| As companies migrate away from using paper mediums for object identification, the use of digital alternatives must be investigated. Current solutions using barcodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) are wide spread, but both of these methods exhibit shortcomings under various conditions, such as short read range or interference.;This work covers the design and implementation of a semi-passive optical identification tag for use as a line of sight alternative to RFID and barcode technologies. The tag utilizes a liquid crystal shutter placed in front of a microcube retroreflector in order to transmit the data signal to the tag interrogator. A solar panel is used to power the tag from the ambient environment and to charge a secondary battery located on the device. When the battery reaches its discharged state, the tag's components are disabled to prevent further drain of the battery until it is charged. |
