RFID Journal LIVE! 2017

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

RFID ROI for Brands and Manufacturers: Fulfillment Center and Distribution Center Operations and Data Exchange

RFID technology is rapidly moving up the supply chain to distribution centers and fulfillment centers. Some users have found a variety of ways in which to leverage RFID, from operational changes to the earliest emergence of item-level data exchange between supply chain partners, focusing on such high-cost issues as claims and electronic proof of delivery. The presenter will share four key points throughout a DC at which RFID can apply the most leverage, including potential hardware setups, data-capture accuracy and the real business value of increased visibility.

09 May, 2017 12:15 pm

Lunch

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

Legislation and Standardization

Legislation regarding the use of RFID varies around the world and is subject to almost constant ongoing review. Standards will ensure compliance with legislation, and also guarantee interoperability between RFID systems manufactured by different technology providers. This session will offer an update on the latest developments by legislative and standardization bodies around the world.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Live Demo: RFID in the Real World

Theory is nice, but wait until you experience RFID in action and see its potential—as well as the potential challenges you might encounter while deploying the technology. Our live demonstration of a UHF RFID interrogator with a variety of products will highlight many real-world issues that arise when deploying RFID. In addition, the instructor will demonstrate how antenna polarization and the presence of metal and liquids can affect the ability to read a tag on products, as well as various approaches to alleviating this problem.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

The Physics Behind RFID

Obtain a fundamental understanding of RFID hardware. This session will cover the different frequency bands used: LF (125 KHz), HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (860 to 960 MHz and 2.45 GHz). The instructor will explore the nature of RF fields and radio propagation, including the complex areas of null spots, reflections, polarization and other issues. By explaining many buzzwords common within the RFID community, we will provide delegates with the terminology they need to understand the technology, and to work with systems integrators and other RFID vendors.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

DARPA SHIELD Improves Traceability and Deters Counterfeiting

The integrity of both U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial electronic systems is challenged by the presence of counterfeit integrated circuits (ICs) in the supply chain. DARPA created the Supply Chain Hardware Integrity for Electronics Defense (SHIELD) program to develop hardware and software that enhances supply chain traceability and discourages electronics counterfeiting. Learn what new technologies are being introduced in this program. Audience participation in a discussion of commercialization prospects is welcome.

09 May, 2017 2:30 pm

Break

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Real-World Considerations

The instructor will discuss some of the important practical issues that must be considered when embarking on an RFID deployment. These range from the all-important cost of tags and interrogators to practical approaches to ensuring high operational reliability. Example application areas will be presented, in order to highlight how to apply these insights in the real world.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Building an RFID Business Case

Developing a strategy and business case is the first step toward understanding how RFID technology can develop high-performance results. The presenter will discuss various scenarios for RFID strategy and business-case development, and provide an in-depth look at components and output. Emphasis will be placed on defining the value of information, and on how to evaluate various pricing strategies for RFID deployments.

09 May, 2017 4:15 pm

Preconference Ends

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

Linking RFID to Inventory-Management Best Practices

RFID has finally reached a level of maturity at which a critical number of end users are benefiting from the technology at the warehouse level. This session will discuss practical examples of how these companies are using RFID to benefit from real-time visibility into their operations, and to improve their supply chain and inventory-management performance.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

Targeting the Correct RFID Technology for the Right Project

This session will present proven methods used to discover profitable challenges that can be addressed with RFID, and specific tools for selecting the proper technology for your specific project. Wisely selecting the correct RFID candidate projects and the proper technology will help your organization minimize its investment, while improving supply chain efficiency more quickly.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Key Steps in Building an Inventory-Management RFID Solution: Build Your Own RFID Portal

You’ve probably seen an RFID implementation that demonstrates the tracking of incoming and outgoing inventory at the warehouse dock door in the blink of an eye, and that automatically triggers events, warnings and processes. If you’ve ever wondered how to implement such a system, then this session is for you. We will assemble the solution from bare components, test the complete RFID-enabled portal and start conducting supply chain transactions (automated receiving and shipping, for example). This session will help you understand how to move from simple RFID data capture to real-time transactions, and enable the basis of building a smart supply chain easily and at a low entry cost. The next step will be for you to create your own RFID portal.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Designing Your RFID Solution

RFID is not just about tags and readers. It’s a multi-layer system comprising different hardware and software technologies, integrated with your existing enterprise’s back-end systems and connected to communication networks. Many scenarios can be envisioned to address an RFID initiative, each of which will have an impact on the solution’s design, as well as its benefits—thus suggesting a trade-off analysis. This session will help you understand how to leverage RFID’s ability to automatically identify objects, enable real-time inventory tracking and facilitate the tracking and tracing of products and related information throughout the supply chain—and how to design a solution accordingly.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Building Your RFID Business Case

RFID can provide several advantages over existing automated-identification technologies in terms of supply chain and inventory management. In order to build a realistic business case and justify your investment, both qualitatively and quantifiably, you will need to accurately evaluate RFID’s marginal impact and benefits over existing technologies. This session will help you understand how to measure the technology’s impact on your supply chain process performance, by using specific key performance indicators. In addition, the presenters will explain how to document an RFID business case within your four walls, and throughout your supply chain.

09 May, 2017 10:30 am

RFID Basics

New to RFID? This optional session for all preconference attendees provides an introduction to the fundamentals of the technology. The differences between the various classes of tags will be explained, including active and passive systems, and the need for additional IT systems to build upon RFID in real-world applications will be highlighted. The session will also include a brief overview of the EPCglobal network, the future of ISO standards, ETSI reader regulations and the latest standardization efforts worldwide. Finally, the relationship between different standards in the area of EPC RFID, including the latest EPC Gen 2 standard, will be presented.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

RFID Visibility Data for Business Applications

To many, RFID data is what comes out of an RFID reader, but routing the raw information from a reader directly to a business application is a sure path to problems. The business application is locked into the way that information is captured, and the capture operations on the factory floor cannot be upgraded without disturbing the business applications. This session will show how to design RFID visibility data in a way that decouples data capture by RFID readers and other devices from information used by business applications. The role of the EPC Information Services (EPCIS) standard will be discussed, and the presenter will explain how that standard can be used effectively, even in closed-loop applications and by those not utilizing Electronic Product Codes.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

RFID Data-Capture Software

RFID allows for data capture without human intervention, and for many tags to be sensed at once. This makes RFID data capture significantly more complex than reading bar codes or human data entry. Capturing meaningful data often requires the development or customization of software in order to orchestrate RFID devices with other sensors, human interaction and back-end systems. At the same time, the data-capture infrastructure must manage many RFID interrogators and keep them running, even if unattended. This session will explore how to architect a well-layered software system that separates these concerns, and illustrates typical RFID data-capture paradigms. The presenter will also introduce several data-capture standards, including LLRP, ALE, RM and DCI.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Putting It Together: Architecture, Product Selection and IT Governance

This session will outline how to put together the elements described in the preceding two sessions, in order to create complete enterprise-scale software architecture for RFID-based visibility. With such a setup, an enterprise can define architectural plans that meet business requirements and provide for growth and change, and then use those plans to drive the selection of commercial hardware and software products, rather than the other way around. The presenter will also explain the role of IT governance, and describe a design methodology to ensure that RFID is implemented consistently, and with scalability across an enterprise and the supply chain.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

RFID Tag-Data Standards

As RFID tags grow in capacity and sophistication, the possible methods for storing information on them becomes ever more complex. Whereas tags carried just a simple “license plate” identifier in the past, they now have a full random-access “user memory” that can be employed by applications to store a variety of business data. This session will provide an overview of the myriad of data standards that have evolved to take advantage of these features, including the popular Electronic Product Code (EPC); the ISO/IEC 15962 standard for user memory and its variations, including the latest “packed objects” standard; and the different data systems, including GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs), ANSI Data Identifiers (DIs) and aerospace Text Element Identifiers (TEIs).

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

RFID Data-Capture Standards: LLRP and ALE

The first task in many RFID implementations is to interface with RFID interrogators—which is significantly more complex than interfacing with a bar-code scanner. Fortunately, there are widely adopted standards that can help ease the task, and that enable developers to focus on the business problem they are trying to solve. The Low-Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) provides a standardized interface to RFID interrogator devices, while the Application-Level Events (ALE) standard defines a standardized way for application business logic to obtain the data it requires from a network of RFID devices. This session will explore these two standards in detail, outline their use in commercial products, and show how developers can utilize them to rapidly build robust, vendor-independent RFID systems.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

GS1 US Item Level RFID Workgroup Update

Adoption of EPC-enabled item-level RFID has seen steady growth in the retail sector since the industry began piloting it in late 2008. Since then, adoption has reached a tipping point, with more than 73 percent of retail trading partners either currently implementing or piloting the technology, according to the “Kurt Salmon RFID in Retail Study 2016” report. Within the GS1 US Item Level RFID Workgroup, a team of dedicated brands, retailers, and solution and technology partners have continually collaborated to support the development of retail-specific, value-driving use cases that demonstrate the efficacy of EPC-enabled RFID technology on global source-to-consumer supply chain business processes. In 2017, this effort continues with additional peer-sharing and dedicated research to support the supplier ROI model. This session will provide an update on the extensive work taking place in the workgroup and in industry. Hear how RFID is being used to power today’s frictionless unified commerce retailing strategies, and how it provides the foundation for inventory management efficiency and future business growth.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

The Benefits for Apparel Manufacturers

There has been a lot of talk about the benefits that RFID brings to retailers, but apparel manufacturers can also benefit from using the technology. Li & Fung, a supply chain services firm based in Hong Kong, has helped many companies in the South China region to take advantage of RFID. Learn how to implement an RFID system in manufacturing and where manufacturers can achieve real benefits.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

The Value of Tracking Shoes With RFID—Advantages and Findings

ANWR Group, a European trade cooperative composed of footwear, leather-goods, sporting-goods and bicycle retailers, has completed a three-store proof-of-concept project involving the RFID-tagging of shoes. The goal was to compare apparel findings with shoes, prove whether passive RFID can effectively track inventory, prevent theft, optimize processes and enable sales. Different technology types have been tested, including handheld readers, ceiling antennas and RFID robots. Learn the results of the study and hear how ANWR is developing standards for the tagging of shoes, which could benefit all shoe retailers.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Jack Wills Deploys RFID to Drive Stock Accuracy

British retailer Jack Wills is using RFID to improve visibility into its stock movements. After a successful proof-of-concept at two of its stores, the chain—which operates more than 90 locations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Asia, the United States and the Middle East—is expanding the deployment. The firm is utilizing a plug-and-play solution that has enabled employees to count stock on a weekly or daily basis, allowing it to immediately experience the benefits of a highly accurate stock inventory. Learn how the plug-and-play system enables the chain to deploy the technology quickly.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

RFID Improves Inventory Accuracy, Sales and Satisfaction

According to a recently released report, the use of radio frequency identification technology at Macy’s stores has boosted the global retailer’s rate of on-shelf display compliance and overall inventory accuracy. The Platt Retail Institute (PRI), developed in cooperation with the Northwestern Retail Analytics Council (RAC), also found that the retailer not only improved its on-shelf and display compliance, but made single-unit sales possible when a store’s inventory may be down to its last unit for a particular SKU. Learn how the technology offers retailers the opportunity to conduct a wide variety of analytics based on product tag reads, including better management of fitting rooms, determining best merchandise placement techniques, and managing pricing and trends predictions.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

RFID for Tough Environments: Tag Selection and Use Cases

Many RFID technologies are currently available, with different pros and cons for potentially thousands of use cases. The energy, mining and construction industries, with their harsh, metallic and potentially explosive environments, set special demands on the RFID technology that is supposed to optimize inventory, prevent human error and optimize equipment handling. New active technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) open up new use cases, such as fast and accurate asset location and predictive condition monitoring. This session will explore the many characteristics of available technologies, as well as pitfalls to avoid and parameters to consider when selecting an RFID system for rough environments.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution-Provider Session: Discover How IoT Will Optimize the Future of Retail

Keynote speaker Bill Toney will explore the intrinsic link between inventory accuracy, availability, and successful omnichannel and digital strategies. Consumers are becoming more demanding than ever as the lines between the physical and digital worlds merge, and retailers need to maximize every opportunity to increase conversion rates—both online and offline.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Logistics, Supply Chain and IoT in Energy and Mining

A profound technological shift is taking place above the ground (giant trucks have lost their human drivers and become automatic drones run by joysticks from remote-control centers) and under the ground (autonomous drill rigs and trains reduce the need for a human workforce and perform at high efficiency in the toughest conditions) in the energy and mining industries. The digital era, even with its obstacles, is forcing industrialization, automation and systems integration; all three carry the promise of significantly reducing costs of operations. This session’s speaker will define terms (logistics, supply chain and Internet of Things), explore the interactions among them (big data), and analyze different IoT types, investments in IoT solutions per industry, the infrastructure needed to support the IoT and the enabling technologies to do so. Gain an understanding of where standards are going and learn about the benefits (pros) and major problems (cons) that can impact case studies in energy and mining.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Weatherford Enhances Downhole Drilling Operations Via RFID

Oil and gas drilling requires RFID systems that operate in the harshest environments and can overcome such issues as frequent extreme vibration, high pressure and temperature, harsh downhole fluids, and extended use and run times. Weatherford pioneered the use of RFID as a means to communicate and control downhole drilling, completion and production equipment in oil and gas wells. Deepwater oil and gas companies continually face technical and environmental challenges to drilling and completing wells safely and efficiently. Learn how Weatherford integrated RFID technology into drilling and completions tools to improve performance and reduce risk for offshore operations. Hear about the benefits of selecting RFID-enabled tools rather than traditional tools, the integration of RFID tools with operations and value-added features enabled by RFID. Gain an understanding of contingency, safety and risk-assessment factors, and hear case studies that validate the performance and suitability of selected RFID tools.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

RFID Solutions for Asset Management in Four Seasons

The Center for Innovative Information Technology Solutions (CIITS) lab at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), in Calgary, is working on a variety of RFID projects related to the tracking of assets in the oil and gas exploration and exploitation industry in Alberta. The province’s environment can be harsh, even in the best of seasons, and some may think it uninhabitable during certain times of the year. Tags and other technologies that can provide asset visibility and management in extreme temperatures across all four seasons have significant benefits. Learn how the SAIT research team is seeking solutions to these problems.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

Automating Asset Information in Construction Using RFID and the Internet of Things

Speedy Services, a leading provider of tools and equipment in the U.K. construction and industrial services industry, is using the latest innovations in RFID to track assets onsite with its ePod. The automated rental solution provides tools and equipment 24-7-365, improving asset efficiency while reducing cost and environmental impact to its customers. Learn how, with the rapid expansion of the IoT and new sensor technologies, construction will change thanks to the ability to know not only where assets are, but how well they are working onsite. Hear how RFID will work with building information modelling to help manage a building’s lifecycle.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

Embedded RFID for Medical Devices

Whether you are an original equipment manufacturer who is source-tagging assets for reverse logistics or as a service to your customers, or an end user at a medical facility, you may be considering embedded RFID for enhanced process visibility and safety. RFID is being used to help improve process traceability and enhance product lifecycle management, along with enhancing product security and safety. Find out more about the science around embedded tagging, how it is being used in hospital and medical applications, and what to look for when considering embedding RFID into your processes and products.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

RFID in Health Care: The Cure for Costs, Not a Costly Cure

Tracking medical devices, equipment, supplies, personnel and patients is serious business. Such critical assets are associated with key operational processes and exceptional care delivery within health-care environments of all types. Selecting the optimal RFID technology for the correct application for the right business problem in health care has become much easier, thanks to technology innovation, price declines and increasing deployments. In this session, the speaker will discuss how the RFID conversation has progressed in the health-care sector to become more focused on RFID’s value and less about its cost.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

DePuy Synthes Improves Efficiency With RFID

The DePuy Synthes Companies, part of Johnson & Johnson, provides orthopaedic and neurological products and services. An early adopter of UHF RFID technology, the firm has used the technology to efficiently manage its large-scale loaner processes, as well as within its distribution centers for shipping, receiving, auditing and replenishment. Learn how RFID is currently being used, and how DePuy Synthes plans to move toward cloud computing and big data analytics to help improve operational visibility in the future.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Managing Field and Consignment Inventory Using RFID, Mobility and Cloud Platforms

Limited visibility to field and consigned inventory has significant impacts on business decisions for medical device manufacturers and their distributors. RFID, as well as cloud platforms and consumer smart devices, gives an opportunity to manufacturers to get real-time visibility of field inventory, gaining control of their inventory, improving sales efficiency and engagement and increasing operational efficiency, while reducing costs with improved cash flow. Cycle counts can be easily integrated into back-end systems like SAP, Salesforce or homegrown ERP to do a near, real-time billing. Understand the benefits, including, par levels, inventory utilization, product expiration,inventory transfers,freight optimization, service levels and customer segmentation.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

The Benefits of Tracking Implants Via RFID

Medical device companies, such as Stryker Orthopaedics, are using RFID to manage medical device implants, including artificial hips and knees, as they travel to distribution centers and then to and from hospitals. Hospitals, such as St. Elizabeth Medical Center, are tracking stents, pacemakers and other devices at its cardiology lab with passive UHF RFID. Learn how implant manufacturers and hospitals can each benefit from using RFID to track these high-value items.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution-Provider Sessions

Open to all conference attendees, these sponsor-led sessions feature some of the industry’s most innovative solutions. Hear real-life examples of successful deployments, including in-depth discussions of both time-tested and emerging solutions.

10 May, 2017 12:30 pm

Lunch in RFID Journal LIVE! Exhibit Hall

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

Delta Improves Maintenance Efficiencies With RFID

Many large companies struggle to manage maintenance of their fleets, manufacturing machines and other complex assets. Delta Air Lines, which operates more than 5,000 flights daily across an extensive domestic and international network, is no exception. Six years ago, Delta began using RFID in its maintenance operations, tagging onboard aircraft equipment that must be managed for both presence and expiration date. Gain an understanding of how the RFID program at Delta has matured and learn how the firm is deploying RFID technology to more efficiently manage over 250,000 items on its fleet of more than 800 aircraft.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

DOD Enhances Asset Visibility for Warfighters

This U.S. Department of Defense and industry panel will focus on the importance of industry and academia partnerships for effective use of automatic identification technology (AIT) to enhance many of the DOD’s business processes. The panelists will discuss the AIT efforts of their company or agency, their role in supporting the DOD’s AIT program and potential future AIT technologies of interest to the DOD.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

Using RFID to Manufacture Composite Aerostructures

An aerospace company is using RFID to enable a “visual factory”for it’s customers. This process enables each step of the composite manufacturing process to be monitored automatically, from raw material receipt through component production through eventual shipment to the end customer. Learn why RFID serves as a critical enabler for ramping up production for the company’s OEM contracts.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Delta Improves Customer Experience and Boosts Efficiency With RFID Baggage Tracking

Delta Air Lines has successfully deployed RFID technology to enable hands-free scanning of baggage throughout the handling process. Delta is the first carrier to fully integrate RFID within its operations, and tracks more than 110 million bags annually. At 84 of Delta’s largest stations, readers installed at 1,500 belt loaders will interrogate each bag’s tag just before it enters the belly of an airplane, flashing a green light if the bag is being loaded onto the correct aircraft or red if it requires additional handling. Learn how the firm is leveraging the technology to improve processing, reduce expenses and increase customer satisfaction.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best New Product, Group 2

This award will be given to the company that exhibits the best new RFID product or service at RFID Journal LIVE! 2017. An independent panel of judges has selected 10 finalists, which have been divided into three groups. Each finalist will speak for a few minutes about its product. The finalists in Group 3 are:

• Kathrein RFID’s RRU 4000 RFID IoT gateway, which provides direct connectivity into back-end systems, such as SAP, as well as different options of hardware and software interfaces, including PoE+, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and 2G/3G mobile connectivity
• NXP Semiconductors’ UCODE 8, which offers greater read sensitivity, Advanced Auto Adjust for improved read-performance, optimized EPC Session 2 operation and other features
• STMicroelectronics’ ST25DV dynamic NFC/RFID tag, a dual-interface RF/I2C device that supports fast data speeds over longer distances
• Tyco Retail Solutions’ RFID Fitting Room, which uses RFID hardware and software to provide unobtrusive, real-time item-level insight that helps retailers better serve customers and combat shrinkage, while enabling in-fitting-room merchandising and promotional opportunities
• Zebra Technologies’ SmartSense for Retail, which uses RFID, video and microlocationing technologies to automatically sense and record the locations and movements of merchandise, store associates, shoppers and assets, and turns that data into actionable information

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

Medical Center Uses Beacons to Track Naloxone

The University of Massachusetts (UMass) Memorial Medical Center is attaching Bluetooth beacons to packages of Naxolone to determine whether patients discard the medication before leaving the premises, and to gauge their willingness to have the medicine tracked. The medication, also known by the brand name Narcan, is covered by most insurance plans, but doctors have no way of knowing with certainty how far the medication goes with patients on their way home. In some cases, patients may not be convinced they’ll need it, and thus discard the drug before leaving the hospital. Learn how the organization plans to attach the BLE beacons to medication cartons, and to install the BLE gateway devices for capturing beacon transmissions at the hospital’s exit, at a roundabout where cars pass and at the facility’s bus stop.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Wayne HealthCare Uses RFID to Enhance Patient Satisfaction

Wayne HealthCare, a 100-bed hospital, is employing radio frequency identification to lower the cost of managing IT assets and improve patient services. After successfully deploying an RFID asset-management solution that achieved an ROI within a year, the facility implemented an RFID patient-tracking system the following year. Learn how Wayne HealthCare is using the technology to effectively communicate with patients and their families, by providing frequent updates regarding their surgical status, without making changes to existing surgical processes.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

Hospital Uses RFID to Prevent Infant Abductions

Conway Regional Health System, a 154-bed acute-care medical center that serves the growing communities of North Central Arkansas, is using a real-time location solution to monitor the whereabouts of infants and young children within the facility. Tags are applied to a newborn’s lower leg using a stretchable leg band with a Velcro strip shortly after birth, and the tag is immediately activated by heat from the baby’s body. If a tag is tampered with—for example, if it is removed without being deactivated—an alarm is sounded to alert personnel on the unit to assess the infant and tag and address the problem as needed and if an infant and tag come in the vicinity of an elevator or exit on the unit the infant security system alarms and the exit automatically locks. Learn how their system is vital to the continued operation of the unit caring for infant and pediatric patients.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

Beacons, App Help Patients, Employees Navigate Huge Clinic

The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIHCC), located in Bethesda, Md., has launched an app that leverages data from beacons to guide patients and personnel around a 3-million-square-foot building. Every day, thousands of patients, physicians and researchers travel throughout the miles of hallways crisscrossing the NIHCC. The clinical center is using a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon-based app to help those individuals navigate the large facility. Learn how the app could be expanded to enable a user to designate whether he or she is a patient, visitor or staff member seeking directions. With such functionality, the app could then present content relevant to that person’s needs.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

Improving Patient Safety With Wearable Sensors

The population of the United States is aging. Based on the latest predictions by the Administration of Aging (AoA), by 2020 there will be approximately 55 million people in the country aged 65 or older, which is almost double its value in 1990. A recent study by CDC found out that among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. As mobile and personal health devices gain in popularity, increasing amounts of data are collected via embedded sensors, such as heart-rate monitors and accelerometers. Hear how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be used to detect falls, by analyzing real data obtained from digital wireless wristbands used at health-care facilities. In addition to detecting falls, the same information can be used to recognize different forms of human motion to ultimately create a better predictor of fall possibility. Results show a significant improvement in motion-recognition rate, while overall accuracy involving seven selected activity classes is greater than 90 percent, compared to the most recent literature at 54 percent.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

Michigan Medicine Gains Efficiency, Improves Asset Visibility With RFID

Michigan Medicine (University of Michigan Health System), a 1,000 bed facility, is employing an RFID-based system to track durable medical equipment. The Materiel Services Patient Equipment Department manages over 12,000 pieces of durable medical equipment and is implementing an active RFID system to facilitate the process. Learn how the Materiel Services team expects to have over 7,000 assets tagged this year and how the technology is being used in areas as diverse as soiled equipment rooms and docks.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best Health-Care Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its health-care operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Cook Medical Korea, for its use of RFID to track medical device inventories and shipments nationwide
• DIA Construction, for its use of RFID in a greenfield hospital development to track 200,000 assets
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for its use of RFID to create a single best-in-class, integrated system and methodology to manage all consumable inventory

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

Reading the Waves: Using RFID for Human Object Interaction Detection

Disney Research, a part of The Walt Disney Co. focused on technical innovation, has developed a low-cost, unobtrusive method of using RFID to understand how humans interact with objects. By monitoring changes in the low-level radio channel parameters, a real-time classification engine is able to simultaneously track more than 20 objects and identify four types of interaction events with 93% accuracy. Learn how this system can be used for interactive gaming, activity inferencing in smart homes and the identification of customer browsing habits in retail environments.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

Precision Ranching: Using Drones to Manage a Herd of Cattle

Many innovative technologies have made their way to the farm or ranch—for example, GPS applications for precision seeding, and technologies that test and manage soil moisture content. Farmers and ranchers are an engaged, forward-thinking audience when it comes to using technology to improve data recording accuracy and increase the yields and efficiencies of their holdings. It’s not only a fascinating application of unmanned aerial systems, but also a researcher’s dream come true. Hear how a three-year applied research project resulted in the development of a drone-based RFID technology for the ranching industry.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

Researchers Develop Tag Using Wi-Fi Access Points

A team of Stanford University researchers have developed a small Wi-Fi device that behaves similarly to a radio frequency identification tag, sending a unique identifier that indicates where it is located, but doing so via Wi-Fi access points without impacting the Wi-Fi network where the tag is located. The solution, known as HitchHike, consists of a small tag—which could cost the same as an ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tag—as well as standard Wi-Fi access points and a smartphone, tablet or laptop. The HitchHike tag captures a transmission from a Wi-Fi access point, and then, in turn, transmits its own Wi-Fi signal to a receiver—a mobile phone, laptop or other Wi-Fi-enabled device. In that way, the tags do not interfere with other traffic on the Wi-Fi network. Learn how the tag can be used in the future and what sectors are most likely to be among the early adopters.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

RFID Streamlines Prescription Will-Call System

North Carolina drug retailer Drugco Discount Pharmacy is employing an RFID light stick for pharmacy will-call. The system automates the retrieval process for prescription drugs when customers arrive at the counter to pick them up. The system eliminates the need for drugstore employees to sift through bags of prescriptions searching for the correct one for a specific customer. By using passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID, the system instead triggers a light stick to illuminate inside in a clear, plastic, hanging bag, leading workers to the right medication. Learn how the system is saving labor hours and, more importantly, how it improves customer satisfaction.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

Hospital Explores IoT’s Potential to Bring Drug-free Relief

A 134-bed hospital is trialing a system that measures a patient’s brain waves and, based on that data, delivers games, music and video content via a tablet in order to lessen pain, anxiety or nausea. The medical facility is using a system that utilizes a headband to measure brain waves, as well as a tablet computer that provides content to alleviate the tension detected by the brain-wave measurements. Learn how the use of diversionary therapy is proving to help many patients, and how it may be expanded in the future.

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

Air Force Achieves Real Benefits With RFID

The U.S. Air Force has been using RFID-based automatic-identification technology (AIT) for a wide variety of projects, including the reduction of man-hours for aircraft locations, and to locate and track parts removed for maintenance. Other areas are employing passive RFID to support the tracking of critical USAF assets. Hear where RFID delivers the biggest benefits. and learn the best practices the U.S. Air Force has developed, as well as what new projects are on the horizon.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Vitamix Improves Customer Experience and Safety With RFID

Vitamix, a blending equipment manufacturer, has integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) technology into its new ASCENT Series of blenders with the goal of improving customer convenience and safety. The company is installing NFC RFID readers into the bases of its machines and providing accompanying food containers with embedded tags, air-coil wire antennas and NFC chips. The result is a feature that Vitamix calls SELF-DETECT. When a user places a SELF-DETECT container on an ASCENT Series blender’s base, the appliance reads the container’s embedded NFC tag and can automatically change multiple operating parameters. The parameters change accordingly once the container on the base is identified. Learn how the use of the technology improves convenience, and how it helps to reduce unsafe operating conditions.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best RFID Implementation (Other Industry)

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology in an industry other than those above. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Delta Air Lines, for its use of RFID to better track baggage and provide customers with real-time updates regarding the locations of their suitcases
• Houston Forensic Science Center, for its use of RFID to accurately track all incoming supplies, supply room inventory, and real-time supply consumption, thereby enabling better replenishment
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), for its use of RFID to track the hardware for and optimize the assembly of the James Webb Space Telescope

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

Herman Kay Uses RFID to Track and Improve Garment Production

Herman Kay, a manufacturer of coats and outerwear for women and men, has deployed an RFID-based tracking system that is leading to measurable improvements in its operations. The company markets its products under Michael Kors, Anne Klein and other brand names. Learn how the data characterizing each garment is associated with its electronic RFID tag, enabling the firm to make sure orders are correctly packaged and shipped to customers. Hear how the technology can be used in the future, from warehouse to shipping dock.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

How Malibu Rum Executed the CPG World’s Largest Trial of NFC

Malibu Rum recently deployed 40,000 Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled bottles across the United Kingdom at Tesco stores. Cameron Worth, the founder of IoT agency SharpEnd, will provide a detailed case study of how his company supported Malibu Rum across all elements of this project, to deliver a unique and exciting trial of emerging technology at scale.

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

Brief Introduction and Overview of RFID Concepts

This session will focus on a brief introduction and overview of RFID concepts, including the components of an RFID system, standards and regulations, tag memory and tag operations. It is suggested that attendees review RFID concepts in preparation of attending this session. RFID4U has created a comprehensive resource center that contains the relevant concepts and may be accessed on the RFID4U website.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

The Business Case for RFID in Retail and Apparel

RFID Journal has conducted extensive research to understand the business case for RFID in apparel retail, and to create metrics that companies in that sector can use to determine the likely return on investment they could achieve by employing the technology to manage store inventory. In this session, we will explain the data used, and walk attendees through the financial model. Those in attendance will receive a copy of the report on which the presentation will be based, as well as an interactive spreadsheet they can utilize to explore the benefits they can expect to receive, based on their own store size, number of units, margin, labor costs and other inputs.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

Improving Sales Through RFID Empowered Visual Merchandising

Many retailers are currently leveraging RFID either to increase inventory accuracy at the store level or to track replenishments from the back room. Retailers can effectively use the technology to avoid out-of-stocks and expand customers’ ability to find and buy exactly what they want. Learn how retailers can exploit RFID technology to support visual merchandising and optimize windows, as well as store-area displays and corners. Gain an understanding of RFID-enabled metrics that can be used to improve store turnover per square meter ratio.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

EPC-enabled RFID Source-Tagging: How the Global GS1 Network Speeds Up Supplier Onboarding

Supplier onboarding can be time-consuming, as well as a painful cost factor in any EPC RFID project, while maintaining high process quality. Workers responsible for the tagging process need to be properly trained and educated how to work with RFID. They need to understand the dos and don’ts, the differences between an ordinary bar-coded price ticket and an RFID label or hangtag, and the basic principles of RFID technology. Trainers have to cope with many cultural and language differences across sourcing countries. Learn how the global GS1 community has proven that supplier onboarding can be cost-efficient and facilitated in a very short period of time when based on standardized training material, translated in the corresponding local languages.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Solution-Provider Session: Build the Future of Retail With the Intel Responsive Retail Sensor

In today’s digital, data-driven economy, retailers face unprecedented challenges. Online shopping is defining consumer expectations that brick-and mortar stores have what they want, when they want it. Retailers have access to more data than ever before, but the sheer volume of data can make actionable insight difficult to discern. New technologies are available, but multiple vendors and protocols can make implementation complex and costly. Now, Intel is delivering a flexible, secure foundation to simplify smarter retail. The Intel Responsive Retail Sensor provides better inventory tracking and faster time to insight from retail data, and gives retailers the tools they need to increase customer satisfaction. During this Intel-hosted panel session, you will hear from leading retailers about why they turned to Intel to bring the edge of digital insights, using RFID solutions, to brick-and-mortar stores.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best Retail Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its retail operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Lululemon, for its use of RFID to ensure that all inventory available in the store is optimally represented on the store floor through real-time replenishment, and to establish a foundation of accurate, real-time inventory available to satisfy guests’ needs across stores at any time
• Tegu, for its use of RFID to enable its consigned inventory strategy, which allowed it to gain more shelf space and increase sales
• Tesco, for its use of RFID to improve on-shelf availability, while at the same time freeing up staff to spend more time servicing customers

09 May, 2017 4:45 pm

Welcome and Introduction

09 May, 2017 5:00 pm

RFID in Perspective

RFID has been around a long time, and there has been a lot of hype and confusion surrounding it. Some say the technology will revolutionize everything from manufacturing to clothing sales. Others say it is only a small part of the larger Internet of Things. What is the truth? In this session, you will learn how RFID fits into the larger trends of information technology and the IoT, how different industries will adopt RFID technologies during the next few years and how businesses in various industries will be impacted. Find out if your company is ahead or behind—and if it matters.

09 May, 2017 5:45 pm

Preparing for the Technology-Enabled Future of Retail

Retail is changing, as everyone knows. Social media and ubiquitous connectivity are driving new shopping habits and new consumer expectations. This session will focus on how companies can manage the transition to a new retailing paradigm in a way that is both meaningful and doable. Gain an understanding of the technologies that will enable this change, including RFID, as well as how stores will be reconfigured to serve new shopping habits and how the data-integrated supply chain is going to change. Dr. Hardgrave will share logical, business-driven steps to meet customer expectations and achieve real transformation.

09 May, 2017 6:30 pm

Opening Reception Begins

09 May, 2017 8:15 pm

Opening Reception Ends

10 May, 2017 7:30 am

Morning Coffee

06 May, 2017 8:00 am

Welcome Back and Introduction

10 May, 2017 8:30 am

RF-ITV–Tracking Shipments in the DoD Supply Chain

The Department of Defense has been a leader in transforming its supply chain through the use of RFID. This presentation will cover the DoD’s use of automatic identification technology (AIT), including RFID. It will highlight the DoD’s strategic focus on enhancing asset visibility in a manner that provides the ability to track assets throughout their lifecycle, and transforms asset data into actionable information that supports logistics decisions. Learn from one of RFID’s early adopters how the technology can enhance supply chain operations.

10 May, 2017 9:15 am

Retail & Apparel Panel

RFID technology can be used for daily cycle counts, replenishment, promotions management, customer engagement and other in-store applications, while delivering value to retailers. The retailer and brand owners panel speakers will address how they are using RFID to achieve operational benefits and lessons learned from their deployments.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution Provider Session: RFID Global Solutions

10 May, 2017 10:00 am

Honda Cuts the Cost of Managing Finished Inventory With RFID

Many companies struggle with managing inventory, particularly when it is spread over a large area. Workers waste time searching for items, and manual processes lead to errors and waste. Honda has solved the problem of managing finished inventory at its massive Indiana plant, by implementing an RFID system that includes solar-powered fixed readers at choke points and an innovative in-car reader that collects data while workers drive around the lot. The system has cut the cost of hiring workers during peak new-model periods by 80 percent. Additional benefits include the ability to isolate a sequence of vehicles quickly in order to perform critical quality checks. Learn how Honda solved a problem that has vexed many companies, and hear how the system will be expanded to deliver even more value.

10 May, 2017 10:45 am

Exhibit Hall opens

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

Benchmarking Passive UHF RFID Tags: Part 1

Understanding how passive UHF tags perform and why some tags do so better than others is critical to achieving high read rates in any RFID deployment. This session will explain the types of tag antennas, and how different antennas perform with linear and circular polarized reader antennas, tag detuning and shadowing. Participants will learn how to create test plans, procedures and metrics to measure read speeds for tags in isolation, or in a population of other tags.

11 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Benchmarking Passive UHF RFID Tags: Part 2

In this session, the presenter will explain how to test tags’ orientation sensitivity, and explore ways to test the efficiency of tags and their ability to harvest energy and respond to readers. Participants will learn how to measure tag performance in free air and on different types of products and materials, as well as how to identify improperly tagged items.

11 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Break

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

Benchmarking Passive UHF Readers: Part 1

Readers are the other critical element in any passive UHF RFID system. This session will explain how to create test plans, procedures and metrics to determine essential benchmarking parameters, including reader sensitivity, when picking up signals from passive UHF tags. The presenter will also explore RFID reader interfaces and the importance of being able to adjust the gain of reader antennas in order to read tags in a variety of applications.

11 May, 2017 4:30 pm

Benchmarking Passive UHF Readers: Part 2

The performance of an RFID system can be optimized by the types of antennas you choose. In this session, the presenter will demonstrate types of antennas for stationary and handheld readers, as well as parameters like directive gain, and show how antenna performance can be measured.

11 May, 2017 5:15 pm

Open Discussion

Participants will have the opportunity to question the presenter and ask about specific applications, in addition to the use of passive UHF RFID systems in different environments.

11 May, 2017 6:00 pm

Master Class: Benchmarking UHF RFID Hardware Concludes

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

Introduction to NFC Terms and Concepts

NFC is a short-range form of radio frequency identification that is being used in a wide variety of marketing and consumer applications. This session will introduce NFC technical concepts; NFC mobile architecture and components, including secure elements; NFC controllers; operating modes (reader-writer, peer to peer, card emulations); and NFC Forum standards.

11 May, 2017 2:30 pm

Developing NFC Applications

This module will discuss requirements for Android application development, development tools, application structure, NFC APIs in Android, the tag intent dispatch system, foreground dispatch system and Android applications.

11 May, 2017 2:45 pm

NFC Standards and Applications

This session will cover the standards that govern how NFC tags and readers operate. Participants will learn what the four types of NFC are and how each is used. The presenter will also discuss different NFC applications, and explain why NFC is preferable for certain application to other types of RFID technology.

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

NFC Lab Demo

During this live demonstration, participants will see first-hand how NFC readers communicate with NFC tags. The presenter will demonstrate peer-to-peer applications, as well as reader emulation mode.

11 May, 2017 5:15 pm

Developing NFC Applications: Part 2

Continuing the in-depth information on developing an Android application for NFC-enabled phones, this session will include an overview of the Android SDK, the Android Application Record, testing the APK File and uploading to Google Play.

11 May, 2017 6:00 pm

Master Class: NFC Application Developers Concludes

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

An Overview of RFID Today

Senior executives will hear the truth about where RFID adoption currently stands, where it is making a difference for companies in specific industries, and how smart businesses have developed strategies to deploy the technology in a way that enhances their business goals.

11 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Taking a Strategic Approach to RFID

Learn the difference between short-term tactical applications of RFID and a long-term strategic approach that can enhance your company’s major goals and reduce costs in a variety of areas. The benefits of taking a strategic approach will be explained.

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

A Step-By-Step Approach to Developing a Strategic RFID Plan

To be successful, companies need to set clear goals for their RFID deployments; map existing business processes; determine where data needs to be collected, as well as how that information will be used; and then select the technology that will achieve the desired goals. The presenter will walk participants through this process.

11 May, 2017 4:30 pm

RFID and Change Management

RFID represents a new and potentially threatening way of conducting business, and some people will resist any changes. This session will discuss the common employee reactions that companies face when deploying RFID, as well as how to avoid typical problems. Learn how to build a team that can execute on a strategic RFID plan, and how to convince senior management to fund RFID projects.

11 May, 2017 5:15 pm

Next Steps

You believe RFID can help your company—but what do you do when the event is over and you return to your office? This session will explain some concrete steps you can take to begin working toward developing a strategic RFID plan, and executing on it.

11 May, 2017 6:00 pm

Post-conference workshop concludes

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

RFID Enables Remote Inventory Visibility

Endries International Inc. (a Wolseley Industrial Group company) is using an RFID-enabled tracking system to automate self-service, remote inventory visibility for its customers. The firm distributes fasteners to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Each customer has between 50 and 5,000+ parts bins, depending on its size, and customers consume parts from one bin at a time until the bin is empty. The RFID-based tracking system has resulted in labor savings, as well as faster replenishment response times and improved customer satisfaction. Learn how the firm is using RFID technology to allow customers to utilize the system with no training or any additional steps required.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

RFID Streamlines Warehouse Operations for Logistics Company

7R Logistic, a Polish-based company that operates warehouses and offers logistics services, is using RFID in a large facility to improve the efficiency of warehouse management. Financial backing by the European Union under the European Regional Development Program has allowed the firm to install a system at 7R Logistic’s Kokotów Logistics Center that can identify when each pallet is loaded into or removed from storage. With the system in place, the firm can now prevent errors, gain a more detailed inventory count of where each pallet is located, and track forklift locations. Learn how the technology’s implementation has improved visibility while standardizing the information provided in the supply chain.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

Trailiner Automatically Manages Trucks, Trailers in Its Yard

Trailiner, a U.S. refrigerated goods carrier that provides shipping services throughout 48 states, is employing radio frequency identification to prevent loading and transportation errors. The RFID system lets Trailiner manage yard access and prevent trailer loading and transportation errors, while saving the cost of manning its yard gate 24 hours a day. Learn how the system not only allows automated access to the yard, but also enables the firm to identify which trucks and trailers enter or exit the facility.

11 May, 2017 3:00 pm

Data Integration Options: Making it all work together

The discussion will continue beyond the standards and regulations, delving into the challenges that companies can face when trying to integrate current identification formats with RFID-compliant formats. Methods and tools for data translations will be discussed as well as approaches for managing the increased data burden.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

College District Uses RFID to Track 90,000 Assets

The Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD) has deployed an asset-management system employing radio frequency identification technology to locate its tens of thousands of assets across seven campuses and two satellite locations. The district is using the technology to manage location data about assets ranging from computers to farm animals, and to integrate that information with its own management software. Learn how the RFID system is making the auditing process automatic, thereby eliminating manual inventory counts, reducing labor costs and improving the ability to locate missing assets.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Uniform Company Boosts Visibility With RFID

Canadian company Logistik Unicorp is using RFID to ensure that Canadian military uniforms end up in the hands of those ordering them within a matter of days, and with a guarantee to meet strict quality requirements. The firm fulfills approximately 450,000 orders annually, with an inventory turnaround of six or seven times each year. The system that Logistik Unicorp built in-house enables it to link raw materials with finished products, and to track those goods as they are received from a manufacturer, stored in its warehouse and then shipped to individual customers. Learn how the use of RFID has improved accuracy and shipping times, as well as giving the firm a competitive edge.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best Logistics/Supply Chain Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its logistics or supply chain operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• GERDAU, for its use of an RFID system to cut costs and increase production
• Marroquinera, for its use of an RFID system to provide timely and complete real-time information regarding the movements of merchandise inventories so that management can make better decisions related to production, purchasing, storage and the dispatch of inventories
• Ternium, for its use of RFID to track finished materials and optimize the storage, picking and shipping of goods

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

BLE Continued: The Ongoing Adventures of a Low-Cost RTLS Search

Join the presenter as he continues down the road of trying to find a BLE solution capable of providing real-time location system (RTLS) functionality. The presentation will share the results of his efforts to use a solution discovered as a direct result of his BLE presentation at RFID Journal LIVE! 2016. This session will discuss what worked and what didn’t, as well as the trials and tribulations that the presenter has faced while trying to force the square BLE peg into the round RTLS hole.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

High-Reliability Tracking Without Infrastructure

The Savannah River National Lab joined forces with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Packaging Certification team to create a program to track personnel and high-value material in the absence of infrastructure. The team evaluated state-of-the-art technologies currently in use for tracking nuclear materials before choosing an emerging capability that utilized the Iridium Low Earth Orbit Satellite constellation. Learn how the system can be used in occluded environments, such as indoors, canyons, valleys and wooded areas, as well as in hazardous environments, such as those associated with malfunctions at a nuclear facility.

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

Bluetooth Beacon Basics

The workshop begins with an orientation of how the technology is driving digital-physical convergence and how it relates to the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as key concepts, applications, opportunities and market trends. By explaining its short history and the current maturity of the market, and by outlining where the industry is heading, the presenter will answer questions about when the time is right to get involved. This workshop will also provide a map of the beacosystem, in order to provide a guide to who’s who and what’s what.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

RFID Infrastructure Marking for a Connected World

With a greater emphasis on damage prevention, litigation avoidance, regulations to improve the quantity and accuracy of infrastructure records, and new equipment and technological advancements, RFID continues to improve the way we mark, identify and locate underground assets. Berntsen’s InfraMarker solution suite seamlessly links physical markers with field-collection devices and enterprise-management systems. Learn how the firm is employing RFID technology in a system that benefits users by saving time workers would otherwise spend locating utilities, and by providing better data, while increasing safety.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

NFC and RFID: Enhancing the Customer Experience Near and Far

We live in an increasingly wireless world. Whether we’re listening to music, making a purchase, sending a file from one device to another, or using a fitness tracker, we now expect it to happen without plugging in a single cable—both near and far. By combining far-field RFID and Near Field Communication (NFC), retailers, car makers, contactless-payment providers and the transportation industry are able to add significant value to consumer goods and services. Paula Hunter, the NFC Forum’s executive director, will examine how the wireless revolution offers an array of new business opportunities for companies across many industries, by enabling more effective theft protection, as well as enhanced merchandise visibility and consumer service experience, without compromising on data privacy.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Design and Implementation of a UHF RFID Solution

Many businesses enter into an RFID design plan hoping to realize significant cost savings, as well as supply chain visibility and efficiency gains. But achieving those goals may be difficult, as there are many design and deployment challenges. This session will discuss the technical aspects of designing passive UHF based RFID solutions to ensure successful product implementation. Topics covered will include antenna design factors, workflow design considerations, implementation factors, best practices, solution scalability and more.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

KLM Maintenance Cuts Parts’ Packaging Costs With RFID

Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M), the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) arm of Air France KLM, is using a Web-based Aviation Packaging Information System (APIS) to manage the inbound and outbound flow of packaging between its packaging supplier and KLM. The system uses fixed RFID equipment installed in buildings and in trucks, as well as mobile handhelds for repair and exception-handling. RFID is used throughout the entire supply chain and is easily expandable. Learn how the firm is tracking cases and boxes used to transport airplane parts to and from customers, lowering packaging costs by 50 percent. Packaging has been the starting point for implementing RFID at KLM. Hear how the firm may expand the program to include equipment, tooling, inspection of life vests onboard, warehouse management and components.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best Use of RFID to Enhance a Product or Service

This award will be given to the end-user company that has best used RFID technology to enhance an existing product or service. The three finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Berntsen International, for its use of RFID in its InfraMarker System, which dramatically reduces the time and cost of locating underground utility pipes
• Onis Data Solutions, for its use of RFID for identification, access control and security for 53,000 VIPs attending the Rio de Janeiro City Carnival 2017
• SharpEnd, for its use of NFC tags in product packaging to transform 45,000 bottles of Malibu coconut rum into connected media platforms

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

Manufacturer Reaches RFID ROI Within 12 Months

Brazilian-based Oxford, the largest ceramic and porcelain manufacturer in the Americas, achieved a return on investment in radio frequency identification following 12 months of use, thanks to a reduction to zero of errors in shipments and deliveries of goods to its customers. Oxford supplies dining appliances (plates, cups, mugs and sets of pans) throughout Brazil and abroad, and also exports its products to China. In addition to providing the exact location and identification of each stored item, RFID technology has been used to provide speed and efficiency in the separation and routing of customers’ orders. Learn how RFID has eliminated an extra source of costs, how Oxford handles the reverse logistics of improperly delivered goods and how the firm might use the technology in the future.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

GRP Pipe Manufacturer Uses RFID to Improve Logistics and Data Storage

FLOWTITE Technology, a Norwegian company that manufactures sewer and water pipes, is tagging its products with RFID. The firm has more than 70 plants or production lines producing glass fiber reinforced plastics (GRP) pipes. Learn how FLOWTITE is using RFID technology to maintain data on its products, enabling it to offer a 50-year guarantee period.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

American Woodmark Uses RFID for Production and Exception Reporting

The manufacturer and distributer of high-quality, built-to-order kitchen cabinets and vanities has implemented RFID across seven of its supply chain facilities in order to improve inventory accuracy and enhance visibility throughout the manufacturing process. The company is using RFID for production tracking on the manufacturing floor, enabling personnel to respond more quickly when addressing shortages and fallout. Learn how the technology is providing the data necessary to ensure successful delivery to the plant’s clients.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

RFID Reduces Costs, Scheduling Impacts for NASA JWST Mission

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is using RFID technology to track the various components used to assemble the groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope, a large infrared telescope with a 6.5-meter primary mirror. Due to the size and scale of the project, NASA is utilizing a number of domestic and worldwide teams to build the necessary components. As the work progresses, it is necessary to track the location and status of every single component. Learn how NASA is using RFID technology to reduce labor costs while tracking and maintaining asset inventory and schedule integrity.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

OEM Uses RFID to Illuminate Warranty

Heraeus Noblelight America LLC, a global manufacturer of industrial UV systems, equipment and services, is using RFID technology to develop a smart high-pressure, filament-less bulb. Although the company offered a warranty on the bulb, it had no mechanism in place to track the number of operating hours before incorporating RFID. Learn how the technology captures each bulb’s serial number, authenticity, type and date of manufacture, thereby enabling the firm to authenticate every bulb and validate its warranty.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution Provider Session: HID Global—Selecting the Right RFID Technology

Your boss asked you to untangle the manual mess of managing materials, achieve accurate inventory counts and simplify operational procedures. So where do you start? RFID technology is a tried and true system used across many industries and is highly scalable to keep pace with the ever-changing technology landscape. Picking the right transponders can be cumbersome based on the application requirements and what you want to accomplish. The environmental conditions—for example, moisture, harsh chemicals, extreme heat or cold—can affect the success of your implementation. During this session, HID Global will explore the many characteristics of available technologies, pitfalls to avoid and security parameters to consider when selecting the right system and frequency.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution Provider Session: RAIN RFID Retail—Innovation Drives Adoption

This presentation will describe how RAIN RFID applications for retailers, brands and consumers are impacting areas that go far beyond today’s traditional use cases. The presenter will share the technology’s current status and explain what to expect for the future. Learn how technology innovation supports market adoption.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

How Cloud Analytics Gives HP Brazil New Supply Chain Insights

HP Brazil has been among the most aggressive companies in using RFID to monitor the production of goods (printers). Recently, it has taken its internal deployment to the next level by developing a cloud-based analytics platform that enables it to use the massive amounts of RFID data in new and innovative ways. Hear how the platform has improved product delivery times and increased flexibility in the real-time exchange of information between sales, factory and logistics. Also, learn how HP Brazil is starting to use data from materials planning and product portfolios to streamline the sales-planning process.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalists Session: Best Manufacturing Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its manufacturing operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Heraeus Noblelight America, for its use of RFID within its UV curing light bulbs to identify the type of bulb, authenticate it and validate its warranty
• Honda, for its use of RFID to provide visibility into the flow and location of rework vehicles, both inside the production facility and within its massive holding yards
• HP Brazil, for its use of an internally developed Internet of Things software platform to analyze RFID data and provide unique insights into manufacturing operations

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

Bluetooth Beacon Standards and Components

This session will explain the technology foundation of Bluetooth beacons, and will explore the role of Bluetooth Smart, the new Bluetooth 5 standard and its future direction. Core to the ecosystem are the standards from Apple and Google—iBeacon, Eddystone and the Physical Web—that are becoming deeply embedded in every smartphone. This review will provide an understanding of what is and is not possible with beacon technologies using these standards.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Choosing and Deploying Bluetooth Beacons

Choosing the right beacons is critical to both the short- and long-term success of proximity and location solutions. All beacons are not the same. In addition to examining the implications of the chipsets used, the presenter will provide extensive criteria for selecting the appropriate beacon, and will review some of the key vendors in the space.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Bluetooth Beacon Networks and Privacy

Just because you have written a beacon application doesn’t mean you need to own beacons. If you do own beacons, there are reasons why you might want to open up access to third parties. The presenter will explain the three main types of beacon networks that facilitate this, as well as provide real-world examples. Gain an understanding of the legal frameworks in the United States and Europe, and hear some examples of privacy best practices.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Bluetooth Beacon Applications, Orchestration and Analytics

In this session, the presenter will cover orchestration—the core of many successful beacon applications. Learn how to design a beacon analytics data model. Hear examples of a range of beacon applications, including mobile payments, airports, attractions, restaurants, retailers, manufacturing, enterprise and e911.

10 May, 2017 11:00 am

The Current State of the Internet of Things

In this session, get a brief summary of the status of the Internet of Things and learn how connected devices are making a real impact across a growing number of industries. Hear some examples of the IoT in use today, as well as the technology’s impact and where it’s headed in the near future.

10 May, 2017 3:00 pm

IoT Delivers Fresh Salad to Consumers

Farmer’s Fridge has developed a network of vending machines that use a cellular modem to a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) and inventory-control system. Each salad is packed into a large recyclable PET plastic jar, and the vending system dispenses the ordered food using a sort of robotic arm. Each vending machine contains a PC, which powers the user interface and back-end payment processing. Customers use a touchscreen interface to order, and they pay by credit card. Learn how the startup is scaling up its fresh-made salad-vending system, and how it expects to see the technology deployed at 100 locations next year.

10 May, 2017 3:50 pm

Monitoring Equipment With BLE

Managing the health of mechanical parts in buildings and industries is an important way to ensure that machines are operating effectively. Internet of Things technology startup Augury has developed a predictive-maintenance solution that several dozen U.S. companies are currently using to collect sensor data about machines via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. Learn how the BLE -based solution for sensors detects the health of HVAC and other equipment, transmitting that data to a server for analysis of the machines’ health status. In addition, hear about the firm’s app, which enables users of iOS- or Android-based devices to manage and display data about a machine to users in the field.

10 May, 2017 4:40 pm

The Internet of Things Journey: Vision Quest, Treasure Hunt or Fool’s Errand?

The Internet of Things is a rapidly evolving part of our connected world and a high-growth market opportunity. Gain an understanding of how the IoT journey is progressing so far, and hear examples of successes and missteps in terms of vendor activities, market messaging, applications and use cases. Hear recommendations on creating an IoT narrative and developing IoT best practices. The speaker will leverage his IoT market research and analysis that began in 2000 to provide the audience with commentary on IoT industry direction, IoT trends, enterprise vs. consumer IoT adoption, IoT’s hype factor and, of course, whether the IoT journey is a vision quest, a treasure hunt or a fool’s errand.

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

IoT Powers Intelligent Lighting Solution

An intelligent lighting startup has joined forces with a provider of conventional and LED lighting solutions to integrate and develop the Internet of Things concept into lighting products. The company’s indoor and outdoor lighting solutions will offer greater functionality at a competitive cost. Learn how the solutions can provide improved lighting control, power management, LED analysis and beacon management for proximity marketing in retail applications.

11 May, 2017 9:45 am

Mapping Your IoT Monetization Strategy for 2017

The Internet of Things could ultimately drive a multi-trillion-dollar impact on the global economy. But until now, monetizing the IoT hasn’t always been straightforward. With so much growth and opportunity in the IoT market, the key for monetization will be focus. During this session, gain an understanding of the driving forces behind the Internet of Things, as well as the implications for companies developing strategies in the IoT. In addition, obtain a framework for evaluating IoT strategies and learn how you can link monetization to key customer values that reduce costs, increase revenues or improve the user experience.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Award Finalist Session, Best New Product, Group 1

This award will be given to the company that exhibits the best new RFID product or service at RFID Journal LIVE! 2017. An independent panel of judges has selected 10 finalists, which have been divided into three groups. Each finalist will speak for a few minutes about its product. The finalists in Group 1 are:

• Confidex, for its Links NFC Portfolio, which enables customers to choose memory options and customized printing
• Farsens, for its Rocky 100 configurable RFID chip, which lets companies use a single chip to develop multiple, distinct battery-free sensors
• Guard RFID, for its self-powered and wireless active RFID reader and tag exciter, and its fully wireless real-time location network, for sites without power or Internet connectivity
• HID Global for its Seal Tag edTamper UHF system, which alerts users to tampering even after a seal has been broken
• Identiv for its uTrust Sense Temperature Tracker, a low-cost, portable temperature sensor that can be read by an NFC-enabled phone

09 May, 2017 11:30 am

The RFID Market—Why It Represents an Enormous Opportunity

Radio frequency identification technology has been around for years, but the market is starting to take off. This session will explain what forces are driving adoption in retail, the food sector and other areas. The presenter will provide insight into key case studies and explore trends for RFID growth and the potential size of the market during the next five to 10 years.

09 May, 2017 1:00 pm

Developing a Successful RFID Business Strategy

RFID can be perceived as a complex technology, Avery Dennison will demonstrate how partnering with the right company can alleviate your preconceptions. In this session you will learn that the right solution for one market is not necessarily right for another. Avery Dennison will provide top tips on how to establish the business case for RFID, discover how to identify markets ripe for growth, establish a clear ROI for the markets you serve and develop products that will meet your customers’ needs.

09 May, 2017 1:45 pm

Selecting Inlays and Chips

Choosing the right inlay and microchip to power an RFID tag is among the most critical decisions that converters need to make for each customer. The right chip depends on the amount of memory, privacy features and other capabilities your customer might need. The proper inlay depends on the application needs, the read distance required and other factors. Learn how to sort through the options and select the appropriate transponder and inlay for your customer’s needs.

09 May, 2017 2:45 pm

The Converting Process

This session will walk attendees through the converting process, highlighting critical issues, such as protecting the inlay, at each step. Learn how to successfully integrate passive RFID transponders into almost any label or packaging product- without compromising on aesthetic.

09 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Quality Control

One of the keys to developing a successful RFID packaging or label-converting business is to deliver transponders that work consistently. Quality control after the converting process is critical. Learn best practices on how your company can ensure products are 100 percent verified to provide high reliability in the converted products it delivers.

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

Planning an RFID Asset-Tracking Project: Key Considerations

Before any company launches an RFID asset-tracking project, there are some key issues that need to be taken into account. Will the assets being tracked require active or passive tags? Will the tags need to be protected from the environment? What data will need to be collected, and how often? These are just a few of the issues that will be discussed in this session.

11 May, 2017 2:45 pm

Developing an RFID Reader Infrastructure

Where should you place readers? What kind of readers do you need? Will you need handheld and/or fixed readers? What about new overhead readers? There are many factors to consider when developing your RFID infrastructure. Find out how to deploy hardware that will be cost-effective and evolve with your solution as your application expands over time.

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

Monitoring Hard-to-Track and High-Value Metal Assets

It isn’t always easy to read passive UHF RFID tags on metal or around metal objects. Find out what you need to know about on-metal tags and how to deploy RFID systems in a way that delivers consistently high read rates, even on hard-to-track assets.

11 May, 2017 4:30 pm

Choosing RFID Asset-Tracking Software: What You Need to Know

There are a wide variety of RFID asset-tracking software solutions on the market. What are the key attributes that you need to have for a successful deployment? How can you match your requirements to the features of various software applications? What do you need to know about integrating different software applications into different back-end systems? This session will address these and other important issues, including how to help you find the right software for your asset-tracking project.

11 May, 2017 5:15 pm

Case Study: RFID Locates Tools at Auto Parts Factory

An automotive component and systems manufacturer is employing RFID readers on an overhead crane to track up to 8,000 press tools that the crane transports within the firm’s warehouse and assembly plant. The system ensures that the company has visibility into the location of every tool when it is needed for product manufacturing, thereby preventing production delays that could otherwise result from having to manually search for large tools. Learn how the firm is using the solution to prevent production delays, and how the technology is providing analyses of which tools are used, as well as when and how often.

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11 May, 2017 2:30 pm

RFID Programming With Fixed Readers

This module will kick off with explaining how to connect and configure an out-of-the-box fixed RFID reader, and then proceed to RFID programming concepts. The presenter will discuss and provide an overview of available SDKs and EMDKs for major RFID readers and the associated RFID programming concepts with code examples, including:

• Connecting to a reader
• Reader and antenna configuration
• Inventory
• Data filters and aggregations
• Tag access operations (read, write, lock, kill)
• Disconnecting to a reader

The session will conclude with a discussion regarding Low Level Reader Protocol (LLRP) and Inventory Triggering Options.

11 May, 2017 3:00 pm

Tag Access Operations (Read, Write, Lock and Kill) Demo

The presenter will conduct a live demo of the tag access operations (read, write, lock and kill), along with code explanation.

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

Break

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

Handheld and Mobile Readers

The session will provide an overview of handheld and mobile readers, as well as a live demonstration of some of the capabilities and advantages of integrating RFID handhelds and mobile readers into an RFID system and how to write applications on them.

11 May, 2017 4:30 pm

RFID Middleware

The session will kick off with an overview of RFID middleware concepts, deployment steps and functionalities, and will conclude with a live demonstration of incorporating and integrating an RFID middleware.

11 May, 2017 5:30 pm

RFID Peripherals and GPIO

Continuing, this module will provide an overview of RFID peripherals, including printers, relay controllers and digital I/O adapters. The session will include a demonstration of RFID peripherals in an RFID solution.

11 May, 2017 6:00 pm

Fast-Track RFID Applications Developers Training Concludes

11 May, 2017 9:00 am

RFID-enabled Robot Reduces Labor Costs and Increases Productivity for Farmers

Researchers at Idaho’s Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) have created IdaBot, an RFID-enabled robot prototype that can carry out basic farming tasks. The project’s goal is to reduce labor costs, while easing the implementation of precision agriculture techniques for growers of specialty crops, such as fruits and grapes. The IdaBot uses commercial off-the-shelf sensors and a UHF RFID reader for navigation. This session’s speaker will discuss each subsystem of the IdaBot and provide an overview of several RFID-localization techniques that could be integrated into the prototype in the future. Learn how RFID-enabled robots can be used in the specialty crop industry.

11 May, 2017 2:00 pm

Introduction to the Complex World of Auto-ID Technologies

Introduction to the Complex World of Auto-ID Technologies
As you heard during the conference and experienced in the exhibit hall, there are many different types of RFID technologies. In addition, there are other auto-ID technologies—ultrasound and infrared systems, 2D bar codes, computer vision and so on—that compete with or complement RFID. This session will examine some of the alternatives to RFID, and how and where they can be used effectively, either alone or in conjunction with RFID.

11 May, 2017 2:30 pm

Auto-ID Standards and Regulations: What You Need to Know

Different industries are developing standards for the use of RFID, and the technology could play a role in identification requirements set by governments around the world. This session will explain what you need to know about standards and regulations, and about converting current part numbers to RFID-compliant data based on requirements set by the AIAG, the FDA, the DoD and other organizations. Panelists will also address attendees’ questions in these areas.

11 May, 2017 3:45 pm

Hands-on Demonstrations

AIM Global’s RFID experts will provide a series of demos that will show how part numbers can be translated into RFD-compliant data, simple to complex encoder and reader solutions, a variety of mobile solutions, and other critical aspects of any RFID deployment.

11 May, 2017 4:30 pm

RFID Deployment Best Practices

Many RFID deployments have been carried out throughout the past decade, and best practices have emerged for tagging objects, overcoming hardware implementation hurdles and addressing back-end issues (database design, data formatting and so on). Panelists will address these issues, as well as answer questions from the audience.

11 May, 2017 5:15 pm

Q and A with Auto-ID Experts

During this session, attendees will have an opportunity to ask the RFID experts any questions they might have.

11 May, 2017 3:30 pm

Break

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution Provider Session: Checkpoint Systems – Customer-Centric Supply Chain

Satisfying customer demand in the digital revolution requires inventory accuracy and visibility to the item level from the time a product is manufactured until it is delivered to the customer. The industry has known for some time that RFID promises the answer to solve this issue, so what is delaying widespread adoption? Hear the top roadblocks to RFID adoption and how focus on a customer-centric supply chain will lead to quicker adoption. Learn how Checkpoint Systems is focusing on end customers even from a distribution and logistics standpoint.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution-Provider Session: The Journey from Industrial RFID to the Industrial Internet of Things

It’s time for RFID to grow up. That’s a provocative statement about an industry whose products have already experienced a lifetime’s worth of evolution. However, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is changing the game when it comes to asset management, real-time location and connected devices for industry. Asset information is increasingly available in real time, and it’s more than just simple identification. It’s intelligence, right down to the individual asset level, and it’s more than simply where an asset is located. How long has it been there, where does it need to go, and when will its next service or replacement be required? A 360-degree feedback loop, in which end users receive asset status and then send back instructions, is essential. How will RFID get to the next level? What product features will enable true asset-level intelligence? What is the price impact as these evolve? And how will other hardware and software technologies affect this growth? Join us to discuss these questions and more about how RFID must grow up and grow into the IIoT.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best Retail RFID Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its retail operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Lululemon, for its use of RFID to ensure that all inventory available in the store is optimally represented on the store floor through real-time replenishment, and to establish a foundation of accurate, real-time inventory available to satisfy guests’ needs across stores at any time
• Tegu, for its use of RFID to enable its consigned inventory strategy, which allowed it to gain more shelf space and increase sales
• Tesco, for its use of RFID to improve on-shelf availability, while at the same time freeing up staff to spend more time servicing customers

10 May, 2017 12:05 pm

Solution-Provider Session: Tyco Retail Solutions—Always On, Always Open—The Connected RFID Store

Modern consumers want easy, convenient shopping experiences available anytime, anywhere. In this new retail landscape, connecting people, products and places via smart devices and real-time data drives insight and value through Internet of Things capabilities. RFID is the vital technology needed to ensure the real-time inventory accuracy and visibility necessary to successfully enable unified commerce and meet the expectations of today’s shoppers. Learn how inventory visibility garnered by IoT capabilities, and enabled by RFID technology, is a key driver for accurate insights to support strategic retail initiatives.

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best Manufacturing RFID Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its manufacturing operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Heraeus Noblelight America, for its use of RFID within its UV curing light bulbs to identify the type of bulb, authenticate it and validate its warranty
• Honda, for its use of RFID to provide visibility into the flow and location of rework vehicles, both inside the production facility and within its massive holding yards
• HP Brazil, for its use of an internally developed Internet of Things software platform to analyze RFID data and provide unique insights into manufacturing operations

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best Health-Care RFID Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its health-care operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Cook Medical Korea, for its use of RFID to track medical device inventories and shipments nationwide
• DIA Construction, for its use of RFID in a greenfield hospital development to track 200,000 assets
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, for its use of RFID to create a single best-in-class, integrated system and methodology to manage all consumable inventory

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best Logistics/Supply Chain RFID Implementation

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology to improve its logistics or supply chain operations. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• GERDAU, for its use of an RFID system to cut costs and increase production
• Marroquinera, for its use of an RFID system to provide timely and complete real-time information regarding the movements of merchandise inventories so that management can make better decisions related to production, purchasing, storage and the dispatch of inventories 
• Ternium, for its use of RFID to track finished materials and optimize the storage, picking and shipping of goods

Best RFID Implementation (Other Industry)

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology in an industry other than those above. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Delta Air Lines, for its use of RFID to better track baggage and provide customers with real-time updates regarding the locations of their suitcases
• Houston Forensic Science Center, for its use of RFID to accurately track all incoming supplies, supply room inventory, and real-time supply consumption, thereby enabling better replenishment
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), for its use of RFID to track the hardware for and optimize the assembly of the James Webb Space Telescope

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best Use of RFID to Enhance a Product or Service

This award will be given to the end-user company that has best used RFID technology to enhance an existing product or service. The three finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are: 

• Berntsen International, for its use of RFID in its InfraMarker System, which dramatically reduces the time and cost of locating underground utility pipes
• Onis Data Solutions, for its use of RFID for identification, access control and security for 53,000 VIPs attending the Rio de Janeiro City Carnival 2017 
• SharpEnd, for its use of NFC tags in product packaging to transform 45,000 bottles of Malibu coconut rum into connected media platforms

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best New Product, Group 1

This award will be given to the company that exhibits the best new RFID product or service at RFID Journal LIVE! 2017. An independent panel of judges has selected 10 finalists, which have been divided into three groups. Each finalist will speak for a few minutes about its product. The finalists in Group 1 are:

• Confidex, for its Links NFC Portfolio, which enables customers to choose memory options and customized printing
• Farsens, for its Rocky 100 configurable RFID chip, which lets companies use a single chip to develop multiple, distinct battery-free sensors
• Guard RFID, for its self-powered and wireless active RFID reader and tag exciter, and its fully wireless real-time location network, for sites without power or Internet connectivity
• HID Global for its Seal Tag edTamper UHF system, which alerts users to tampering even after a seal has been broken
• Identiv for its uTrust Sense Temperature Tracker, a low-cost, portable temperature sensor that can be read by an NFC-enabled phone

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best New Product, Group 2

This award will be given to the company that exhibits the best new RFID product or service at RFID Journal LIVE! 2017. An independent panel of judges has selected 10 finalists, which have been divided into three groups. Each finalist will speak for a few minutes about its product. The finalists in Group 3 are:

• Kathrein RFID’s RRU 4000 RFID IoT gateway, which provides direct connectivity into back-end systems, such as SAP, as well as different options of hardware and software interfaces, including PoE+, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and 2G/3G mobile connectivity
• NXP Semiconductors’ UCODE 8, which offers greater read sensitivity, Advanced Auto Adjust for improved read-performance, optimized EPC Session 2 operation and other features
• STMicroelectronics’ ST25DV dynamic NFC/RFID tag, a dual-interface RF/I2C device that supports fast data speeds over longer distances
• Tyco Retail Solutions’ RFID Fitting Room, which uses RFID hardware and software to provide unobtrusive, real-time item-level insight that helps retailers better serve customers and combat shrinkage, while enabling in-fitting-room merchandising and promotional opportunities
• Zebra Technologies’ SmartSense for Retail, which uses RFID, video and microlocationing technologies to automatically sense and record the locations and movements of merchandise, store associates, shoppers and assets, and turns that data into actionable information

11 May, 2017 10:30 am

Best RFID Implementation (Other Industry)

This award will be given to the end-user company that has demonstrated the best use of RFID technology in an industry other than those above. The finalists, selected by an independent panel of judges, will each have 15 minutes to make a presentation. The finalists are:

• Delta Air Lines, for its use of RFID to better track baggage and provide customers with real-time updates regarding the locations of their suitcases>
• Houston Forensic Science Center, for its use of RFID to accurately track all incoming supplies, supply room inventory, and real-time supply consumption, thereby enabling better replenishment>
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), for its use of RFID to track the hardware for and optimize the assembly of the James Webb Space Telescope>

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution-Provider Session: RFID Source-Tagging Simplified

With one of the largest service bureau footprints in the industry, SML has successfully designed and deployed RFID tagging solutions for some of the largest retailers and brand owners worldwide. This session will discuss how several such deployments were approached from an RFID source-tagging perspective, from design through execution. The speaker will provide helpful insight into how to get to a cost-neutral tag solution, as well as global deployments that help drive key benefits to retailers, brand owners and factories.

10 May, 2017 11:50 am

Solution-Provider Session: Making America Great Again—Accelerating Onshore U.S. Manufacturing With RFID

Manufacturing and assembly firms have been tasked with bringing manufacturing operations back to the United States. Learn how RFID is being deployed to address automation, operational efficiency and job retraining, in order for assembly plants to rapidly shift overseas manufacturing to the United States and handle increased capacity. From shipping and receiving to tracking work-in-process at assembly stations, RFID is the key to accelerating on-shore manufacturing.

10 May, 2017 12:05 pm

Solution-Provider Session:PervasID-The Game Has Changed! See the World’s First Ceiling Reader With Near-100-Percent Read Accuracy

PervasID has launched a game-changing, next-generation flat ceiling tile antenna reader system that delivers the world’s first near-100-percent accurate wide-area passive RFID detection. This allows retailers and other industries to see, at the click of a button, the stock that they have throughout a shop or building. It uses a network of new flat ceiling tile antennas, which are located discretely at intervals across a shop floor or stock room, and reduces the required number of antennas by a staggering 75 percent. Learn how this groundbreaking ceiling tile antenna RFID reader system, which is expected to deliver an ROI within 12 months, achieves real-time detection accuracy greater than 99 percent.