Another term used to define an RFID tag. An RFID chip is a tag, label or card that can exchange data with a reader using radio frequency (RF) signals. It usually has a built-in antenna and an IC (integrated circuit). The antenna can send and receive radio waves, while the IC takes care of modulating and demodulating the radio signals as well as processing and storing data.
RFID chips are quite similar to bar code labels in that they typically work with a corresponding scanner or reader. However, RFID chips have significant advantages. Because an RFID chip communicates with a reader through radio waves (not infrared, which is being used by bar code technology), the chip doesn’t have to be positioned right in front of the reader. That is, line-of-sight is not needed. Also, unlike a bar code reader/label pair, which have to be really close (about a few centimeters), some RFID reader/chip pairs can function even if they are a few meters apart. Furthermore, while a bar code label can only be read by a single reader at a time, an RFID chip can transmit data to multiple readers simultaneously. There are different kinds of RFID chips. Some require batteries, known as ‘active’ chips, while others don’t, known as ‘passive’. Others are designed for indoor use, while others are built for rugged, outdoor applications. The most common applications include object tracking and identification. Chips can also differ in the kind of radio frequencies they operate on. Some communicate via UHF (Ultra High Frequency), others HF (High Frequency), and still others LF (Low Frequency). RFID chips can be attached just about anywhere: clothes, shoes, vehicles, containers, and even plants, animals, and human beings (as implants). Miniaturized chips have even been attached to insects.
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