RFID Approach Works Without ICs

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is usually implemented with a reader and tag containing an integrated circuit (IC). The wireless technology provides reliable and accurate identification of tagged people, animals, and objects, but is relatively expensive compared to bar-code readers as an electronic identification method. To encourage greater use of RFID wireless technology, researchers at Universite Grenoble Alpes, Le Laboratoire de Conception et d’Integration des Systemes (Valence, France) have developed a chipless RFID system (without ICs) using ultrawideband (UWB) signals.