The 5 Elements of a Successful RFID Implementation
"You need to deploy an RFID system, but don't understand the key risk factors affecting your project. What should you prioritize? How should you choose a partner? How can you evaluate RFID vendors effectively? What activities will determine the project's timeline? You are not alone. The RFID landscape can be confusing. With RFID middleware and hardware vendors claiming they can do it all and with traditional systems integrators angling to get some experience with the technology, the claims are often conflicting and difficult to verify. To navigate a successful RFID implementation you need to understand the key hazards: objectives, physics, process, systems and interdependencies." Source: morerfid.com
RFID Watches Over School Kids in Japan
"Children in Yokohama City, Japan, are the focus of a trial intended to test whether radio frequency identification might make Japanese school children safer on their way to school and back again. The four-month trial began this month using AeroScout's T2 battery-powered RFID tags with call buttons. Nissan Motor Co., NTT Data Corp., Its Communications Inc., Tokyo Security Co. and Trendy Corp. are also participating in the trial. The system tracks the movement of children in a 2- by 2 1/2-kilometer (1.2- by 1.6-mile) area surrounding a city school. Each child participating in the program wears a bracelet with a 2.4 GHz RFID tag complying with the 802.11 W-Fi standard. The tags can be set to send a signal, every second or every minute, to existing Cisco Wi-Fi access points used by the city for wireless Internet access. Those Wi-Fi access points function as RFID interrogators (readers)." Source: rfidjournal.com
Sports Fans Use RFID to Pay and Play
"A select group of sports fans at Atlanta's Philips Arena can now use cell phones to do more than call friends to give them play-by-plays. They can also use them to download video clips and pictures of their favorite players—and, starting next month, even buy hot dogs and peanuts. Approximately 250 season ticket holders of the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team and the Atlanta Hawks basketball team have joined a trial of near field communication (NFC) technology. This technology trial uses radio frequency identification to enable phones (and other small personal electronic devices, such as PDAs) to make electronic payments, download or exchange data, or perform other applications." Source: rfidjournal.com
Symbol, Vue to develop item-level RFID solutions
"Symbol Technologies and Vue Technologies announced this week that the two companies would jointly develop integrated item-level radio frequency identification solutions for both the retailing and manufacturing sectors. The solutions will integrate Vue's RF networking technology and electronic product code (EPC) management software with Symbol�s fixed and handheld readers, tags and peripheral devices." Source: mrtmag.com
RFID Strategy -- Santa's Little Radio-Frequency Helpers
"How might my Christmas shopping scenario play out in 2006? At the outset, the initial out-of-stock situation might be avoided by smarter demand planning aided by the use of RFID in the stockroom, as is currently being done at Wal-Mart. If an out-of-stock situation occurs anyway, the progress of the item's shipment could be tracked through each step of the inbound process. The real-time information captured from the RFID tag and shared via the EPCIS system would lead to more accurate projected delivery dates. An accurate in-stock date, in turn, would result in improved consumer confidence that an order placed in anticipation of item delivery would in fact result in an on-time arrival." Source: industryweek.com
Active RFID - A profitable business
"A strong ROI case for Active RFID made throughout the event is that despite the high tag price compared to passive tags ($5 to $100 versus sub $0.50), if it is reused many times, the cost per use can be very low. For example, a $50 tag used 10,000 times on containers of expensive equipment has a cost per use of just 0.5 cent. Savi Technology, Axcess, IDTechEx, Siemens and others made the point well. IDTechEx note that many companies that have been selling Active RFID systems or hardware for a few years say the business is profitable. Presenters also covered how Active RFID does not necessarily replace another technology but often does something new - from car clickers (about half a billion active RFID tags have been used to date for this application for the entire auto industry) to real time location of people and things." Source: idtechex.com
RFID: Past the Hype and Poised for Growth
"RFID technology's time may finally be coming if implementers can learn to look beyond its current characterization as a product ID-code system, according to a new Gartner report. Findings from "Market Share and Forecast: Radio Frequency Identification, Worldwide, 2004-2010" include an expected wave of new license sales in 2006 and 2007. These new licenses will be driven by companies replacing technology they were forced to adopt by Wal-Mart or a government agency, and also by purchases of add-ons to the pilot programs of 2004 and 2005. The most important changes will come not from further expansion of older implementations, but from the discovery of new business processes that take best advantage of RFID's potential." Source: destinationcrm.com
RFID goes to college
"At Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, though, some students do. The trains and trucks are part of the university's RFID lab, a working model of new technology that companies are using to keep better tabs on inventory. The train carries items equipped with radio frequency identification devices, or RFID tags, that signal their location to special readers along the track, mimicking a conveyor belt in a factory or warehouse." Source: zdnet.com
IBM to share RFID Best Practices
"IBM latest wireless solutions and international RFID Customer experiences will be shared by top specialists from IBM during the 3rd Middle East Mobility & Wireless Broadband Summit 2005 this week." Source: ameinfo.com
RFID system monitors temperature of refrigerated trucks
"A UK company has released a wireless system monitoring system allowing managers to keep track of the temperatures of refrigerated truck trailers while they are parked or being chilled for loading. The system would aid plant managers that all food safety requirements are met for products up to the point they leave the premises. It provides another way to automate a key safety check along the supply chain. The OEM Group's Secureseal system uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to link computers in a plant's transport office or warehouse with the trailers in the yard." Source: foodnavigator-usa.com
NEC Develops Paper-Thin Battery
"Japanese electronics company, NEC announced last week that it had developed a flexible, paper-thin battery, which will soon be available to power a wide range of mobile devices. The company calls their invention an “Organic Radical Battery,” and has proposed it as a viable power source for smartcards, RFID devices, and “intelligent paper.”" Source: teleclick.ca
NATO to Upgrade RFID Network
"The NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A) has awarded Savi Technology (Sunnyvale, Calif.) a new contract to upgrade and sustain operational support of the RFID-based network Savi built last year to track multinational defense consignments between Europe and Afghanistan. The contract followed a year-long assessment of the RFID �backbone� Savi deployed for NATO. The contract calls for purchase of additional active radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and readers as well as network wide software enhancements to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) supply chain, stretching from the Netherlands and Germany through Uzbekistan to Kabul in Afghanistan." Source: mhmonline.com
New compact RFID read-write system
"The RFM32 is the latest addition to Leuze Mayser�s range of RFI devices, its compact robust design ensuring the highest of read/write standards over distances of 90mm. Typical of the tracking applications that the new RFI systems will address are object detection in automated warehousing and handling applications, giving a high data transfer rate and precise detection at conveyor belt speeds of 6m/sec. Utilisation of RFID is gaining a real impact in areas where there needs to be a rapid exchange of data between two objects, the transponders and the reading device. Leuze Mayser has responded to this growing requirement with an expanding RFI product range with read-write capabilities from 30mm to 700mm." Source: mhwmagazine.co.uk
UHF RFID Reader Prices Must (and Will) Fall
"According to ABI Research (Oyster Bay, N.Y.) analyst Sara Shah, RFID readers using the UHF band are among the most expensive purchases for companies complying with supply chain mandates from Wal-Mart and others. These companies consistently cite UHF reader costs as verging on the prohibitive. Why, and what will bring those prices down? Shah said, the typical UHF reader today costs $2,500 to $3,000, a hefty price tag for any company planning large-scale deployment. Unlike RFID label makers, said MHM Directory Shah, reader vendors are tight-lipped about the cost breakdown for a reader's components and production costs. Lack of IC integration and low production volumes appear to be the main culprits in driving up prices. UHF readers are mainly used for supply chain management deployments. Today, manufacturers buy off-the-shelf components and assemble circuit boards themselves. That's an expensive proposition, especially as these readers can be complex." Source: mhmonline.com
Shocking solutions for RFID-tag static control
"RFID tags are electronic devices that are not designed to withstand the rigors of converting environments. I'm not certain how familiar most converters are with electronic components, but I can assure you that converting factory environments are no place for an unprotected chip. Yes, as mentioned above, there are different types of chips, and some are less susceptible to static electricity than others; however there have been many documented instances where an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event has caused damage to an RFID device. The damage can happen in an instant causing poor production yields, and worse, unhappy customers when they find that their tags aren't working. The most active converting area today, for RFID, is pressure-sensitive label production. Right now the process is very slow, ranging from 50- to 150-fpm web speeds, as the tags are transferred from the carrier reel to the label stock. Applications range from manufacturers assembling the RFID devices in-line with their converting process, to small tag/label operations transferring pre-assembled devices to printed labels. In either instance, the insertion equipment ranges from very sophisticated purchased machines to homemade models, which will often impact the ability to control static electricity." Source convertingmagazine.com
Biothermal RFID chips promise to alert about Avian flu
"In what may serve as a major relief to governments and poultry owners the world over, biothermal RFID (radio frequency identification) chips now promise to alert them about avian flu. Currently, the only crude methods of identifying avian flu include looking out for discolouration of the beak, sneezing, dioarrhoea, or sudden death. US-based Digital Angel Corporation has introduced a biothermal chip and an RFID reader to alert poultry farmers to rising temperatures in the flock — a vital sign of the flu." Source: business-standard.com
Walgreen's uses RFID to track promo displays
"In what appears to be the most sweeping marketing application yet of radio-frequency identification technology, Walgreens and 15 top package-goods marketers are rolling out a system to track promotional displays throughout the chain’s 5,000-plus stores. The system, touted by one retail expert as potentially the biggest advance in store promotion in decades, uses RFID to electronically track when, how long and where displays are placed in stores. That allows marketers to track results of promotions by store or demographic cluster. It also lets participating manufacturers time local, regional or national advertising according to when displays are in place and send representatives to stores that haven’t put up displays, said Robert Michelson, CEO of privately held Goliath Solutions, the system’s creator." Source: chicagobusiness.com
MIT to Host RFID Academic Convocation
"The Auto-ID Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is hosting an RFID Academic Convocation on Jan. 23 and Jan. 24. The two-day event will bring together directors of leading RFID research laboratories with executives from top-tier end-user companies in a variety of industries to address underlying research issues and opportunities surrounding RFID. "This is really the first event of its kind," says Stephen Miles, research engineer at the MIT Auto-ID Lab. "Our goal is to raise awareness among end users of the research going on at institutions around the world, and to facilitate a dialogue that will enable researchers to focus their research on issues end users are encountering in the real world."" Source: rfidjournal.com
The Convergence of Near Field Communication (NFC), RFID, and Wireless Technologies
"Venture Development Corp.’s above-titled report says that wireless communication standards such as 802.11 and Bluetooth are attention getting, often creating new market opportunities. These standards significantly influence product development and vendor strategies, especially when they converge with other wireless technologies. The near-field communication (NFC) standard is having a similar impact on the RFID market. More than just a wireless connection, NFC is positioned as a basic tool that allows customers to interact intuitively with an increasingly electronic environment. However, the near-term success of NFC is challenging to predict as a more complete customer understanding of NFC, its possibilities, and its limitations is required." Source: manufacturing.net
RFID spending to rocket in healthcare
"Spending on RFID track-and-trace technology is to skyrocket, according to analysts. Research from analyst house Frost and Sullivan has found that the revenue from RFID within healthcare and pharmaceuticals will rise almost sixfold, from 2004's total of $370m to $2.3bn in 2011. According to Frost and Sullivan, the healthcare market is likely to see swift uptake of RFID technology due to easily demonstrable benefits beyond traditional ROI - for example, cutting the risk of drugs being misplaced or given to patients incorrectly." Source: silicon.com
RFID Helps Feed Parking Meters
"A Canadian company is adding RFID technology to its popular pay-by-cellular phone parking application, making a wave of a credit or ATM card as powerful as a fistful of quarters. Vancouver-based Digital Payment Technologies Corp. expects to add radio frequency identification technology (RFID) in February. The pay-by-cellular phone service running on IBM Corp. technology put Digital Payment Technologies on the radar of many cities and universities nationwide by letting drivers dial a toll-free telephone number to initiate an account, and provide their parking stall numbers to pay by phone with an ATM card, MasterCard, or Visa. With so many banks issuing cards with embedded RFID chips, Digital Payment Technologies is adding the ability to wave cards before an RFID reader rather than to swipe its magnetic strip." Source: informationweek.com
REWE Group pilots RFID with UPM Rafsec Gen 2 inlays
"The German retailer REWE has started an extensive pallet-level RFID pilot at its Norderstedt distribution center in Germany. The UHF Gen 2 inlays used in the pilot are provided by UPM Rafsec, a leading RFID tag and inlay manufacturer known for low-cost, high-quality products. Following RFID mandates from major global retailers, REWE Group has itself decided to begin implementing RFID and is the first to use the latest Gen 2 technology. Through RFID implementation REWE aims to strengthen its competitive advantage and market position by optimizing the joint supply chain with its suppliers. There will be up to 30 suppliers involved in the pilot's first phase. In order to help them access quality RFID labels at a competitive pricing of 23 euro cents each, REWE decided to bundle the projected need to one supplier." Source: morerfid.com
Muti-Role MP3 Player for Sale
"A portable MP3 music player with a prepaid transportation card hit the market this week. Hyunwon, the maker of MP3 player brand MobiBlue, has begun selling the DAH-1800T model, which can be used to pay fares on public buses and subways. The new player has an embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) chip. Users can charge up to 70,000 won on the MP3 player at ticket windows of subway stations or newsstands as is done with regular prepaid smart cards." Source: times.hankooki.com
Hong Kong Airport Tests RFID Luggage Delivery System
"The Hong Kong International Airport is testing an RFID system for luggage delivery, but due to its high cost it is unknown when the system will be formally launched." Source: chinatechnews.com
Omron Tags Wal-Mart Suppliers For RFID
"Omron Corp., a $5.5 billion Japanese manufacturer of automation and sensing products, is investing $20 million during 2005 and 2006 to seize a larger share of the global market for radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The company is focusing on RFID label inlay and reader products for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. suppliers, specifically in the United States. Wal-Mart has already mandated that its largest 100 suppliers ship RFID-equipped goods. The company's next-largest 200 suppliers are required to comply in 2006. Wal-Mart is not the only retailer in the United States requiring suppliers to put RFID tags on goods being shipped to distribution centers. Best Buy Inc., Target Corp., and Albertson's Inc., as well as pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods companies, and the U.S. Department of Defense, have all established RFID mandates for suppliers. Omron is preparing to go up against companies such as Sun Microsystems, which released last month an RFID Industry Solution for Drug Authentication package for tracking the shipment and pedigree of pharmaceuticals." Source: informationweek.com
RFID in 30 days
"SAMSys Technologies, Inc., a provider of radio frequency identification hardware solutions, announced the availability of the Gen 2 RFID Pilot Express program, which includes a turnkey RFID hardware and software package that makes it possible to launch pilot RFID programs in 30 days or less. The kit includes the latest SAMSys RFID reader and other components to aid Gen 2 preparations by systems integrators and end users who must comply with RFID mandates from major retailers and the Department of Defense. Kit contents include the reader, two antennas, light stack and other peripherals, Gen 2 software, sample Gen 2 tags from Texas Instruments, the program interface application, and a quick-start guide." Source: manufacturing.net
SAMSys Introduces RFID Portal Express for Turnkey Dock Door Deployments
"SAMSys Technologies Inc. today introduced the SAMSys RFID Portal Express System, a turnkey UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) portal solution for dock door environments. The system permits rapid deployment of RFID capabilities at the dock door for supply chain, asset tracking and inventory management applications. The SAMSys RFID Portal Express System bundles an EPC Gen 2 compliant, multi-protocol SAMSys MP9320 v2.8 reader with antennas, cables, a light stack, a motion sensor, and a heavy-duty steel framework that houses and protects all RFID equipment from errant forklifts. The framework, which can also be purchased separately, takes the form of two 10-foot-high steel tubes connected by an optional overhead bridge." Source: prnewswire.com
Sokymat 13.56 MHz RFID Tags Used in New Real/Virtual Entertainment Concept
"Sokymat SA, the world's leading supplier of RFID transponders, announces that its transponders have been selected by Spanish high-tech entertainment company Negone for a revolutionary facility which recently opened in Madrid. Negone 2 "La fuga" (the breakout) is a completely new entertainment concept combining both real and virtual experiences in which players have to solve quizzes and overcome obstacles in order to escape from "Mazzinia," a futuristic high security prison. Negone uses Sokymat 13.56 MHz RFID tags to identify and track the players inside the 4000 square meter fully-decorated building. The system consists of a network of 200 readers and control units. All identification points are connected by means of a CAN bus that makes it possible to collect data from players, activate doors and lights and also to verify the proper operation of every device in the network. The Sokymat transponders are embedded in the wrist wearable PDAs given to each player." Source: morerfid.com