May 25, 2017The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations: SALTO Systems; IDTronic; Fathom, Gimbal; InfoChip; Datamars; Saelig, and Teledyne LeCroy.
SALTO Systems Releases Electronic Hotel Lock Featuring RFID, Wireless, Mobile Technologies
SALTO Systems, a manufacturer of electronic access-control solutions for the hospitality sector, has released its AElement Fusion system, an electronic lock with a reader and an interactive light ring that illuminates when access credentials are presented. The AElement Fusion is compatible with RFID and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technologies that can be integrated with mobile applications, including SALTO Systems' JustIN Mobile.
"The AElement Fusion's small, customizable light ring reader offers a discreet electronic lock for hotels looking to deploy electronic access control with a stylish, yet technologically-advanced solution," said Rob Zijl, SALTO Systems' VP of hospitality access solutions, in a prepared statement. "We had great success with the first generation AElement; however, time and technology wait for no one. To keep up with our latest innovations—such as our JustIN Mobile app—an update of our hardware was necessary which is why we launched the AElement Fusion."
According to the company, thousands of hotels have installed the first generation of AElement locks using RFID contactless technology, which has been used by millions of guests. AElement Fusion is equipped with RFID and Near Field Communication (NFC), but also adds BLE functionality. This allows users to lock and unlock doors using their smartphone as a room key, through the use of JustIN Mobile.
The JustIN Mobile app can communicate securely via the cloud, and enables hotel guests to receive their room key online. The app is completely secure, the company reports, as keys cannot be duplicated, as opposed to mechanical keys and some low-security RFID technologies. The encrypted data transfer uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) AES 128-bit encryption opening procedures to ensure secure transmission.
"BLE technology provides the perfect complement to traditional contactless access cards giving guests the choice of two technologies to open doors if they wish and making the best of the latest developments in terms of hospitality technology and mobile application," Zijl said in the prepared statement.
"By integrating AElement's design with the benefits of SALTO's Bluetooth Low Energy platform, the SALTO Hospitality AElement Fusion solution delivers a richer, smarter hospitality experience for guests and further business opportunities for hotels," Zijl added in the statement. "Hospitality applications like JustIN Mobile have been found to improve hotel operations; enhance guest experience; free up front desk staff, security, and hotel management; and save on operational costs."
IDTronic Intros Compact Desktop RFID Reader for Access Control, Time Attendance, Membership Registration
IDTronic has announced its new Desktop Reader NEO. The reader comes with a USB 2.0 interface, the company reports. It can be easily connected to any network and may be used with the most common chip types available on the fitness market.
The Desktop Reader NEO is a plug-and-play device that is compatible with Microsoft Windows, Linux and Android operating systems. Both its power supply and data transmission are provided via the USB interface.
The reader comes with a black and silver housing, the firm reports, making it suitable for workplaces and counters. It can be instantly connected to a computer, laptop or other USB port-equipped device, and may be used for such applications as time attendance, access control, cashless payments and membership registration. For the reading of transponders (for example, smart cards, key fobs and RFID wristbands), it only needs the transponder to be placed on the device. An integrated two-color LED displays both the reading process and the successful transaction.
Due to its integrated keyboard emulation, the information from the transponder is transmitted to the computer as though it were entered via the keyboard. Thus, data may be easily presented and evaluated. The Desktop Reader NEO with an USB interface, an integrated antenna and keyboard emulation is now available to order from IDTronic.
Fathom, Gimbal Forge Technology Alliance
Fathom, a provider of Bluetooth real-time location system (RTLS) asset-tracking solutions, has announced that it has signed an agreement with Gimbal, a supplier of enterprise-grade mobile-engagement and location-intelligence systems.
The partnership, the companies report, will provide customers with Gimbal's beacons and over-the-air security and Fathom's indoor location platform. The agreement includes joint marketing and sales referral to common prospective enterprise customers, and enables Fathom to distribute Gimbal beacons and leverage Gimbal Secure Mode functionality.
"With Fathom to monitor and locate their beacons, both existing and new Gimbal deployments will enjoy the best each company offers," said Guylain Roy-MacHabée, Fathom's CEO, in a prepared statement. "We are building a partner ecosystem with the best global beacon vendors and we are proud to work with Gimbal. Fathom's asset tracking customers can now purchase Gimbal beacons directly from us, including the popular coin-sized Gimbal S10—an ideal form factor that enables exciting and secure asset tracking scenarios."
Fathom's indoor location technology utilizes Bluetooth technology. "Fathom's location expertise and ability to accurately locate beacons indoors without the need for a mobile app is a natural fit for the asset-stracking market," said Brian Dunphy, Gimbal's general manager for enterprise business, in the prepared statement. "We are delighted to be working with Fathom to expand the reach of each other's products in the marketplace."
InfoChip Unveils Durable, Long-Range Wideband Tag
InfoChip's new MultiMount RFID tag is a durable wideband tag with a long read range and multiple attachment methods. This tag is designed to track industrial assets, in order to help logistics managers improve accuracy and increase efficiency in a yard or at a facility.
This long-range UHF tag complies with the EPC Gen 2 and ISO 18000-6C standards, and can be read from up to 20 feet away via a standard handheld reader. A single tag can function with both U.S. and E.U. readers. The MultiMount can be attached in a variety of methods, including hanging, banding or via bolt and screw mount, and measures 2.25 inches by 1.7 inches by 0.63 inch.
Designed for use in harsh environments, the MultiMount is suitable for such applications as subsea, tubular yard management, pipelines, pipe slings, oil and gas basket returns, valves and rigging. The MultiMount joins the company's other tags, including the DuraPlug, the DuraDisc, the TackTag2 and tge PipeTracker2.
Datamars Announces RFID Chip for Industrial Laundry
Datamars has announced the release of its LaundryChip 401. The latest addition to the company's LaundryChip family of transponders is specifically designed for the industrial laundry sector.
"In today's market," said Brian Zapach, the president of Datamars US, in a prepared statement, "industrial laundry facilities, textile rental companies, hospitals and hospitality chains need transponders that both endure the harshest industrial laundry conditions and are as small as possible, allowing them to be easily embedded in flat linens and garments. We have responded by introducing our slimmest UHF transponder ever, keeping, and even improving, the mechanical resistance and best-in-class electronic performance that characterizes our LaundryChip family."
Saelig Distributes Low-Energy Bluetooth Protocol Analyzer from Teledyne LeCroy
Saelig Co. has announced the availability of its BPA low-energy Bluetooth Protocol Analyzer from Teledyne LeCroy—a portable protocol analyzer for wireless transmissions that adhere to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) specifications. Saelig is Teledyne LeCroy's authorized North American distributor.
Suitable for field or lab use, the analyzer is USB-powered, thus eliminating the need for an external power supply. This analyzer supports all mandatory BLE features through Bluetooth version 4.2, the company reports, and ships with Frontline software, thereby allowing Bluetooth developers to view events as they occur live. The system decodes and decrypts the Bluetooth data for full analysis and troubleshooting issues.
Measuring 3.5 inches by 1.75 inches by 0.71 inch, the system decodes all Bluetooth low-energy traffic, including advertising packets, data packets and LL control packets. It scans all three advertising channels concurrently, allowing a single BPA low-energy analyzer to detect connection requests from initiators on any of the three channels. Once the connection is established, the analyzer follows the link across all BLE channels, capturing and displaying information sent back and forth between connected devices or piconets, and decrypting and decoding the data transmitted and received by the devices using various profiles and protocols.
According to the company, setup does not require synchronization to devices. For coping with proprietary wireless protocols, the system ships with DecoderScript software, enabling proprietary data to be fully decoded and displayed in the Frontline software.
