The principal investigators represented in RFID Technology and Applications have presented a range of practical approaches and models to consider in preparing an RFID implementation strategy as well as for planning future research areas for use of this fast-growing technology. As Sanjay Sarma states in presenting applications for RFID (Ch. 2), passive RFID technology is still in its infancy. We have identified challenging aspects of linking autonomous agents and intelligent handling systems (Ch. 14) with large volumes of distributed data sources such as RFID (Ch. 7). Using a consistent experimental approach based on control theory, test and simulation frameworks have been proposed to help evaluate RFID performance, for applications that start with uniquely identifying products and can include exchanging this information, together with sensor and real-time location data, across enterprises.

By way of summary, three areas emerge from these research initiatives that warrant careful planning, starting with the challenges of using low-power wireless data acquisition technology, with respect both to electromagnetic performance of tags in relationship to specific products and packaging, and to downstream RF environments in which the tags are to be read. These issues have been explored in the technology section (Chs. 2–8).

A second theme is the requirement to extend visibility over entire product lifecycles, an increasingly recurrent topic as governments seek new ways to gain visibility on globalizing supply chains.