Jun 28, 2012The following are news announcements made during the past week.
Rewe Supermarkets Expand Rollout of Mojix RFID System
Mojix has announced that the Rewe Group has expanded its use of Mojix's STAR RFID technology to more than 15 Rewe distribution centers throughout Germany. The company originally began testing the STAR solution at its DC in Buttenheim, in southern Germany (see Rewe Deploying Long-Range Real-Time Location RFID System). Mojix's STAR system—which won the 2008 RFID Journal Award for Best in Show (see Mojix Wins First-Ever Best in Show Award at RFID Journal LIVE! 2008 and The Brightest Star)—has a real-time location feature allowing for the identification of passive EPC Gen 2 tags over a long distance (see Mojix Upgrades Product Line, Offers Demo in 3-D). Rewe initially deployed the STAR system to track the movements of returnable transport items (RTIs)—specifically, frozen food containers—at distribution centers. The STAR system enables Rewe to track each container individually, and to determine when and where every RTI appears; this, the company reports, will help it to improve its overall management process. "As one of the fastest growing retail groups in Europe, it is imperative for us to invest in a RFID system that provides us with real-time data along the entire supply chain for us to maximize efficiencies in the flow of RTIs between our distribution centers and stores," said Matthias Bär, the manager of Rewe's Logistics Group, in a prepared statement. "The Mojix system provides us with deep visibility into which RTIs are returning from the Rewe stores to the distribution centers, allowing us to better manage this flow. Mojix also helps us minimize buffer storage, reduce purchase of new RTIs and increase accountability of various parties within the supply chain for product loss." According to Mojix, its STAR system is designed to scale across enterprise-wide supply chain locations, and is capable of locating passive RFID sensors in large spaces—one STAR receiver can cover more than 20,000 square meters (215,280 square feet), and read an RFID tag from a distance of 200 meters (656 feet).
HID Global Debuts New, Tiny RFID Glass Tag
HID Global has announced a new ISO-compliant glass tag the size of a grain of rice, designed for use in tagging very small animals, as well as for industry and logistical applications requiring tiny RFID tags. The Glass Tag Mini tag measures 1.4 millimeters (0.05 inch) in diameter and 8 millimeters (0.31 inch) in length, and weighs 0.03 grams (0.0001 ounce). It represents the latest application of HID Global's patented direct-bonding technology, which allows the firm to mount antennas to the smallest integrated low-frequency (LF) chips available, such as the EM4200 model, from EM Microelectronic, and the Hitag µ tag from NXP Semiconductors. "Smaller is better for implantable animal ID tags, but only if the tags can be read reliably," said Jean-Miguel Robadey, HID Global's director of business development for identification technologies, in a prepared statement. "The Glass Tag Mini sets a new, higher standard for implantable RFID transponders, especially for tagging small animals. Today, HID Global's exclusive ability to handle the new generation miniature chips enables the production of smaller animal ID tags that still deliver read ranges needed for reliable performance." The new tag, according to HID Global, has a bioglass capsule that protects the enclosed electronics, with unlimited resistance to water, fluids and chemicals. An optional parylene coating improves and accelerates tissue adhesion, the company reports, thereby preventing the movement of tags implanted subcutaneously. Glass Tag Mini transponders operate at low frequency (134.2 kHz), and are compliant with the ISO 11784, ISO 11785 and ISO 14223 standards. Application areas include production-management systems for fisheries and poultry farms, and the tag is also suitable for laboratory test animals, including mice and rats. Additionally, the tag offers a minimally traumatic identification tag solution for small pets, such as small dogs, cats and ferrets. The Glass Tag Mini tag is also available with a 125 kHz chip, for industrial applications requiring a micro-sized form factor. The new tag is available now.
Samsung UK Promotes NFC RFID-enabled Ticketing for Live Events
Samsung Electronics UK has announced its involvement in the rollout of a Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID-enabled ticketing technology at live music events throughout the United Kingdom. As part of its association with Kilimanjaro Live, an organizer of shows, events and festivals, and Intellitix, a provider of RFID access-control and cashless-payment solutions, Samsung will bring RFID technology to festival goers that it says is designed to provide secure access to gigs and eliminate lines for those entering the festival grounds. The technology includes RFID-enabled wristbands provided by Samsung and made with passive chips compliant with the ISO 15693 standard. Samsung reports that the wristbands have been manufactured by a third party, though it declines to identify that company, or to identify which vendor is providing the ISO-compliant chips used in the wristbands. Samsung's RFID-enabled wristbands were employed earlier this month at the Red Hot Chili Peppers' concert at Knebworth Park, in Stevenage, England, and will be utilized at the Wakestock music and wakeboarding festival, being held in August 2012, in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. At the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, which was a one-day event, visitors coming in had their wristbands scanned via handheld RFID readers from M3 Mobile, according to Greg Parmley, Intellitix's CIO. For Wakestock, in addition to the handhelds, there will also be Intellitix custom-built access-control portals featuring Feig Electronic reader antennas and multiple battery backups. The RFID wristbands are read by an Intellitix RFID portal upon each visitor's arrival, in order to validate that individual's entry, and attendees can then decide if they want to link their bands to their social-media profiles, or use them to enter competitions associated with both events. A Samsung Galaxy Note experiential tent, located on site at both events, lets festival goers personalize their wristbands to check in on Facebook and share their experience with friends online, as well as sample both the Galaxy Note smartphone/tablet hybrid and the recently released Galaxy S III smartphone, which has a built-in NFC RFID reader. Also located within the Samsung tent is an Intellitix Live Click Station—a giant reproduction of a Galaxy S III phone—enabling fans to enter a competition to win VIP upgrades, courtesy of Samsung. "In future, everyone will be able to use their mobile phone as their ticket, whether they are music fans going to a gig, or a commuters traveling to work," said Simon Stanford, the VP of Samsung's telecommunications and networks division for the United Kingdom and Ireland, in a prepared statement. "So we're excited to be aligning ourselves with that technology and to be bringing a new experience to both our customers and to music fans across the country."
ID&C, a U.K.-based provider of security, promotional and contactless payment wristbands, has once again made an appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival, a multiday music event dating back to the late 1960s. Held on June 22-24, 2012, on the Isle of Wight, the festival featured such acts as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Pearl Jam, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. This year, more than 10,000 attendees utilized RFID-enabled wristbands, provided by ID&C, in order to make cashless transactions for food and drink throughout the site. The RFID-enabled bands were offered when, prior to the festival, each general ticket holder was given the chance to upgrade his or her standard wristband to an RFID version that, when activated, would be linked to that person's debit or credit card. Visitors using the wristbands could spend up to £20 in a single transaction; after the festival, any unused credit would be automatically refunded to that individual's card. At last year's festival, attendees in the VIP arena were provided with the wristbands, preloaded with money (see RFID News Roundup: Isle of Wight Festival Guests Sport Contactless Wristbands). This year, all of the main bars throughout the site, as well as at a number of catering outlets, accepted the RFID wristbands throughout the weekend. "The transactions are faster than paying by cash or traditional chip and pin," said Andy Gratton, one of the Isle of Wight Festival's food traders, in a prepared statement. "People now have their ticket entry, festival ID and their wallet all in their wristband. It's really convenient, and I can see it becoming more and more popular," said Steve Daly, ID&C's operations director, adding that this year, "it's been great to see the technology rolled out to a wider festival audience." ID&C, MasterCard UK, Vodafone, technology company IVS and catering firm Central Catering partnered with the festival's organizers to offer the new RFID wristbands.
Futura Mobility, AeroScout Announce Health-care Partnership for Real-Time Location System
Futura Mobility, a provider of end-to-end mobile technology solutions, has entered into a partnership with AeroScout, a provider of Wi-Fi-based real-time location systems (RTLS) for the health-care industry. The partnership represents Futura Mobility's first alliance with an RTLS provider. Under the terms of the agreement, Futura Mobility will leverage AeroScout's RTLS solutions. Key components of the collaboration include temperature and humidity monitoring, patient flow and safety. Futura Mobility's proprietary Mobile Managed Services Platform, the company reports, supports a variety of mobile products and services, including more than 250,000 devices for 2,500 health-care, enterprise and manufacturing clients. In a prepared statement, David Gulian, Futura Mobility's CEO, said AeroScout's RTLS—which can locate and track assets, both indoors and out—"is the most comprehensive solution we've found. We understand that improving efficiency in asset management is a critical element to success and are excited about the benefits this will bring to our health-care clients."
Enso-Detego Updates Detego Suite RFID Software
Enso-Detego has announced an update to the latest version of its detego suite of RFID software modules for managing the receipt of inbound goods, inventory verification and electronic data interchange. The suite includes middleware that connects RFID devices to systems. Version 3.1 of the detego Suite includes a Report Center designed to make it easier for businesses to analyze data generated by their RFID processes, so that they can then make better supply chain decisions, the company reports. A central RFID Inventory Information Server (RFID IIS) processes and stores a multitude of data, while a new, Web-based reporting function in detego Suite 3.1 makes information gleaned from the RFID processes available on demand. According to Enso-Detego, comprehensive inventory analysis reports can be accessed that show current inventories of multiple sites, as well as inconsistencies with stated inventory. Reports on sales, theft and other inventory differences are also available. The results are available in the form of reports, and can be displayed as PDF, CSV or Microsoft Excel files, or they can be exported into existing IT systems. "For purchasers, category managers and shop managers of retail companies this makes work much easier and finally provides the necessary insight into the versatility of goods flow processes," said Tom Vieweger, Enso-Detego's key account manager, in a prepared statement. In early 2012, the firm unveiled detego Suite 3.1 (see RFID News Roundup: Enso-Detego Unveils New Version of RFID Suite). At that time, the software was made available in a cloud version, which the company said provided secure access to all process-relevant information at any time, and from any location. The detego suite was developed by RFID vendor RF-iT Solutions, which was acquired by Enso-Detego (formerly Enso SmartPack) in October 2011 (see RFID News Roundup: Enso SmartPack Acquires RF-iT Solutions).
