This is the second year of work towards the MSU Fish RFID tracking system from the ECE Capstone Design class. The previous years' website can be found here.
Over the course of two semesters, the 2014-15 Capstone group was able to successfully develop and build a functional unit that satisfied all Level One requirements with each component functioning as designed. At a total price of $1123.31 they had managed to essentially cut down initial costs to under half of the Oregon RFID readers initial price tag. Using a Raspberry Pi as a microprocessor, the unit was able to re-use the Texas Instruments RF Module used in the Oregon RFID unit. Doing so saves the updated model the cost of purchasing a new unit as well as the capability to retrofit these older models so that they are not completely scrapped. The group was also able to produce a functional GUI over a web-based server broadcast from the Raspberry Pi itself. This type of data transfer would allow access to the files containing the tracking data over WiFi and an Ethernet connection, while also potentially allowing for Android smartphones to access the data as well since it is accessed as a website. Designing a power and surge board increased the overall reliability of the system while in the field. 
However, the team did run into complications. For instance, the surge protectors' diodes were not strong enough to handle a typical power surge- when the diodes were exposed to a high current they began to smoke, indicating that they were on the brink of failure. The power board also had a significant parasitic resistance due to the use of a large inductor, leading to an unnecessary amount of power being drawn to the board. Part of our Level One requirements this year is to investigate the cause of these issues and, if within the scope of the project, create a functional plan to correct the complications, ensuring a safe and functional prototype.