RFID Evaluation and Development Kits, Boards

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
NFC-DATALOGGER-EVM Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	411
DLP-7970ABP Texas Instruments	BOOSTER PACK FOR TRF7970	69
MRD2EVM Texas Instruments	KIT EVAL MICROREADER LF HSX RFID	3873
DK-EM2-7960R Texas Instruments	KIT STELLARIS/RFID MIFARE	0
RF430FRL152HEVM Texas Instruments	EVAL BOARD FOR RF430FRL152	42
TRF7970ATB Texas Instruments	TELECOM CIRCUIT, 1-FUNC	0
TRF7970AEVM Texas Instruments	EVAL MODULE FOR TRF7970A	0
RX-MFR-RNLK-00 Texas Instruments	KIT EVAL S4100 MULTI-FUNC READER	0
RI-K3A-001A-00 Texas Instruments	RFID EVALUATION KIT II 134.2KHZ	0
TRF7960AEVM Texas Instruments	EVAL MODULE FOR TRF7960/1	0
TRF7960TB Texas Instruments	TARGET BOARD FOR TRF7960	0
RF430CL330HTB Texas Instruments	RF430CL330H NFC DYNAMIC TAG TARG	0
RF430-TMPSNS-EVM Texas Instruments	EVALUATION MODULE	0
RI-K2A-001A-01 Texas Instruments	RFID EVALUATION KIT 134.2KHZ	0
EZ430-TMS37157 Texas Instruments	EVALUATION KIT FOR TMS37157	0
TRF7960EVM Texas Instruments	MODULE EVAL FOR TRF7960	0
TRF7960ATB Texas Instruments	BOARD TARGET FOR TRF7960A	0
RI-ACC-ADR2-10 Texas Instruments	KIT DEMO READER LOW FREQUENCY	0
RI-K10-001A-00 Texas Instruments	RFID EVALUATION KIT II 13.56MHZ	0

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)