First DIY RFID experience: Arduino controlled Parallax reader
Posted by attilachordash on March 9, 2008
In the last couple of weeks I became heavily interested in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology probably because the dangerous idea of all pervasive computing and the opportunities to build sg from the bottom-up. So here is a how-to to my first installed low frequency, read-only RFID system hopefully followed by a more juicy stuff in the ultra high frequency range up to 9 meters.
Hardware:
Parallax RFID reader with 2 tags ($49.99+shipping, Radio Shack)
9-Position Female Crimp D-Sub Connector($1.99, Radio Shack)
4 hook-up wires
Arduino Diecimila microcontroller ($34.99)
Macbook, iBook
Software, code:
Code in C programming language for using the Arduino with the Parallax RFID reader but in order to upload it to the Arduino board and make it actually work I had to put the reader activator line:
digitalWrite(2, LOW); // Activate the RFID reader
into the
void loop()
function just like in the the sample Wiring tutorial
Arduino software: different packages for Intel based Macbook and PPC iBook
Here is a screenshot on the Serial Monitor reading the tags on iBook:
Jayabaya said
Can you write to the Tags ? That would be interesting.
eugene said
The tags are not re-programmable. They are read-only.
Mr.Burkes said
You can get rewritable tags, but they cost significantly more, and tend to be larger.