Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is the most suitable technology for inventory tracking in a warehouse. RFID systems use radio waves to communicate with tags attached to items, allowing for the simultaneous scanning of multiple objects from a distance without requiring a direct line of sight. This capability significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of inventory counts compared to other technologies. Passive RFID tags, which are unpowered and inexpensive, are ideal for tracking a large volume of goods within a small warehouse environment.

A. Near-field communication (NFC) is incorrect because its extremely short operational range (a few centimeters) makes it impractical for scanning inventory across a warehouse.

C. Bluetooth, while used for asset tracking (e.g., BLE beacons), is generally less efficient and scalable for rapidly scanning thousands of individual inventory items compared to dedicated RFID systems.

D. 802.11 (Wi-Fi) is a wireless networking protocol designed for data communication between devices like computers and routers, not for tagging and tracking individual, non-powered inventory items.

1. Want

R. (2006). An Introduction to RFID Technology. IEEE Pervasive Computing

5(1)

25-33. https://doi.org/10.1109/MPRV.2006.2. (In Section "RFID Applications

" the paper details its use in supply-chain management for tracking goods from manufacturing to the point of sale

highlighting its advantage in warehouse settings over barcodes).

2. MIT OpenCourseWare. (2005). MAS.962 Special Topics in Media Technology: Smart Objects

Lecture 10: RFID. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mas-962-special-topics-in-media-technology-smart-objects-spring-2005/resources/lec10rfid/. (The lecture notes on slides 4-7 and 21-23 compare RFID's capabilities

such as non-line-of-sight and multiple-tag reading

against other technologies

establishing its suitability for inventory applications).

3. Zebra Technologies. (2021). The Next-Generation Warehouse: Five-Year Technology Outlook Report. (This official vendor documentation details the industry-wide adoption of RFID for inventory accuracy and visibility in warehouse operations. Section "Inventory Management

" page 6

explicitly identifies RFID as a key technology for automating inventory tracking).