New smart label, or chipless RFID tag, set to kill off the barcode

Imagine filling up your trolley with groceries and rolling out the door. No queues or checkouts. This could be the reality - and completely legal - with Australian researchers developing a "smart label" they hope will supersede the barcode and revolutionise retailing. Associate Professor Nemai Karmakar from Monash University has created a new generation of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that, until now, could not work on products with metal or water. A trial by Coles in 2006 failed because liquids and metals interfered with the signals. He hopes the superior tags will renew the supermarket's interest in the technology.