Wrap-Up of EPCglobal US Conference RFID News

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This week's EPCglobal US Conference in Los Angeles provided a forum for the debut of a number of new products and new industry partnerships. This article lists the relevant announcements to come out of the show.

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Oct 19, 2006This article was originally published by RFID Update.

October 19, 2006—This week's EPCglobal US Conference in Los Angeles provided a forum for the debut of a number of new products and industry partnerships. This article lists the relevant announcements to come out of the show.

  • EPCglobal has released the EPC Implementation Advisor 1.0, a self-help tool designed to support small and medium-sized companies. The online tool helps trading partners connect and share EPC data. Learn more here.
     
  • EPCglobal also announced the first companies to earn its software certification for EPC/RFID products. The eleven companies receiving the certification were: 7iD Technologies, Supply Insight, BEA Systems, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, GlobeRanger, MetaRights, NEC, NTT Comware, Skandsoft Technologies, TIBCO Software, and Vue Technology. See the announcement here.
     
  • The WJC200 is an RFID reader chipset from WJ Communications that meets the EPCglobal Gen2/ISO 18000-6C and ISO 18000-6B international standards. The new UHF chipset will serve as the basis of WJ's next generation of RFID modules. More details here.
     
  • OMNITROL Networks announced general availability of the OMNITROL device, the service-oriented multiprocessor edge appliance that delivers business optimization services without backend systems integration. The OMNITROL is aimed at providing a means to optimize and innovate business operations using X-Internet sensor networks, which includes RFID, WiFi, RTLS, PLC and sensors.
     
  • Sirit hopes to be cash-flow neutral in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. The company is taking a headcount reduction of more than 25%, will close two locations, and plans to streamline its development efforts to focus on revenue-generating opportunities. For more, see the announcement here.
     
  • Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics has signed a non-exclusive agreement with Berlin-based Nanotron Technologies to jointly develop solutions for the real time location systems (RTLS) market. See the announcement here.
     
  • Via Licensing, in association with the RFID Licensing Consortium, has put out a call for essential patents with respect to the air interface standards and specifications announced by EPCglobal and ISO/IEC for UHF RFID technology. Standards covered by the call include EPC Air Interface Gen1 (Classes 0, 0+ and 1) and Gen2 (Class 1), as well as ISO/IEC 18000-Part 6. For details, see the announcement.
     
  • Omron RFID is now shipping its EPC Gen2 V750 interrogator in the US market. See details here.
     
  • RSI ID Technologies announced the release of three RFID tags based on the Gen2 chip from NXP Semiconductors. The three tag designs offer additional user memory, allowing companies to add a wide range of additional information to RFID tags above and beyond EPC numbers.
     
  • TrueDemand Software has released its TrueDemand 2.0 suite of execution-based forecasting and replenishment solutions. The software utilizes demand signal and inventory movement information, including point-of-sale, RFID and collaboration data. See the announcement here (pdf).
     
  • Intermec unveiled the RFID Small Rigid Tag, a rugged, reusable tag that can withstand extreme temperatures and harsh environments. It is available in both EPCglobal Gen2 and ISO 18000-6B versions. More details here.
     
  • Zebra Technologies has selected SkyeTek's M2 as the embedded RFID reader module for its R110XiHF printer/encoder. SkyeTek also announced the M9 UHF SkyeModule, an EPC reader module that is half the size of a business card. The first announcement and the second announcement.
     
  • RFID solution provider Vue Technology will jointly offer item-level RFID solutions for retailers through a partnership with printer specialist Paxar. The companies have developed mobile cart, hand-held, and an integrated mobile cart/smart shelf solutions using Vue's TrueVUE RFID Platform, just released in its third generation. Vue also signed a distribution agreement with Marubeni and its Mighty Card subsidiary, granting the Japanese company the exclusive distribution rights to the TrueVUE RFID platform in Japan and non-exclusive distribution outside of Japan. All three announcements here.
     
  • Printer manufacturer Printronix announced its SLPA8000r, a bar code printer that can be upgraded for RFID labeling in the field. According to the company, the printer can encode, print and apply tags in excess of 100 cases per minute. Read the announcement.
     
  • Loftware has released a new bar code and RFID software version of its enterprise suite offering. Loftware Printer Server (LPS) 9.0 contains six RFID label templates currently used by Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense, as well as supplemental support for RFID reader and printer hardware. Loftware also signed a letter of intent to integrate its print server with SAP R/3 and mySAP using Junot Systems' NLINK product. Read the first announcement here, and the second here.
     
  • Alien Technology, Oracle and Intel have teamed up to develop an RFID business solution for the transportation, automotive and aerospace industries that combines the three companies' software, hardware and integration expertise. The solution will be available at the RFID Solutions Center Dayton for customer evaluation and proof-of-concept. Here's the announcement.
     
  • Alien Technology also introduced the ALX-9010 Series of portal appliances for dock door implementations, and the new line of "World Readers" that provides a common hardware platform for use in the Americas, Europe and Asia/Pacific. Details on both announcements here.
     
  • The US National Guard has selected Savi Technology to provide an RFID tracking system for supplies at Armories and in deployed operations. Under the $4.6 million contract, Savi will provide National Guard units with its Portable Deployment Kits (PDKs) and related equipment. See more here.
     
  • Tag and inlay manufacturer UPM Raflatac has been selected by Toshiba to develop a large Gen2 RFID supply chain solution in Europe. Toshiba Europe hopes to increase productivity at its Regensburg, Germany, plant by deploying RFID in its warehouse to track pallets of laptop computers. Toshiba TEC will provide printers, and ADT Security/Tyco will supply reader hardware. More info here.
     
  • GlobeRanger and IT services company Atos Origin have formed a partnership to offer RFID solutions. FloraHolland, a Netherlands-based flower auction company, is their first joint customer. FloraHolland is using the Atos/GlobeRanger solution to track moving trolleys in its warehouse using RFID tags and readers from DL Tech. See the announcement here.
     
  • Container Centralen, which manages returnable container pools for the retail and flower industries, is piloting an RFID asset tracking system using an Electronic Product Code Information Service (EPCIS)-compliant solution built on Oracle Fusion Middleware. The system, developed with Capgemini, will enable to the company to track containers throughout the supply chain. More info here.
     
  • CACI International, a provider of IT and network systems for government and defense customers, has joined the RFID Solutions Center Dayton as a Solutions Center Partner. CACI hopes to leverage the Center to deliver RFID solutions for the US Navy. "Among other advantages, the Center will provide CACI clientele with an exceptional environment for leveraging the lessons learned and best practices developed by other DoD and commercial RFID users, profiting from collaboration with major research universities, and engaging in independent validation and verification of proposed RFID solutions," said Jeff Renard, senior vice president of CACI. Read the release from Alien Technology here.
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