wilamowski-b-m-irwin-j-d-industrial-communication-systems-2011

Radio Frequency Identification 8-17
(a)
(b)
FIGURE 8.11
UHF RFID baggage label, Hong Kong Air.
FIGURE 8.12
UHF RFID antenna in the Hong Kong Airport.
of researchers in a university or a national research center. On the contrary, the RFID has been goldfingered
by the national authorities as an area of intensive development in many countries, including the
United States and the Peoples Republic of China.
On closer scrutiny, it is found that the UHF RFID is a facilitator. Simply put, the RFID could enable
us to realize our fantasies, and in fact, it could give us something beyond our imagination. To a certain
extent, the scenario is similar to the invention of the electricity generator for lighting up light bulbs.
At least, it is comparable to the development of the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer
(ENIAC) [20] in 1946 for handling the massive paper load due to the discharge of millions of veterans
after World War II. No one at that time realized that a necessity for human beings had been created.
Ironically, we have lived for millions of years without this “necessity.”
It is understandable that the passive UHF RFID has been treated as an enhanced bar code at its infancy.
However, it is unfortunate that the bar code mentality is now shared among professionals and nonprofessionals
in technical and nontechnical communities, especially among the old-timers. Echoing this mentality,
the translation of its Chinese name in Hong Kong is “Radio Frequency Bar Code,” while it is called
“Electronic Bar Code” in Mainland China. Fixation and obstinacy could hinder or curtail the further
development of the RFID; thus, its intrinsic capabilities and potential abilities would never be fully utilized.
© 2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC