RFID, for You and Me!
RFID, for You and Me! is a creative and simple introduction to the world of RFID. Poetry is used to educate the reader about the options for implementing RFID in your organization.
RFID technology
Isn’t something that’s brand new,
But it still might be a challenge
To find the option that’s right for you.
Active and Passive tags,
Mobile and fixed readers-
Let’s navigate the issue
And be asset management leaders!
The first difference to note is the Tags:
Either Active or Passive they can be
There is a time and place for both
And each comes with benefits, we’ll see.
Active tags emit a signal
Thanks to a small battery inside
They are for real-time asset tracking
And finding assets far and wide.
Passive tags are another story
They have no battery and may be smaller
They are for tracking at a shorter distance
And can cost less than a dollar.
Now let’s move on to RFID Readers
There are two types of those as well
Some are Mobile and some are Fixed
The difference is easy to tell.
Fixed readers are usually installed
They will rarely move around
They might be mounted in a ceiling or wall
In an area where assets are commonly found.
Mobile readers require a person
To activate them so they might
Pick up a signal from a tag
For tracking without “line of sight”.
When we combine the readers and tags
There are FOUR combinations: not two!
So let’s take a look at each one
To determine what’s right for you!
First up, Active Fixed
Now what might this be for?
It’s for your high-value, sensitive and mobile assets
So you know immediately when they move out the door.
The fixed reader is able to sense
A signal emitted by an active tag
So you’ll immediately know when an item moves
Without even a minute of lag.
This option has great value
And should not be thought of as pricey
Because losing these types of assets
Can put you in a situation that is quite dicey!
Let’s move to Active Mobile
Which isn’t quite the same “read”
The tags still emit a signal
So how do you find the asset you need?
One use is for a large space
Where you need to find “Asset123”
You’ll activate your mobile device
And a signal you will see.
As you get closer to the asset
The signal will get stronger
Until you are upon it
And have to search no longer!
Those are the active solutions
Let’s explore another kind-
The passive type of RFID
For other assets you need to find.
Up next is Passive Fixed
This solution will help you see
When an asset has passed by a reader
Because remember–passive tags have no battery.
Imagine a floor of a building
With several offices scattered throughout
How could you find an asset
That someone has asked you about?
If a Passive Fixed reader was placed
At the entry of each office on the floor
You can know where the asset was last “read”
And when it passed through a particular door!
And now, at long last
The last option requires mention!
You’ll know it’s Passive Mobile
If you’ve been paying attention.
This is ideal when tags are hard to reach
Or you don’t have line of sight
Or you can’t move an item to scan it
Or if an area is especially tight.
Just activate the scanner
And capture those barcodes that may be
Because of their placement on the asset
Difficult to reach or see.
So that’s the long and short of it!
Now you can take some time
To look at all of your assets
Now that you’ve read this rhyme.
And ask yourself the question,
“What level of tracking do they need?”
If you can determine that about your assets
A selection will be easy indeed!
Learn more at http://www.sunflowersystems.com
Sunflower Systems Enterprise Asset Management 