I want to create a short range rfid location system, maybe 30 ft^2 overall. Optimally it would use the retail "sticker" tags, I don't have any real need to differentiate between individual items. Is it a reasonable project to do with something like arduino or stm32? What degree of precision can i expect?

Thanks so much

Joe

 

Unfortunately, RFID is not a technology that is suitable to your application. It can be use to determine presence but not location.

BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and UWB (Ultra Wideband) can be use for precise location tracking but they are active technologies and can’t be in the form of sticker-like tags.

What is the application you have in mind?

 

Reading the data off ”contactless” credit cards?

 

Reading the data off ”contactless” credit cards?

Group RFID is a common thing, though credit cards are NFC. Either way, the TS wanted location, not presence.

 

Off the top of my head I imagine it requires an array of antennas and figuring out direction based on timing or signal strength. But a single directional antenna and a bar graph display of signal strength might be good enough.

 

Unfortunately, RFID is not a technology that is suitable to your application. It can be use to determine presence but not location.

BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and UWB (Ultra Wideband) can be use for precise location tracking but they are active technologies and can’t be in the form of sticker-like tags.

What is the application you have in mind?

Sorry for the late response, I got a bit sick.

I want to do a short range version of apple airtag, just to find stuff around the house. I've seen a number of commercial (expensive) rfid systems advertised, fore warehouses and such. My understanding that the passive "antenna" stickers used in retail were also rfid?

 

I think you are better off buying a commercial product. That is not a thing that I say often.

I have these and in the past I've had these. Both work well, and make a sound to help find them.

 

Sorry for the late response, I got a bit sick.

I want to do a short range version of apple airtag, just to find stuff around the house. I've seen a number of commercial (expensive) rfid systems advertised, fore warehouses and such. My understanding that the passive "antenna" stickers used in retail were also rfid?

Sorry to hear you were sick, I hope you are well now.

Apple’s system si based in UWB.

Retail antitheft tags are a completely different system. The are just simple tansmitters phaser by a resonant circuit. A transmitter at the exit transmits that resonant frequency and the tag’s transmitter goes on the air. The signal on that fregueny triggers the alarm.

1) The operational distance is very short—less than a meter.
2) The signal transmitted by the tag has no identity information.
3) While you oould theoretically triangulate the signal using 3 or more fixed antennas,

a) You‘d need them in each room.​

b) If more than one tag was present you‘d have no way to get a fix.​

c) See 2, above.​

Unfortunately, @strantor is right, order that you are better off buying something because all of the valid technological approaches are extremely complex and costly.

If you really just can’t give up on it, you can try this direction.

Good luck, please let us know if what you decide to do.

 

I mean, there _was_ a post on Hackaday describing an rfid system, but the link is potholed. He definitely had antennas in each room.