At TI, RFID is converging with EPC (electronic product code) and sensor technology for new applications that go beyond identification to include everything from authentication to temperature, time expiration, pressure and condition monitoring.
Slowly but Surely
So, what does this mean for business forms distributors? According to Mark Freeman, systems consultant for label manufacturer Inspec Tech, Valley Head, Ala., the same opportunities for growth and profitability ushered in by bar code technology. "Wal-Mart was the big gorilla pounding the table for bar codes back in the '80s—now, everyone uses bar coding, and so it will be with RFID," he said. "Sure, it's going to be a slow, methodical maturing of the RFID market, and those in the industry who understand this are the ones who will make the money."