RFID Journal LIVE! 2023 will feature end-user companies discussing RFID’s use in various industries, as well as exhibitors offering tagging solutions for multiple applications. To learn more, visit the event’s website.
With only three weeks left until RFID Journal LIVE! 2023, the speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and attendees are gearing up for another strong conference. Now in its 21st year, LIVE! is the world’s largest event focused on radio frequency identification (RFID) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. Innovative new products are introduced each year, and those who attend are among the first to see the latest offerings.
Innovation is vital for any market to grow and prosper, and the RFID industry is no exception. So I was impressed with an Indiegogo campaign for an RFID emulator called ChameleonUltra, posted here. The RFID-based key fob solution and access-control system is from Hong Kong-based RFID Research Group, and the Indiegogo campaign has raised almost $115,000 to date. The system provides an open-source, versatile and portable tool using Nordic Semiconductor‘s NRF52840 Bluetooth 5.3 system-on-chip.
The ChameleonUltra is designed to emulate a variety of RFID tags and systems, which means it can be programmed to behave like a specific type of RFID technology, and it can test and validate the behavior of readers and systems. According to the company, the device can be programmed with data and commands using a programming language such as Lua, and it can transmit this information to other readers and systems, which will then interpret it as though it were coming from an actual RFID system or tag.
In addition, the device is designed to clone RFID tags, the process of creating a copy of an existing tag. This can be useful in situations for which a tag needs to be replaced, or if multiple copies of the same tag are required. The device can be placed in tag-emulation mode, after which it will behave like the target tag. The system can read data from the target tag, which can be written onto a blank RFID tag, effectively creating a clone of the original.
As the device’s makers explain: “Have you ever lost an RFID key card or fob and had to go through the hassle and expense of ordering a replacement from the manufacturer? Or maybe you’ve needed to create duplicates for your family or coworkers, but didn’t have access to the original key card or fob? ChameleonUltra is here to solve all these problems and more. Our small and versatile device can clone, emulate and analyze a wide range of RFID tags and cards. With ChameleonUltra, you can create copies of RFID tags and cards, which can be used to access secure areas or equipment that require RFID authentication. You can also emulate and stores different types of RFID cards to test and troubleshoot RFID systems.”
This sounds like an innovative tool for RFID research and development, with its ability to emulate, clone and test various systems and tags. It’s this spirit of innovation that drives RFID Journal, our annual LIVE! conference and the RFID Journal Awards. If you’re looking to meet companies and speakers at the cutting edge of the RFID world, or if you have questions about the technology you’d like answered, you should register to attend.
Rich Handley is the editor of RFID Journal and has been with the company since 2005. Outside the RFID world, Rich has authored, edited or contributed to numerous books about pop culture. You can contact Rich via email.
