Furthermore, sensors or indicators for monitoring temperature are gaining popularity. If blood bags or other perishable items are being monitored, RFID tags become smarter because they are integrated with other data-collecting information, Davis said.
Growing Pains
It is no secret that RFID has experienced its share of flaws as more companies begin to incorporate it into their business practices. BBC News recently reported smart radio tags are capable of spreading viruses. Security researchers in the computer science department at Amsterdam’s Free University successfully infected an RFID tag with a computer virus in their attempt to prove the technology’s vulnerability to hackers. Manufacturers of radio tag systems were urged to provide safeguards against these viruses. Subsequent releases have tried to reduce the controversy.