The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations: Juniper Systems; ThingMagic; Quest Solution Canada Inc.; Convergence Systems Ltd.; FEIG Electronics, Portable Technology Solutions; Siemens; and Security Industry Association, STid.
Juniper Systems Releases Rugged Tablet With Android OS
Juniper Systems, a provider of ultra-rugged field data collection solutions, has announced the release of its Mesa 2 Rugged Tablet running Android 5.1. According to the company, the handheld provides the versatility of the Android operating system without reducing durability and precision. Built with an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating, a long battery life and a 7-inch display, this solution offers access to a variety of applications. It offers a large viewing area, Juniper Systems reports, as well as a reduced overall weight from prior models.
This tablet offers optional features and accessories, including a Class 1, Div II classification, ensuring safety in hazardous locations, a 1D-2D bar-code scanner, a scanning pistol grip and RFID reader options. Such customization options are provided to ensure increased productivity and efficiency.
“We developed the Mesa 2 with Android to provide an alternate operating system option for customers seeking the reliability the Mesa 2 provides, with the added versatility and familiarity of Android,” said Nate Holman, Juniper Systems’ VP of sales and marketing, in a prepared statement. “We’ve been excited about releasing this product for quite some time now. I’m looking forward to seeing the variety of business applications it will be used for.”
The Mesa 2 rugged tablet with Android is now being shipped to customers.
ThingMagic Enhances Sargas RAIN RFID Reader
ThingMagic, a JADAK brand, has introduced enhancements for its ThingMagic Sargas 2-port ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID reader. The enhancements implement support for additional RFID protocols, the RAINstream application to simplify data integration, and features to ease the integration of the reader into existing systems.
In addition to the standard EPC Gen 2 ISO 18000-63: 2015 protocols, the Sargas RAIN readers now support the AEI ATA, IP-X and ISO 18000-6B protocols. The Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) and American Trucking Association (ATA) protocols are primarily used in railroad and trucking applications.
RAINstream On-Reader ApplicationTag data can be sent to a back-end processing system using any of several protocols. RAINstream is a licensable on-reader application for the Sargas reader that eliminates the need for middleware between the reader and a back-end processing system, the company reports. “By installing the license key, users can write their own script software to obtain tag data from the reader,” said Harinath Reddy, JADAK’s director of RFID innovation, in a prepared statement. “No reader control is required, and the script can be as small as a half dozen lines of code.”
The reader now supports both on-board Real Time Clock (RTC) hardware and Network Time Protocol (NTP) server functionality. Operators can use the Thunderbolt NTP Time Server to provide accurate network time to a large number of Sargas readers. When the reader is disconnected from the network or power source, the RTC hardware retains time information for roughly 48 hours.
The keyboard wedge presents tag information from the reader as though it were entered from a keyboard or keypad. This capability enables developers to rapidly integrate RFID into existing designs and systems without the need to rewrite system code. Improvements to the Sargas reader’s built-in Web user interface (UI) extend diagnostic features to simplify reader setup, demonstration and debugging, the company explains; other improvements include enhanced status reporting and configuration to support new features.
The link-link functionality enables network connection between a reader and a computer in the absence of network infrastructure. Developers can connect the Sargas reader to the network port on a laptop without a network switch. The new protocols are accessed via the license key system built into the Mercury application programming interface (API).
Quest Solution Canada Inc. Changes Branding, Name
Quest Solution Canada Inc., a provider of enterprise-mobility, data-collection, RFID and labelling solutions, has announced that it is changing its name to QSG Inc.
“Our company exists because of our customers, partners and employees, and I want to thank everyone for their support,” said Gilles Gaudreault, Quest Solution Canada’s CEO and owner, in a prepared statement. “We have been in business together for more than 22 years with a long history, and we are very proud to launch QSG. This is an opportunity for us to refresh our brand, along with the launch of several new initiatives, including a new IoT (Internet of Things) portfolio.”
“After many mergers and acquisitions, now is the time to simplify and modernize our brand,” said Pierre-André Paulin, the company’s VP of business development and marketing, in the prepared statement. “To help make our name stand the test of time, culture and language, we chose to simplify the name with an acronym. With this new name and logo, the letter Q shows our growth path (Quest Solution and Qdata), but it is also the present and future as the shape of the Q resembles an intelligent phone or tablet.”
CSL Launches Long-Range UHF RFID Handheld Sled Reader
Convergence Systems Ltd. (CSL), a global provider of passive RFID products and active real-time location system (RTLS) equipment, has announced its CS108 UHF RFID handheld sled reader, which offers a long read range. This rugged reader features Bluetooth integration with Android or Apple iPhone platforms, an optional 2D bar-code module and a read range of 18 meters (59 feet).
The new CS108 UHF RFID reader is designed to read and write to RAIN RFID transponders (EPC Class 1 Gen 2 /ISO18000-6C) and communicate via Bluetooth wireless technology with a variety of host devices running Apple iOS and Android operating systems. The new handheld is suitable for a range of industries and applications, the company reports, including supply chain management, stock inventory control, asset and data management, and logistics.
“The rugged CS108 UHF RFID reader is compatible with today’s most popular devices, offers a 2D bar-code option and delivers the longest read range in the industry today at 18 meters,” said Jerry Garrett, CSL’s managing director, in a prepared statement. “This ruggedized RFID reader is lightweight, comfortable and optimized for both long battery life and ergonomic comfort.”
The CS108 will carry an end-user price of $1,399 or $1,299, depending on bar-code module option, and offer a two-year factory warranty. Availability is expected next month. CSL will demonstrate the CS108 reader in booth #642 at RFID Journal LIVE! 2017, taking place in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 9-11.
FEIG RAIN Readers Now Compatible With Portable Technology Solutions’ RFID Software
FEIG Electronics has announced native support from Portable Technology Solutions‘ ClearStream RFID software, a user-configurable RFID suite for tracking assets and inventory. FEIG’s readers work with ClearStream’s updated version 4.1 software, the company indicates, allowing the immediate use of its fixed readers, from simple operations to flexible coverage for complex customized enterprise systems.
“PTS is expanding the portfolio of readers supported by ClearStream RFID, and this recognizes FEIG’s growing use as a leading reader supplier,” said Brad Horn, PTS’s CEO and co-founder, in a prepared statement. “This is significant for us, as it signals the growing use and the expanded HF and UHF FEIG reader portfolio available to the market.”
“RFID Canada, Canadian distributor for FEIG Electronics GmbH, has worked with ClearStream for years and has provided powerful solutions for health care and asset management,” said Bob Moroz, RFID Canada‘s president, in the prepared statement. “We focus on making RFID easy for customers, and the combination of FEIG and ClearSteam makes implementing an RFID system simple and straightforward.”
Since every FEIG product utilizes the common API, ClearStream is compatible with all FEIG RFID readers. ClearStream’s RFID software supports FEIG’s UHF RFID reader portfolio: LRU1002, LRU3000, LRU3500, MRU102 and MU02
Siemens Firmware Connects RFID to MindSphere Cloud-based IoT Operating System
Siemens, with its new V3 firmware release, has announced that its Simatic RF600 RFID system now supports the OPC UA open interface. The new firmware allows devices to be connected to the MindSphere cloud-based open Internet of Things operating system—for instance, via the Ruggedcom RX1400 industrial IoT gateway with MindConnect or with the MindConnect Nano cloud gateway.
Simatic RF600 acts as a link between the real and digital world, the company reports. Its platform-independent interface enables communication with products and software that support OPC UA. Project engineering takes place via a Web interface in a browser. Fields of application include production, logistics and asset management.
Linking the Simatic RF600 RFID system to the cloud opens up a new scope for the use of data captured from RFID transponders, the company explains, such as the registration and tracking of containers, pallets or products fitted with an RFID transponder. The captured data can be analyzed and made available worldwide due to the Web-based concept, creating transparency in terms of key performance indicators (KPIs), such as plant availability, asset utilization and energy savings.
Using the MindSphere app concept, customers can receive access to a range of information, such as RFID-based KPIs. This allows the targeted optimization of production processes and supply chains, with a view toward improving efficiency and quality in production, logistics, asset management and other areas.
Security Industry Association Recognizes STid Access-Control Mobile App
The Security Industry Association (SIA) has awarded STid, a provider of high-security solutions, its Mobile Apps trophy. STid won the Gold Trophy for Best Access Control Mobile App on Apr. 5, 2017, for its Mobile ID secure access-control solution.
STid’s Architect Blue readers and Mobile ID app are designed to improve access control, the company reports, providing identification solutions by transferring a user’s access card onto that individual’s smartphone, to work alongside or replace an RFID card. This solution was chosen from 120 other candidates—a record number of participants in the competition’s history since its launch in 1979, the company reports.
“The STid Mobile ID app has a lot of potential,” said one of the judges, according to a prepared statement from STid. “What truly sets it apart is its user-friendliness. We were impressed with its various identification methods, allowing the user to open a door without getting their phone out of their pocket… This is a real improvement for organizations in search of simplicity and efficiency.”
For instance, a user can open a door by tapping a smartphone twice in his or her pocket, or by simply swiping a hand against an access reader—even while making a phone call or when the phone is in a bag.
“This fifth trophy recognizes STid’s ability to bring advances to the security industry with its non-proprietary, open technologies that make people’s lives easier,” said Vincent Dupart, STid’s CEO, in the prepared statement. “The award consolidates our objective to develop new solutions to reach new international markets, including North America.”