RFID Item Level Management, A Practical Approach Radio Frequency Identification technology is at the tipping point of becoming amenable to solutions that stretch far and beyond the notable supply chain and warehouse management applications of recent notoriety. Manufacturing, authentication, brand protection, access control and secure document management such as mass transit and event ticketing are just a few of the item level RFID tagging applications that stand to reap the powerful benefits offered by this technology. The reality of commercially producible disposable RFID tags is driving technology providers and end users to accelerate delivery of more cost effective innovations and applications. This technical progression brings the opportunity to more easily apply RFID at the item level empowering end users to successfully manage individual items. Written for the business person and technologist alike, this book provides a unique insight into the world of item level management. The authors, Chuck Wilson, Gary Andrechak, and Chris Zimmardi work at Hitachi America, Ltd. in the Security Solutions Group where they are actively developing and commercializing practical end-to-end applications for Âµ-chip, Hitachi s ultra low-cost, secure RFID technology designed specifically for item level tagging (ILT). The revelations and progressions in their day-to-day work with ILT is the impetus behind the book and lent heavily toward its content. The book is divided into five informative sections. Part I presents RFID as a key component of automated identification technologies. The authors compare and contrast RFID with bar codes and smart cards. They discuss the origin and purpose of the electronic product code (EPC), and the retailer and DOD mandates to use EPC for the supply chain that catalyzed many ILT applications even though these applications are best served by RFID technology that is not completely open as EPC supply chain is Part II of the book discusses in detail the four primary radio frequencies used in passive RFID: low frequency, high frequency, ultra high frequency and microwave with thorough discussions of the various components and nuances that make proper frequency and tag communication protocol selection a critical factor for success. The authors believe that such selection is far more important than forcing one frequency or tag communication protocol into ILT applications based strictly on convenience, pricing, or internal organization political decisions. Part III is the heart of the book and it focuses on current real world examples of item level tagging, expounding upon how ILT technology can and does improve business processes and provides for greater efficiencies than could ever be obtained with predecessor auto identification technologies. Part IV describes in full detail how to implement RFID initiatives, beginning with planning and strategizing to post-deployment feedback for even further process improvement from using RFID. This part of the book is the basis for a project management framework that any RFID implementer can use. Following a proven step-by-step methodology to demystify and simplify any RFID project implementation is an intuitively appealing approach. Finally, the authors address in their final section the key RFID issues of privacy, security and cost. These three issues are key concerns in the RFID world for both practitioners and end-users, and the authors provide the reader with a better understanding of each of these concerns.