Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is the set of technologies which enable the identity of an item to be transmitted to a receiver by radio . It is an example of the broad category of automatic identification technologies.
RFID usually involves two components:
- (1) a tag or smart label which includes a unique ID and a wireless transmitter and
- (2) a receiver.
There are many RFID applications, for example access control (tags in personnel badges, readers in door entry mechanisms); and retail checkout (tags on each item are read when cart passes the reader).