U.K. Auto-ID Center Focuses on Small, Midsize Firms

The AIDC center was launched with a £5 million ($9.9 million) grant from Yorkshire Forward, the development agency for the Yorkshire and Humber regions, with the goal of helping the area's small and midsize enterprises adopt auto-ID technologies. The funding was used to set up the center and continues to pay for ongoing expenses, such as the contracting of independent experts who visit the companies to help them conduct auto-ID feasibility studies. The center has assisted 100 firms to date, and aims to assist 2,000 more in Yorkshire and Humber within the next two years.

Eventually, Smith says, the AIDC center is intended to become self-reliant. Designed as a hub for services, research and information, the facility will earn money from regional auto-ID centers and companies that will pay membership fees to access its information and services.

In addition to consulting and training courses offered in its 60-seat theater, the AIDC center also hosts an auto-ID lab and is involved in European Union-level research projects. The lab is used for testing new product concepts and performance testing of RFID and 2-D bar-coding hardware.

One research project in which AIDC UK is involved is CASAGRAS (Coordination and Support Action for Global RFID-related Activities and Standardization), part of the E.U. Framework 7 program. In that project, AIDC UK is working with various organizations, including the AIM UK chapter of the auto-ID trade association AIM Global, to develop global standards, regulations and the so-called Internet of Things.

Smith has been involved in auto-ID technologies since 1984, when he served as the founding general secretary of AIM Europe. He helped establish AIM affiliates in 15 European nations.