29 August, 2003
category: RFID
MIT to uncork futuristic bar code | CNET News.com
“”I see this (event) as a formal marker that is pretty key,” to the development of these next-generation systems, said Pete Abell, analyst at the ePC Group, a research firm tracking the technology.
EPC stands for electronic product code, which is the new product numbering scheme that’s at the heart of the system.
There are several key differences between an EPC and a bar code. First, the EPC is designed to provide a unique serial number for every item in the system. By contrast, bar codes only identify groups of products. So, all cans of Diet Coke have the same bar code more or less. Under EPC, every can of Coke would have a one-of-a-kind identifier. Retailers and consumer-goods companies think a one-of-a-kind product code could help them to reduce theft and counterfeit goods and to juggle inventory more effectively.”
EPC is the widely endorsed, Auto-ID Center developed standard for commercial tags. Note EPC’s scope exceeds RFID tags and ultimately plans to replace several antiquated supply chain technologies such as the UPC symbol.