RFID Versus Bar Codes

Filed in archive Healthcare , Sports , Tags and Readers on March 11, 2004

Georgetown University Hospital is conducting a study with 100 blood transfusion patients, comparing bar-code technology with RFID technology to track transfusions from donor to patient.

The project will use Precision Dynamics Corp.'s Smart Band RFID Wristband System and tags from Texas Instruments.

One advantage with RFID is that its signal goes through human bodies, clothing, and nonmetallic materials, whereas the bar code has to be in direct light of sight with the reader/scanner.

Precision's Smart Bands are an interesting RFID application. They can be used to track visitors to amusement parks and sports events and inmates in correctional institutions.