RFID Applied

This really is a top-to-bottom overview of RFID technology, uses limitations. I have never seen a book about any technological topic offer such a wide range of information, not just about the technology itself, but on how it relates to different subject areas. For example, in the same book, you can get: - An overview of the technology's history - Details about the technical standards that govern it. Any reader with even minimal technology experience can understand it at the level discussed. - An explanation of the concept of Return on Investment so that you can make the business case for implementing it. Seriously - they even go over how to do the math and present the case to the bean counters. - Multiple industry-specific sections with ideas for uses with corresponding case study examples. -Country specific applications Basically, if you're a techie you will get a lot of in-depth technical stuff (though not to the level of wiring schematics and production planning), but you'll also get exposure to stuff that will help with communicating about topics that the people with the cash and ability to sign-off on projects. Non-techies will get a great overview, that will require minimal use of Google to search for definitions, and will be able to hold your own in discussions with technical people - unless they REALLY want to show you up and start talking wavelengths and capacitor specs. I would happily recommend this book to college professors teaching classes on new topics in computer networking and supply chain management. RFID isn't exactly new per se, but this book's treatment of the subject is far more useful than other books and sources I was forced to use in the past... Perhaps this group of authors can turn their attention to other technologies and applications such as ERP, Supply Chain Management, Data Warehousing, Network Essentials, etc, where the existing books are mostly either too technical for common folk, or not technical enough for the geeks among us.

A few years ago while in grad school I did some research into RFID, and I really wish this book had existed then. I read plenty on the subject, but not a single resource that I found went into the level of depth and explanation of all the technologies and issues surrounding RFID that this book does. Admittedly from the title I expected this to be a high level overview of RFID that covered only its current uses and would be out of date in a few years. Boy was I wrong - while this book does cover the applications, it covers _everything_ and will be a fantastic reference for years to come. The book is divided into three parts, each of which covers a different area of the technology. The first part talks about the technology itself, and does get into all the nitty-gritty details that I hadn't thought about since my electrical engineering courses in college. It talks about RF properties, frequencies, data encoding, sensor placement, data standards, and more. The second part of the book goes into 10 specific industries and explains how RFID is being used in those industries. From outside experience I happen to know that some of the applications they mention are not being used widely, but are only being used by a few cutting edge players in those industries. That should not concern the reader unduly though as the overall intention of the authors is clearly to give a broad look at some of the things RFID can do and make you start thinking about your industry or situation. The third part of the book goes through 10 countries and shows how RFID is being used in those countries. Things covered include the French library system, US passports, anti-counterfeiting efforts, fare cards in many areas, etc. They also talk about some of the differing standards and governance practices in differing countries. The book ends with 10 unique applications and 10 web sites for more information (they do seem to like the number 10 don't they?). My initial fear that this book would become out of date very quickly was largely unfounded. While some applications (the second and third parts of the book) may become out of date eventually, they spend most of their time discussing fundamental issues rather than application specific issues and therefore ensure that this book will be a valuable reference for years to come.

Unlike most other reviewers for this book, I acquired this book purely for research purposes. It serves beautifully. I'm a novelist and lack the technical gene that I need badly to write about some of my favorite subjects. To understand them, I turn to books like this in the hope I'll be able to get the technical concepts firmly enough ingrained in my brain to be able to write my story without constantly stopping and scratching my head. I've been interested in RFID from a conspiracy standpoint for years but hadn't found a book that looked good enough to purchase. When writing fiction, you need more than a true conspiracist's viewpoint, or a true believer in the good of something like this. You need facts that you can understand so that you can let the imagination take off in your own mind and create what you want, not what others suggest. So, fellow writers, non-fiction and fiction, this book is a must-read if you need to grok the subject of RFID.

RFID Applied is a book along the same lines as TCP/IP Illustrated, Applied Cryptography, and Principles of Digital Audio. It contains more detail than the beginner will need, but enough detail that the well-acquainted will want. Accessible on so many levels, it has information varying from basics, to equations for maximum transmission range, to pricing estimates for business owners to consider if thinking about install a comprehensive RFID system. This is contained in the first 300 pages of the book. The second half of the book is a collection of example usage of RFID technology in various industries and countries, and as a section is very interesting in its own right. Each chapter is appended with a detailed reference list. Overall, RFID Applied is a great resource I'm glad to have on my bookshelf.

Around sixteen years ago, I was asked to contribute to an RFID development project. We did not have the web or a book like RFID Applied to explain it to us. We had to figure it out for ourselves and make it up as we went along. Today, there are dozens of books on the subject of RFID. We have the web and publications like the RFID Journal to fill in the details. Mark Roberti, editor of the RFID Journal, explains in the book's forward that RFID is both simple and complex. I would add that for any answer to a question on RFID, there is always an exception to be explained. The authors of RFID Applied have done an excellent job of covering the basic subject matter, RFID systems, examples of applications, and RFID coverage in different countries. This book is aimed at the professional who is planning on setting up an RFID system. The authors write in plain language that is easy to understand, although I have to admit that I have some degree of expertise in the subject area. I did find myself thinking as I read that this is just what I have said in my own presentations. I was pleasantly surprised to find one of my own PowerPoint drawings, Fig. 10-2, illustrating the Clipped Tag. (Don't worry guys, you will not be sued. We gave these out to the press, but maybe you could add an attribution in the next addition.) There is one concept that I think does need further explanation. That is the ability of liquids to block RFID signals. Actually, it is not liquids as such, but conducting liquids like water that block electromagnetic (EM) radiation. The penetration depth or skin depth of the medium, water for instance, for EM waves is inversely proportional to the square root of the frequency of the EM radiation multiplied by the conductivity of the medium. Water, especially salt water, conducts electricity well enough that the penetration depth is very small for RFID 915 MHz UHF propagation. This is important for communicating with submarines, for example. It takes a real radio geek to think that the whole point of the movie "Crimson Tide" was to illustrate the problem of propagating radio waves through sea water. However, there is a solution to the water problem for UHF RFID. You can use near-field magnetic coupling for UHF tag-to-reader communications. In the near field, generally less than one wavelength, it works amazingly well. You can put the tag in a glass of water and still talk to it. I first saw Chris Diorio, co-chair of the EPCglobal Hardware Action Group, demonstrate this at a group meeting. RFID is an elegant technology. At the recent RFID Journal Live in Orlando, I observed that the technology continues to improve, there are new ways of using RFID, the tag and reader infrastructure is increasing in reliability while coming down in cost. However, the biggest potential application, the universal tagging of retail items is yet to come about. This may be the result of a combination of factors: the hurdle to overcome b