Aug 25 2010
IDTechEx has published a report titled ‘Active RFID and Sensor Networks 2011-2021’, investigating at length the key players, the markets, the technologies, cost price per unit, tag numbers and interrogator numbers, for the next 10 years.
Minutiae about more than 75 active RFID systems are elaborated in the report, alongside a list of 100 dealers and a complete study on the technological aspects including Wi-Fi RFID to UWB tags to printed batteries. The future predictions for the next ten year period .which according to the forecast, the market for active RFID would be approximately ten times the current size.
The word Active RFID, covers merging of many tools such as the Ubiquitous sensor networks (USN), real-time locating systems, Active RFID with RuBee, WiFi, ZigBee, and Ultra Wide Band. The RFID market is large mainly due to Active RFID, in which a tag is impelled by a battery.
The factors that promote this kind of extensive growth include RTLS (real time location systems) and the USN systems and also the strong demand for equipments that track, identify and monitor both objects and people. Also factors such as cost, safety, customer approval and security have to be taken into consideration. Other major considerations include threatening epidemics, thefts, terror attacks, fierce competition in the consumer goods market, demand of superior service by consumers and the need for more data. Usage of passive solutions proves to be insufficient and active RFID and RFID modules in mobile phones will take care of the demands.
Growth inducing factors include, reducing costs and the small size of the tags made possible by making use of button batteries, printed photovoltaic batteries, and miniature fuel cells; expansion of USN, wherein vast numbers of sensors and active RFID tags are employed in places such as forests, hospitals, rivers, buildings and so on; compliance to existing standards such as IEEE 802.15.4, NFC and more importantly ISO 18000-7. . At present, most active tags use button batteries including radio systems, but in the future they may evolve into laminates or labels due to the reduced costs of the BAP (battery assisted passive) tags inclusive of sensors. They may even have displays and work alongside with the smaller extraordinary active RFIDand be able to handle multiple sensing and RTLS.
It is expected that unit prices of active RFID will greatly decrease, due to the heavy governmental investment in researching cost-effective active RFID, and participation of more than 100 companies in the chain of active RFID units, thereby generating growth in sales,due to the advent of printed logic and micro batteries. In the future, RTLS is expected to take over but in small installments. Active RFID is expected to be drawn into applications such as short range radio and passive RFID interfaces.