(Future Of Retail) New RFID Tags Could Reduce Lines At Grocery Stores

Researchers from the Sunchon National University, South Korea and Rice University, Houston have developed a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag that could replace the bar codes on groceries in stores. The tag, which can be directly printed on grocery items, uses ink containing carbon nanotubes that could instantly transmit information about the contents of a grocery cart.

While silicon based RFID tags have been in use for quite some time in gadgets, library books and passports, these new tags with printable ink could be much cheaper. The researchers are working to store more information in these tags such as unique identification code and the shelf life of each item.

The new RFID tags, if successfully implemented, could reduce the lines at grocery stores as a shopper will simply have to run the cart by a detector which will instantly know what’s in the cart.

Sunchon National University

Rice University

[via Wired]