is much more efficient than scanning individual pallets and then entering information into a system because it is done for you and at a faster pace.

Here is an infographic featured in Baseline Magazine, of Wal-Mart and how they use RFID tags for their supply chain




Source: HowStuffWorks & Funnel Inc.