IEEE RFID 2026 is excited to host several interactive workshops on emerging topics within the field of RFID technology that aim to educate and create dialogue between researchers, industry professionals, and students. Make sure to register for and attend IEEE RFID 2026 to participate in these amazing workshops!

List of  Approved Workshops :

Workshop #1: RFID Reader Design: A Deep Dive into Echo Cancellation in the GS1 Gen2 Protocol

Organizers: Alpaslan Demir (Zebra Technologies, USA), Rhonda Green (Zebra Technologies, USA)

Covered Topics: Introduction to RFID systems, reader architecture, backscattering concept/antenna mismatch, cascaded receive chain noise figure, mixers constraints, basics of GS1 Gen2V3 protocol (including power ramp)

This intensive one-hour workshop provides a focused look at a critical challenge in modern RFID reader design: echo cancellation. We will quickly cover the fundamentals of RFID reader architecture and backscattering before diving into the core trade-offs between in-chip and external echo cancellation methods. The session will also touch upon key aspects of the GS1 Gen2 protocol, such as power ramp requirements, and conclude with a brief demonstration and Q&A.

Workshop #2: RFID Meets AI: Intelligent Systems for Smart Mobility and Sustainable Cities

Organizer: Jinene Ben Said (Higher National Engineering School of Tunis (ENSIT), Tunisia)

Covered Topics: AI-driven RFID data analytics, RFID for smart transportation and traffic management, edge computing and IoT-RFID integration, RFID-enabled sustainability and waste tracking, security and privacy challenges in intelligent RFID systems, emerging trends and open research challenges in RFID + AI applications

This workshop aims to explore the intersection of RFID technology, artificial intelligence, and smart infrastructure applications. The session will highlight how RFID can enable intelligent transportation systems, smart logistics, and sustainable urban environments when combined with data analytics and edge computing. Participants will engage through invited talks, live demonstrations, and interactive discussions on the challenges, opportunities, and future directions of RFID-based intelligent systems. The workshop will foster collaboration between academia, industry, and public sector stakeholders interested in building smarter and greener cities.

Workshop #3: Toward Scalable and Energy-Efficient Connectivity for 3GPP Ambient IoT via Bistatic RFID

Organizers: Jingyi Liao (Aalto University, Finland), Xiyu Wang (Aarhus University, Denmark), Riku Jäntti (Aalto University, Finland), Diana Pamela Moya Osorio (Linköping University, Sweden), Dinh-Thuy Phan-Huy (Orange Innovation, France), Han Zhu (University of Houston, USA)

Covered Topics:

The rapid expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) demands scalable and energy-efficient connectivity for billions of low-power devices. The emerging Ambient IoT (AIoT) concept, currently under study by 3GPP, seeks to enable massive machine-type communications through backscatter technology operating in licensed cellular bands. Conventional CW-based approaches increase power consumption and system complexity, motivating new paradigms that exploit ambient cellular signals for bistatic or ambient backscatter communication. This session will highlight recent advances, challenges, and standardization efforts in AIoT design, with emphasis on ambient signal reuse, cross-layer optimization, and sustainable connectivity strategies toward realizing pervasive and energy-efficient IoT networks.

Workshop #4: RFID Jeopardy!

Organizer: Christopher Saetia (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA)

Covered Topics: History of RFID, RFID protocols, antennas and propagation, energy harvesting, reader design, backscatter communications, sustainability and safety, RFID localization and sensing, novel materials and devices for RFID, NFC RFID, RFID applications, IEEE RFID conference best papers and history

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the RFID conference, a RFID trivia competition, in the style of the game show Jeopardy, will be held to test the attendees’ knowledge on general RFID and work presented at past RFID conferences! Participants will work in teams to be the first to answer presented questions. Scoring will work as in traditional Jeopardy where harder questions are worth more points, and teams can make wagers on specific questions and the final question. Question categories will include, but not limited to, backscatter principles, best RFID papers, antennas, protocols, etc. A prize will be awarded to the winning team. The purpose of this workshop is to get conference attendees socializing with each other and provide a fun activity to energize them and get their competitive spirits flowing after sitting through talks.