Most people today don't seem to know the first thing about this new technology with so many potential applications and negative implications.

To understand these devices and predict the future of this technology, we must ask 'How is RFID used today?'

Only then can we attempt to predict its future applications and begin to direct this technology in a way that is more conducive to people and their rights, rather than establishments and their profits.

RFID scanning can be used to track the location of the RFID tag as long as the scanning device is within range of the RFID transmitter.

There are two types of RFID tags, one is passive and does not include a battery to power itself, it gains its power from the scanner.

The second type of RFID tag is called active, and it contains it's own battery source from which to generate power for the chip.

RFID tagging can be used to keep track of livestock and various information relating to each animal.

RFID tagging can be used by manufacturers and retailers to keep track of their items while being processed and packaged all the way to the distribution level, and in some instances all the way to consumption by the consumer.

An RFID chip consists of a microchip which holds the information and is combined with a miniature antenna which gives off radio signals, and in the case of active tags, a battery is also present.

In the near future, as battery miniaturization advances, it will be possible to have exceptionally small active RFID transmitters that can be coordinated with global positioning satellites to enable a global tracking system with exceptional accuracy.

HOW IS RFID USED: INFORMATION

The main purpose of the RFID tag is its ability to store information within a very small on-board microchip. Any type of information can be stored, as it is essentially a miniature data storage device.

The amount of information capable of being stored within the RFID chip is dependent on the chip's size, and storage size is increasing rapidly as miniaturization techniques are improved. Perhaps in the near future, it may be possible to store massive amounts of information on an RFID chip, but currently the chips only store a very small amount of data.

When you answer the question 'How is RFID used to store data?' many possibilities and applications present themselves for such a unique technology. Currently, the primary uses are intended for security, livestock, business logistics, and medical care.

In the future however, many dozens of alternative uses will be explored as the price of the product is dropping rapidly as its usefulness grows exponentially.

HOW IS RFID USED: PROFITS

Corporations across the globe have begun to implement the mandatory application of RFID technology onto a majority of their products for various reasons. With this method, it can be utilized for preventing theft. Statistics show it can successfully lower theft rates of products on shelves in stores by up to 80%. This theft prevention possibility can ensure higher profit margins and fewer losses for a business.

Corporations have also begun using RFID to track individual products throughout their lifespan from farmer to fork, for the purposes of better understanding marketing forces operating within the environment.

By understanding exactly how a product goes from manufacturer, to its distributer, to store shelves, all the way to the consumer's consumption and disposal; corporations can better assess methods to save money and maximize efficiency. This capability also allows corporations to better learn how to market their products, and to whom they should be advertised.

HOW IS RFID USED: GPS

When RFID advancements combine powerful miniature batteries with effective long distance antennae, they can link up with global positioning satellites to form a world wide tracking net. Many governments and corporations are very interested in this possibility because it can solve many of their problems and increase their ability to react to various situations.

Many people continually voice their deep concerns with the advent of such technology and its proliferation into mainstream society. Such concerns address the potential for world wide tracking as having a significant risk of abuse or misuse.

The greatest concern is perhaps the combination of mandatory RFID implants in humans, combined with a world-wide tracking system, creating a society similar to books like 1984 and Brave New World.

Such possibilities of misuse by tyrannical regimes is not impossible, and remains the most popularized aspect of global tracking in relation to RFID technology. How RFID is used is of great concern, as the potential for evil and abuse are clearly evident, and many critics are calling for it to be banned altogether.