RFID stands for radio frequency identification. In principle, these are the same tiny chips, but it's not customary to talk about implanting them in people. Today, RFID has a different purpose: to enable manufacturers to track their products. Despite the fact that the world's largest manufacturers are already embedding these radio chips in their products, no one is making a fuss. Meanwhile, the scale of this "chipping" is astounding. Judge for yourself: Gillette inserts chips into razors and gels, Michelin is implementing them in its tires. Nokia is planning to include chips in mobile phones, and the European Central Bank will weave chips directly into the fibers of euro banknotes by 2005.
We will return to the analysis of these facts later, but consider this: are you prepared for the fact that any object, even money, could contain an unnoticeable "bug" with unknown functions? To understand what this radio frequency identification is, let's turn to a specialized publication - RFID Journal, and straight to the frequently asked questions section - FAQ. So, RFID is a technology that has been in development since World War II. The most active period is the last 20 years. All kinds of RFID improvements have led to its use by the military, industry and trade. True, not everyone and not everywhere, but it's a matter of time.
The antenna allows the chip to transmit identification information to a reader. This "reader" sends radio waves to the chip, which are converted into a form understandable by a computer upon return.
RFID uses many different radio frequencies, but the most common are 125 kilohertz, 13.56 megahertz, 850-900 megahertz, or 2.45 gigahertz. Depending on the country and area of application.
Transponders usually store no more than 2 kilobytes and can be active, passive, or semi-passive.
Active ones are the most expensive — the price can reach $100.
However, such chips have their own power source, and therefore, information from them can be transmitted over virtually any distance.
For example, if an RFID chip is connected to a global positioning system or wireless communications, its cost can reach $500.
Passive and semi-passive transponders are priced between 25 and 50 cents each. Information from them can be read from a distance of 3 meters - no more.
The rapid spread of RFID is hindered by two things: the lack of uniform standards - manufacturers cannot yet come to a common denominator, for many reasons - and the high cost - for example, a reading device still costs about a thousand dollars.
Although RFID does not claim to replace barcodes, it can do so due to its contactless nature: the chip does not need to be placed on the scanner, the chip is more stable than a barcode and carries more information.
Meanwhile, experts are talking about the peaceful coexistence of barcodes and RFID for several more years.
Here are a few examples. We've written about Gillette, so let's talk a little about Michelin. The company began experimenting with RFID for a reason: the US Congress tightened manufacturer liability in the event of a product recall, making product tracking a necessity.
On January 17, 2003, this company, which, by the way, produces over 800,000 tires a day, announced the start of an 18-month transponder trial to determine the effectiveness of electronic product tracking.
Michelin embedded a unique tire number, information about when and where the tire was manufactured, its maximum pressure, and so on, into the microchip. According to tire manufacturers, one chip costs "a few dollars," but the price will drop if they begin mass production.
Incidentally, the chips for Michelin were made by Fairchild Semiconductor and Philips using Intermec's Intellitag technology.
Let them experiment to their heart's content: chips in tires are not as scary as in money. It is quite difficult to judge the seriousness of the intentions of the European Central Bank (ECB), but in December 2001, just before the issue of the euro, ECB representatives confirmed the existence of the project, but were cautious in comments regarding the technology, citing a non-disclosure agreement.
For the banking community, the goal of "chipping" banknotes, especially large ones, is simple - to prevent counterfeiting and money laundering. And for the industry, the benefit is also obvious - here is a single RFID standard, brought to perfection.
Then EE Times learned that the bank's partners in RFID in banknotes were the same Philips and Infineon Technologies. Hitachi also announced its ability to implant chips in money.
Skeptics then said that such technology did not exist, that it was insanely expensive, but that was 2001. Now everything, or almost everything, exists.
How the story with the RFID euro ended and whether it ended is not entirely clear - 2005, the implementation deadline, has not yet arrived. But the fact that large companies in 2003 actively took up the "chipping" of goods, says a lot.
Yes, in the UK they are talking about using RFID in compact discs. Both to track music discs along the supply chain and to prevent theft in shops. It all comes together - Radio frequency identification is making progress before our eyes.
And Paul O'Shea, who worked on radio frequency identification in the 1980s, writes correctly on the Chipcenter website: RFID has matured to the point of tracking everything from pallets to people.
O'Shea points out that the American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is interested in RFID, considering equipping vehicles and workers in hazardous or sensitive industries with microchips. So, here we have people with chips. For their own good, of course.
Don't forget about electronic clothing. The fact that the Pentagon's DARPA research agency is interested in it, promising tens of millions of dollars to anyone who produces e-textiles in the next five years, leaves no doubt that the US Army will not leave its soldiers without RFID.
Of course, what the military masters will later come to civilian life.
In addition, Paul O'Shea is concerned about the fight against international terrorism, in light of which the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is forcing airports to use biometric and other brutal technologies to control passengers and baggage.
In conclusion, the question: "Scary thoughts, eh?" asks the author of the article "Technology of the New World Order" from the website Kuro5hin.org. I mean, you're scared, no?
If you haven't read George Orwell, then here it is - "1984". There's nothing about chips there, though, but there is "Big Brother is watching you": 
Of course, no one knew whether he was being watched at any given moment or not. How often and on what schedule the Thought Police connected to your cable was anyone's guess.
It was possible that they were watching everyone — and around the clock. In any case, they could connect at any time. You had to live — and you lived, out of habit, which
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