RFID Evaluation and Development Kits, Boards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
DK-M7-00 SkyeTek	KIT DEV M7 W/1 M7 MH MOD	0
0134213013 Woodhead - Molex	F800X READER KIT W/EMIS REP SO A	0
0134296005 Woodhead - Molex	9680 DEVELOPER KIT REP SO AFRICA	0
NFC-TAG-MN63Y1210A Panasonic	ANTENNA BOARD MN63Y1210A	1
0134223001 Woodhead - Molex	F800 READER KIT	0
0134236005 Woodhead - Molex	9650 DEVELOPER KIT TAIWAN	0
0134213011 Woodhead - Molex	F800X2 READER KIT W/EMIS ETSI	0
0134290007 Woodhead - Molex	9680 READER KIT WORLD	0
STEVAL-SMARTAG1 STMicroelectronics	NFC DYNAMIC TAG SENSOR NODE EVAL	73
USB-6EP-DEVKIT ThingMagic, a JADAK Brand	USB PRO RFID READER DEVELOPMENT	11
ST25R3911B-DISCO STMicroelectronics	DISCOVERY KIT FOR ST25R3911B	75
OM25180FDKM NXP Semiconductors	PN5180 NFC FRONTEND DEV KIT	13
M24SR-DISCO-STD STMicroelectronics	KIT EVAL STD EDITION MEMORY	0
PNEV5180BM NXP Semiconductors	PN5180 DEVELOPMENT BOARD	17
0134226011 Woodhead - Molex	F800 DEVELOPER KIT URUG	0
0134290002 Woodhead - Molex	9680 READER KIT CHINA	0
ST25RU3993-EVAL STMicroelectronics	ST25RU3993 READER IC EVALUATION	0
113990817 Seeed	ST25R3911B NFC DEVELOPMENT KIT E	6
PNEV512B,699 NXP Semiconductors	BOARD EVAL NFC PN512 VER.B	10
M24SR-DISCO-PREM STMicroelectronics	KIT EVAL PREMIUM EDITION MEM	3

RFID Evaluation and Development Kits, Boards

1. Overview

RF/IF (Radio Frequency/Intermediate Frequency) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) evaluation and development kits are essential tools for designing, testing, and optimizing wireless communication systems. These kits enable engineers to prototype hardware, validate protocols, and ensure compliance with industry standards. RFID systems utilize electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects, while RF/IF components handle signal processing between antennas and baseband systems. These technologies are critical in IoT, supply chain management, automotive systems, and healthcare.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Features	Application Examples
RFID Reader Kits	Support ISO/IEC 14443, NFC, UHF protocols; include antennas and SDKs	Contactless payment terminals, access control systems
RFID Tag Emulators	Simulate passive/active tags for protocol testing	Inventory management, logistics tracking
RF/IF Transceiver Boards	Cover 300 MHz 6 GHz; integrate frequency synthesizers and ADCs	5G prototyping, software-defined radios
Development Boards with MCUs	Embedded ARM/FPGA processors for algorithm implementation	Smart metering, industrial automation

3. Structure and Components

A typical kit includes:

RF front-end modules (amplifiers, filters, mixers)
Baseband processors with ADC/DAC interfaces
Programmable antennas (dipole, loop, patch types)
Onboard memory (Flash, EEPROM) for tag data storage
Debug interfaces (UART, SPI, USB 2.0/3.0)
Power management units for battery or USB-powered operation

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Frequency Range	125 kHz 900 MHz (LF/HF/UHF) or 2.4 GHz ISM band	Determines application compatibility (e.g., 13.56 MHz for NFC)
Read/Write Distance	0 15 cm (HF) or 0 15 m (UHF)	Impacts deployment scenarios
Data Transfer Rate	106 kbps 848 kbps (ISO/IEC 14443)	Affects system throughput
Output Power	0 30 dBm adjustable	Regulatory compliance (FCC, ETSI)
Protocol Support	EPCglobal Gen2, ISO 15693, LoRaWAN	Interoperability assurance

5. Application Areas

Major industries include:

Retail: Inventory tracking (e.g., Amazon Go stores)
Healthcare: Patient monitoring and medication management
Automotive: Tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS)
Logistics: Package tracking with UHF RFID portals
Industrial IoT: Predictive maintenance sensors

6. Leading Manufacturers and Products

Vendor	Key Product	Features
NXP Semiconductors	Mifare SDK Starter Kit	Supports 13.56 MHz, includes JavaCard development tools
TI (Texas Instruments)	RF430FRL152HEVM	Low-power HF RFID sensor tag development
STMicroelectronics	ST25R3911B-DISCO	Multi-protocol reader with NFC and FeliCa support
Impinj	Impinj Speedway R420	UHF Gen2 reader for supply chain applications

7. Selection Guidelines

Key considerations:

Frequency compatibility with target environment
Regulatory certifications (FCC, CE, RoHS)
Integration with existing development ecosystems (e.g., Arduino, STM32Cube)
Debugging capabilities (JTAG/SWD support)
Cost-to-performance ratio for volume production

8. Industry Trends

Future directions include:

Integration with AI for adaptive frequency hopping
Advancements in sub-6 GHz 5G RF front-ends
Energy-harvesting RFID tags for battery-free IoT
Increased adoption of RISC-V-based programmable transceivers
Expansion of RFID into medical implant tracking (ISO 18000-7 compliant)