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RFID laptop tracking
Tracking laptops with RFID can be tough if the request is security-related. Metal, tag placement and good reading rates are primary hurdles to overcome.
As laptops contain a lot of metal, traditional passive RFID tags will not be helpful. The amount of metal in the screen and other components will be adequate to create interference even though having a plastic catching. Therefore a “metal mount” RFID tag will be essential but as these are thicker than a label, they cannot be fixed flat on the laptop. The idea of a attaching tag that is 1/8-1/4″ or more thick to a laptop is not cool. Can you imagine your Hewlett Packard laptop or MacBook with a tag mounted on it? Partially for appealing reasons they don’t want the tag tracking something when going in/out of a laptop bag. Tapered edged tags would be perfect to prevent the tag from catching, but the edges of most tags don’t match. Mounting a short metal tag along one side may happen, but most laptops have too many ports and no flat surface areas big enough to attach a tag on the side walls. Therefore employing a tag someplace on the top is typically the only option.
In this case, the thinner the tag is better. However, thinner tags don’t have long range readability, so you have to make a compromise.
Passive RFID tags typically won’t be a good option if security issues involved. Because passive UHF RFID cannot read through metal or liquid, even if you cover with your hand it can’t be read passing over reader. Active RFID tags on the other hand provides better read rates, has less interference from metal, and provides options for motion and tamper detection which makes it preferable for laptops. But, it is larger than passive ones for containing a battery but larger more visible tag can act as a warning.
