RFID Around the World

RFID is migrating from coast to coast and adapting to the needs of users everywhere. It's no longer survival of the fittest for this technology, but species domination. Find out what's new in the evolution of RFID throughout the world.

RFID Evolution
As Darwin theorized, the species with the greatest ability to adapt to its surroundings would outlast the competition. This is not a solitary case for animals, but one that applies to technology as well. Initiatives, roll-outs, mandates, and expansions have pushed the RFID industry towards the top of the technology food chain, with endless possibilities ahead.

RFID tagging in the animal kingdom is providing scientists with information they could only have dreamed of discovering. A walrus watch off the coast of Greenland is mapping the animals' previously unknown migration route. A Singapore aquarium is making it easier for guests to find Nemo through its RFID-enabled fish identifying system. And the state budget in Victoria, Australia, is now including a funding system so that farmers can tag their goats and sheep.

Vehicle identification has also taken advantage of RFID's benefits. Unlicensed and uninsured vehicles in Bermuda will feel the weight of law enforcement with Bermuda's new electronic vehicle registration program. A contactless bike renting program currently operating in Tulsa, OK, plans on selling its service to a wider market. And employee parking lots in Istanbul, Turkey, have equipped employee vehicles with RFID tag to secure proper parking payment.

Partnerships between major corporations for RFID pilots and initiatives are being set in motion. Airbus and ODIN are to develop and test a system for automated visibility across the value chain, while SATO and Savi Networks will work together to track goods shipped from Asia to Europe.

New projects and standards are paving the way for future developments, such as Korea's mobile RFID technology, which has been adopted as the world standard. Alien Technology is the first to enter the door production industry with Portugal-based door manufacturer, Vicaima, and Australia's Defense Material Organization has sent its first RFID tagged shipments to the Middle East. RFID is spreading at a rate Darwin would be proud of. With the prices of technology dropping and the demand for security and real-time monitoring solutions increasing, RFID is sure to prosper in upcoming eras.