RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) - simply explained

Whether consciously or unconsciously, most people encounter RFID several times a day. We explain what is behind RFID and where we encounter technology in everyday life.

Radio Frequency Identification: What is RFID?

The abbreviation RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification. It is therefore an identification via electromagnetic waves.

• A wide variety of information can be stored on a small RFID chip. A reader can read out the data at any time via radio.
• The stored data can be unique text or simple codes. Numbers, names, passwords and lots of other information can be saved.
• The RFID chips are also referred to as transponders or tags. Meanwhile, RFID chips are mass-produced goods that only cost a few cents.

The technology behind RFID

RFID is not just RFID. Depending on the manufacturer and intended use, the mode of operation and the transmission frequency used differ. However, the structure of the RFID transponder is always the same: each transponder consists of an antenna, an analog circuit for sending and receiving data, a digital circuit and a memory.

• There are both passive transponders and active transponders. Active transponders have their own battery or rechargeable battery and therefore have a limited lifespan. For this, the distance to the reader can be several meters.
• Passive transponders have no battery and draw your energy directly from the energy field of the reader. As a result, the RFID tags work almost infinitely long, but only over short distances.
• Due to the small size, only a few data can often be stored on the RFID tags. As a rule, however, only some information is saved in the form of text or short codes.

Where is RFID in everywhere?

• RFID was used as early as the Second World War. Tanks and planes were equipped with transponders to distinguish between friend and foe.
• From the 1960s, RFID was also used in industry. Parts of railways or cars have been tagged with RFID tags for proper identification.
• RFID tags have also become known in everyday life since the 1970s. Alcohol or clothing are still tagged with RFID tags to prevent theft. At the checkout, the RFID chips are destroyed by a strong magnet.
• RFID has also been used in agriculture since the 1980s. Cows and other farm animals received an ear tag with an RFID chip for identification. Nowadays, many dogs also get an RFID chip.
• Some information is stored on an RFID chip in the new passport and ID card. EC cards, ski passes, electronic immobilizers and a toll system also use RFID.
• RFID chips in banknotes have also often been considered. So far, however, efforts have always failed due to the associated costs.
• Every current smartphone now uses RFID. The technology there is called NFC, a special version of RFID.

In addition to an RFID chip, passports nowadays also consist of a biometric passport photo. Read tips for doing it yourself in the next article.