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2003 Progress Report: Electronic Tags for Product Lifecycle Management
EPA Grant Number: R829585Title: Electronic Tags for Product Lifecycle Management
Investigators: Thomas, Valerie , Wagner, Sigurd
Institution: Princeton University
EPA Project Officer: Karn, Barbara
Project Period: January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004 (Extended to December 31, 2005)
Project Period Covered by this Report: January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2003
Project Amount: $240,000
RFA: Technology for a Sustainable Environment (2001)
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development
Description:
Objective:The objectives of this research project are to test, demonstrate, and develop the potential application of electronic tags for product life cycle management.
Progress Summary:We developed a system to link existing barcodes on products to Web-based dismantlement and recycling instructions. We collaborated with Motorola to develop a system for retrieving dismantlement information for cell phones. We began the project with the idea that radio frequency identification (RFID) tags were the most promising technology for electronic product environmental management. Through our research, we learned that other technologies may be more useful, and that each technology is best suited for somewhat different applications. Barcodes are easier and cheaper to implement than RFID and have nearly all the capabilities of RFID systems. Global positioning system (GPS) locators are more expensive than RFID tags on a per tag basis, but GPS field tests and applications are easier and cheaper to implement. RFID systems are difficult not only because their technical capabilities are limited (short read range), but also because implementation for life cycle management requires upfront cooperation and coordination between manufacturers and the recycling industries over long time scales.
Because it appears that applications of barcodes and GPS systems are more feasible in the short term than RFID systems, we have been increasingly concentrating our efforts on the use of these technologies for product life cycle management. We have developed a working prototype barcode system with Motorola, which now has been through their intellectual property disclosure process. Currently, we are working on field tests of GPS locators for product end-of-life management.
Our proposal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discussed only one technology, RFID tags. Through the course of our research, however, we have realized that other technologies, specifically barcodes and GPS or radio systems, have equal or better potential for product life cycle monitoring. Barcodes can do almost everything that RFID tags can do, and they have the advantage of being inexpensive and widely accepted. Although they are more expensive, GPS locators are much more capable than RFID systems . In Year 1 of the project, we made significant progress with barcodes and developed a system in collaboration with Motorola. We are focusing on GPS systems, both as a tracking technology in its own right, and as a foundation for the development of lower cost tracking technologies using RFID or other technologies. For example, if a product can be tracked using GPS locators, that capability could be used to test the performance of other tracking technologies.
Future Activities:We will: (1) conduct field tests with GPS locator systems for tracking end-of-life products; (2) write a paper for publication in a peer-reviewed journal on the potential for GPS tracking of end-of-life products; and (3) continue with additional GPS field tests or conduct field tests with small radio transmitters (depending on the outcome of the initial GPS field tests) such as those used in ecological experiments to track animals. GPS systems are more automated, but currently have a relatively short battery life. Radio transmitter systems require use of a nearby receiver, but do have a longer battery life and, therefore, may be better suited for some product management applications.
Journal Articles on this Report: 3 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 13 publications | 3 publications in selected types | All 3 journal articles |
| Type | Citation | ||
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Saar S, Thomas V. Toward trash that thinks: product tags for environmental management. Journal of Industrial Ecology 2002;6(2):133-146. |
R829585 (2003) R829585 (2004) R829585 (Final) |
not available |
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Saar S, Stutz M, Thomas VM. Towards intelligent recycling: a proposal to link bar codes to recycling information. Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2004;41(1):15-22. |
R829585 (2003) R829585 (2004) R829585 (Final) |
not available |
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Thomas VM. Product self-management: evolution in recycling and reuse. Environmental Science & Technology 2003;37(23):5297-5302. |
R829585 (2003) R829585 (2004) R829585 (Final) |
not available |
innovative technology, sustainable industry/business, environmental engineering, sustainable environment, technology for a sustainable environment, electronic tags, environmental sustainability, environmentally conscious design, environmentally conscious manufacturing, green design, industrial innovations, product life cycle, waste minimization. , Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Chemistry, Economics, environmental sustainability, cleaner production, life cycle analysis, waste reduction, clean technologies, green design, product life cycle, waste minimization, environmentally conscious manufacturing, life cycle inventory, industrial innovations, electronic tags, life cycle assessment, environmental cost analysis, environmentally conscious design, pollution prevention
Relevant Websites:
http://ip.com/pubView/IPCOM000018813D 
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract
2004 Progress Report
Final Report