May I See Some ID, Please?

IN THE GAME OF TAG, you may soon be “it.” Thanks to deafening media buzz, even a casual reader knows that in the next few years retailers worldwide will track all manner of products by slapping a radio frequency identification tag on them. But just how much do you really know about RFID? Take this test and find out!

True or False?
1. RFID tags capture identification data.
2. Tags come in two varieties.
3. EPC tags use a 28-bit numbering scheme.
ANSWERS 1. False. The electronic tags merely store identification data; you need a wireless transmitter or reader to capture it.
2. True. Tags can be active or passive. Active tags get their energy from radio frequencies transmitted by readers, whereas passive ones have their own battery sources and are always on.
3. False. EPC tags use a 96-bit serial number.