Tracking-Chip Maker Wants To Make It 'Rain' With Tiny Devices

Tracking-chip maker Impinj has set some lofty goals for its technology, called Rain RFID. It wants to transform businesses by allowing them to wirelessly connect billions of everyday things — such as apparel, automotive parts and luggage — to the internet cloud. ts tiny tracking chips have already connected more than 40 billion items, Impinj Chief Executive Chris Diorio told Investor's Business Daily. And the company is just getting started, he said. Rain tags cost less than 5 cents each and can be read from a stationary scanner up to 10 meters, about 30 feet, away. That compares with near-field communications RFID, or NFC, that has a range of about 10 centimeters or four inches.