Changing Perceptions of RFID

Perceptions of new technologies change over time. That's what both the Gartner Hype Cycle and Geoffrey Moore's technology adoption life cyle are all about. Initially, there is a great deal of optimism about a new technology, as there was about radio frequency identification from 2003 to 2005. But then reality sets in. Companies find that it's more complex than they were initially led to believe. The technology falls into the "trough of disillusionment" or the "chasm." In the case of RFID, tag manufacturers developed passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) tags that can work on metal and around water, and that can be read more consistently, regardless of orientation, and at longer distances. Active RFID solution providers increased the location accuracy of their products and made performance more reliable.