While Barcode readers and cards remain a broadly used in access point security, a potential successor to this technology is the increasingly popular radio frequency identification, or RFID. Transponders were first used in World War II as a means of identifying "friendly" aircraft through simple code reading. This primitive application soon blossomed into the RFID companies and the sophisticated RFID security system we know today, the one that allows companies and communities gather, monitor and track volumes of data instantaneously.

When RFID transponders were first introduced they were a relatively pricey prospect, and cost concerns limited their widespread use. In recent years, however, as costs have come down and new potential uses incresed the value of these units, the RFID security system industry has witnessed a wider variety of applications for this technology. Listed below are several ways radio frequency identification systems are being used and tested now that may surprise you:

• Timing athletic performance - a transponder in a runner's shoe can capture times within 2/10 of a second
• Dairy cow identification - electronic ear tags track milk output and record proper feed mixes
• Railcar and container tracking - fast-moving train cars and containers are counted with in-track readers
• Verification of documents - state-of-the-art, imbedded radio "signatures" prevent illegal document copying
• Monitoring shipping conditions - intermittent readings verify the shipping environments during transport
• Pet finding - those electronic chips implanted in your dog or cat are classic examples of RFIDs

Clearly, this type of technology is flexible enough for myriad uses. But, unless you're browsing www.safehouse.cc for an answer to your dairy dilemma, odds are your concerns run along a more traditional route - public safety.