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Blockchain versus IOTA Tangle

an amalgamation of original and valuable skills. It is only possible through the

addition of these technologies. Figure 16.4 depicts these connectivity technologies,

showing the signal range of each solution.

16.2.3.1  Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

It would be complicated to keep track of the various sensors in a network of so many

sensors. RFID provides the technology that makes objects uniquely identifiable in

such a network. Its small size and low cost make it possible for it to be easily inte­

grated into an entity (Bansal and Rana, 2017). It possesses a transceiver microchip,

which may appear as a sticker for use as object tags. RFID can be active or passive.

Unlike active tags, which have batteries, passive tags are triggered when activated by

some stimulus. The frequency range of RFID is divided into four bands depending

on the application. These include: (1) low frequency (135 kHz or less); (2) high fre­

quency (13.56 MHz); (3) ultra high frequency (862 to 928 MHz); and (4) microwave

frequency (2.4G, 5.80).

16.2.3.2  Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs)

These are the new technologies that were developed due to the demand for low-

power and low-cost wireless communications suitable for IoT. LPWANs provide

long-range signals on small, low-cost devices with batteries that are built to last for

many years. These include Sigfox, LoRa, NB IoT and LTE-M, LPWANs can con­

nect to any type of sensor and find their applications in the areas of environmental

monitoring, consumables monitoring, asset tracking, etc.

FIGURE 16.4  IOTA Tangle data structure.