RFID Technology: Contactless Identification Applications

RFID technology: Let objects “speak for themselves”

Have you ever wondered why the door opens when you swipe the card? Why the toll gate on the highway automatically lifts up when the car passes the toll gate? All of this is inseparable from a technology called RFID.

The full name of RFID is “radio frequency identification”. To put it bluntly, it is a technology that can identify things without touching them, just like an invisible ID card that allows the machine to know who and where a certain object is.

How Does RFID Work?

A complete RFID system has three “roles”:

Tag: A small chip attached to an object that can store information.

Reader: Responsible for reading the information in the tag.

Antenna: Helps them “talk” to each other.

When the reader is close to the tag, it will send a wireless signal. After the tag receives the signal, it will “talk back” the information stored in it to the reader. This whole process does not require contact and is fast, just like giving the object the ability to “talk remotely”.

RFID Tags also have “personalities”

RFID tags are not exactly the same. Different working frequencies, like people have different personalities, are suitable for different jobs:
Low frequency (LF): short reading distance, but can work in water and metal environments, often used for animal tracking.
High frequency (HF): widely used, such as bus cards, access cards, and library cards.
Ultra-high frequency (UHF): long reading distance, fast speed, most suitable for logistics, warehouses, commodity anti-theft systems, etc.

Play with RFID: It can be used from DIY to smart warehouses

If you like to do it yourself, you can use RFID modules with microcontrollers such as Arduino or ESP32 to make an access control system yourself:

The module reads the tag ID.

The program determines whether the ID is authorized.

If it is, it triggers the motor to open the door; if not, it refuses.

In this way, only authorized “cards” can open the door, which is safe and practical.

Written in the end

RFID tags are like putting a “talking tag” on every item. Especially this kind of UHF tag, which can be identified from a long distance, has a fast response and multiple uses. Whether it is a personal project or an enterprise-level warehouse system, it can be of great use.

If you are looking for a smart, efficient and reliable way to track, manage and identify items, this UHF RFID tag is a choice worth considering.