Most of us have had that annoying experience of setting off an alarm as we leave a store because one item in our bags has a still-active radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag. So it’s back to the cashier for some deactivation (or to security for some questioning).
Retailers love RFID, for obvious reasons. So do other industries and governments dealing with limiting building access; tracking goods, livestock and people; collecting highway tolls and public transit fares; checking passports; finding airport baggage; managing hospital drug inventory… The list goes on and on.
RFID is a big business, and it is anticipated to grow despite concerns about privacy issues. Market researcher IDTechEx recently estimated that the RFID market—including tags, readers, and software and services for RFID labels, fobs, cards, and other form factors—will hit $9.2 billion in 2014 and increase to $30.24 billion in 2024.
So it’s good timing for columnist Jeff Bachiochi’s series about passive RFID tagging. Part 1 appears in Circuit Cellar’s May issue and focuses on read-only tags and transponder circuitry. It also hints at Bachiochi’s unfolding RFID project.
Other May issue highlights include DIY project articles describing an MCU-based trapdoor lift system, a customizable approach to an ASCII interface for sending commands to a sensor tool and receiving data, and a solar-powered home automation controller that enables household-device management and cloud connectivity to log temperature, energy use, and other data.
In addition, our columnists explore low-power wireless data receivers, testing and analyzing old and new batteries in a personal collection, and designing data centers to participate in smart-grid power management.
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If you are a female engineer in search of some inspiration, read our interview with embedded systems expert Elecia White. Also, find out why new technology means a bright future for LEDs in emissive microdisplays.
Circuit Cellar's editorial team comprises professional engineers, technical editors, and digital media specialists. You can reach the Editorial Department at editorial@circuitcellar.com, @circuitcellar, and facebook.com/circuitcellar
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