SkyeTek refutes RFID interference study

Here's a summary of SkyeTek's take: "The passive UHF RFID reader used in the study is an unrepresentative product used unconventionally. Although the reader model was not specified in the study, it is most likely the Feig ID ISC.LRMU2000 Fixed UHF Long Range Reader Unit which has a maximum of 3 Watts of output power. The vast majority of passive UHF RFID readers sold today are readers that emit 1 Watt or less of output power at the antenna (ie, not including antenna gain).

"The reason why the industry has standardized around 1 Watt is straightforward: 1 Watt is the maximum UHF RFID output power as specified by the FCC in North America as well as several other major countries around the world. And, readers capable of 1 Watt are capable of reading RFID tagged inventory and assets several meters away " plenty of range for the majority of tracking applications.

"In the event that a 3 Watt reader is necessary, the presumption is that there is a requirement to track items well in excess of the 5m to 10m that a mainstream 1 Watt reader is capable. Yet, the study finds the vast majority of its EMI at 0.5m or less, distances for which a 3 Watt reader would not realistically be used."

For more on this issue, see:

• Reader's response to scare about RFID use in healthcare
• RFID devices interfere with medical electronics, says report
• Medical RFID Devices Not So Scary This Week