Most major hotels no longer issue traditional keys, having replaced them with magnetic swipe cards. Consumers were enthusiastic about the introduction of that technology, which made security simpler and stronger. Today, the concept is being expanded through the adoption of radio frequency identification. Although not a new concept, RFID keycards benefit both guests and operators by making visits virtually trouble-free and seamless.
When first introduced, RFID was designed for tracking. An item was labeled with a tag containing an integrated circuit and small antenna, which communicated with a database. Although these tags revolutionized package shipping, the same principle is applied today to control merchandise in retail outlets, or to track and manage on-site business inventory such as computers, but potential applications are unlimited.
The integrated circuits used require no painstaking manual labor to produce, and the antennas can be transferred to a paper-like material using vapor-depositing, etching, or stamping processes. Together with the antenna, the circuit is called an inlay, and there may be more than one antenna within a card. The chip itself is the brain of the card, containing not only identifiers, but also any other data necessary.
The cards become active when the antennas detect a signal. Once alerted, the card can connect with an RFID reader, which is also called an interrogator, because it asks programmed questions. Once the reader receives data from that remote tag, it communicates with a computer to complete or retrieve whatever process or information has been requested. The transition from inventory taking to hotel security systems was inevitable.
Although guests may not be thinking about technology, it helps improve their stay. There is no fumbling for the right card, because the chip awakes on its own. Drapes and lighting can be made to open or turn on automatically, and resort guests in swimwear no longer need be concerned about what to do with personal effects. A private locker opens and closes automatically, making storage simple.
Many hotel extras are expensive to routinely replace, but some commonly find their way into guest suitcases upon departure. Tags are easily sewn into complementary bathrobes or towels, and items that need daily laundering, such as linens and bed-sheets, can be tracked more easily. Not only are the flat circuits water resistant, but they also hold up inside commercial dryers, providing accurate inventory control.
The chips have even appeared on foods and drink. Many guests have already learned the hard way to be wary of opening the hotel beverage refrigerator, because electronic sensors record and charge for usage. RFID takes this concept a little further, attaching electronic flow sensors to liquor bottles, which can report precisely not only how much liquor has been used, but when the drink was actually made.
Chip-embedded cards last longer. While still more expensive to initialize, increased use and greater production is bringing costs competitively lower. Guests are generally enthusiastic, and report fewer glitches or security errors. There are even predictions that it will be possible to similarly program personal smart phones upon arrival, making a separate card obsolete.
When first introduced, RFID was designed for tracking. An item was labeled with a tag containing an integrated circuit and small antenna, which communicated with a database. Although these tags revolutionized package shipping, the same principle is applied today to control merchandise in retail outlets, or to track and manage on-site business inventory such as computers, but potential applications are unlimited.
The integrated circuits used require no painstaking manual labor to produce, and the antennas can be transferred to a paper-like material using vapor-depositing, etching, or stamping processes. Together with the antenna, the circuit is called an inlay, and there may be more than one antenna within a card. The chip itself is the brain of the card, containing not only identifiers, but also any other data necessary.
The cards become active when the antennas detect a signal. Once alerted, the card can connect with an RFID reader, which is also called an interrogator, because it asks programmed questions. Once the reader receives data from that remote tag, it communicates with a computer to complete or retrieve whatever process or information has been requested. The transition from inventory taking to hotel security systems was inevitable.
Although guests may not be thinking about technology, it helps improve their stay. There is no fumbling for the right card, because the chip awakes on its own. Drapes and lighting can be made to open or turn on automatically, and resort guests in swimwear no longer need be concerned about what to do with personal effects. A private locker opens and closes automatically, making storage simple.
Many hotel extras are expensive to routinely replace, but some commonly find their way into guest suitcases upon departure. Tags are easily sewn into complementary bathrobes or towels, and items that need daily laundering, such as linens and bed-sheets, can be tracked more easily. Not only are the flat circuits water resistant, but they also hold up inside commercial dryers, providing accurate inventory control.
The chips have even appeared on foods and drink. Many guests have already learned the hard way to be wary of opening the hotel beverage refrigerator, because electronic sensors record and charge for usage. RFID takes this concept a little further, attaching electronic flow sensors to liquor bottles, which can report precisely not only how much liquor has been used, but when the drink was actually made.
Chip-embedded cards last longer. While still more expensive to initialize, increased use and greater production is bringing costs competitively lower. Guests are generally enthusiastic, and report fewer glitches or security errors. There are even predictions that it will be possible to similarly program personal smart phones upon arrival, making a separate card obsolete.
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