Published Article / While the adoption rate of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is increasing, mass-market adoption will not be achieved until a few major challenges are addressed. These challenges are: privacy, security and costs from the end-user's view point and limited power supply to the tag from the engineering perspective. We discuss the research efforts aimed at addressing these challenges. We focus our attention on research in: RFID privacy and security, antennas, polymer electronics-based RFID devices, power management circuits and techniques, and efficient RF spectrum utilization. We conclude by drawing attention to three additional areas that we believe are in need of more research.

Published Article / The purpose of this project is to investigate the application of Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, to automatic student attendance register. The aim is that the students in any class can be recorded when they carry their student cards with them without having to individually swipe the card or allocate special interaction time. The successful implementation of this proposal will facilitate such record keeping in a non-intrusive and efficient manner and will provide the platform for further research on the correlation between attendance and performance of the students. The opportunity for related research is identified regarding the range of the parameters involved, ensuring that individual identifications do not clash and interfacing challenges with the central record keeping are overcome.

<p>This thesis will be a risk analysis of a RFID-system for a logistical application. The system works as follows: Around Karlstad in Sweden there are three new weighing machines for lorries. The load weight will be measured for the police to control overweight and for logistical reasons such as issuing invoices and optimising the supply chain. The lorries do not have to stop to be weighed. They have to drive slowly over the weighing machine, so the loss of time is minimal. The lorries will be identified via RFID-tags. So every time a lorry will be driven over the weighing machine, the identification number and the measured weight will be logged and send to a database. In the future it is planed to store the weight on the tag itself. The task is now to analyse the RFID-communication and the transmission to the database. The thesis will contain several parts. First RFID in general and how RFID will be used in the application-scenario will be described. Next sections will be about the security and privacy requirements and the risks in detail. Then possible solutions are outlined and concrete suggestions are presented. Finally a conclusion will be drawn, which will show that the application has a low level of security.</p>

No description available.

RFID technology has attracted much attention due to its wide range of applications, such as inventory control and object tracking. Passive RFID tags are battery-less, mobile and lack intercommunication. Hence, they require a central node (the reader) to power them up, organize their replies, and read their data. In the last decade, several proposals have targeted the channel efficiency in RFID systems to improve time and power efficiencies. While such proposals achieve significant performance improvements, they are limited by the backscattering half-duplex channel in which the reader has to wait for the tag to finish its reply (even if the reply is corrupt or redundant). In this thesis, the Modulation Silencing Mechanism (MSM) is proposed as a novel full-duplex-like communication over half-duplex RFID links. With a simple additional circuit at the tag and upgraded software algorithms at the reader, the reader is capable of terminating the tag's non-useful transmissions. Consequently, we propose three schemes that utilize MSM in key application domains where the tag-reader transaction contains a considerable amount of non-useful transmissions. MSM is utilized to enhance tag identification, tag count estimation and tag authentication. First, we propose a Modulation Silencing Anti-collision (MSA) scheme that targets collision time reduction in time slotted anti-collision protocols. In MSA, the time requirements of state of the art identification protocols are significantly reduced. Moreover, we establish a backward compatibility procedure for proper identification of legacy and MSM-enabled tags. Secondly, a Variance- Modulation Silencing Estimation (VMSE) scheme is proposed to increase tag estimation accuracy and to minimize overall estimation time. Variance-to-mean ratio estimator is proposed to determine the most accurate tag count estimate. VMSE combines both, the accuracy of the variance-to-mean ratio estimator and the time efficiency of MSM and delivers rapid, accurate, and anonymous tag estimation that outperform recent estimation schemes for small and large scale tag deployment. Finally, we propose Unique Hash Sequence Authentication (UHSA) scheme for efficient tag authentication. The UHSA is based on hashed key prefetching algorithm at the reader augmented by the MSM circuitry at the tag. UHSA scheme provides higher time efficiency and robustness against tracking and compromising attacks. / Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-04-30 12:38:44.0

Cyborgen, en samansättning av orden cybernetik och organism, en gestalt vars innebörd bör ses som mer än en fiktiv gestaltning. Cyborgen är idag enligt forskare och filosofer en samhällelig verklighet och dess inverkan på individen är mycket större än vi tror. Det här kandidatarbetet undersöker vad som definierar en cyborg, med stöd ifrån forskning och filosofin summeras tankar och synsätt för att få en mer definitiv bild av begreppet. Arbetet studerar även hur den sociala kontexten kan komma att förvrängas när tekniken letar sig in i den köttsliga kroppen. De resultat och insikter arbetet resulterat i sammanfattas och står som grund för en gestaltning vars mål har varit att kategorisera öppen data från individer med inbyggda Rfid-chip, en diskussion av begreppet och dess innebörd sammanfattas i en resultatdel för att få en bred bild av cyborgen som helhet. Metoder såsom workshop och litteraturstudier har bidragit till att arbetet fått en bredare bild av människans sätt att leva tillsammans med tekniken. / Cyborg, a shared setting of the words cybernetics and organism, a figure whose meaning should be seen as more than a fictional creation. The cyborg is today, according to scientists and philosophers a social reality and its impact on the individual is much greater than we can imagine. This bachelor thesis investigates what defines a cyborg, with support from research and philosophy thoughts and approach are summed up to get a more definitive picture of the concept. The work also studies how the social context may be distorted when the technology finds its way into the physical body. The results and insights this work resulted in is summarized and stands as the basis for a design whose goal has been to categorize open data from individuals with built-in RFID chip, a discussion of the concept and its meaning is summarized in the results section to get a broad picture of the whole cyborg. Methods such as workshops and literature studies have helped to get a broader picture of the human way of living together with technology.

An Analysis of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology Implementation within an Independent Public Library System: A Case Study of the North Canton, Ohio Public Library by Keith P. Lyons June 2010 Public libraries require efficient control systems to maintain accurate inventories, statistics, and records of patron borrowing. Generally, public libraries use barcode technology to accomplish these tasks. Radio frequency identification (RFID) has gained the attention of public library personnel in recent years as a replacement for barcodes. RFID implementation contributes to improved staff productivity, increased operational efficiency, and improved item security as well. While potential benefits are significant, issues to consider prior to adoption include system costs, as well as privacy and security concerns. As a consequence of increased patron use and limited budgets, the role of RFID in the public library is promoted as a solution to many of today's challenges. RFID in the public library can assist by improving inventory tracking, improving customer service, and decreasing theft. Using the case study methodology in conjunction with the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), the author examined RFID use at the North Canton Public Library and its capabilities in improving inventory tracking, providing item security, and supporting customer service. Qualitative data were collected using focused interviews, documentation, direct observation, and participant observation. Findings from this investigation revealed a significant decrease in time required to perform inventory tasks and an increase in time available for library staff to assist patrons. Additionally, evidence demonstrated an increase in the efficiency of patron records due to the automation of the checkout process. Patron privacy and data security were maintained by adherence to RFID implementation guidelines established by the American Library Association (ALA). The findings from this investigation provide public library administrators considering adoption of RFID with a thorough understanding of pre-implementation considerations and the benefits, drawbacks, logistical concerns, and privacy issues that must be addressed for successful results.

Práce poskytuje přehled o problematice RFID technologií. Analyzuje historický vývoj RFID technologií, popisuje základní komponenty RFID systémů, normy spojené s RFID, bezpečnost RFID a trh RFID technologií. Dále se práce věnuje možnostem využití RFID technologií v různých oborech, zařazení RFID systémů do rámce podnikové informatiky a hodnotí efekty, které RFID technologie přináší. Práce také definuje doporučený postup pro zavádění RFID technologií do firmy.

Aujourd’hui, le besoin grandissant d’une électronique autonome et discrète accentue l’intérêt et le développement des technologies passives d’identification automatique sans contact.Dans ce contexte, les technologies de type RFID UHF se heurtent à la nécessité d’adapter cette technologie à des environnements complexes et hétérogènes. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, des solutions RFID innovantes ont été investiguées pour le développement de dispositifs RFID UHF insensibles à la variation de l’environnement. La démarche scientifique suivie aborde plusieurs aspects tels que la caractérisation des matériaux, à l’aide d’une technique flexible de mesure permettant des mesures in-situ des caractéristiques radioélectriques. Suite à cette phase, nous présentons la conception d’antennes compactes large bande fonctionnelles en environnement hétérogène et peu sensibles à la variation de l’environnement. Une phase de tests vient ensuite valider expérimentalement notre approche. Cette démarche a été appliquée à une problématique industrielle à laquelle sont confrontés les acteurs du domaine verrier. Des antennes adaptées sur verre sont modélisées et validées expérimentalement. Les solutions RFID ainsi développées présentent un fonctionnement indépendant de la constitution du support de verre et tolérant la présence de liquide, permettant de lever la contrainte de dysfonctionnement des dispositifs RFID à proximité des liquides. Nous présentons également des travaux menés dans le cadre d’intégration d’antennes biocompatibles et biodégradables à base de polymères conducteurs, contribuant ainsi à la généralisation des solutions proposées pour la traçabilité à base d’électronique ubiquitaire. / Nowadays, the growing need of an autonomous and discrete electronic for traceability requirement, accentuate the interest for the development of contactless and automatic passives items identification (AUTO ID). In this context of growing interest for the development of these technologies, the expansion of the RFID UHF technologies encounters limitations to have a standard solution adapted to heterogeneous environments. Within the framework of this PHD, we propose an innovative RFID UHF solutions with broadband operation, compactness and capable to operate in heterogeneous surrounding. We also investigate the integration of these solutions with nonconventional materials supporting manufacturing constraints. The scientific approach takes into account different aspects such as the characterization and implementation of specific materials; we first developed a new radio electric characterization process with a flexible capability which permits in-situ measurements of geometrically complex substrates. Therefore, we present a new analysis approach for the optimization of broadband and compact RFID UHF tags that can operate insensibly in heterogeneous environment. In perspective, we propose a new antenna based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers contributing to the development of the proposed solutions to the ubiquitous and green electronics.

L'identification par radiofréquence constitue une technologie émergente et très prometteuse pour l'identification des biens et des personnes : automatisation des opérations manuelles, rapidité, informations précises...<br />Il existe plusieurs technologies RFID. Dans cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à la technologie UHF passive et plus particulièrement à la conception, caractérisation et fabrication des antennes de tags RFID. En 2007, il s'est vendu plus de 1,7 milliard de tags RFID. En vue de réduire le coût de ces derniers, nous abordons leur fabrication par une technique très prometteuse qui pourrait révolutionner l'électronique, le jet d'encre. Ces travaux s'appuient sur des simulations électromagnétiques et des mesures, et considèrent différents types d'antennes RFID.