An alternative to RFID: finding the silver bullet for traceability

RFID (radio frequency identification) promises to solve such problems by enabling item-level tracking throughout the supply chain, but real world implementation has been tempered by accuracy problems, high costs and environmental limitations when used around metals and liquids. AIDC (automated identification and data capture) solution that combined the best features of barcodes and RFID, achieving multiple-asset scans. The Visidot solution, a system based on digital imaging technology, is capable of capturing hundreds of standard, paper-label 2D data matrix codes in a single read from up to thirty metres away. Developers claim it is a more accurate and significantly less expensive alternative to RFID. At some point in the future, RFID solutions will allow companies to trace their products throughout their entire lifecycle. But RFID is a relatively new technology and has problems in implementation. 2D data matrix codes are a lower cost alternative.