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TAGGING
RFID:
THE WORLD
Uniquely identifying specific objects is a powerful capability, useful in
classifying, counting, and organizing anything. These abilities are
essential to many aspects of modern life, including manufacturing, the
logistics of distribution, and the various stages of supply chains, from
manufacturing to retail. Before the electronic era, identification had to
be done visually—explicitly by humans observing and noting the
characteristics of objects. When dealing with objects that appeared to
be identical or very similar, people were forced by necessity to add dis-
tinguishing markings. They could then recognize them in order to
determine the identity of the marked object.
Even today, identification systems consist of identifying markings and
ways to read them. The first readers were humans; technical innovations
subsequently yielded photo-detectors, cameras, and lasers that were
adapted and transformed into readers. The markings evolved into the
fantastically popular bar code printed on almost every conceivable piece
of packaging moved and sold worldwide.
ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE ADLER