John Shoemaker a noted RFID entrepreneur commented on the following about RFID customization solutions,

“This is not going to be an area where you just license some software — there has to be integration and collaboration”

“Vendors really are going to have look at requirements and structure software plans that address those requirements. It’s not a case for canned software,“.

For more, read the article The Failure of RFID.

I have been talking with our partners, and they all have this alikeness about RFID Solutions ~ “What are the standard RFID solutions packages to introduce to clients?”. Unfortunately RFID solutions rollouts take alot more than clicking the INSTALL button. Likely there will be existing software to talk to, defining data exchange protocols, cross platform integration issues, middleware issues etc.

In addition, the deployment environment may pose some challenges in a RFID rollout. If you forget everything else just remember what I am going to say now because it will save you from frustration while you are trying to figure “WHAT THE HELL WENT WRONG??”. Iron, steel and ALL ferrous metal attenuate RF fields. See below for 2 common stumbling blocks …

• On placing the antenna at a particular table, there are problems getting accurate readings. Why? TIP : Look under the table. If the table frame is made out of metal bar forming a closed loop, it is a deathstar to your setup. The close loop actually behaves like a bigger antenna that couple the RF signals.
• After connecting the antenna to the reader, and the reader to the computer via the serial where do you place the antenna? Usually… next the box itself while staring at the screen for some readings. What happens next is a total failure. What had happened? The JINX of RFID must surely be metal materials. In this case, the metal case had blocked out all the forward/return path of the flux lines resulting in total RFID reads failure.

There are probably a dozen other things on the subject of RFID rollouts. The point is, RFID solutions require more detailed design and planning to make the money worth.

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