Many people have asked "what is the difference between RFID and wireless sensor networks?" or "what can WSNs do that RFIDs can't?". The question has come up enough times that I figure it is best that we respond.

Rather than give you my own, biased spin on the matter, below is a brief excerpt from Frost & Sullivan's research report.

In many ways RFID can be considered as a predecessor to wireless sensor networks. RFID enables automatic monitoring of 'tags' and is used in applications such as inventory tracking and management, and automatic logging.

The main components of an RFID system are a base station or a receiving station. This station reads the RFID tags. A RFID tag incorporated in a chip or an integrated circuit. Tags can be classified as passive or active depending upon whether they are self-powered (deriving their energy from the radio waves) or battery powered. Most of the tags that are attached to supermarket items as antitheft devices are passive tags and derive their power by converting the alternating radio wave energy to a constant DC (direct current) energy. When the tag is bought in close proximity to the base station, data is read from it and further programmed actions are taken depending on the data read.

With the current technology, tag prices have reached rock bottom prices and each tag can cost as low as 10 cents. Maximum range from where tags can be read varies between 1 in. to 18 in.. Some RFID tags available in the market also have integrated temperature sensors. Hence, this technology could be considered as a stepping stone to the increasingly popular wireless sensors networks technology. However, most RFID systems available today are input/output systems that require human intervention. Wireless sensor networks have the ability to be truly ubiquitous as they integrate the physical world with the cyberspace, providing a host of data that can be used for enhanced living and better productivity in commercial applications.

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