Passive RFID Tags Vs. Active RFID Tags

RFID tags come in two varieties: active and passive. Active RFID tags have a built-in power supply, such as a battery, as well as electronics that perform specialized tasks. By contrast, passive RFID tags do not have a power supply and must rely on the power emitted by an RFID reader to transmit data. Thus, if a reader is not present, the passive tag cannot communicate any data. Active tags can communicate in the absence of a reader. The remainder of this article discusses other differences between the two types of tags. Submitted by American Barcode and RFID