Oct 12, 2017The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations:
Impinj;
Identiv, NXP Semiconductors;
STMicroelectronics, the NFC Forum; the
Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway;
GS1 US;
Ocean Tomo; the Industrial Internet Consortium, and EdgeX Foundry.
Impinj Enhances RFID Distributed Operating System
Impinj, a provider of radio frequency identification solutions, has announced enhancements to its ItemSense distributed operating system for managing RFID readers and gateways. ItemSense is designed to transform item-level RFID data into actionable business information, the company reports, providing businesses with analytics and insights. New features enable shipment verification in supply chain and logistics operations.
ItemSense's capabilities include management and health monitoring of RFID deployments to simplify reader and gateway management, streamline system operation, and increase stability and uptime; software algorithms for inventory, location, and threshold detection to reduce the effort and investment for delivering actionable information to business and consumer applications; and application programming interfaces to enable application developers to quickly build solutions.
According to Impinj, what could previously be achieved using physical techniques such as RF shielding, canted antennas or multiple sensors can now be accomplished via ItemSense software algorithms. ItemSense is part of Impinj's platform comprising RAIN endpoints, connectivity and software, which provide an item's identity, location and authenticity to business and consumer applications.
"Logistics teams are looking to automate processes and provide real-time data about the movement of shipments with the systems that run shipping and receiving," said John Frederiksen, Impinj's VP of product management, in a prepared statement. "What's unique is that the Impinj platform, including ItemSense and our gateways and endpoint ICs, can determine a shipment's direction of travel without the need for cameras, lasers or motion sensors."
Impinj works with a network of experienced partners worldwide. "Our partners deliver essential expertise in RAIN technology and the design, installation and support of solutions built on the Impinj platform to solve business challenges," said Erica Beckstrom, Impinj's VP of global channel sales, in the prepared statement. "We have recently launched an enhanced portfolio of Impinj platform services, support and training to further equip our partners and support successful customer deployments."
Identiv, NXP Semiconductors Partner on NFC Tag Starter Kit
Identiv has announced its NFC Tag Starter Kit, designed in partnership with NXP Semiconductors. The kit includes 25 Near Field Communication (NFC) tags with NXP's NFC Forum Type 2/4/5 NTAG and ICODE tag ICs. Supporting a variety of features and security levels for different application requirements, the tags are compatible with Android and Apple iOS 11 devices, including tablets and mobile phones.
With the NFC Starter Kit, Identiv reports, users need not be application developers or familiar with NFC technologies. The kit enables anyone to use NFC technology to create apps that allow mobile phone and device interaction, protect brands and businesses, or improve authentication and supply chain management. Such apps include direct consumer engagement, secure product protection, product traceability, ambient condition sensing and device-to-device interaction. By enhancing physical products with digital NFC and Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities, the company explains, the technology makes products smarter.
"With the growth in connected IoT consumer products, organizations are seeking real-time, simpler, yet trusted and secure methods to protect consumers and brands," said Alexander Rensink, NXP's business segment manager for secure identification solutions, in a prepared statement. "Identiv's NFC Tag Starter Kit brings the power of NFC to app developers now and opens up an array of new possibilities for solution developers in the future."
Identiv's NFC Tag Starter Kit includes NXP's NTAG 210µ (for bar-code replacement and fast-moving consumer goods), NTAG 216 (for consumer interaction and brand protection), NTAG 213 Tag Tamper (for product integrity and authenticity and status awareness), NTAG 413 DNA (for advanced anti-counterfeiting, exclusive, tap-unique user experiences, document authentication and verified physical presence) and ICODE SLIX 2 (for device identification and supply chain management).
"Now that Apple iOS devices support NFC, the possibilities for consumers and developers are endless," said Stephane Ardiley, Identiv's director of product management, in the prepared statement. "Identiv is excited to partner with NXP to offer our NFC Tag Starter Kit to the creative minds that will revolutionize the connected IoT and give the masses the tools to discover NFC technology on their own. With NFC, products are smarter, more interactive, and more traceable—they can talk to each other and to smart devices—which means a more trustworthy world for consumers, creators, brands, and businesses."
The NFC Tag Starter Kit comes available with an optional contactless smart-card reader, Identiv's uTrust 3700 F. When connected to a Mac or PC, the reader can use the NXP TagXplorer app to reprogram tags. Information regarding Identiv's NFC Tag Starter Kit is available online at identiv.com/nfc-tag-starter-kit.
STMicroelectronics NFC Tags to Be Certified by NFC Forum
STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor company, has announced the certification of its ST25 Near Field Communication (NFC) tags by industry and standardization body NFC Forum.
According to ST, its NFC Forum Type 4 Tag IC (ST25TA), Type 5 Dynamic Tag IC (ST25DV) and Type 5 Tag IC (ST25TV) are among the first devices to pass the certification program, announced last month by the NFC Forum (see NFC Forum Incorporates Tags into Its Certification Program). The program assures performance and interoperability of NFC components to ensure "consistent, compelling and connected user experiences," according to the industry group.
Previously available only for handsets, tablets and other NFC Universal devices, the certification program now provides conformance testing for tags and readers to speed up adoption and lower costs. Commercial and consumer users can benefit from such features as direct access to websites, wireless pairing, pre-formatted emails or text messages, data logging and firmware updates.
"The universal endorsement of NFC technology by smartphone and other mobile-device manufacturers, together with interoperability certification by the NFC Forum, has started the countdown on what we expect to be an exciting time for the adoption of NFC by consumers and industry," said Benoit Rodrigues, the general manager of STMicroelectronics' memory division, in a prepared statement. "Fast certification of the ST25 tags and dynamic tags positions us to speed customers through their design and development while ultimately increasing convenience and efficiency for consumers and businesses."
The ST25TA tags support NFC Forum Type 4, enabling use cases such as tags, tokens, smart poster and business cards; they offer 128-bit password protection and include optional user-programmable CMOS output. The ST25DV NFC dynamic tags and ST25TV tags support the NFC Foru Type 5 and industrial ISO 15693 RFID specs; they enable all NFC tag use cases and can be used for logistics and traceability with long-range HF RFID reader infrastructure. The ST25DV also features an I2C interface and can harvest energy from an NFC-enabled device accessing the tag.
Malaysian Highway to Use RFID Tags for Toll Payments
The Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (Akleh) is preparing to deploy radio frequency identification tags for riders to pay tolls by early next year. The Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) Group expects to implement the RFID system along Akleh, and subsequently on five other highways.
Akleh conducted testing on how to implement RFID on specific types of vehicles, such as police cars. The agency's goal is to eventually move toward a fully electronic payment system, in order to ease traffic flow. The RFID-based system includes a reader that interrogates tags at a range of 27 meters (88.6 feet) with a 10-millisecond response time.
Prolintas, which is wholly owned by Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), operates Akleh and five other highways. These include the Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE), the Kemuning-Shah Alam Highway (LKSA), the Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK), the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) and the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH).
GS1 US Accepting Proposals for Connect 2018 Event
With a focus on supply chain, e-commerce, and technology topics and solutions, GS1 US is currently accepting applications from those interested in presenting at the annual GS1 Connect 2018 conference and exhibition, to be held on June 5-7 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge, in Phoenix, Ariz.
GS1 US has invited proposals from companies that leverage GS1 standards for the conference's five main industry tracks in grocery, retail, health care, food service and standards. Solution providers can submit proposals for the Tech Track, which offers an opportunity for firms to showcase their services and products during exhibit hours.
Presentation topics should relate to the successful and innovative implementation of GS1 standards to solve a business-process challenge in at least one of the following areas: e-commerce, traceability and safety, product and location identification, data quality and management, inventory management, and product information or content acquisition. Topics may include proving the return on investment for a data-quality program, how to optimize operational efficiency in the supply chain, and leveraging standards for innovation amid industry disruption.
"This year, companies across many industries have had to contend with changing consumer behaviors, mergers and acquisitions, new business models, and a changing regulatory landscape both here in the US and globally," said Bob Carpenter, the president and CEO of GS1 US, in a prepared statement. "Out of such disruption, we look forward to some very thought-provoking sessions that will help attendees and their companies adapt to the new normal."
GS1 Connect attendees can exchange ideas and learn from GS1 standards implementation examples. The conference and exhibition are geared toward executives, directors and managers in customer service and relations, electronic data interchange, finance, information technology, e-commerce, materials handling, operations, packaging, pharmacies, supply chain management, transportation, logistics and more.
Applications to present during a GS1 Connect industry track or the Tech Track must be received by Jan. 31, 2018. Applications will be evaluated based on industry relevance and usefulness of topic to GS1 standards users and conference attendees. To access the online submission forms, or for more information, visit gs1connect.org/GetInvolved.
Ocean Tomo Offers Patent Lot on Sensor and RFID Technologies
Ocean Tomo, the creator of the Ocean Tomo Bid-Ask Market, has announced that it is presenting Lot 43, comprising HP Inc. patents related to sensor and RFID technologies. This lot will be available for auction on the Ocean Tomo Bid-Ask Market through Oct. 20, 2017.
The patents in this lot include technologies related to thermal and flow sensors, media stack control, temperature monitoring system, variable signal range, secure currency, and tailored content response based on product identifier method and apparatus, among others. Patents in Lot 43 have been cited in more than 95 subsequent patent filings by more than 40 companies inventing in this space. Companies citing this technology include IBM, Zebra Technologies, Honeywell, Ricoh, ABB., MPT and Corning.
The HP auction will be held in both English and Mandarin for brokers located in both the United States and China. Ocean Tomo Bid-Ask professionals located in those countries can manage the needs of buyers in their local time zones, as well ass in their native languages.
Industrial Internet Consortium, EdgeX Foundry Announce Liaison
The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), an organization dedicated to accelerating adoption of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and EdgeX Foundry, an open-source project building a common interoperability framework to facilitate an ecosystem for IoT edge computing, have announced that they have agreed to a liaison. Under the terms of the agreement, the organizations will work together to align their efforts to maximize interoperability, portability, security and privacy for the industrial Internet.
Joint activities between the IIC and EdgeX Foundry will include identifying and sharing best practices, collaborating on test beds and experimental projects, working toward interoperability by harmonizing architecture and other elements, collaborating on common elements and periodically hosting joint seminars. "We are excited about working with EdgeX Foundry," said James Clardy, EdgeX Foundry's IIC liaison, in a prepared statement. "And we look forward to leveraging the experiences of the IIC to help further accelerate the adoption of the industrial Internet."
"EdgeX Foundry's primary goal is to simplify and accelerate Industrial IoT by delivering a unified edge computing platform supported by an ecosystem of solutions providers," said Philip DesAutels, The Linux Foundation's senior director of IoT, in the prepared statement. "Formalizing this liaison relationship with the IIC is fundamental to unlocking business value at scale. Together, we will provide better best practices that will drive the unification of the industrial IoT."
The agreement is among many made by the IIC Liaison Working Group, which provides a gateway for formal relationships with standards and open-source organizations, consortia, alliances, certification and testing bodies, and government entities and agencies. For a list of current liaisons, click here.
