RFID a 'blunder'

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a technology bubble ready to burst, according to a new report by Dublin-based firm Heavey RF, reports The Register.

The firm, which provides radio frequency products such as handheld scanners, has published a study entitled RFID.Bomb? "History is littered with large technical blunders; RFID in the supply chain is potentially one of the biggest," said Ronan Clinton, MD of Heavey RF.

The report claims that RFID is unlikely to replace bar coding as a means of identifying goods. Heavey RF carried out the study after receiving several queries from clients wishing to deploy RFID in their business.

He urged Irish businesses to not believe the hype surrounding the technology. "We've done RFID implementation for some clients but pretty much 99 times out of 100 companies don't need it," he said. "Firms need to ask themselves one question 'Am I Wal-Mart?'"

By October, motorists in Hyderabad will start using multi-utility smart cards, reports The Times of India.

It will serve as a licence, vehicle registration and also carry a range of information, all supported by a 'three-tier' online system, through which one can make up to 54 kinds of online transactions with the transport authorities.

The smart cards, which are an initiative of the union ministry of road transport and highways, will be implemented in all states.

An increasing number of mandates and the adoption of standards are driving the use of RFID technology, but this does not mean the end for bar codes, according to the industry, says Electronics Weekly.

"RFID is not going to kill the bar code," said Mark Gillott, CEO of industry-driven standards body, EPCglobal. "It will function at the same time and in 20 years' time we will still have bar codes and RFID."

RFID adoption has been held up by cost, technology and standards, but Gillott said this is being overcome.