Christophe Chantepy, RFTLab

“It takes a wide range of skills to create and manage RFID technologies and services. There will be many job possibilities.”

How is your organisation involved with RFID technology?
The RFTLab is a technological testing and design platform entirely focused on RFID and its applications. It is part of the Esisar engineering programme within the Grenoble Institute of Technology, in France. We run trainings, trials and tests for enterprises interested in RFID applications as well as for RFID technology manufacturers. As a result, we can help companies decide the right kind of RFID equipment and applications to use for their specific needs.

What benefits do you think RFID technology can bring to consumers?
RFID can really bring a lot of advantages to consumers. By giving them easy access to information about where they are and what is around them, RFID allows people to have a better understanding of their surroundings and – providing they are in control of the request for information – that is a form of freedom.

Some people are worried about privacy and security. Do you think that is justified?
The RFID sector must not hide from these sorts of concerns. Yes, RFID allows a person to be identified – but so do credit cards and cell phones. Just like for these other technologies, RFID must be used in a careful and intelligent way.

What is your vision for RFID in the future?
Today, RFID is primarily being considered for traceability applications, but that is evolving, and RFID is moving into more and more sectors. RFID can be applied to so many business needs, like security, access control, or cold chain management, just to name a few. We’re far from having found all the potential uses of RFID. Once a critical mass of RFID-enhanced traceability applications has gone live, the presence of RFID in all sorts of other use cases will be unlimited.

It sounds like a growth industry – should young people today be considering a career in RFID?
Absolutely. It takes a wide range of skills to create and manage RFID technologies, equipment, applications and services. There will be many job possibilities, both in the field of radiofrequency and embedded electronic systems for creating and developing RFID systems; and also for designing the software and network intelligence that will be necessary for reading and managing the data gathered by RFID-tracked objects.



RFTLab is a technological testing and design platform for radiofrequency identification (RFID) technologies, radiofrequency (RF) technologies and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). It is part of the Grenoble-INP Esisar (l'Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Systèmes Avancés et Réseaux) engineering programme within France’s Grenoble Institute of Technology. The objectives of RFTLab are to acquire skills and equipment on RFID, RF and EMC, in order to provide resources for its partners and companies; for training Esisar students; for the research activities of LCIS, the Laboratory of Esisar and other schools and laboratories; and for the French National RFID Center. See www.rftlab.com for more.