Active RFID and Sensor Networks
July 2007
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By Raghu Das
IDTechEx
The term Active RFID incorporates many technologies including Real Time Locating Systems, Ubiquitous Sensor Networks and Active RFID with Zigbee, RuBee, Ultra Wide Band and WiFi. A new research report by IDTechEx “Active RFID and Sensor Networks 2007-2017” studies this market and finds that it is growing faster than other RFID technology sectors. Here Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx, summarizes some of the findings (www.idtechex.com/activeRFID).
Active RFID, where a battery drives the tag, is responsible for an increasing percentage of the money spent in the RFID market. It will rise from 12.7 percent of the total RFID market this year to 26.3 percent in 2017, meaning a huge $7.07 billion market. If we include the market for cell phone RFID modules (another form of active RFID), the market is an additional $0.44 billion in 2007 and $1.2 billion in 2017.
Factors driving growth
The primary factors creating this growth will be Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS), and ubiquitous RFID sensor systems (mainly disposable), including ones in the form of Smart Active Labels (SALs). Conventional active RFID used where passive solutions are inadequate and RFID modules for mobile phones will make up the rest. The rapid growth of the active RFID market is being driven by such factors as:
• Much stronger market demand for tracking, locating and monitoring people and things. This is driven by security, safety, cost and customer satisfaction, for example.
• Reduction in cost and size of the tags and systems.
• Development of Ubiquitous Sensor Networks (USN) where large numbers of active RFID tags with sensors are radio networked in buildings, forests, rivers, hospitals and many other locations.
• Availability of open standards - notably ISO 18000-7, IEEE 802.15.4 and NFC.
• Leveraging many popular forms of short range wireless communication, particularly WiFi, UWB and ZigBee and including mesh networks
• Use of mobile phones for purchasing, mass transit, etc.
Active RFID sales to 2007
We have ended the decade of active RFID consisting of large tags in systems always generating their own radio waves usually in the 305-433 MHz range. To the beginning of 2007, 614 million active RFID tags have been sold with the vast majority used for car clickers (593 million). Like these, a large percentage of active RFID tags being sold in the future will replace nothing: they will perform new functions. The second biggest use for active RFID to date has been by the military, using 6.3 million active RFID tags so far.
IDTechEx
The term Active RFID incorporates many technologies including Real Time Locating Systems, Ubiquitous Sensor Networks and Active RFID with Zigbee, RuBee, Ultra Wide Band and WiFi. A new research report by IDTechEx “Active RFID and Sensor Networks 2007-2017” studies this market and finds that it is growing faster than other RFID technology sectors. Here Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx, summarizes some of the findings (www.idtechex.com/activeRFID).
Active RFID, where a battery drives the tag, is responsible for an increasing percentage of the money spent in the RFID market. It will rise from 12.7 percent of the total RFID market this year to 26.3 percent in 2017, meaning a huge $7.07 billion market. If we include the market for cell phone RFID modules (another form of active RFID), the market is an additional $0.44 billion in 2007 and $1.2 billion in 2017.
Factors driving growth
The primary factors creating this growth will be Real Time Locating Systems (RTLS), and ubiquitous RFID sensor systems (mainly disposable), including ones in the form of Smart Active Labels (SALs). Conventional active RFID used where passive solutions are inadequate and RFID modules for mobile phones will make up the rest. The rapid growth of the active RFID market is being driven by such factors as:
• Much stronger market demand for tracking, locating and monitoring people and things. This is driven by security, safety, cost and customer satisfaction, for example.
• Reduction in cost and size of the tags and systems.
• Development of Ubiquitous Sensor Networks (USN) where large numbers of active RFID tags with sensors are radio networked in buildings, forests, rivers, hospitals and many other locations.
• Availability of open standards - notably ISO 18000-7, IEEE 802.15.4 and NFC.
• Leveraging many popular forms of short range wireless communication, particularly WiFi, UWB and ZigBee and including mesh networks
• Use of mobile phones for purchasing, mass transit, etc.
Active RFID sales to 2007
We have ended the decade of active RFID consisting of large tags in systems always generating their own radio waves usually in the 305-433 MHz range. To the beginning of 2007, 614 million active RFID tags have been sold with the vast majority used for car clickers (593 million). Like these, a large percentage of active RFID tags being sold in the future will replace nothing: they will perform new functions. The second biggest use for active RFID to date has been by the military, using 6.3 million active RFID tags so far.
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