Mar 03, 2011The following are news announcements made during the past week.
Trimble Introduces ThingMagic Mercury6 RFID Reader
Trimble has introduced the ThingMagic Mercury6 (M6) 4-port RFID reader—the first new ThingMagic reader since Trimble's purchase of the reader manufacturer in October 2010 (see Trimble Acquires ThingMagic). The M6 is based on the ThingMagic M6e embedded RFID reader module, unveiled in April 2010 (see RFID New Roundup: ThingMagic Intros New Compact RFID UHF Reader Module). The M6 can deliver a read rate of up to 400 EPC Gen 2 (ISO 18000-6C) tags per second, and a read range of more than 30 feet with a 6-dBi antenna, with support for dense-reader mode (transmit and receive). The device's small form factor—7.5 inches (19 centimeters) long, 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) wide and 1.3 inches (3.3 centimeters)high—makes it suitable for low-profile portals, read stations, displays and a variety of other indoor and outdoor structures and environments, the company reports. The M6 has an IP52 rating, providing dust ingress protection and water resistance for industrial, outdoor and rugged service requirements. It can operate at 5 to 31.5 dBm in both AC and Power over Ethernet (POE) options, and includes an integrated Wi-Fi network option so it can be integrated with existing enterprise Wi-Fi networks and Wi-Fi security standards. According to Trimble, the M6 operates with ThingMagic's MercuryAPI (application programming interface), which includes high-level developer interfaces in Java and C#, providing original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), value-added resellers (VARs) and end users with a common programming interface for enterprise RFID solution development. "As the market evolves from the use of one-size-fits-all RFID readers toward highly integrated solutions, ThingMagic continues to broaden its portfolio of RFID readers and development tools to serve established and emerging customer needs," said Tom Grant, the GM of Trimble's ThingMagic division, in a prepared statement. "The addition of the Mercury6 to our product line allows our customers to continue to develop and deliver innovative RFID solutions in a variety of form factors across several markets poised for significant growth." Available now, the M6 has a list price of $1,395 for the POE model and $1,545 for the integrated Wi-Fi model.
Xerafy Unveils New X II Metal-Mount RFID Tags
RFID tag manufacturer Xerafy has announced the availability of its X II ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID-on-metal tags, which the Hong Kong-based company says are suitable for applications in the automotive, aerospace, construction, energy and IT markets. The various new X II series, all of which conform to the EPC Gen 2 specifications, build on Xerafy's existing X series tags designed for extreme conditions, such as high-temperature and high-metal environments, but now come with an ingress protection rating of IP68, which means they are waterproof and dust-proof, as well as enhanced read-range performance. (Among the original X series tags, only the Micro X has an IP68 rating.) The smallest of the new tags, the PicoX II model, measures 0.70 inch by 0.43 inch by 0.19 inch (17.8 millimeters by 10.9 millimeters by 4.8 millimeters) and weighs just 0.07 ounce (2 grams), Xerafy reports, enabling it to be attached to weapons, tools and medical devices without compromising the device's performance. It has an on-metal read range of up to 6.6 feet (2 meters). The NanoX II measures 0.25 inch by 0.51 inch by 0.19 inch (6.4 millimeters by 13 millimeters by 4.8 millimeters), weighs 0.18 ounce (5.1 grams) and has an on-metal read range of up to 20 feet (6.1 meters). The PicoX II and the NanoX II models can both be affixed via adhesive, and both come with an encasement that increases the tags' performance to twice the reading distance of the PicoX and NanoX, respectively. The MicroX II has the longest read range—up to 26 feet on metal—and has been reconstructed using patent-pending packaging for higher impact and temperature performance, Xerafy indicates. It measures 2.01 inches by 1.43 inches by 0.30 inch (51 millimeters by 36.3 millimeters by 7.6 millimeters) and weighs 1.02 ounces (29 grams), and can be affixed via a rivet hole or an optional adhesive. "The X II series tags enable customers to deploy RFID, who have been shut out of RFID in the past because the RFID tags in the market could not achieve the read range requirements in harsh conditions," said Dennis Khoo, Xerafy's CEO, in a prepared statement. "In critical and often potentially hazardous applications requiring reliable identification of people and assets, Xerafy tags offer the RFID traceability essential for safe and secure operations and tracking."
National Instruments Expands Its Wireless Sensor Platform
National Instruments (NI) has unveiled two new products—the NI 9792 programmable wireless sensor network (WSN) gateway and the NI WSN-3226 voltage/resistance temperature detector (RTD) combination node—that extend the communication and measurement capabilities of the NI WSN platform. NI's WSN consists of wireless nodes, gateways (which share information with applications for processing, analyzing and presenting the measurement data collected by the nodes) and routers (which extend the communication distance between the end nodes and the gateways). According to NI, the products are suitable for long-term data logging and the remote monitoring of environmental conditions, energy, buildings, structural health, temperature, transportation and industrial conditions. The NI 9792 gateway can communicate with NI WSN measurement nodes, as well as other hardware, through a variety of open communication standards. It combines an NI LabView Real-Time controller module and an integrated WSN radio so that LabView Real-Time applications can run locally on the gateway to aggregate data from NI WSN devices, making the NI 9792 useful for embedded, wireless data-logging applications. (LabView, NI's graphical development software, is designed to help develop, debug and deploy distributed real-time systems.) The NI 9792 gateway, which is programmable with the LabView Real-Time Module for standalone operation, features a 533 MHz processor and 2 GB of onboard storage for embedded data-logging applications. It also features integrated Web (HTTP) and file (FTP) servers, so that measurement data can be remotely accessed from thin client devices, such as smartphones and mobile computers. The NI 9792 includes an RS232 serial port and dual Ethernet ports for connectivity to other devices, such as enterprise-level networks or wired I/O systems. The NI WSN-3226 provides engineers and scientists with the ability to combine voltage and temperature measurements on a single NI WSN device, thereby adding resistance-based measurements to the NI WSN platform. It features four analog input channels that can be configured on a per-channel basis for +/- 10 V measurements or resistive measurements. The new measurement node offers users the flexibility to choose between high-speed and high-resolution analog input modes on the device, so that they can fine-tune the power and performance trade-offs for their particular applications. The node also features two bidirectional digital channels that can be configured on a per-channel basis for input, sinking output or sourcing output. It can be powered by four AA batteries, with an operational lifetime of up to three years, or externally powered with a 5 to 30 V supply—which, according to the company, offers improved efficiency for energy-harvesting applications.
RF Monolithics (RFM) has announced the first product from its machine-to-machine (M2M) business initiative, announced last year, and the first of the company's RFM2M family of M2M Wireless Sensor Network Platform building-block products. M2M applications allow for wireless data communication between machines and/or devices, and interconnected M2M networks and products can be used with, for example, machinery that works on building cars, monitoring systems such as utility meters, or updating digital billboards. RFM's new SN802GRC is a battery-operated Wi-Fi sensor modem with resistance temperature detection (RTD), current transformer and switch contact inputs. The combination of RTD and current transformer, RFM reports, makes the SN802GRC suitable for air conditioning, heating and refrigeration applications. Utilizing the company's WSN802G low-power Wi-Fi module, the SN802GRC enables customers to take advantage of existing 802.11b/g/n infrastructure to deliver data to the Internet and local networks. It has up to 10 years of battery life, according to RFM, and can be configured remotely or through an RS-232C serial port, to automatically report on timed intervals or on sensor readings exceeding thresholds, thus removing the need for applications to request data from each sensor modem. All of the RFM2M platform's building-block products are being designed in a modular format, RFM reports, in order to allow easy customization in terms of both the sensors supported and the wireless technology used. The product family will allow the use of Wi-Fi, ZigBee, 802.15.4, WirelessHART, and both 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz frequency-hopping spread-spectrum wireless technologies, and will be unbranded, allowing solution providers to add their own brands. In addition to its ongoing development of sensor modems, the company is now creating a family of RFM2M gateways. RFM has also announced a new microsite, www.RFM2M.com, which it says is dedicated to RFM's M2M wireless sensor networking product platform. "We are excited to announce the first member of our RFM2M product family," said Tim Cutler, RFM's director of M2M business development, in a prepared statement. "Using our very low-power Wi-Fi module provides extraordinary battery life which reduces deployment and maintenance expenses. Also, tying into existing Wi-Fi networks further reduces costs and simplifies deployment as Wi-Fi networks are not only widely deployed but also are well understood and accepted by IT departments."
Deutsche Telekom Plans Mobile Wallet This Year
Deutsche Telekom has announced plans to bring an NFC-enabled "Mobile Wallet" to market in 2011, which the telecommunications company says will enable a cell phone to become a virtual wallet. With the Mobile Wallet, Deutsche Telekom's customers will be able to hold their cell phones up to an appropriate reading device in order to pay for goods, purchase tickets for events or regional passenger rail, or participate in bonus programs. Mobile Wallet will be usable for mobile payments, and will support both Deutsche Telekom's own services, as well as those of banks, transport companies, event organizers and other third parties. The Mobile Wallet will also support rewards, coupons and other bonus programs that are retailer-specific; these will be able to be stored within the Mobile Wallet. Deutsche Telekom says it will introduce solutions based on international security standards for payment services to keep the transactions safe. The security solutions will be integrated in the device, on the SIM card, and also on the mobile networks over which the data traverses. Additional security functions will also be included, such as the locking of applications and data in case of mobile theft or loss. The company indicates it will develop services for an international market. Through ISIS, a joint venture with AT&T and Verizon, Deutsche Telekom will create mobile-payment services for the United States (see Mobile Carriers Launch Venture to Aid Adoption of NFC in Phones). In Europe, Deutsche Telecom plans to offer the first of these NFC-based services this year, in Germany and Poland. In 2012, NFC services will be introduced in The Netherlands and the Czech Republic, the company notes, with more countries set to follow. "The area of payment systems is a major driver of growth for Deutsche Telekom. We have continuously invested in this business, and will continue to expand it—nationally and internationally," said Thomas Kiessling, Deutsche Telekom's chief product and innovation officer, in a prepared statement. "Not just mobile operators worldwide are working on solutions, but also Internet companies, banks and transportation companies. Customers, however, will not accept isolated solutions. They want to be able to pay as easily as they would in terms of cash or credit card. And with the Mobile Wallet, we can offer our customers convenient and secure mobile payment." Deutsche Telekom is already working with other mobile operators, such as Vodafone and O2, on a joint payment system in Germany known as mpass. A contactless ticket system for stadium access for the 2012 European Football Championship is being planned, and Deutsche Telekom is cooperating with two mobile operators and three banks in the Netherlands to bring a joint solution for mobile payment to market.
European Supply Chain Institute Adds NFC to RFID Project for Tracking Carbon Emissions
The European Supply Chain Institute's (ESCI) Supply Chain Carbon Council is adding Near Field Communications (NFC) high-frequency (HF) RFID technology to its ongoing efforts to study and test how radio frequency identification and ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) Electronic Product Code (EPC) technologies, as well as supporting data-management technologies, can be used for tracking and managing carbon emissions throughout their supply chains (see RFID News Roundup: ESCI Supply Chain Carbon Council Promotes RFID). A number of companies are participating in the project, including NXP Semiconductors, Avery Dennison and Nordic ID. IS.Retail, a supply chain software, warehouse-management and RFID system solution and data-management provider, has also just recently come on board. The addition of NFC technology to the project is intended to address how carbon emissions information can be shared with consumers at the point of purchase. according to John Connors, ESCI's CEO. The premise, he says, is to layer on the NFC RFID technology to an EPC RFID chip that will be used to track environmental metrics associated with products as they are manufactured and distributed. While the EPC chip will be utilized to cull the metrics during manufacturing and distribution, the NFC chip will be used to provide information to consumers when the product is purchased. "The [EPC] RFID chip will get updated all the time, getting information about the carbon footprint throughout the supply chain," Connors explains. That information will then be stored within a centralized database, or data pool, and will include such elements as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and other core attributes, as well as an RFID Carbon Label containing the environmental impact data of that specific product. That NFC-based label can then be scanned by a consumer's NFC mobile phone. "This will help customers choose the most sustainable, environmentally friendly product," Connors states. Within the next six weeks, ESCI expects to be able to determine which products will be tagged; these, he says, will likely include a product manufactured and distributed in the United Kingdom, as well as a high-value product manufactured in China and distributed in Europe. The council is currently soliciting retail product manufacturers and retailers interested in participating in the project; information can be found here.
