Managing Automation :: Technology Solutions for Progressive Manufacturers Sign in or register  |  Advertise |  Subscribe to MA Magazine  | Newsletters |   My Profile
Ask the Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) Expert: Scheduling Assistance
Ask the Expert

Dog Tracking Application

Asked on Jul 10 2006 9:37:52:000AM

Q

Dear Mr. Hill, We are trying to use 135 Khz RFID solutions for dog identification in the streets of Budapest. The implanted tags are usually 12mm FDX glass tags. According to our measurements the reading of these tags requires near-contact distance what is quite inconvenient for the personnel. The question is how we can achieve at least 30 cm reading range among practical conditions for the tags above? What are the most influencing parameters of the LF readers determining the reading range? Best thanks in advance. Regards,

Peter Koch, Hungary
APeter:

Must confess that the only animal tracking applications with which I've been involved have been in the beef processing as opposed to the live animal environment. That said, you may know that the technology has been used for farm animal tracking for many years.

The low frequency (125-135 kHz) RFID technology used in injectable tags is generally applied in short range or proximity applications. LF systems have a limited reading range due to inadequate signal-to-noise ratios. Further, they generally have limited, if any, anti-collision capability, are too slow for multi-read applications and are more susceptible to electromagnetic inference than higher frequency tags.

On the other hand, I am certain that other users may be experiencing similar problems and may already be pressuring suppliers for solutions. You may want to contact the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association to see if they are addressing the issues.

Failing that, I would suggest that the best answers to your questions might come from those companies who are serving the animal market segment; namely AVID Microchip ID Systems, American Veterinary Devices, Biomark, Digital Angel Corp., and Texas Instruments.

Good luck. Let me know what you learn and I'll get it in the website.

John

Sponsored by
Meet the expert

John M. Hill

Principal, ESYNC

John advises clients on strategies for implementing bar code, RFDC & RFID, warehouse and transportation management systems. Prior to joining ESYNC, John was COO/CEO of a number of automatic data collection and supply chain execution systems firms. He is also a co-founder of the Automatic Identification Manufacturers (AIM) Trade Association and a charter member of AIDC 100, a non-profit association of automatic identification / data capture (AIDC) professionals. John is also former president of the Material Handling Education Foundation Inc. and the Material Handling Institute Inc., and is a member of the Board of Governors of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA). He is also a co-founder of MHIA's Supply Chain Execution Systems & Technology Group and is a faculty member of The Logistics Institute at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Ask your question

Please sign in or registerto ask your question now. As a registered member of Managing Automation, you'll have access to all of our industry experts, the entire Research library and tools such as the Custom Software Comparison and Business Assessment Tool.