AN OPEN HARDWARE RFID INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper presents and evaluates a low-cost RFID reader for cost-effective multi-purpose asset tracking applications. The research explores the integration of off-the-shelf RFID and GPS modules into an ESP32 microcontroller along with some open-source pieces of software and tools to ease the system use and enhance security. The functionality of the system is evaluated through real-world testing in various scenarios. The results show that the system is capable of providing satisfactory functionalities at a low cost, thus, it offers a potential low-cost alternative to existing handheld readers.