Jun 14, 2018The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations:
NXP Semiconductors, Baidu Cloud;
Mojix;
Balluff;
Teslonix, CISC Semiconductor;
3M/Neology, Star Systems International;
Kerlink, Google Cloud;
Rivetz, Trustonic; and
Broadgnss Technology.
NXP Semiconductors, Baidu Cloud Partner to Secure IoT in China
NXP Semiconductors has announced a strategic partnership agreement with Baidu Cloud. The two companies will collaborate to promote industry innovation and support developers and ecosystem partners in building safe and smart IoT applications.
NXP will now support Baidu's smart IoT platform, known as Tiangong, from cloud to IoT device security, with its Secure Element (SE) solution. With NXP SE embedded in each IoT device, Tiangong will secure edge node connections and protect data across a broad spectrum of markets, including smart logistics, smart homes and smart cities. This solution has already been implemented in numerous applications, the company reports, such as smart locks, intelligent gateways, blockchain and RFID logistics.
The two partners will collaborate on edge computing. NXP has integrated Baidu Cloud's smart edge technology with its EdgeScale edge-computing framework running on edge-compute gateways, to provide integrated solutions for management on the cloud and computing on the device and gateway.
"Baidu Cloud has made great advances in AI, big data and cloud computing over the past several years in our effort to build the leading smart IoT platform and ecosystem," said Li Zheng, NXP Global's senior VP, in a prepared statement. "NXP is happy to support Baidu with our well-established smart IoT solutions. We look forward to working with partners like Baidu Cloud to build a new digital, smart and secure future."
Mojix Upgrades STARflex Enterprise-Class RFID Reader
Mojix, a provider of item chain management solutions, has announced an upgraded version of its STARflex RFID reader. The STARflex reader offers location capabilities and a flexible design for enclosed environments, such as real-time inventory and asset tracking in retail and industrial applications. The device offers sensitivity up to 100 times higher than competitive readers, the company reports, and the ability to scale inexpensively up to 16 read points.
STARflex features a general-purpose input-output (GPIO) interface, and its application programming interface (API) allows external applications to manage and control connected devices. An onboard application with a Web-based unique identifier (UI) allows users to configure how sensor triggers control tag read events. This allows the reader to act autonomously under sensor control.
With the latest release, version 1.7.1, STARflex now offers onboard support forRFMicron's Magnus sensor ICs. Tags with this sensor technology onboard offer battery-free temperature, moisture and proximity sensing capabilities, as well as a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) measurement. Mojix has developed a STARflex application that allows users to control the reporting of tags entering or leaving a zone defined by one or more antennas, as well as how often tags are reported.
STARflex will automatically store undelivered reports due to connection loss. Users can configure how much or how long data is buffered when an outage occurs. Once network connections are restored, reports are automatically sent.
One of the most challenging environments for RFID tag reading, according to the company, is a large number of tags densely packed in a small area that doesn't move often. This type of environment makes it very difficult to excite 100 percent of tags without the use of multiple antennas operating at multiple frequencies. Mojix's TurboAntenna solves this issue, the firm reports, with the use of a steerable beam, multi-element array antenna.
STARflex features a patented, distributed excitation architecture built on RFID technology, for the reliable excitation and detection of all tags. The reader can detect tag signals up to one hundred times weaker than other RFID readers. The device utilizes smart antenna techniques for location tracking, the company indicates, and is optimized for synthesizing waveforms in high-density tag environments, such as those found in retail stores. In addition, the reader meets the IP65 enclosure standard for durability and has compliance certifications in the United States, Japan, Korea, China, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and India.
"The upgraded STARflex reader provides a high-performance solution for real-time inventory and asset tracking in retail and industrial applications." said Paul Barriga, Mojix's VP of product management, in a prepared statement. "And with our new lower price point, more users can take advantage of STARflex's outstanding features and benefits while knowing they are getting the best value available in any enterprise-class RFID Reader on the market today."
Balluff Unveils RFID Safety Guard Locking Switch
Balluff has expanded its safety product line with the release of its latest non-contact RFID safety guard locking switch. The switch combines non-contact, coded-transponder safety technology with a mechanical solenoid locking function to meet the safety levels required by international standards.
This switch can be connected directly to Balluff's IO-Link safety I/O module or to any safety controller using a standard eight-pin M12 connector. The high coding level provided with RFID technology couples sensor and actuator with a unique code, the company reports, and offers tamper-proof protection and high-level coding according to the EN ISO 14119 standard. A rotating shaft and capstan handle can be held locked in the closed position until the process has run down and stopped. Integrated safety processing electronics and OSSD outputs enable its use in applications requiring PLe (EN ISO 13849) and SIL 3 (IEC 61508) ratings.
The switch is designed to meet the needs of a range of applications, according to the company. It is suitable for securing and safely monitoring guard doors and safety flaps to protect individuals from potential hazards, or to prevent the interruption of processes. The guard-locking function keeps the guard or gate closed until the process is stopped and it is safe to access the machine.
A selectable latching force of 25 N or 50 N makes the guard lock insensitive to vibration, even when unlocked. Typical applications for the non-contact RFID safety guard locking switch include doors, gates and guards on packaging machines, machine tools, robot cells and plastic injection molding machines.
Teslonix, CISC Semiconductor Team Up on IoT-RFID Reader and Test Solutions
Teslonix and CISC Semiconductor GmbH have announced a joint Eureka-funded project aimed at developing Internet of Things (IoT) and RFID readers and test equipment.
"Teslonix's unique capability of delivering more power to passive IoT sensors and RFID tags enables active device functionality with passive device economics in many applications," said C. Paul Slaby, Teslonix's CEO and founder, in a prepared statement. "We are delighted to be working with CISC to include robust testing capability for the next generation of IoT/RFID readers enabling full commercialization and market roll-out of this novel technology."
"Working together with Teslonix gives us the opportunity to develop our world-leading UHF RFID reader test systems to the next level thus, "said DI Josef Preishuber-Pflügl, CISC Semiconductors' CTO, in the prepared statement," ensuring we are ready to support the development of the next generation of IoT/RFID readers and systems."
Court Grants Judgment in Favor of 3M/Neology Regarding RFID Trade Secrets Theft Litigation
Neology, a provider of integrated end-to-end solutions for the tolling, electronic vehicle registration (EVR) and public-safety markets, recently completed the acquisition of the Tolling and Automated License/Number Plate Recognition business of 3M's Transportation Safety Division. Prior to the acquisition, 3M had alleged the theft of its trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information by an ex-employee, Stephen C. Lockhart. Recently, a court issued a judgment on this case in 3M's favor.
Lockhart was exposed to 3M's trade secrets and sensitive information concerning 3M's traffic RFID products and services, Neology reports. The firm claimed, in a prepared statement, that it had invested time and money to develop the trade secrets and had used them to maintain its competitive edge within the industry. Lockhart then left 3M and joined Star Systems International, based in Hong Kong. 3M sued Lockhart and Star Systems in a Texas state court, and Lockhart admitted to stealing 3M's trade secrets.
The lawsuit concluded with a Consent Judgment in favor of 3M, which includes an injunction prohibiting Lockhart and Star Systems International from using 3M (now Neology) trade secrets. Examples of specific material that Lockhart and Star Systems are prohibited from utilizing include 3M RFID tag reader schematics, the password protocols for any 3M RFID tag readers, and any database or digital information collection regarding past customer problems with 3M RFID technology, as well as any information regarding the solutions to any of those problems.
Kerlink Announces LoRaWAN Integration in Google Cloud IoT With Microshare
Kerlink, a provider of solutions dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT), in partnership with IoT data-management firm Microshare, has integrated carrier-grade LoRaWAN solutions into Google Cloud's IoT architecture.
The Microshare and Kerlink approach is intended to ensure the security of data flowing from LoRaWAN devices to extended IoT networks, the companies report. As device-generated data is securely transported, annotated and unpacked in LoRaWAN networks to create context and actionable business insights, ownership rights and origins will be stamped and respected. Thus, snetwork owners will be compliant with regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, the EU regulation that took effect on May 25, 2018. By leveraging Microshare's governance, audit and micro-contracting features, the companies explain, users can securely share data among ecosystem partners.
The announcement was made at the start of the 10th Open House of the LoRa Alliance, a global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for IoT low-power wide-area networks. Earlier this year, Kerlink and Microshare, both active alliance members, formed a partnership built around LoRaWAN IoT development, which is now being extended to Google Cloud.
"By integrating Microshare and Kerlink's technologies in Google Cloud, we can create carrier-grade solutions at cloud-scale in hours rather than months," said Yannick Delibie, Kerlink's CTIO and CEO, in a prepared statement. "Reducing the burden of security, scale and reliability allows both solution providers and customers to focus on rapidly delivering valuable business insights with their LoRaWAN networks."
"We've seen rapid adoption of LoRaWAN as a leading enabler for easily deploying cost-effective IoT sensors globally, and we view Google's decision to join the alliance as a validation of everything Microshare has been pursuing for the past three years," said Ron Rock, Microshare's CEO, in the prepared statement. "A lot has been achieved in making reliable, long-battery-life devices and carrier-grade networks, but this means nothing if the data generated and transported is not easily accessible to business users and securely shared between multiple organizations."
Rivetz, Trustonic Enhance Security for Blockchain-based Apps
Trustonic has announced the integration of its Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) APIs into Rivetz's software development kit for securing blockchain-based applications. The use of Trustonic's APIs means developers using the Rivetz platform will automatically have access to the decentralized cyber-security protections and controls required when developing blockchain, IoT and cloud applications for such high-risk markets as financial services, legal and health care.
"Our partnership with Trustonic makes it even easier to integrate support for the added protections that the TEE provides into blockchain-based applications and services," said Steven Sprague, Rivetz's CEO and founder, in a prepared statement. "By combining the hardware-backed identity and authentication supplied by the TEE with immutable attestation provided by blockchain technology, the developers of blockchain-based apps and services can prove the data recorded on the blockchain was from a known device in a known condition. This enables a new model for decentralized cybersecurity."
The integration of Trustonic's technology into the Rivetz platform means private keys and instructions in applications can be executed in an area protected from the device's normal operating system, the company reports. This is necessary since rich operating systems have software and hardware vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers, as well as malware designed to take control of applications or to steal sensitive data.
The Rivetz Authenticator uses the Trustonic TEE to provide such security capabilities as storing and creating two-factor codes in a device's hardware, providing greater levels of security than software protection alone, according to the company. Along with an encrypted backup and restore feature, this provides users with a safer alternative to SMS and other software-only two-factor authentication methods.
"Foundational, end-to-end security built in at the hardware level is crucial to protect both consumers and enterprises," said Ben Cade, Trustonic's CEO, in a prepared statement. "Blockchain will enable transformational use cases that unlock tremendous market potential and value, so robust security and trust is essential. We look forward to continuing to enable and support Rivetz as they deliver a new level of truly secure blockchain apps to the market."
Broadgnss Technology Intros GPS Receiver With Real-Time Array Calibration Technology
Broadgnss Technology, a supplier of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver solutions, has announced a new high-precision satellite position receiver with patented real-time array calibration (RAC) technology. Broadgnss's RAC receiver is currently used for autonomous vehicles, drones, precision agriculture, robotics and other applications.
The system features positioning accuracy closer than 1 meter, the company reports, by receiving only single-frequency (GPS L1) satellite signals—the RAC technology in high-precision satellite positioning that frees the dependence on traditional augmentation network and reduces costs. This enables high-precision satellite positioning in large-scale applications, the firm explains.
The main problems facing current high-precision GPS systems are high costs and geographical limits, according to the company. High-precision GPS receivers can be costly, and reference stations for RTK networks and communication networks have many blind spots on Earth. In addition, satellite-based PPP receivers have a long initial start time issue. RAC receivers are designed to overcome the barriers of traditional high-accuracy GNSS receivers, the company indicates, at a cost as low as only a tenth of traditional solutions.
"RAC technology is one disruptive, high-precision GPS solution," said Yan Shen, Broadgnss's CEO, in a prepared statement, "as people pursue more accurate GPS location. We think cost shouldn't be the barrier of scaling up; meanwhile, RAC technology opens one door for high-accuracy GPS research, which could be used in more space. Broadgnss is aimed to democratize the high-accuracy GNSS service and will keep moving toward this goal."
