Q How many of you are constantly considering RFID in some shape or form, but don’t know where to start?
A Lots! www.RFIDdirect.eu’s viewers are and the people we frequently meet or talk to on the phone are considering RFID to complement their business or logistics.
Q Would an evaluation/development kit be a good way to experiment with/try out?
A Yes! RFIDdirect believe that the best way to find out for yourself is to try it in a low cost, uncomplicated but in definitely a hands-on way
Q How can RFIDdirect specifically help when there are so many starter kits/ideas already out there?
A By being straight with you about what our qID Evaluation Kit is and what it can or cannot do!
Q Why RFID technology anyway?
A RFID technology is certainly part of the new escalation in the digital connectivity of industry, manufacturing and business – in fact it has never gone away! Here at RFIDdirect, we are strong believers in utilising this technology for greater mobility and easier analytics and management in data capture; it is reliable too – you see the tag or you don’t!
Q How can the technology be adopted so easily?
A The Smart phone is the simple answer – providing sufficient and available computer power in combination with the on board communication to public networks – thus the ‘cloud’. This opens a wider market for asset traceability, maintenance, and public information services potentially replacing slower QR-code/barcode applications etc. Android and iOS platforms provide enough computer power in combination with communication supportive alternatives in WLAN and SIM, to create a good and reliable solution for many business applications. The beauty of the qID is that it not only connects via Bluetooth but can place the scanned data directly in a Word document, an Excel document or Notepad. This functionality is known as Keyboard Wedge or HID (Human Interface Device). No special software development needed – no embedded software design required to integrate this device into a solution.
Q What is all the fuss about industry 4.0?
“RFID systems can make a major contribution to the realization of Industry 4.0 by acting as the eyes and ears of IT,” (Markus Weinländer – Seimens)
A We know that RFID tags are attached to many of the things we buy or need – such as clothing, passport identification or even cashless and card less payment processes. The theory behind the reading of tag or transponder is that when read by the antenna in a reader, the unique information stored in the tag’s memory is accurately identified. Connecting all the information digitally (data management/big data) gathered through the supply chain and utilising it to improve logistics, increase productivity, reliability and ultimately customer satisfaction – is what the fuss is about!
RFID tags are constantly under development to meet the challenge of this revolution in industrial practice – most significant for most of us that we can improve the way we connect our objects, products, experiments, maintenance and whereabouts with our computers and then use the digital data to inform decisions, choices and then changes and developments. As customisation – even personalisation progresses through the competitive market place, identification could play a massively important role.
Q So, the QID Hand-Held reader is a Good Evaluation Kit then?
A The answer has to be yes due to the kit’s key unique selling point – that any user can now plug-and-play to use this UHF RFID scanner! Without any in-depth technical know-how, but for those with a determination to experiment, a requirement to evaluate and learn about RFID – the qID has many advantages.
Many hand-held RFID (UHF) scanners are available on the market – but often sold without the means to use them successfully – just tools which need additional developments/software to be functional. However, with this scanner, you can start straight away.
A simple, effective UHF evaluation kit is hard to find – able to scan the EPC encoded information within the memory of the RFID chip, projecting this straight into your Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Access or Notepad application. The kit includes sample tags – to explore the use of RFID in different environments and for a variety of applications. The samples include: smart labels, a mount-on-metal tag and returnable asset tags.
The scanner is small and light, although it has limited power on board and the read range of a transponder limited to maximal 50 to 100 cm – this will be adequate for most initiatives. When the device scans an RFID tag it will indicate that the tag has been ‘seen’- the small on- board screen showing the last recognised tag number. As it is UHF technology, the qID Mini will read multiple tags in the antenna field and places these with a return function in your Excel document – in other words each tag number will be presented on the next line in your document. All basic operating instructions are included in the kit.
Q Can RFIDdirect Support Me and My qID?
A Of course! Please let us know if there are any more questions – however basic or in-depth, we will endeavour to help. All you need is interest, enthusiasm and a project or experiment in mind, and who knows where RFID technology might take you!
