RFID-A Guide to Radio Frequency Identification

This book provides an introduction to RFID technology. It describes and addresses the following: How RFID works, how it is and can be used in current and future applications. The History of RFID technology, the current state of practice and where RFID is expected to be taken in the future. The role of middleware software to route data between the RFID network and the information technology systems within an organization.   Commercial and government use of RFID technology with an emphasis on a wide range of applications including retail and consumer packaging, transportation and distribution of products, industrial and manufacturing operations, security and access control. Industry standards and the regulatory compliance environment and finally, the privacy issues faced by the public and industry regarding the deployment of RFID technology.

User review
An excellent introduction to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and applications
This easy to read and understand primer on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) provides a broad overview on this rapidly emerging logistic and data management technology.

It includes current technology and application information for commercial firms such as Wal-Mart's supply chain management, the State Department use in their new Passports, and the Department of Defense Military logistic applications and adoption of RFID technology.

This book sorts thru all the RFID vendors and provides summary contact information of leaders in RFID technology for the reader to contact for assistance and procurement of the latest products. It also provides an excellent glossary and list of acronyms of RFID terminology to help the reader quickly understand the basic language of RFID development and installation.

This professional trade book could be used as a primer for every procurement professional who needs to quickly understand RFID technology and its application for their business.


User review
A disappointing read
This book is published in the John Wiley Interscience series, but does not in any way represent a serious scientific work. In the preamble - specifically the Staff Acknowledgments section - it states `this book was prepared as an account of work sponsored by John Wiley & Sons`. No details appear to be provided in this book concerning the nature of this work, and the book is heavily biased in terms of its focus on the commercial opportunities offered by RFID technologies. It is for this reason that I say that it is not a serious scientific work - the focus is not on the underlying science. The actual text is 135 pages in length. This is followed by a useful glossary of terminology. Subsequently 41 pages are devoted to supplying details of RFID vendors - information that is readily available on the Internet and its appearance in this book re-emphasizes the book's bias to furthering the commercial interests associated with RFID technologies vis-a-vis ethical and scientific issues which one may expect to be discussed in an impartial and balanced way in a book that appears in the John Wiley Interscience series. As a Wiley author I am personally amazed that John Wiley has allowed this book to appear in the Interscience series - specifically given the statement at the beginning of the book regarding the book being an account of work sponsored by John Wiley & Sons. At the very least, the authors should have provided some information concerning the nature of this work/sponsorship. Without this information, this book is seriously flawed. The absence of references within the book again detracts from any scientific value it may have. I am indeed sorry not to be able to give it a positive review - unfortunately Amazon does not appear to accommodate a zero star rating.

Dr Barry Blundell