Of late , the schools in the US have started tracking Students by tagging them with a Microchip.
Some schools have made that mandatory and there is wide-spread protest against this measure by students and the Public.
The process is known as Radio Frequency Identification -RFID.
“RF” stands for “radio frequency.” Like the radio waves that transmit sound to an AM radio, RFID
radio waves can travel through walls and doors. “ID” stands for “identification,” since RFID is
designed to identify, track, and monitor physical objects.
RFID systems have two main components:
RFID tags and
RFID readers
RFID tags are tiny computer chips connected to miniature antennas that can be affixed to physical
objects or living creatures. RFID tags can also be embedded in objects or injected hypodermically
under the skin of humans and animals.
Typically, an RFID tag contains a microchip programmed with a unique identification number used
to identify the tagged object or individual. In this way, RFID numbers are similar to Social Security
numbers. But unlike Social Security numbers or bar codes which must be seen to be read, RFID
tags can transmit data silently through the air, unhindered by doors, walls, backpacks, purses, or
clothing.
RFID tags can be either passive or active. Passive RFID tags do not have a power source of their
own, so they lie dormant until stimulated by a radio signal from an external reader device. Active
RFID tags contain an on-board power supply, so they actively transmit their data.
The second component of an RFID system is the reader device. The reader either emits or picks up
electromagnetic energy in a particular frequency to retrieve stored data from nearby RFID tags. In
both passive and active systems, this request and response process is both silent and invisible.
Passive RFID tags can be read from a distance of less than an inch to up to 100 feet or more,
depending on their frequency, the size of their antenna, and the power of the reader. Active (selfpowered) tags can have a much longer read range.
Typically, the data collected by RFID readers is sent to one or more computer databases. The
“Internet of Things” is a conceptual framework in which the unique ID number of a particular tag
would serve as an address under which all known sightings and information about the tag and its
owner would be stored. In this way, a tag could be tracked through thousands of readings by
strategically placed reading devices. These readings can be recorded and analyzed to identify
patterns of movement and behavior.
RFID may be used to trigger additional monitoring devices, like video cameras and audio recording
systems. For example, a central database could be instructed to trigger a recorder when select RFID
tags are identified in a specified location. This can make more in-depth tracking and monitoring of
selected objects and individuals possible. ‘
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