RFID technology has gotten bigger and smaller. That is the radio transmitter equipped chips have gotten smaller and the ranges have gotten bigger.
The newest chips are smaller than a grain of rice. They fit inside of a hypodermic needle. It is those chips that are used in the pet locator systems.
If a pet with the chip implanted wanders away from home and ends up at a vet or a shelter, a device, similar to the handheld inventory devices you may be familiar with, is activated and data concerning the pet’s name and owner show up on the screen.
The ranges vary depending on how the system is to be used. For example, when RFID technology is used for inventorying, the range may be relatively small, but it depends on the business’ needs.
Some companies need to be able to use handheld inventory devices on the floor of a warehouse where the stock is located high up on the shelves. In that case, the radio range would be larger. The use of that kind of system is accompanied by safety advantages for the warehouse employees. Read the rest of this entry »