COVER STORY
RFID: A Strong Technology in a Weak Economy
Can RFID give businesses a fighting chance against hard times? A growing number of companies are convinced that it does.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS
What You Need to Know About RFID Sensors
By marrying RFID's ability to identify objects and communicate via radio waves with sensors, businesses can monitor the condition of items and environments over long distances cost-effectively.
VERTICAL FOCUS
RFID: The Key to Safer, Fresher Produce
An FDA mandate coupled with the proven benefits of temperature monitoring could drive adoption in a sector that's been slow to embrace the technology.

Departments

EDITOR'S NOTE
RFID and the New Normal
RFID can't speed economic growth or strengthen consumer demand, but it can help companies become leaner, more efficient and more competitive.
PERSPECTIVE
RFID Adoption Will Spread Across Retail Sectors
After apparel, mass merchandise and department store retailers are likely to tag products in four categories, driving adoption into those areas.
PERSPECTIVE
RFID for Customer Satisfaction
RFID can help both real and virtual sales assistants keep customers satisfied.
OUT IN FRONT
The Intelligent River
A unique project at South Carolina's Clemson University aims to automate the collection of data, to enable better management of natural resources.

Columns

ASHTON'S VIEW
The High Cost of Patent Trolls
Companies whose business is threatening alleged infringers exact money that could fund innovation.
INSIDE THE LABS
A New Approach to Pharmaceutical E-Pedigrees
EPCIS can support chain-of-custody verification—without a cumbersome data burden.
SOFTWARE SAAVY
Identifying Items
Apparel suppliers need to decide how they will assign unique serial numbers.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES
Toward a Zero-Injury Workplace
Real-time safety solutions protect employees in dangerous industries.