Identiv has announced that it has partnered with S+P Samson GmbH to produce a system for tracking surgery instruments and medical devices using radio frequency identification technology. Working with hospitals and Identiv, S+P Samson has developed a thin, small ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID label that can be affixed to stainless steel and plastics, such as medical instruments. With a UHF inlay, the company reports, the label can withstand cleaning, disinfection or hot steam treatments.
Identifying medical instruments that need to be sterilized can be accommodated via RFID, the companies explain. This, they say, makes it easier for hospitals to track the number of sterilization cycles, and to accurately monitor instrument lifetimes. Traditionally, the administration of medical instruments has required extensive manual labor. With RFID, the storage location, correct maintenance, age and other parameters of hospital instruments and devices can be monitored quickly and automatically.
“S+P Samson searched out the right company to connect with to engineer the necessary UHF inlay,” said Stephane Ardiley, Identiv’s director of product management for credentials, in a prepared statement. “Identiv is an expert in designing and manufacturing high-frequency (HF) and UHF transponders for embedded use in everyday objects, including medical devices, books, toys, and athletic apparel.”
Identiv’s transponders can be delivered in different form factors, including labels (printed or non-printed), dry inlays, wet inlays (with backing adhesive), tickets and more, and can be provide RFID connectivity to objects in the Internet of Things market. S+P Samson provided a dry inlay with a diameter of 5.4 millimeters (0.2 inch), made of polyimide (PI) substrate and copper lines. This inlay chip complies with the ISO 18000-6C standard.
“We chose to work with Identiv because of the team’s expert engineering and flexibility,” said Michael Boisson, S+P Samson’s head of product development. “Identiv is highly skilled in the Internet of Things market and provided us with the right tools to make our product a reality. Working together, we are protecting patients in an ever-evolving world.”