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Savi Unveils Developer Tools Program, System on Chip, to Spur Growth
The company offers its developer tools to businesses seeking an RFID solution—complying with the ISO 18000-7 RFID standard for 433 MHz active tags—to enhance their own hardware or software product.
By Claire Swedberg
July 2, 2010—Savi Technology has announced it is offering its applications, services and hardware, known collectively as the Savi Developer Tools—including the new RFID system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology—with the goal of making it easier for other companies to create 433 MHz RFID active tags and other products complying with the ISO 18000-7 standard (also known as Dash7).
The move follows other efforts during the past 15 months intended to help promote the adoption and increase the availability of Dash7 RFID hardware to the technology's primary user—the U.S. military—as well as to a variety of other vertical markets that have not yet deployed Dash7 RFID systems (see Dash7 Alliance Seeks to Promote RFID Hardware Based on ISO 18000-7 Standard, Savi's New Licensing Program Slashes Costs for ISO 18000-7 and DOD Tests, Buys New ISO 18000-7 Tags From Four Companies).
The program offers developers an entire package of Savi tools, including its Web services, SmartChain software and hardware, such as reader boards and tag modules. In years past, Savi has offered portions of this kit, including software and Internet services, on a limited basis, as needed, says Paul Krakow, the company's director of business development. However, for the first time, it is now offering the entire set, which is now available. Prices vary according to the services, applications or hardware that a company purchases directly from Savi. "We finally got to the point where we could provide every piece of the entire stack," he says. "We've had a backlog of people wanting to play with our technology, and the numbers have been increasing. By making this kit available, we're offering an easier way for developers to get started."
The Developer Tools include Web services hosted by Savi and available on the firm's Web Services page, which other companies can use to create their own Web applications that connect to the Savi-hosted Web services—such as I-Guides, a software system to help create and manage unique identifiers (UIDs) for equipment produced for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
"A computer vendor could set up its order-processing system to connect with the I-Guides Web service to automatically generate an IUID for any government orders," Krakow explains. Other Web services offered as part of the Developer Tools program are the Savi Asset Life Cycle Management service and the Shipment Life Cycle Management service, which could be utilized to enable applications that display updates regarding the location of a shipment or asset. These Web services, Krakow says, will be available free to developers through Sept. 30, 2010; following that period, a usage fee may be charged.
The Developer Tools program also includes what are known as "adaptive applications," which are the five applications included in Savi's SmartChain suite of software applications designed to transform automated data into actionable information in order to monitor the location, security and condition of assets while in transit or on-site. According to Savi, by employing the SmartChain applications as is, or by building their own customized system off the SmartChain applications, developers can lower the cost of creating an asset-management or supply-chain-management solution. The SmartChain applications consist of the SmartChain Asset Management Application; the Consignment Management Application; Site Manager, for managing an RFID infrastructure at a specific site; Workstation, for day-to-day business operations at the site; and Mobile applications, for handheld reader management.
Finally, the kit comes with Savi RFID hardware components that companies would require to embed active RFID products into their own hardware and software products. That hardware includes a Savi reader board, for those looking to adapt an ISO 18000-7 system to their existing reader technology, or Savi readers themselves, to capture tag ID numbers and forward that information to the SmartChain software.
July 2, 2010—Savi Technology has announced it is offering its applications, services and hardware, known collectively as the Savi Developer Tools—including the new RFID system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology—with the goal of making it easier for other companies to create 433 MHz RFID active tags and other products complying with the ISO 18000-7 standard (also known as Dash7).
The move follows other efforts during the past 15 months intended to help promote the adoption and increase the availability of Dash7 RFID hardware to the technology's primary user—the U.S. military—as well as to a variety of other vertical markets that have not yet deployed Dash7 RFID systems (see Dash7 Alliance Seeks to Promote RFID Hardware Based on ISO 18000-7 Standard, Savi's New Licensing Program Slashes Costs for ISO 18000-7 and DOD Tests, Buys New ISO 18000-7 Tags From Four Companies).
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| The SmartChain Asset Inventory application |
The program offers developers an entire package of Savi tools, including its Web services, SmartChain software and hardware, such as reader boards and tag modules. In years past, Savi has offered portions of this kit, including software and Internet services, on a limited basis, as needed, says Paul Krakow, the company's director of business development. However, for the first time, it is now offering the entire set, which is now available. Prices vary according to the services, applications or hardware that a company purchases directly from Savi. "We finally got to the point where we could provide every piece of the entire stack," he says. "We've had a backlog of people wanting to play with our technology, and the numbers have been increasing. By making this kit available, we're offering an easier way for developers to get started."
The Developer Tools include Web services hosted by Savi and available on the firm's Web Services page, which other companies can use to create their own Web applications that connect to the Savi-hosted Web services—such as I-Guides, a software system to help create and manage unique identifiers (UIDs) for equipment produced for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
"A computer vendor could set up its order-processing system to connect with the I-Guides Web service to automatically generate an IUID for any government orders," Krakow explains. Other Web services offered as part of the Developer Tools program are the Savi Asset Life Cycle Management service and the Shipment Life Cycle Management service, which could be utilized to enable applications that display updates regarding the location of a shipment or asset. These Web services, Krakow says, will be available free to developers through Sept. 30, 2010; following that period, a usage fee may be charged.
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| Paul Krakow, Savi's director of business development |
Finally, the kit comes with Savi RFID hardware components that companies would require to embed active RFID products into their own hardware and software products. That hardware includes a Savi reader board, for those looking to adapt an ISO 18000-7 system to their existing reader technology, or Savi readers themselves, to capture tag ID numbers and forward that information to the SmartChain software.
