Printable RFID-Chips
As part of a cooperative venture between the Technical University of Darmstadt (TUD) and Merck, a jointly operated research and development laboratory has been set up at the TUD. New technologies for printable RFID (radio frequency identification) circuits are developed at this laboratory. RFID technology could replace conventional barcode systems in the future. At the same time, this technology opens up completely new prospects in the control of logistics processes.
The technology
RFID is based on an electronic circuit that is incorporated in a product as a tiny chip with antenna. This chip can store a variety of product-specific information, such as price, sell-by date and manufacturer data. A reader scans this information in a matter of milliseconds without contacting the product and sends it to the data processing center. This even works from a distance of several meters - unlike conventional bar codes.
Depending on the application and the radio frequencies used, the radio chips are either active or passive, that is, either with or without their own power supply.
The potential
RFID technology holds enormous potential for the control of logistics processes. The flow of goods can be automatically controlled intelligently, quickly and efficiently in the future. The possibilities are endless: For instance, within reach is an intelligent refrigerator that automatically orders out-of-stock groceries or warns when sell-by dates have passed.
The challenge
RFID technology is currently based on silicon chips. However, currently available technology for manufacturing silicon chips and integrating antennas is too expensive for mass applications in the consumer sector.
The solution
The aim of the joint project with the TUD is to reduce the costs for incorporating RFID chips in goods and packaging. Printable, electroconductive materials will replace the expensive silicon chips. Because these next-generation RFID chips are simply incorporated using conventional printing technologies widely used in industry, the costs are again reduced considerably. Printing radio chips directly on packaging, for example, opens up enormous economic potential for RFID applications in the entire consumer sector.
