What are barcodes?
We’re all familiar with barcodes, the series of dark lines and bars that encode identifying information about an item. Barcodes are usually printed on packaging or labels and can be frustratingly hard to find when using self-checkout at the grocery store.
One-dimensional (1D) barcodes, like the Universal Product Code (UPC) used in retail, consist of vertical bars that represent alphanumeric data, with data limited by the barcode’s width. Two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, such as QR codes, can hold more data, including text, URLs, and images. These barcodes often look like stacked 1D barcodes or square grids.
All barcodes represent data that is “read” by computers optically, with 1D barcodes usually using laser scanners and 2D barcodes requiring camera-based systems with image processing.
What is RFID (and RAIN RFID)?
RFID is a form of wireless communication that uses radio waves to identify and find objects. RFID is a generic term that encompasses different frequencies and standards, including RAIN RFID, which is sometimes referred to as ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID. All RFID systems operate on the same principle: An RFID tag stores information that can be read wirelessly by an RFID reader.
RAIN RFID tags consist of a tiny radio chip and an antenna, and don’t require a battery to function. Instead, RAIN RFID tags get their energy from the radio waves transmitted by RAIN RFID readers. When a RAIN RFID tag is energized, it reflects the data stored on its chip back to the reader.
RAIN RFID tags come in many forms. Because they’re small and flat, they can be incorporated into labels. They can be sandwiched inside hangtags. They can even be embedded in a product itself, like an automobile tire or the label on a T-shirt. Each RAIN RFID tag chip can be encoded with an identifier that’s associated with the tagged item’s information in a cloud database.
In many ways, a RAIN RFID tag is like a digital barcode.
But it’s also so much more. RAIN RFID systems enable businesses and consumers to identify, locate, authenticate, and engage with every item that’s tagged with a RAIN RFID tag, providing rich, real-time data and insights.
