Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the wireless non-contact use of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes

of automatically
identifying and tracking tags attached to objects. The tags contain electronically
stored information. Some tags are powered by and read at short ranges (a few
meters) via magnetic fields (electromagnetic induction). Others use a local power
source such as a battery, or else have no battery but collect energy from the
interrogating EM field, and then act as a passive transponder to emit microwaves
or UHF radio waves (i.e., electromagnetic radiation at high frequencies). Battery
powered tags may operate at hundreds of meters. Unlike a bar code, the tag does
not necessarily need to be within line of sight of the reader, and may be embedded
in the tracked object.
RFID tags encoded with GS1 Serialized Global Trade Item Numbers (GS1) are
attached to individual articles at the manufacturing factories. They are first read
when clothing items arrive at distribution centers. Once the shipment is received
and contents are verified, each carton of items is labelled with an RFID tag. This tag
is encoded with a GS1 Serial Shipping Container Code (GS1), uniquely identifying it
as a logistics unit. This allows the entire carton to be inspected in mere seconds
when it arrives at a retail shop, simply by scanning the label with a handheld RFID
reader. The tags on the individual items of clothing enable a full-store inventory to
be taken at any time, in just a few hours.
GS1 is an open, neutral, industry-driven standards organization responsible for
defining unique
identifiers for items, organizations, documents, locations, events and other things
for more than 40
years. Our standards for identification, semantics and communication are used
directly by over 1.5
million companies and indirectly by billions of consumers every day.
A major challenge has been defining the core set of semantics required for
applications built for the web of things across various domains. Connecting our
industry community to W3C, including its possible new work around the web of
things, has the potential to significantly drive adoption, and to increase relevance of
any developed standards across GS1s core sectors of healthcare, commerce, and
transportation/logistics.
Under the GS1 umbrella, EPC development and standardization has been
spearheaded by a wide
range of stakeholders from multiple sectors; including retailers, manufacturers,
technology suppliers, and logistics providers.
GS1/EPCglobal technical standards have matured, and cover many aspects of RFID,
from standardization of the identifiers encoded into the RFID tags, to the
middleware that manages reader
networks and filters data, to the methodology for exchanging read information
both inside and
between organizations.

The GS1 EPC "Gen2" air interface protocol, first published by EPCglobal in 2004, is
globally
recognized as the foundation for RFID deployments in retail. Over the past decade,
EPC Gen2 has established itself as the standard for UHF (Ultra High Frequency)
implementations across multiple sectors, allowing for usage in the global
marketplace, interoperability between product manufacturers, improved read
speeds, and enhanced security and privacy features
Unlike the barcode where identification is limited by line-of-sight, RFID technology
and its reliance on radio waves does not require a line-of-sight for identification or a
straight-line alignment between the tags and readers. As is common with emerging
technologies, several challenges must be overcome for the technology to mature to
its full potential. In the case of RFID, these challenges include: maturation of
technology, harmonization of standards for hardware/software and wireless
spectrum operations, privacy and security concerns, and implementation cost
barriers. As these technical and policy challenges are mitigated, RFID will likely
become the system of choice for global
commerce.
References
1) IEEE Pervasive Computing Mobile & Ubiquitous Systemsa.
Volume5, Number1, Jan-March 2006
2) www.rfid-handbook.com
3) Texas Instrument RFID group web page: http://www.ti.com/tiri\
4) http://www.gs1.org/docs/healthcare/GS1_Healthcare_Reference_Book_2012-2013.pdf
5) RFIDa.com online community: http://www.rfida.com/reader