Contacts: Sithamparanathan Sabesan, CAPE
Mentor: Amy Weatherup
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are widely used as a passive means of identifying items, in particular being used by retailers to track high value goods. Their main limitation has been the short range over which the tags can be detected.
The research team at CAPE has been working to increase the detection range for RFID tags to 10-20m, as well as to improve the reliability to 100%, with the aim of allowing them to be used in a much wider range of applications and services. The first such application is an Intelligent Airport System, which could allow baggage and passengers to be tracked using RFID, as well as providing logistical support for retailers and runway operations.
The challenge for the I-Team will be to identify possible real-world uses for longrange RFID tags, both within environments such as airports and train stations, and elsewhere. The team will also need to assess the competitive environment since many companies are already active in RFID, and a new technology will need some key benefits if it is to compete successfully.