THE DATA FRONT

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remember having burnt their fingers by
committing themselves to Gen 1-based systems
for too long. RFID is essentially a highly competitive and
complex world. Traditionally, converters and suppliers have
struggled to become established and must therefore continue
to rely on access to reliable resources. It's like a hand holding
exercise where access to sound expertise is essential.'
Not everybody is pro-RFID. In fact, various campaigning
groups argue that if you can track and trace a pallet, you can
apply this to people. That is, surreptitiously read a secreted tag
at a distance with the intent of gathering sensitive data without
an individual's consent. They also say that fraudsters can read
the globally unique ID of a purchased item from a RFID tag
and indirectly identify a purchaser's credit, debit or loyalty card
details. The debate was controversially joined by a self-styled
'ethical hacker' from California. On a YouTube clip he showed
how easy it was to skim RFID tags embedded in the new
electronic US passports at long-range using a portable reader.
Industry experts are highly skeptical. They point to the high
level of secure encryption offered by today's UHF Gen 2 tags
and inlays, including optional 32-bit password to access or lock
tag data, or permanently disable it. This compares with the 8-bit
password used in Gen 1.
Alternative technologies
As far as label converters are concerned, the various on-line
and
off-line variable
information printing methods
will see further progress with linear and
two-dimensional barcoding symbologies. The RFID
situation is harder to predict. It would seem chip makers,
software developers and printer/encoder manufacturers have
hitched their fortunes to UHF Gen 2 technology. They are sure
it provides a practical platform for future growth in more areas.
Nevertheless, older protocols will continue in use, subject to
revisions or replacement by newer versions. Each requires
separate reading and encoding equipment, supported by
dedicated management infrastructures. This explains why
several manufacturers have developed printer-encoders with a
multi-protocol capability. In a white paper, Zebra Technologies
says they are the answer to a diverse RFID environment,
pointing out that even Gen 2 supports a large number of
chip-compliant variables in terms of memory size, re-writeability
and data security. A multi-protocol approach accommodates
these options and perhaps future upgrades too.
The unknown issue is whether the latest techniques for
printed electronics pose a challenge to conventional inlay
manufacturing methods. In pursuit of producing inexpensive
antennas, several converters have applied rotary screen,
gravure, inkjet and even flexo with varying results. In a
fast-changing scenario, some companies have begun to
exploit the technology. Significantly, in March last year Stork
Prints announced the installation of a customized rotary screen
A 'Squiggle' antenna for a UHF tag from Alien Technology
Labels&Labeling
A 'wet' inlay in the DogBone series from UPM Raflatac