#rfid+

Another step closer....

"Clothing tags, travel cards, hotel room key cards, parcel labels … a whole host of components in supply chains of everything from cars to clothes. What do they have in common? RFID tags.  

Every RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag contains a microchip and a tiny metal strip of an antenna. A cool 18bn of these are made – and disposed of – each year. And with demands for product traceability increasing, ironically in part because of concerns for the social and environmental health of the supply chain, that’s set to soar. 

And guess where most of these tags end up? Yup, landfill – adding to the burgeoning volumes of e-waste polluting our soils, rivers and skies. It’s a sorry tale, but it’s one in which two young graduates of Imperial College London and Royal College of Art are putting a great big green twist. Under the name of PulpaTronics, Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro reckon they’ve hit on a beguilingly simple sounding solution: make the tags out of paper. No plastic, no chips, no metal strips. Just paper, pure and … simple … ? Well, not quite, as we shall see. 

The apparent simplicity is achieved by some pretty cutting-edge technical innovation, aimed at stripping away both the metal antennae and the chips. If you can get rid of those, as Biro explains, you solve the e-waste problem at a stroke. But getting rid of things isn’t the typical approach to technical solutions, he adds. “I read a paper in Nature that set out how humans have a bias for solving problems through addition – by adding something new, rather than removing complexity, even if that’s the best approach.”   

And adding stuff to a world already stuffed, as it were, can create more problems than it solves. “So that became one of the guiding principles of PulpaTronics”, he says: stripping things down “to the bare minimum, where they are still functional, but have as low an environmental impact as possible”.  

...how did they achieve this magical simplification? The answer lies in lasers: these turn the paper into a conductive material, Biro explains, printing a pattern on the surface that can be ‘read’ by a scanner, rather like a QR code. It sounds like frontier technology, but it works, and PulpaTronics have patents pending to protect it. 

The resulting tag comes in two forms: in one, there is still a microchip, so that it can be read by existing scanners of the sort common within retailers, for example. The more advanced version does away with the chip altogether. This will need a different kind of scanner, currently in development, which PulpaTronics envisages issuing licences for others to manufacture. 

Crucially, the cost of both versions is significantly cheaper than existing RFID kit – making this a highly viable proposition. Then there are the carbon savings: up to 70% for the chipless version – so a no-brainer from a sustainability viewpoint too. All the same, industry interest was slow to start with but when PulpaTronics won a coveted Dezeen magazine award in late 2023, it snowballed, says So. Big brands such as UPS, DHL, Marks & Spencer and Decathlon came calling. “We were just bombarded.” Brands were fascinated by the innovation, she says, but even more by the price point, “because, like any business, they knew that green products can’t come with a premium”."

-via Positive.News, April 29, 2024

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Note: I know it's still in the very early stages, but this is such a relief to see in the context of the environmental and human rights catastrophes associated with lithium mining and mining for rare earth metals, and the way that EVs and other green infrastructure are massively increasing the demand for those materials.

Have you ever wondered how an office access card unlocks a door in seconds, how vehicles pass through automated toll gates without stopping, or how warehouses keep track of thousands of products in real time? The answer lies in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)—a technology that has become an essential part of modern automation and connected systems.

RFID uses radio waves to identify and exchange data between a tag and a reader, enabling fast, contactless communication without requiring direct line-of-sight. Unlike traditional barcode systems, RFID can read multiple tags simultaneously, making it ideal for applications where speed, accuracy, and automation are critical.

How RFID Works

A typical RFID system consists of three main components:

RFID Tags – Small electronic devices attached to objects, products, ID cards, or equipment.

RFID Readers – Devices that transmit and receive radio signals to communicate with tags.

Software & Databases – Systems that process, store, and analyze the collected information.

When an RFID tag enters the reader's range, it transmits its unique identification data, allowing the system to instantly recognize and track the tagged item.

Real-World Applications of RFID

Access Control Systems

Organizations use RFID-enabled access cards and key fobs to secure buildings, offices, and restricted areas. This provides a convenient and scalable alternative to traditional keys.

Electronic Toll Collection

RFID technology powers many modern toll collection systems, allowing vehicles to pass through checkpoints efficiently while reducing congestion and wait times.

Inventory & Warehouse Management

Retailers and logistics companies rely on RFID for real-time inventory tracking, asset management, and supply chain visibility, helping reduce errors and improve operational efficiency.

Asset Tracking

Hospitals, manufacturing facilities, and educational institutions use RFID to monitor valuable equipment and resources, ensuring better utilization and accountability.

Smart Retail

RFID helps retailers automate stock management, improve product availability, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Why RFID Matters

The growing adoption of RFID is driven by several key advantages:

✔ Faster data collection and processing ✔ Reduced human error ✔ Improved operational efficiency ✔ Real-time visibility of assets and inventory ✔ Enhanced security and traceability ✔ Seamless integration with IoT and automation systems

As industries continue to embrace digital transformation, RFID remains one of the foundational technologies enabling smarter operations and data-driven decision-making.

Explore RFID Solutions

If you're looking to build an RFID-based project or integrate smart identification into your products, explore our range of RFID modules, readers, tags, and development tools:

Micah 7:5–6

“Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide... for the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother... a man's enemies are the men of his own house.”

Matthew 10:21–22

“And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Revelation 13:16–18

16 “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:”

17 “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

The Last HOPE: REAL ID Act and RFID - Privacy and Legal Implications (Complete)