Where is RFID Used?

5 really cool places where RFID is used.
by Barry Barcode

RFID is the common acronym for Radio Frequency Identification, and while it sounds like something out of science fiction, it is flooding into our reality swiftly as the internet of things bleeds into our physical world. It is a no-contact, wireless use of radio electromagnetic fields that collect and move data for the purposes of instantly identifying objects. Tags can be powered by battery or magnetic fields at small distances. For anything that can be quantified or barcoded, there is an opportunity to add RFID. This technology can be used for many uses, but today we’re going to highlight some of the coolest uses that we’ve come across recently.

1. PETS & PET DOORS
Never lose Fluffy again with RFID microchips that are being tagged on pets. Shelters are now using RFID technology as identification tags. So if your pet goes missing and ends up in a shelter, they can call you immediately. This technology eliminates the need for other identification tags that can be lost or stolen. RFID can also be used in the home with dog or cat doors to make sure that the animal that comes into your house is really your pet, and not a racoon or neighbor’s pet looking for food.

2. GOLF BALLS (never lose a ball again)
The company RadarGolf.com stunned the masses of golf enthusiasts when they began offering golf balls with RFID locator chips. You’ll never lose your ball again, and time spent retrieving your ball will be less and less, making it all about the golf again, so you and your buddies can just have a good time together.

3. CASINOS
If you thought casinos stacked the odds against you before, you’ll get a kick out of this. In 2005 Steve Wynn, owner of casino resorts Golden Nugget, Treasure Island, The Mirage Bellagio, Encore, and Wynn, contributed to the technological progression of gaming security when he filled his signature mega resort with RFID embedded betting chips. The chips help stop counterfeiting and enable the casino to track individual betting to seek out cheaters.

4. IN HOSPITALS
The horror stories of doctors performing surgery on the wrong patient are a thing of the past with RFID technology that is placed within a hospital band along with the barcode identification code.

5. TOILETS
We all spend some time on the toilet in our lives, and it’s become a big topic for water conservationists. RFID technology has been paired with water valves in order to help detect ‘silent leaks,’ and to monitor high or low water levels ultimately conserving water and saving homeowners money.

6. SCHOOL BUSES
Have you heard the horror stories of children being left on buses after school, neglecting to having been dropped off at their house for one reason or another? Well that is a thing of the past. Some schools are considering placing RFID chips onto children’s backpacks to ensure that they get on and off of the bus safely.
https://rfid.thingmagic.com/rfid-blog/bid/41632/RFID-Takes-a-Ride-on-School-Busses

For more cool information about quantifying data be it with RFID or our personal favorite, check out our social media! You can still get in touch with us. Call MIDCOM at (800) 643-2664 or chat us up on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn! Do you have barcode scanners that are critical to your business? Learn how to keep them running with our “10 Rules You Should Know To Keep Your Barcode Scanner Operational” now!