Tiny radio frequency ID reader developed

What is claimed to be the world's smallest and lowest cost near field radio frequency identification (RFID) reader has been developed by an English specialist company, Innovision Research & Technology.

The reader module, known as io, is expected to have a unit cost a tenth that of existing readers and will extend the potential of RFID technology into new business areas.

Measuring 12 mm wide and long and 2 mm thick, io is smaller than a US dime coin.

RFID is a low-power radio technology consisting primarily of a minute silicon chip, capable of storing all manner of digitised information about a product - what it is, where it is going and where it has been.

When combined with an antenna and incorporated into an adhesive label or directly into a product, the RFID chip can be read and written to by a remote reader.

So far, RFID has primarily been used to track objects through the supply chain but opportunities for RFID applications in other sectors are vast.

Although RFID is sometimes compared to the barcode, it is a superior technology that can add functionality and features to products at a cost that has never been considered feasible.

RFID does not require line-of-sight reading, its tags can have read-and-write capabilities and the technology is capable of surviving extreme and hostile environments.

Despite the many benefits of RFID technology, its widespread adoption has been hampered until now by low awareness of the technology's commercial potential and the relatively high unit cost of RFID tags and their accompanying readers.

The io reader features an onboard RISC processor with low power consumption optimised for 2.8 V battery operation and intelligent power management, making it suited to small, battery-powered handheld devices.

The io reader's small size and low cost open the possibility of RFID applications in completely new areas.

For example, by passing it over an RFID tag embedded in pharmaceutical packaging, it could automatically read information relating to dosage, expiry date and manufacturing batch.

By passing an io-based MP3 player over an RFID-enabled poster, music fans could download a sample track from the advertised album instantly or even purchase the entire CD.

The module reads and writes to RFID tags and smart labels. Because it is standards-compliant and future-proofed to allow rapid integration of the forthcoming near field communications standard, the reader can be used to read Philips Mifare Ultralight tags as well as Innovision's Jewel, claimed to be the world's smallest RFID tag designed for use in mass transit tickets.

For further information contact Innovision Research & Technology, Ash Court, 23 Rose Street, Wokingham, Berkshire, England, RG40 1XS.