The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations: Savi Technology; Farsens; Secura Key; Honeywell, Intermec; Performance Buildings, HID Global; and Petty-Ford Security Solutions.
Savi Releases Next-Generation Active RFID Tags
Savi Technology has announced new versions of its family of active RFID tags that it says deliver improvements in range, reliability, battery life, storage capacity and computing capability. The upgraded versions of the ST-654 “data-rich” tag, the ST-621 “license-plate” tag and the ST-618 asset tag now use Savi’s proprietary system on a chip (SoC) technology, unveiled in July 2010 (see Savi Unveils Developer Tools Program, System on Chip, to Spur Growth). The SoC combines all of the primary capabilities of Savi’s RFID tags, including a ultra-high frequency (UHF) 433 MHz transceiver (for transmitting data to a reader), a low-frequency (LF) 123 kHz receiver (enabling a dormant tag to wake up when they detect an LF signal transmitted by a Savi Signpost or Signpost-Reader installed at a chokepoint), memory, ISO 18000-7 firmware, and an ultra-low-power 32-bit ARM core processing chip, all on a single 9-millimeter by 9-millimeter package. The ST-654 active RFID tag is suited for applications including the tracking of shipping containers, vehicles and other large assets and delivers real-time asset information to guide supply chain operations. It provides 128 kilobytes of data storage. The ST-618 is a rugged active RFID tag suited for the locating, tracking and managing of medium to high-value assets in both defense and commercial applications, and the ST-621 license plate tag is a low-costing active RFID tag designed for various applications, including the tracking of shipping containers and other conveyances, Savi says. The new tags’ static UHF is increased by 30 percent to 650 feet, which, according to Savi, as well beyond the requirements established by the U.S. Department of Defense in the current RFID III contract and RFID IV proposal. The new tags’ static LF range has also been improved and is three times greater than previous versions of these tags&mdashan improvement that reduces the number of readers required for chokepoint (gate) detection of tags, the company reports, and enables users to automatically identify and track critical assets over much longer ranges. The upgraded tags also double the quantity of UHF collections at 25 miles per hour, improving the reliability of tracked asset information and the speed at which shipments can move through facilities and routes, according to Savi. The SoC technology reduces power consumption in the tags, extending battery life beyond five years. Validation of the tag improvements was completed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), one of 10 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories managed by DOE’s Office of Science, as part of their certification of the tags for use on the Department of Defense’s In-Transit Visibility network (RF ITV). The new tags are already in use by the U.S. Department of Defense. They are available now from Savi directly, with pricing unchanged from previous versions. While select vendors are licensed to sell Savi’s ISO 18000-7 tag designs under the DOD’s RFID III contract, Savi says it is the only provider that can offer this newer version with the significantly improved performance and capabilities.
Farsens Unveils UHF RFID tag with Battery-Free Pressure Sensor
Farsens, a provider of passive RFID-enabled sensor technology and wireless sensor networks, has introduced the Vortex1, an ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID sensor tag designed to monitor pressure in sealed places without the need of batteries or wires. The tag is ideal for pressure-sensitive asset and process management applications. Because it needs no wiring and requires no maintenance involving battery changes, it works well for retrofitting piping systems, gas/liquid containers or similar assets and processes, the company says. The sensor tag supports the EPCglobal Gen 2 standard and has a reading distance of around 1.5 meters (5 feet). It incorporates the LPS331AP pressure sensor from ST Microelectronics that has with a pressure range from 260 to 1260 millibars. The tag is delivered on the form of printed circuit board (PCB) and has 96 bits of EPC memory and 32 bits of Tag ID (TID) memory. It can be embedded in a wide variety of materials such as plastics or concrete and encapsulated in an IP67 or IP68 casing for usage in harsh environments. The Vortex1 comes in a variety of sizes and with four different antenna designs, giving customers a variety of options to best meet the needs of their required applications, according to Farsens, which is headquartered in San Sebastián, Spain. The existing antenna designs include three basic dipole antennas to maximize the communication distance. They are 150 millimeters, 135 millimeters or 135 millimeters long and 36 millimeters wide. They have different properties for completely battery free and battery assisted passive solutions. The fourth antenna features a meander, omnidirectional antenna design and the tag is 82 millimeters by 36 millimeters; this is designed to provide better performance for applications in which the tag needs to be read in different positions. The company can also create custom antenna designs. Samples and evaluation kits are available; pricing is available from Farsens.
Secura Key Launches Multi-Reader Access Control Panel
Secura Key has introduced the NOVA.16 (model SK-MRCP), a multi-reader access control panel for proximity and contactless smart card technologies that can connect&mdasha local area network or a high-peed, RS485 peripheral network&mdashup to 16 single-door Secura Key Smart Readers, each containing all of the inputs and outputs to control and monitor a single door. The panel is based on the ARM Cortex M3, 32-bit RISC processor and provides a major technology upgrade to Secura Key’s legacy SK-NET system, according to Secura Key. The combination of a control panel and Smart Readers eliminates the labor and cost of cable home runs, and multiple control panel installations, Secura Key reports, and the architecture is similar to high-end system panels, but designed for the deployments with one to 16 doors. To add individual doors, customers can easily connect additional Smart Readers and make all door connections at the reader. To go beyond 16 doors, an additional NOVA.16 can be added to the network or be daisy chained using RS485, according to Secura Key. In addition, the NOVA.16 reduces the number of control panels required for multi-door systems, which is a critical issue for IT, Electrical and Utility Rooms where space for security electronics is at a premium, the company says. The control panel also can communicate with the SK-WIO-1 single-door Wiegand interface, which allows any Wiegand device to be connected to NOVA.16, including keypad, biometric and long-range card readers, as well as non-Secura Key card readers. The NOVA.16’s RS-485 communications lines are hardened with gas discharge tube surge suppression, and the control panel has a 3-amp heavy-duty power supply with power line noise immunity and continually monitors backup-battery status. Communications speeds and transaction storage capacity have more than doubled over previous controller models, Secura Key says. The ARM platform will enable future feature enhancements and system upgrades. NOVA.16 can be combined with Secura Key legacy 2-door control panels on the same system, since they use the same programming conventions and user interface.
European Commission Clears Honeywell’s Acquisition of Intermec
The European Commission (EC) has announced that it has cleared Honeywell‘s acquisition of ;Intermec, a 46-year-old manufacturer of RFID readers, printers, tags and labels, as well as bar-code scanners and mobile computers. The acquisition was first announced in December 2012 (see Honeywell to Buy Intermec). Reviewing the proposed merger’s compliance with the EU Merger Regulation, the EC said it found that the transaction would not raise competition concerns, in particular because the merged entity will continue to face several credible competitors in the relevant markets. The EC also assessed the impact of the transaction on the markets where the parties’ activities overlap, in particular the markets for all types of rugged mobile computers, bar-code scanners and scanning engines&mdashincluding the possible market segment for 2-D scanning engines in the European Economic Area (EEA)&mdashand determined that Honeywell will continue to face competition from a number of credible suppliers following the transaction. The commission also evaluated possible vertical relationships between the parties’ activities, including in the market for the licensing of voice recognition software for inclusion in devices with voice recognition capabilities, and found no concerns there because of the presence of alternative suppliers of voice recognition software because Honeywell currently has very limited presence in the downstream market for the supply of voice recognition devices.
Performance Buildings’ Office-Sharing System Built on HID Global Access Technology
Performance Buildings, a Swiss systems integrator that provides technology for “on-demand” offices, is offering an intelligent facility management system for any-time access to shared and temporary offices. The solution enables end users to access rented office spaces with legacy proximity technology, existing smart cards and NFC-enabled smartphones and leverages access security products from HID Global. Performance Buildings is using HID Global’s EdgeReader ERP40 networked access control solution and iClass SE platform readers to create an Performance Buildings is offering the new solution to its customers, including property management companies and landlords in Switzerland and Germany. The EdgeReader ERP40 supports any card data format up to 128 bits and features an IP-enabled intelligent access control processor and host interface solution in a single unit, with a complete access control hardware/software infrastructure and contactless smart card read/write capability, according to HID Global. It’s designed for use at “the edge” of the network for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software host systems and is ideal for new building installations because it requires less wiring, and controls every control function at the door, the company says. The iClass SE platform readers are technology independent and support HID Global’s iClass Seos and iClass SE credential platforms as well as Mifare, Mifare DESFire EV1 and other technologies. Additionally, iClass SE readers support Near Field Communication (NFC) smartphones via Seos, and feature a variety of security features, according to HID Global. “Identity management touches everything in the Performance Buildings grid,” said Dr. Vishal Mallick, CEO of Performance Buildings, in a prepared statement, adding that customers want a strong identity management governance structure “to facilitate a seamless experience for their existing tenants and clients using the facilities “on-demand,” including the ability to book rooms and catering services online, open conference room doors, and sign out once their session is over. It was important to offer a wide menu of services to enhance the way we do business.” According to HID Global, Performance Buildings has seen a return on investment (ROI) within six months of installation and improved efficiencies thereafter. The company anticipates broadening its use of HID Global networked access control solutions as it continues to expand.
Idaho Police Officer and School Counselor Launch RTLS-based Petty-Ford Security Solutions
The mass shooting in December 2012, in which a gunman killed 20 first graders and six adults in a Connecticut school before turning his gun on himself, and a Wi-Fi-enabled real-time location system (RTLS) from Ekahau now in use at Skyview High School in Nampa, Idaho, has been the impetus behind a new company, Petty-Ford Security Solutions, in Meridian, Idaho, which is aimed at creating solutions to protect students and educators from harm’s way. The company was founded by Brad Ford, a police officer and school security officer of more than 10 years; Mandy Petty, who holds a master’s degree in psychology with an emphasis in school counseling and who has worked in education as a school counselor for 11 years; and Jason Petty, who has more than 18 years’ experience in the security industry. Ford, who serves as Skyview’s security resource officer, and Mandy Petty, the school’s counselor initially sought out the technology being used at Skyview, which is an Ekahau RTLS consisting of Ekahau’s Wi-Fi-based RFID tags, infrared (IR) beacons to make location data more granular and Ekahau’s Vision software (see Idaho School Installs RTLS to Make Students Safer). The solution is designed to indicate the nature of the problem, as well as the students’ and the staff’s locations, thereby making response times faster than for traditional methods of placing phone calls or calling for help. Mandy Petty says she and the other two cofounders decided to start their company because they worked side-by-side with Ekahau during the pilot and implementation and now want to share what they’ve learned with other schools. “I feel like Brad Ford and I, in particular since we work in the school, know what teachers and administrators go through, and what their concerns , and how we can make this an effective solution for schools.” The system enables Skyview teachers to simply press a button or pull down on their wearable Ekahau Wi-Fi badges in the event of a security or health emergency and the Ekahau badge sends a request for assistance within seconds, including event details and the teacher’s location, to the school’s Resource Officer and local dispatchers. During emergencies, dispatchers may also use Ekahau messaging software to send mass communication texts to badge-holders, directing teachers and classes away from danger without dependence on cellular networks. In addition, the Ekahau Forensics Replay software feature allows administrators to test emergency plan effectiveness by reviewing second-by-second event replays. Petty-Ford Security Solutions is now referring the Ekahau solution to others and providing systems integration, consulting services and training, all of which are part of its Rapid Emergency Response Program. The company has shared the details of the Skyview implementation with the Nampa Police Department, which is demonstrating Skyview’s system to police departments around the state in an effort to show other schools how they might benefit from such a security system.