RFID with UNITY

Unity Engine
1

Hello all,

Anyone tried RFID with Unity? Or know anyone?
For those who do not know: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio-frequency_identification
And an example video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hLJOXAZulA

I made a search in foruns, but found anything… just wondering for now…

2

I believe the pro license allows C++ plugins which would likely be required to connect to any low level API. The low level drivers are usually supplied by manufacturers and are generally fairly easy to use (I’ve had a lot of experience programming magnetic readers, locks, etc) and don’t require much effort to write a wrapper for.

If you want to skirt by the limitation of the pro license, you could write a C++ client and C# server that can intercommunicate. Basically control the low level api through a server-client architecture.

To be honest, I’m a little unclear as to what you are trying to do…

3

Basically, I’m searching any way to read RFID inputs into Unity (and then save/read to a TXT or XML file, or even a variable inside Unity), like the video in my first post (you can see that the device is connected into the iPad and then reads the RFID device, saving the text inside the iPad notepad). We are using QR Code with Flash, I already know there is a way (including someone is selling it in Asset Store) for QR Code and Unity, but I want to know for RFID.

And I’m using UnityPro, no problem for plugins… but I was searching for a quick solution, or anything already made, to use RFID with Unity.

4

This post is one of the most exciting posts I’ve ever read in this forum. My ideas spread out of what will be possible (in terms of Marketing Communications) in the future with RFID readers rather than QR Code readers. Thank you a lot for your thriving developement and your compelling thoughts beyond.

5

RFID interrogators usually have an API which can be used, so I don’t really see what’s particular special here. It’s not different than using a bar code reader’s API to input values into your application.

6

Have a look at Phidgets, they have an RFID reader and their API is available in C#.

7

The simplest way to do this would be with a serial port enabled rfid tag reader. Unity can read serial port data although last time I tried it in V2.5 it was a bit buggy. Hope they’ve got it fixed now. Try http://www.rfidshop.com/ and have a look at the low frequency readers. The company is quite helpful if you ask them.

8

I’m working on a solution and will post a tutorial and example in a week or two

9

I always though it would be fun to port a game like Pacman or other simple old arcade games to the ‘real-world’ with RFID (or bluetooth but I’m guessing RFID is cheaper), mechanics, cheap old CPUs, and controllers.

10

my way to go about this on mac anyway is to use a micro controller, like the arduino with a processing script open streaming all sensor inputs to a text file, then just have unity stream them in.

For a cleaner distributable solution a plugin probably makes more sense.

11

Phidgets is the way to go - i found a unity project here on the forum that used their controllers - it worked.
I dont know C that well so i did a Phidget >> MaxMsp >> Unity solution instead.
I used the MaxMsp examples from Phidgets + the µ (MU) project for that because i needed a webcam as well.

12

Hello again,

Ok, where I work we developed a solution to use Unity with RFID and it works GREAT. We made some projects already (advergames) where users need to pass their VIP Cards (or anything with RFID chip) and then somethings happens in an iPad (shows into a web, shows somekind of gift, etc).

I was wondering if we put this solution into Asset Store, would you buy it? :slight_smile:

Cheers

1 Like
13

very interesting! if can buy it on assetstore , of course i will pay for it

14

Was it really necessary to bump a thread just to say that? Also, saying you will pay for something is implied when purchasing items on the asset store.

15

Hi everyone,

I am happy to read that there is more people interested in integrating RFID’s with a Unity project. Actually, I am working in a Augmented Reality project with Unity and Vuforia and I would like to make possible to interact with RFID’s. I was wondering if anyone could give me some beginner tips or if somebody knows the state of the art : )

Cheers,
Claudia.

16

I want to detect the RFID device connected in LAN and also want to detect the tags comes in devices range. This i had already done in WPF and C#.
Can i integrate Alien RFID device in uinty3D 5?
How to do this is Unity3D?

17

Hi xandeck, did you release your RFID plugin already? I am also interested in it. Thanks! Martin

18

You will have to use this: http://www.phidgets.com/docs/Language_-_C_Sharp
Windown drivers + library: http://www.phidgets.com/downloads/libraries/Phidget21-windevel.zip

Here’s a Unity example:
http://wiki.etc.cmu.edu/unity3d/index.php/Phidgets

2 Likes
19

That link is dead so here’s a new one:
Using Phidgets With Unity

1 Like