Giuliano Manara received the Laurea (Doctor) degree in electronic engineering (summa cum laude) from the University of Florence, Italy, in 1979. He was first with the School of Engineering of the University of Florence, Italy. Then, in 1987 he moved to the University of Pisa, Italy, where he is presently a Professor of Electromagnetics and Microwave Techniques at the Department of Information Engineering of the School of Engineering. Since 1980, he has been collaborating with the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, where, in the summer and fall of 1987, he was involved in research at the ElectroScience Laboratory. His research interests have centered mainly on the asymptotic solution of radiation and scattering problems to improve and extend the uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD). In this framework, he has analyzed electromagnetic wave scattering from material bodies, with emphasis on the scattering from both isotropic and anisotropic impedance wedges. He has also been engaged in research on numerical, analytical and hybrid techniques (in both frequency and time domain), scattering from rough surfaces, frequency selective surfaces (FSS), and electromagnetic compatibility. His research has also been focused on microwave antennas with application to broadband wireless networks and on the development and testing of new microwave materials (metamaterials) for electronic systems. More recently, he has conducted research on electromagnetic issues enabling the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), with specific attention to antennas for near-field applications and the analysis (theoretical and experimental) of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems.
Prof. Manara has authored more than 160 papers on qualified technical journals with referees, and more than 250 papers presented at international conferences. He was elected an IEEE Fellow in 2004 for “contributions to the uniform geometrical theory of diffraction and its applications.” From August 2011 to August 2014, he served as the International Chair of URSI (International Union of Radio Science) Commission B – Fields and Waves. In this context, he was the General Chair of the URSI Commission B International Electromagnetic Theory Symposium (EMTS), held in Hiroshima, Japan, during May 2013. In 2017, he was elected an URSI Fellow. Since August 2021, he has been serving as an URSI Vice-President.

Speech Title: Chipless RFID Technology

Abstract: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) presents itself as a low-cost wireless technology which opens the way to the connection of an incredibly large number of intelligent objects to the Internet, enabling to engage, identify, locate, transact and authenticate products. RFID market has proved to be a growing market of enormous potential over the past few years. It is worth observing that most of RFID applications in logistics and other areas can be usefully considered in the market only if the cost of RFID tags drops to a very low price. Standard RFID tags do contain chipsets which need to get the power required for their activation from the reader, through an energy harvesting procedure.
In this context, chipless RFIDs represent an emerging technology aimed at the identification of objects, authentication and sensing. The basic idea is to simplify further the tag by removing any active circuit from it. Indeed, even if the cost of chipped RFID tags is already low (about 10 eurocents when distributed in large quantities), the removal of the integrated circuit could make radio frequency labels available at a sub-cent cost. In this respect, it is important to consider that chipless tag fabrication is fully compatible with printed electronics low-cost manufacturing methods such as, for instance, screen printing, gravure, offset lithography, and inkjet printing. Another important advantage connected with the absence of the integrated circuit on tags is the application of radio frequency labels in extreme environments, when electronics might be damaged. Some application examples of chipless RFID technology will be shown at the conference to the end of demonstrating its potentialities.