A Case for RFID-based Mobile Sensor Data Gathering in Indoor Environments

We propose the use of RFID in sensing applications enabled by passive or semi-passive tags and mobile devices equipped with readers. We experimentally investigate the feasibility of such RFID-based mobile sensor data gathering applications, focusing on UHF RFID devices and indoor scenarios. We examine the impact of various factors, including reader mobility, antenna types and orientation, multiple closely located tags and the presence of people on read range and other key related metrics. Our measurement results suggest the feasibility of using RFID for such applications and also provide useful insights for further improving read performance.

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