Jan 2005 radio ID supply tag deadline remains - Forbes
The U.S. Department of Defense plans to stick to a January 2005 start date for suppliers to attach to their shipments tiny electronic tracking tags, an official said on Wednesday. The tags work in similar fashion to the UPC code that keeps tabs on goods but they can gather more information about a product's movement, making it easier to monitor its location. A tiny microchip embedded in them stores data which can be read by a nearby radio frequency reader that transmits the information to a computer for monitoring or analysis. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. the world's largest retailer, has imposed the same deadline for its top suppliers.