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Vendors and Consultants: Reach your customers and journalists. Click, Submit articles and press release.
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DELRAY BEACH, FL – February 25, 2008 –VeriChip Corporation (NASDAQ: CHIP), a provider of RFID systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, today announced it has added Steven R. Foland to its Board of Directors. Foland is the former managing director and head of investment banking at Merriman Curhan Ford & Co, the lead underwriter of VeriChip’s initial public offering which was completed in February 2007. Foland, who began his career as an attorney, brings approximately 15 years of investment banking experience to VeriChip with firms including Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-26 10:31.
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Westminster, Colo., February 13, 2008– SkyeTek, Inc., the leading provider of embedded RFID reader technology, today announced the availability of the SkyeModule™ M7, the smallest and most cost effective UHF reader module available in the market. Leveraging SkyeTek’s award winning M9 design, the M7 continues to approach HF module prices while maintaining high performance, enhanced security, and space and power efficiency. |
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Designed to serve distinct market applications that require a lower cost reader, the M7 allows OEMs, VARs and system integrators to effortlessly integrate UHF Gen2 capabilities within new and existing applications such as printers, mobile and handheld devices. The M7 has been created specifically for several applications that share common requirements for tag support, protocol, performance, and security. The solution is ideal for printing and encoding, handheld reading/encoding, item-level inventory management, patron management, access control and asset management. |
Submitted by scm on Fri, 2008-02-22 10:17.
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Comprehensive UHF system helps fashion manufacturers and retailers increase sales and improve customer satisfaction
Düsseldorf, Germany – February 20th 2008 – TAGSYS, the global leader in item-level RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) infrastructure, will demonstrate their complete ultra-high frequency (“UHF”) RFID infrastructure designed specifically for the unique needs of the apparel industry, at Euroshop 2008. |
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RFID provides manufacturers with the ability to accurately track and safeguard goods throughout the entire Supply Chain to improve operating costs. Apparel retailers benefiting from RFID receive real-time visibility into inventory and product movement to reduce loss prevention, improve store productivity and boost brand loyalty. UHF item-level RFID is ideally suited for the apparel industry since it offers a long range to rapidly and accurately read goods. |
Submitted by scm on Fri, 2008-02-22 10:16.
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Comprehensive UHF system helps fashion manufacturers and retailers increase sales and improve customer satisfaction
Düsseldorf, Germany – February 20th 2008 – TAGSYS, the global leader in item-level RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) infrastructure, will demonstrate their complete ultra-high frequency (“UHF”) RFID infrastructure designed specifically for the unique needs of the apparel industry, at Euroshop 2008. |
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RFID provides manufacturers with the ability to accurately track and safeguard goods throughout the entire Supply Chain to improve operating costs. Apparel retailers benefiting from RFID receive real-time visibility into inventory and product movement to reduce loss prevention, improve store productivity and boost brand loyalty. UHF item-level RFID is ideally suited for the apparel industry since it offers a long range to rapidly and accurately read goods. |
Submitted by scm on Fri, 2008-02-22 10:11.
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DELRAY BEACH, FL—February 19, 2008 -- VeriChip Corporation (the “Company”) (NASDAQ: CHIP), a provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, will be exhibiting at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) 60th Anniversary Scientific Meeting in Washington, D.C. from February 20-22. The conference, which will take place at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, is the Premier event for forensic science professionals and the industry’s source for cutting-edge information. The Company will demonstrate its VeriTrace™ System to coroners, medical examiners and other forensics experts during the conference, which has generated a majority of VeriTrace sales historically. |
Submitted by scm on Fri, 2008-02-22 10:03.
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The Special Addition Birth Center at Shawnee Mission Medical Center Expands Partnership with RF Technologies® to Protect Newborns and Children with Safe Place® Infant Security Solution; Offers ACLS/OB Courses to OB Nurses
Security system meets the needs for center’s 3,300 births this year; Shawnee Mission Medical
Center is first RF Technologies customer to host ACLS/OB Courses for Nurses and Clinical Instructors |
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BROOKFIELD, WI — February 20, 2008 — RF Technologies® has partnered with Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) to protect its infants and children from abduction and give family members peace of mind that their children are secure. SMMC has plans to install the latest upgrade to its Safe Place® Infant Security Solution, Software Version 5.0, in the near future. The Special Addition Birth Center at SMMC is a perfect candidate for the Safe Place Infant Security Solution. It is the busiest birth center in the Kansas City area. |
Submitted by scm on Fri, 2008-02-22 10:01.
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Peer-to-Peer Wi-Fi RTLS — a breakthrough in Location-Aware Solutions
Peer-to-Peer Wi-Fi Tags reduce cost and time for deployment of Wi-Fi RTLS in existing Wi-Fi
networks; Door Controller Security built into every tag Brookfield, WI, USA – February 7, 2008 – RF Technologies, a leader in wireless asset location and security solutions for the Healthcare Industry since 1987, will demonstrate its breakthrough Peer-to-Peer Wi-Fi RTLS Solution at HIMSS ’08 Booth 2101. The new PinPoint® Peer-to-Peer Wi-Fi Tag optimizes asset tracking performance through its rapid deployment and enterprise-wide data connectivity. |
Submitted by scm on Mon, 2008-02-18 07:22.
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UPM Raflatac is supplying RFID inlays to support personal and vehicle access to the ‘Piemonte Mondiale’ event which starts on February 6, 2008 in Sestriere, Italy, followed by the FIS female downhill ski World Cup on February 9 to 10. UPM Raflatac HF inlays, converted into PVC cards and tags, are being issued and checked by a system implemented by Italian access control specialist Alfi in cooperation with Brightpoint. |
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At Piemonte Mondiale, all persons authorized by the event organizer will be provided with an RFID-enabled plastic ID card that carries their personal data and access rights. These cards will be used by all persons permitted to enter, from the press, athletes and invited VIPs to authorities and operators. The same goes for vehicle IDs: authorized vehicles will be issued an RFID-enabled pass.
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Submitted by kandeepan on Wed, 2008-02-13 09:51.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M Bermuda’s Transport Control Department (TCD), a department within Bermuda’s Ministry of Tourism and Transport, demonstrates system performance of an electronic vehicle registration (EVR) system designed to automate Compliance monitoring and enforcement. Initial deployment began in July of 2007 and more than 65 percent of Bermuda’s vehicle population has been tagged and the process is expected to be completed by June 2008, which will enable formal system operations to commence. |
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The program has met the first phase of our deployment schedule and performed extremely well during the recent systems acceptance testing for end-to-end integration,” said Randy Rochester, Director of Bermuda’s Transport Control Department. This is a critical achievement and demonstrates the fundamental strength of the system. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Wed, 2008-02-13 09:44.
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Chelmsford, Mass., January 29, 2008 – Reva Systems, the leading Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) network infrastructure provider, today announced the opening of its first Asia Pacific office in Tokyo, Japan. Serving as regional headquarters for Reva’ssales and technical operations, the Tokyo office allows Reva to support accelerating RFID deployments among key customers and channel partners in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region. |
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Reva’s Asian-based team will include sales, business development, marketing, systems engineering and customer support resources. The office is led by Reva’s Vice President of Asia Pacific and Japan sales, Satoshi Shiba. Shiba most recently was regional director and then general manager of Voltaire Ltd. in Tokyo. Responsible for sales in the APJ region, Shiba managed OEM relationships, channel partners and regional sales teams. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 13:09.
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Partnership Delivers Unified Asset Tracking on MobileView 4.0 Software Platform
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 4, 2008 – AeroScout, Inc., the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility solutions, and Reva Systems, the leading RFID Network Infrastructure provider, today announced a partnership to deliver a combined Active RFID and Passive RFID solution for enterprises. Through the partnership, Reva Systems provides a gateway for Passive RFID data to AeroScout’s new MobileView 4.0 application, enabling customers to use it as a single platform to view and manage all enterprise assets, regardless of the asset being tracked or the Technology used. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 13:08.
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Infrastructure for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
Border security effort will cover 39 U.S. land ports of entry
BLUE BELL, Pa., January 28, 2008 – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), awarded Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) a task order to provide information Technology in support of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the company announced today. The task order is firm-fixed-price and has one base year and four one-year options, exercisable at the government’s discretion. The value of the base year is $37.2 million. The total value of the award is $62 million, if all option periods are exercised. CBP awarded this task order under Enterprise Gateway for Leading-Edge Technology (EAGLE), DHS’ basic contract for IT consolidation of its component agencies. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 13:05.
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UPM Raflatac announces new Hammer RFID tag for near-metal tagging
UPM Raflatac has developed a new EPC UHF tag for near-metal tagging. The product, named Hammer, features global functionality and is available in a variety of delivery formats: wet inlay, dry inlay and paper-faced tag. Hammer has a die-cut size of 80 x 25 mm (3.15 x 0.98") and a read range of up to 4 metres (12 ft). |
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The Hammer inlay can also be inserted into plastic hard tags for use on metal containers, roll cages and trolleys. Typically, a spacer distance of only 6 to 9 mm (0.24 to 0.35") is needed to achieve excellent read rates. Siemens' Simatic RF620T hard tag contains the Hammer inlay to provide reliable performance on metal, conductive plastic and wood. See Siemens website for more information on Simatic RFID system. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 13:03.
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Provide full Compliance with Cisco Unified Wireless Network
28 January 2008 , Akron, Ohio, USA Summit Data Communications announced today that its SDC-CF10G compact flash radio module has been certified for Version 4 of Cisco Compatible Extensions (CCX) for ASDs, or application-specific devices. Summit is the only provider of wireless LAN, or Wi-Fi®, radios that have earned the Cisco Compatible seal on Windows CE and Windows Mobile®, the leading operating systems for mobile computers and other business-critical mobile devices. |
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Summit also announced that two rugged mobile computers from Psion Teklogix have been certified for CCX V4 using the SDC-CF10G radio. Those computers are the Second Generation WORKABOUT PRO handheld computer and the 7535 G2 handheld computer. According to a Psion Teklogix spokesman, other rugged mobile computers from Psion Teklogix will be certified for CCX V4 in the near future. Summit also plans to earn CCX V4 certifications for its other Wi-Fi radios, which use the same software as the SDC-CF10G radio. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 12:54.
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New service simplifies customer support and reduces total cost of ownership of Psion Teklogix’ line of rugged mobile computers
30 January 2008 , Cincinnati, Ohio Psion Teklogix (LSE: PON), www.psionteklogix.com, is expanding its service program for its entire line of rugged mobile computers into a comprehensive new global offering named I-Serv, www.psionteklogix.com/i-serv. This new solution simplifies the service process making it easier for customers to take advantage of a single global contract while dramatically reducing their total cost of ownership (TCO) by up to 50 percent for both hardware and services. I-Serv combines real-time online global device tracking with guaranteed service level agreements (SLAs), 24/7 live Help Desk support in more than seven languages, onsite technical support and abuse repair, into a flexible Customer Service solution. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 12:51.
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RFID Leader Provides Inventory and Tracking Shipment Solution for Largest Third Party Logistics Company in Greece
January 28, 2008, Morgan Hill, Calif. - Alien Technology, an industry leader in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products and services, today announced the completion of a warehouse distribution center system for inventory and shipment tracking for Diakinisis' warehouse distribution center. Located in Athens, Greece, the system uses Gen 2 Squiggle® and ‘M' tags and ALR-8800 readers from Alien Technology, with RFID installation services provided by Business Effectiveness, a preferred Alien Technology solution integrator. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 12:40.
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In the Emergency of the Italian Hospital in Treviglio the patient is localized by an RFID system along the diagnostic-therapeutic procedures.
2008-02-04 ,The hospital at Treviglio-Caravaggio has become in the past years a point of reference in the low Bergamo area near Milan, recording a constant increase in the patients flow of 10 to 20%: the hospital staff consists of 1.000 employees among doctors, nurses, technical staff, rehabilitation and administrative personnel, while the Emergency has 55.000 admissions per year, with a mean of 3/4 performances per patient. |
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Such growth in the amount of patient has caused new patient management issue, whose safety is always the main concern: the RFID solution powered by Siced, a certificated reseller of Softwork, aims first of all at ensuring the immediate traceability and localization of the patient along the diagnostic-therapeutic procedures within the Emergency, identifying his/her presence in different departments (i.e. radiology, orthopaedics, paediatrics) and the related results. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 11:55.
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Partners Combine Technology and Geographic Know-How For Government and Commercial Supply Chains
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA and NEW DELHI – Jan. 23, 2008 – Savi Technology, a Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] company, and India-based AVAANA™ have entered into a strategic partnership for active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based Supply Chain solutions, products and services to prospective government and commercial customers in India. The partners announced today that they have signed an exclusive teaming and marketing agreement focused on markets in India. |
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The regional partnership was developed to leverage the Technology expertise and geographic knowledge base of the two companies in delivering state-of-the-art, real-time solutions that enhance the visibility, management, security and efficiency of supply chains in India, especially in the government, defense, homeland security and transportation sectors. |
Submitted by scm on Tue, 2008-02-12 11:33.
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The hospital at Treviglio-Caravaggio has become in the past years a point of reference in the low Bergamo area near Milan, recording a constant increase in the patients flow of 10 to 20%: the hospital staff consists of 1.000 employees among doctors, nurses, technical staff, rehabilitation and administrative personnel, while the Emergency has 55.000 admissions per year, with a mean of 3/4 performances per patient. |
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Such growth in the amount of patient has caused new patient management issue, whose safety is always the main concern: the RFID solution powered by Siced, a certificated reseller of Softwork, aims first of all at ensuring the immediate traceability and localization of the patient along the diagnostic-therapeutic procedures within the Emergency, identifying his/her presence in different departments (i.e. radiology, orthopaedics, paediatrics) and the related results. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Mon, 2008-02-11 05:10.
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Opens Asian Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan
Chelmsford, Mass., January 29, 2008 – Reva Systems, the leading radio frequency
identification (RFID) network infrastructure provider, today announced the opening of
its first Asia Pacific office in Tokyo, Japan. Serving as regional headquarters for Reva’s
sales and technical operations, the Tokyo office allows Reva to support accelerating
RFID deployments among key customers and channel partners in the Asia Pacific and
Japan (APJ) region.
Reva’s Asian-based team will include sales, business development, marketing, systems
engineering and customer support resources. The office is led by Reva’s Vice President |
Submitted by kandeepan on Mon, 2008-02-11 04:32.
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Partnership Delivers Unified Asset Tracking on MobileView 4.0 Software Platform
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 4, 2008 – AeroScout, Inc., the leading provider of
Unified Asset Visibility solutions, and Reva Systems, the leading RFID Network
Infrastructure provider, today announced a partnership to deliver a combined Active
RFID and Passive RFID solution for enterprises. Through the partnership, Reva
Systems provides a gateway for Passive RFID data to AeroScout’s new MobileView
4.0 application, enabling customers to use it as a single platform to view and manage
all enterprise assets, regardless of the asset being tracked or the Technology used. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Mon, 2008-02-11 04:29.
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Partners Recognized for Innovation in China
Chelmsford, Mass., February 6, 2008 – Reva Systems, the leading radio frequency
identification (RFID) network infrastructure provider, today announced that Reva’s Tag
Acquisition Processor (TAP) products and local integration partners have been
recognized by several leading RFID industry organizations in China for the innovative
contributions they are making to RFID adoption in the region. |
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RFID Info (www.rfidinfo.com.cn), the leading RFID publication in China, recently
conducted several “Top 10” award programs to honor the most innovative RFID |
Submitted by kandeepan on Mon, 2008-02-11 04:27.
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As a key component of Salamander Technologies’ identification and accountability system, Zebra’s
compact TLP 3844Z thermal printers help ensure life safety and security at large public events.
Vernon Hills, IL, Jan. 28, 2008 - Zebra Technologies (NASDAQ: ZBRA), a global leader in
specialty printing and automatic identification solutions, has announced that its Zebra TLP 3844-Z™
compact thermal printers will play a critical role in the emergency identification and site access
control systems being provided at the 2008 Super Bowl game, scheduled for February 3rd at the
University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Fri, 2008-02-08 13:37.
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Efficiency in Processing New Vehicles
Tracking and Managing More Than 150,000 Vehicles Annually Across 300+ Acres,
WhereNet System Helps Luxury Car Maker Improve Throughput,
Productivity, and Order-to-Cash Cycles
SOLIHULL, United Kingdom and SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Feb. 5, 2008—WhereNet
Corp., a Zebra Technologies company (NASDAQ: ZBRA) and the leader in wireless solutions
for tracking and managing enterprise assets, announced today that Land Rover’s expanded use of
the standards-based WhereNet® active RFID, real-time locating system (RTLS) Technology has
helped the luxury automaker automate processing of more than 150,000 new vehicles annually. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Fri, 2008-02-08 13:34.
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University of Warwick Helps Select Savi’s RFID Solution to Improve Efficiency by Ensuring that Parts Arrive at the Factory When They’re Needed
SOLIHULL, UK and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Jan. 28, 2008 – Ford Motor Company’s Land Rover division and Savi today launched a pilot program to deploy an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solution that better synchronizes the delivery of auto parts from multiple suppliers to Land Rover’s key assembly plant in the West Midlands (U.K.). The pilot is made possible through a U.K. central government grant administered by the University of Warwick, which was instrumental in an 18-month evaluation of solution providers worldwide, and in selecting the Savi solution. |
Submitted by kandeepan on Fri, 2008-02-08 06:33.
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Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is an automatic identification method, relying on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags or transponders. An RFID tag is an object that can be attached to or incorporated into a product, animal, or person for the purpose of identification using radio waves. All RFID tags contain at least two parts. One is an integrated circuit for storing and processing information, modulating and demodulating a radio frequency (RF) signal and perhaps other specialized functions. The second is an antenna for receiving and transmitting the signal.
The RFID tag can automatically be read from several meters away and does not have to be in the line of sight of the reader. The current thrust in RFID use is in supply chain management for large enterprises. RFID increases the speed and accuracy with which inventory can be tracked and managed thereby saving money for the business.
History of RFID tags
An RFID tag used for electronic toll collectionIn 1946 Léon Theremin invented an espionage tool for the Soviet Union which retransmitted incident radio waves with audio information. Sound waves vibrated a diaphragm which slightly altered the shape of the resonator, which modulated the reflected radio frequency. Even though this device was a passive covert listening device, not an identification tag, it has been attributed as the first known device and a predecessor to RFID technology. The technology used in RFID has been around since the early 1920s according to one source (although the same source states that RFID systems have been around just since the late 1960s).[1][2][3]
A more similar technology such as the IFF transponder was invented by the British in 1939 [2] was routinely used by the allies in World War II to identify airplanes as friend or foe. Transponders are still used by military and commercial aircraft to this day.
Another early work exploring RFID is the landmark 1948 paper by Harry Stockman, titled "Communication by Means of Reflected Power" (Proceedings of the IRE, pp 1196–1204, October 1948). Stockman predicted that "…considerable research and development work has to be done before the remaining basic problems in reflected-power communication are solved, and before the field of useful applications is explored."
Mario Cardullo's U.S. Patent 3,713,148 in 1973 was the first true ancestor of modern RFID; a passive radio transponder with memory. The initial device was passive, powered by the interrogating signal, and was demonstrated in 1971 to the New York Port Authority and other potential users and consisted of a transponder with 16 bit memory for use as a toll device. The basic Cardullo patent covers the use of RF, sound and light as transmission medium. The original business plan presented to investors in 1969 showed uses in transportation (automotive vehicle identification, automatic toll system, electronic license plate, electronic manifest, vehicle routing, vehicle performance monitoring), banking (electronic check book, electronic credit card), security (personnel identification, automatic gates, surveillance) and medical (identification, patient history).[3]
A very early demonstration of reflected power (modulated backscatter) RFID tags, both passive and active, was done by Steven Depp, Alfred Koelle and Robert Freyman at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory in 1973.[2] The portable system operated at 915 MHz and used 12 bit tags. This technique is used by the majority of today's UHF and microwave RFID tags.
The first patent to be associated with the abbreviation RFID was granted to Charles Walton in 1983 (U.S. Patent 4,384,288).
RFID tags
RFID tags come in three general varieties: passive, semi-passive (also known as battery-assisted), or active. Passive tags require no internal power source, whereas semi-passive and active tags require a power source, usually a small battery.
Passive
Passive RFID tags have no internal power supply. The minute electrical current induced in the antenna by the incoming radio frequency signal provides just enough power for the CMOS integrated circuit in the tag to power up and transmit a response. Most passive tags signal by backscattering the carrier wave from the reader. This means that the antenna has to be designed to both collect power from the incoming signal and also to transmit the outbound backscatter signal. The response of a passive RFID tag is not necessarily just an ID number; the tag chip can contain non-volatile EEPROM for storing data.
This can also affect the sound and barrier waves. Passive tags have practical read distances ranging from about 10 cm (4 in.) (ISO 14443) up to a few meters (Electronic Product Code (EPC) and ISO 18000-6), depending on the chosen radio frequency and antenna design/size. Due to their simplicity in design they are also suitable for manufacture with a printing process for the antennas. The lack of an onboard power supply means that the device can be quite small: commercially available products exist that can be embedded in a sticker, or under the skin in the case of low frequency RFID tags.
In 2006, Hitachi, Ltd. developed a passive device called the µ-Chip measuring 0.15×0.15 mm (not including the antenna), and thinner than a sheet of paper (7.5 micrometers).[4][5] Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology is used to achieve this level of integration. The Hitachi µ-Chip can wirelessly transmit a 128-bit unique ID number which is hard coded into the chip as part of the manufacturing process. The unique ID in the chip cannot be altered, providing a high level of authenticity to the chip and ultimately to the items the chip may be permanently attached or embedded into. The Hitachi µ-Chip has a typical maximum read range of 30 cm (1 foot). In February 2007 Hitachi unveiled an even smaller RFID device measuring 0.05×0.05 mm, and thin enough to be embedded in a sheet of paper.[6] The new chips can store as much data as the older µ-chips, and the data contained on them can be extracted from as far away as a few hundred metres. The ongoing problem with all RFIDs is that they need an external antenna which is 80 times bigger than the chip in the best version thus far developed.
The lowest cost RFID tags are EPC compliant tags available from SmartCode at a price of 5 cents each.[7] These tags are the standard chosen by Wal-Mart, DoD, Target, Tesco in the UK and Metro AG in Germany.
Alien Technology's Fluidic Self Assembly, SmartCode's Flexible Area Synchronized Transfer (FAST)and Symbol Technologies' PICA process are set to further reduce tag costs by massively parallel production[citation needed]. Alien Technology and SmartCode are currently using the processes to manufacture tags while Symbol Technologies' PICA process is still in the development phase. Alternative methods of production such as FAST, FSA and PICA may reduce tag costs dramatically, and due to volume capacities achievable , in turn be able to also drive the economies of scale models for various Silicon fabricators as well. It seems that Industry benchmarks for tag costs can be achieved eventually as new low cost volume production systems are implemented more broadly.
Non-silicon tags made from polymer semiconductors are currently being developed by several companies globally. Simple laboratory printed polymer tags operating at 13.56 MHz were demonstrated in 2005 by both PolyIC (Germany) and Philips (The Netherlands). If successfully commercialized, polymer tags will be roll-printable, like a magazine, and much less expensive than silicon-based tags. The end game for most item-level tagging over the next few decades may be that RFID tags will be wholly printed – the same way a barcode is today – and be virtually free, like a barcode. However, substantial technical and economic hurdles must be surmounted to accomplish such an end: hundreds of billions of dollars have been invested over the last three decades in silicon processing, resulting in a per-feature cost which is actually less than that of conventional printing.
Active
Unlike passive RFID tags, active RFID tags have their own internal power source, which is used to power the integrated circuits and broadcast the signal to the reader. Active tags are typically much more reliable (e.g. fewer errors) than passive tags due to the ability for active tags to conduct a "session" with a reader. Active tags, due to their onboard power supply, also transmit at higher power levels than passive tags, allowing them to be more effective in "RF challenged" environments like water (including humans/cattle, which are mostly water), metal (shipping containers, vehicles), or at longer distances. Many active tags have practical ranges of hundreds of meters, and a battery life of up to 10 years. Some active RFID tags include sensors such as temperature logging which have been used in concrete maturity monitoring or to monitor the temperature of perishable goods. Other sensors that have been married with active RFID include humidity, shock/vibration, light, radiation, temperature, and atmospherics like ethylene. Active tags typically have much longer range (approximately 100 m/300 feet) and larger memories than passive tags, as well as the ability to store additional information sent by the transceiver. The United States Department of Defense has successfully used active tags to reduce logistics costs and improve supply a chain visibility for more than 15 years.
Active Tags In Play
Companies like Axcess International offer the active system, which uses small, battery powered tags that, when automatically activated at control points throughout a facility, broadcast non-line-of-sight to palm size receivers networked on the existing corporate LAN/WAN, VPN or Internet over IP. Unlike other wireless identification and location systems, active's unique dual-frequency operation and advanced capabilities allow tags to be activated and tracked in a variety of useful ways to support multiple business initiatives.
Tags awakened by low cost activators transmit not only their unique identification code, but location and status information as well. Tag signals are picked up by network receivers up to 100 feet away, thus allowing a single receiver to collect tag data from a number of activation points. This flexible control point architecture allows users to automatically activate tags at specific locations within the facility to support "proximity" applications, such as access control and perimeter control. These read points can also be grouped into control zones to locate an asset or person within a specific zone, as well as monitor movement between zones.
The receiver network also collects information from tags activated by other means, such as removal of an asset tag with tamper detection or a personnel tag with a built in distress call or panic button. These tags intermittently transmit alarm signals on a continuous basis, allowing security personnel to locate and monitor the incident as the tag moves through the coverage area. Omni-directional network transceivers, capable of two-way tag communication, support wide area polling and tag activation, enabling both static and dynamic tracking of tagged asset and inventory, as well as employee notification and location determination.
Tag identification and location information is instantly forwarded over the network to a host computer running software to provide real-time management solutions via reporting, display, and decision and control functions. Alert signals can also be tied into existing alarm, access control and surveillance systems.
The active system combined with software leverages the corporate LAN to provide today's e-managers with valuable tools for improving productivity, physical security, life safety, inventory visibility and ERP-based order fulfillment. Linked assets and people can be tracked and located within close proximity, thus providing an automatic, non-invasive asset protection solution while enabling freedom of movement.
Semi-passive
Semi-passive tags are similar to active tags as they have their own power source, but the battery is used just to power the microchip and not broadcast a signal. The RF energy is reflected back to the reader like a passive tag.
Antenna types
The antenna used for an RFID tag is affected by the intended application and the frequency of operation. Low-frequency (LF) passive tags are normally inductively coupled, and because the voltage induced is proportional to frequency, many coil turns are needed to produce enough voltage to operate an integrated circuit. Compact LF tags, like glass-encapsulated tags used in animal and human identification, use a multilayer coil (3 layers of 100–150 turns each) wrapped around a ferrite core.
At 13.56 MHz (High frequency or HF), a planar spiral with 5–7 turns over a credit-card-sized form factor can be used to provide ranges of tens of centimeters. These coils are less costly to produce than LF coils, since they can be made using lithographic techniques rather than by wire winding, but two metal layers and an insulator layer are needed to allow for the crossover connection from the outermost layer to the inside of the spiral where the integrated circuit and resonance capacitor are located.
Ultra-high frequency (UHF) and microwave passive tags are usually radiatively-coupled to the reader antenna and can employ conventional dipole-like antennas. Only one metal layer is required, reducing cost of manufacturing. Dipole antennas, however, are a poor match to the high and slightly capacitive input impedance of a typical integrated circuit. Folded dipoles, or short loops acting as inductive matching structures, are often employed to improve power delivery to the IC. Half-wave dipoles (16 cm at 900 mHz) are too big for many applications; for example, tags embedded in labels must be less than 100 mm (4 inches) in extent. To reduce the length of the antenna, antennas can be bent or meandered, and capacitive tip-loading or bowtie-like broadband structures are also used. Compact antennas usually have gain less than that of a dipole — that is, less than 2 dBi — and can be regarded as isotropic in the plane perpendicular to their axis.
Dipoles couple to radiation polarized along their axes, so the visibility of a tag with a simple dipole-like antenna is orientation-dependent. Tags with two orthogonal or nearly-orthogonal antennas, often known as dual-dipole tags, are much less dependent on orientation and polarization of the reader antenna, but are larger and more expensive than single-dipole tags.
Patch antennas are used to provide service in close proximity to metal surfaces, but a structure with good bandwidth is 3–6 mm thick, and the need to provide a ground layer and ground connection increases cost relative to simpler single-layer structures.
HF and UHF tag antennas are usually fabricated from copper or aluminum. Conductive inks have seen some use in tag antennas but have encountered problems with IC adhesion and environmental stability.
Current uses
Passports
RFID tags are being used in passports issued by many countries. The first RFID passports ("e-passports") were issued by Malaysia in 1998. In addition to information also contained on the visual data page of the passport, Malaysian e-passports record the travel history (time, date, and place) of entries and exits from the country.
Standards for RFID passports are determined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and are contained in ICAO Document 9303, Part 1, Volumes 1 and 2 (6th edition, 2006). ICAO refers to the ISO 14443 RFID chips in e-passports as "contactless integrated circuits". ICAO standards provide for e-passports to be identifiable by a standard e-passport logo [3] on the front cover.
RFID tags are included in new United Kingdom and some new United States passports, beginning in 2006. The US produced 10 million passports in 2005, and it has been estimated that 13 million will be produced in 2006. The chips will store the same information that is printed within the passport and will also include a digital picture of the owner. The passports will incorporate a thin metal lining to make it more difficult for unauthorized readers to "skim" information when the passport is closed.
Transport payments
Throughout Europe, and in particular in Paris in France (system started in 1995 by the (RATP)), Lyon and Marseille in France, Porto and Lisbon in Portugal, Milan and Torino in Italy, Brussels in Belgium, RFID passes conforming to the Calypso (RFID) international standard are used for public transport systems. They are also used now in Canada (Montreal), Mexico, Israel,Bogota and Pereira in Colombia, Stavanger in Norway, etc.
T-money cards can be used to pay for public transit in Seoul and surrounding cities. Some other South Korean cities have adopted the system, which can also be used in some stores as cash. T-money replaced Upass, first introduced for transport payments in 1996 using MIFARE technology.
JR East in Japan introduced SUICa (Super Urban Intelligent Card) for transport payment service in its railway transportation service in November 2001, using Sony's FeliCa (Felicity Card) technology. The same Sony technology was used in Hong Kong's Octopus card, and Singapore's EZ-Link card.
In Hong Kong, mass transit is paid for almost exclusively through the use of an RFID technology, called the Octopus Card. Originally it was launched in September 1997 exclusively for transit fare collection, but has grown to be similar to a cash card, and can be used in vending machines, fast-food restaurants and supermarkets. The card can be recharged with cash at add-value machines or in shops, and can be read several centimetres from the reader.
An Electronic Road Pricing gantry in Singapore. Gantries such as these collect tolls in high-traffic areas from active RFID units in vehicles.In Singapore, public transport buses and trains employ passive RFID cards known as EZ-Link cards. Traffic into crowded downtown areas is regulated by variable tolls imposed using an active tagging system combined with the use of stored-value cards (known as CashCards).
RFID is used in Malaysia Expressways payment system. The name for the system is Touch 'n Go. Due to the name and design, one must touch the card for usage.
In Turkey, RFID has been used in the motorways and bridges as a payment system over ten years also.
The Chicago Transit Authority has offered the Chicago Card and the Chicago Card Plus for rail payments across the entire system since 2002 and for bus payments since 2005.
The New York City Subway is conducting a trial during 2006, utilizing PayPass by MasterCard as fare payment.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority introduced the use of a CharlieCard RFID as a fare payment system which is cheaper than its paper or cash equivalent.
The Moscow Metro, the world's busiest, was the first system in Europe to introduce RFID smartcards in 1998.
In the UK, op systems for prepaying for unlimited public transport have been devised, making use of RFID technology. The design is embedded in a creditcard-like pass, that when scanned reveals details of whether the pass is valid, and for how long the pass will remain valid. The first company to implement this is the NCT company of Nottingham City, where the general public affectionately refer to them as "beep cards". It has since then been implemented with great success in London, where "Oyster cards" allow for pay-as-you-go travel as well as passes valid for various lengths of time and in various areas.
In Oslo, Norway, the upcoming public transport payment is to be entirely RFID-based. The system is to be put into production around spring 2007
In Norway, all public toll roads are equipped with an RFID payment system known as AutoPass.
Since 2002, in Taipei, Taiwan the transportation system uses RFID operated cards as fare collection. The Easy Card is charged at local convenience stores and metro stations, and can be used in Metro, buses, parking lots and taxis. The uses are planned to extend all throughout the island of Taiwan in the future.
RFID tags are used for electronic toll collection at toll booths with Georgia's Cruise Card, California's FasTrak, Illinois' I-Pass, Oklahoma's Pikepass, the expanding eastern states' E-ZPass system (including Massachusetts's Fast Lane, New Hampshire Turnpike, New Jersey Turnpike, and the Maine Turnpike), Florida's SunPass, North Texas NTTA and Houston HCTRA EZ Tag, Kansas's K-Tag, The "Cross-Israel Highway" (Highway 6), Philippines South Luzon Expressway E-Pass, Brisbane's Queensland Motorway E-Toll System in Australia, Autopista del Sol (Sun's Highway), Autopista Central (Central Highway), Autopista Los Libertadores, Costanera Norte, Vespucio Norte Express and Vespucio Sur urban Highways and every forthcoming urban highway (in a "Free Flow" modality) concessioned to private investors in Chile and all highways in Portugal (Via Verde, the first system in the world to span the entire network of tolls), France (Liber-T system), Italy (Telepass), Spain (VIA-T)… The tags, which are usually the active type, are read remotely as vehicles pass through the booths, and tag information is used to debit the toll from a prepaid account. The system helps to speed traffic through toll plazas as it records the date, time, and billing data for the RFID vehicle tag. The plaza- and queue-free 407 Express Toll Route, in the Greater Toronto Area, allows the use of a transponder (an active tag) for all billing. This eliminates the need to identify a vehicle by licence plate and saves the end user money.
The Transperth public transport network in Perth, Western Australia uses RFID technology in the new SmartRider ticketing system.
MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) has transitioned its bus and rail lines from coin tokens to the new Breeze Card system which uses RFID tags embedded in disposable paper tickets. More permanent plastic cards are available for frequent users.
In Rio de Janeiro, "RioCard" passes can be used in buses, ferries, trains and subway. There are two types, one you cannot recharge, the other one can be recharged if it's been bought by the company you work for, if they provided it (only in Brazil).
A number of ski resorts, particularly in the French Alps and in the Spanish and French Pyrenees, have adopted RFID tags to provide skiers hands-free access to ski lifts. Skiers don't have to take their passes out of their pockets.
In Santiago (Chile) the subway system Metro and the recently implemented public transportation system Transantiago uses an RFID card called Bip or Multivia.
In Medellín (Colombia) the system Metro and the recently implemented card system uses an RFID card called Cívica.
Product tracking
The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency began using RFID tags as a replacement for barcode tags. The tags are required to identify a bovine's herd of origin and this is used for tracing when a packing plant condemns a carcass. Currently CCIA tags are used in Wisconsin and by US farmers on a voluntary basis. The USDA is currently developing its own program.
RFID tags used in libraries: square book tag, round CD/DVD tag and rectangular VHS tag.High-frequency RFID tags are used in library book or bookstore tracking, pallet tracking, building access control, airline baggage tracking, and apparel and pharmaceutical item tracking. High-frequency tags are widely used in identification badges, replacing earlier magnetic stripe cards. These badges need only be held within a certain distance of the reader to authenticate the holder. The American Express Blue credit card now includes a high-frequency RFID tag.
BGN has launched two fully automated Smartstores that combine item-level RFID tagging and SOA to deliver an integrated supply chain, from warehouse to consumer.
UHF RFID tags are commonly used commercially in case, pallet, and shipping container tracking, and truck and trailer tracking in shipping yards.
Automotive
Microwave RFID tags are used in long range access control for vehicles.
Since the 1990s RFID tags have been used in car keys. Without the correct RFID, the car will not start.
In January 2003, Michelin began testing RFID transponders embedded into tires. After an 18 month testing period, the manufacturer will offer RFID-enabled tires to car makers. Their primary purpose is tire tracking in compliance with the United States Transportation, Recall, Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act (TREAD Act).
Starting with the 2004 model year, a Smart Key/Smart Start option became available to the Toyota Prius. Since then, Toyota has been introducing the feature on various models globally under both the Toyota and Lexus brands, including the Toyota Avalon (2005 model year), Toyota Camry (2007 model year), and the Lexus GS (2006 model year). The key uses an active RFID circuit allowing the car to detect the key approximately 3 feet from the sensor. The driver can open the doors and start the car with the key in a purse or pocket.
Ford, Honda, and several other manufacturers use rfid-equipped ignition keys as anti-theft measures.
Animal identification
Implanted RFID tags are also used for animal identification. There are several more or less incompatible systems.
RFID in inventory systems
An advanced automatic identification technology such as the Auto-ID system based on the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has two values for inventory systems. First, the visibility provided by this technology allows an accurate knowledge on the inventory level by eliminating the discrepancy between inventory record and physical inventory. Second, the RFID technology can prevent or reduce the sources of errors. Benefits of using RFID include the reduction of labour costs, the simplification of business processes and the reduction of inventory inaccuracies.
RFID mandates
Wal-Mart and the United States Department of Defense have published requirements that their vendors place RFID tags on all shipments to improve supply chain management [4]. Due to the size of these two organizations, their RFID mandates impact thousands of companies worldwide. The deadlines have been extended several times because many vendors face significant difficulties implementing RFID systems. In practice, the successful read rates currently run only 80%, due to radio wave attenuation caused by the products and packaging. In time it is expected that even small companies will be able to place RFID tags on their outbound shipments.
Since January, 2005, Wal-Mart has required its top 100 suppliers to apply RFID labels to all shipments. To meet this requirement, vendors use RFID printer/encoders to label cases and pallets that require EPC tags for Wal-Mart. These smart labels are produced by embedding RFID inlays inside the label material, and then printing bar code and other visible information on the surface of the label.
Human implants
Hand with the planned location of the RFID chip
Just after the operation to insert the RFID tag was completedImplantable RFID chips designed for animal tagging are now being used in humans. An early experiment with RFID implants was conducted by British professor of cybernetics Kevin Warwick, who implanted a chip in his arm in 1998. Night clubs in Barcelona, Spain and in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, use an implantable chip to identify their VIP customers, who in turn use it to pay for drinks [5].
In 2004, the Mexican Attorney General's office implanted 18 of its staff members with the Verichip to control access to a secure data room. (This number has been variously mis-reported as 160 or 180 staff members. [6])
Many books published about RFID are aimed at medium to large businesses implementing RFID technology to track shipments or livestock; however, until the publication of RFID Toys [7] by Amal Graafstra in 2006 little information was available for the enthusiast. Shortly after the book's publication, the Seattle Center On Contemporary Art [8] hosted a live implant procedure performed on Phillip Beynon, a student from Vancouver Canada.
Security experts are warned against using RFID for authenticating people due to the risk of identity theft. For instance a Mafia Fraud Attack would make it possible for an attacker to steal the identity of a person in real-time. Due to the resource-constraints of RFIDs it is virtually impossible to protect against such attack models as this would require complex distance-binding protocols.[citation needed]
RFID in libraries
Among the many uses of RFID technologies is its deployment in libraries. This technology has slowly begun to replace the traditional barcodes on library items (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.). However, the RFID tag can contain identifying information, such as a book’s title or material type, without having to be pointed to a separate database (but this is rare in North America). The information is read by an RFID reader, which replaces the standard barcode reader commonly found at a library’s circulation desk. The RFID tag found on library materials typically measures 50 mm X 50 mm in North America and 50 mm x 75 mm in Europe, and can also act as a security device, taking the place of the more traditional electromagnetic security strip.[8]
While there is some debate as to when and where RFID in libraries first began, it was first proposed in the late 1990s as a technology that would enhance workflow in the library setting. Rockefeller University in New York may have been the first academic library in the United States to utilize this technology, whereas Farmington Community Library may have been the first public institution, both of which began using RFID in 1999. Worldwide, the United States utilizes RFID in libraries more than any other nation, followed by the United Kingdom and Japan. It is estimated that over 30 million library items worldwide now contain RFID tags, including some in the Vatican Library in Rome.[9]
RFID has many applications in libraries that can be highly beneficial, particularly for circulation staff. Since RFID tags can be read through an item, there is no need to open a book cover or DVD case to scan an item. This would help alleviate injuries such as repetitive strain injury that can occur over many years. Since RFID tags can also be read while an item is in motion, using RFID readers to check-in returned items while on a conveyor belt reduces staff time. Furthermore, inventories could be done on a whole shelf of materials within seconds, without a book ever having to be taken off the shelf.[10] However, this technology remains cost prohibitive for many smaller libraries, and the conversion time has been estimated at 11 months for an average size library. With RFID taking a large burden off staff, it has also been shown to produce a threat to staff that their job duties have been replaced by technology,[9] but the threat is not realized in North America where recent surveys have not returned a single library that cut staff because of adding RFID. In fact, library budgets are being reduced for personnel and increased for infrastructure, making it necessary for libraries to add automation to makeup for the reduced staff size.
A concern surrounding RFID in libraries that has received considerable publicity is the issue of privacy. Because RFID tags can in theory be scanned and read from over 350 feet in distance, and because RFID utilizes an assortment of frequencies, there is a legitimate concern over whether sensitive information could be collected from an unwilling source. However, advocates of RFID’s use in libraries will point out that library RFID tags do not contain any patron information,[11] and that the tags used in the majority of libraries use a frequency only readable from approximately ten feet.[8] There is much yet to be written and discussed on the issue of privacy and RFID, but it is clear that vendors need to be aware of this issue and develop improved technologies for secure RFID transactions
Source: Wikipedia
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