How does RFID differ from bar coding?
Conceptually, bar coding and RFID are quite similar; both are intended to provide rapid and reliable item identification and tracking capabilities. The primary difference between the two technologies is that bar coding scans a printed label with optical laser or imaging technology, while RFID scans, or interrogates, a tag using radio frequency signals. Because of the low cost of bar code labels, established standards, and global deployment, bar coding is widely accepted while, in general, RFID has been limited to niche applications. Furthermore, just as there are different bar code symbologies in use today, there are different RFID standards regarding the way data is captured from tags-the RF communications protocol.
