Tageos Introduces New RAIN RFID Inlay
Tageos launched its ARC Spec C2-certified EOS-360 U9 inlay for retail and logistics applications. The new inlay is based on a new, very slim antenna design with unique compactness (antenna size only 64 mm x 4 mm) and geared toward cardboard, plastic and rubber.
The product is being targeted for tagging a wide range of general merchandise such as cosmetics, DIY, sporting goods, toys and among others. Since the new EOS-360 U9 is more than 45 percent smaller than comparable products of its type, the material savings for the products are considerable, according to Tageos officials.
The new RAIN RFID inlay is based on NXP’s UCODE 9 RAIN RFID chip. Equipped with 96-bit EPC memory, the IC provides 96-bit EPC, permalock function for EPC and kill password, self-adaptive impedance and memory integrity safeguards. The product is suitable for solutions such as high-speed inventory counting, loss prevention with frictionless self-checkout, and embedded tagging with seamless product returns.
Company officials stated the inlay is the first member of a new family of products designed to meet the demand for ARC Spec C2 certified inlays. This specification was tailored to the needs of a leading U.S, retailer and cover a particularly wide range of non-food and non-apparel products.
“EOS-360 U9 underscores our technology leadership in RFID inlays and tags and its related antenna design and shows what it is all about: combining performance, high quality and sustainability for superiority in relevant applications,” said Chris Reese, CTO of Tageos in a press statement. “With the new UHF inlay, we are laying the foundation for a product family tailored to meet current and future needs of the retail industry.”
LoRa Alliance Expands Certification Program
The LoRa Alliance has expanded and enhanced the LoRaWAN Certification Program to include new capabilities that streamline the process to make certification faster and easier.
Available this month, the expansion includes the addition of LoRaWAN Relay feature testing as part of end-device certification; accreditation of DEKRA’s Atibaia, Brazil, facility as a LoRa Alliance Authorized Test Lab (ATL), the first in Latin and South America; the launch of the LoRaWAN Web Certification System (LWCS), which now automates the certification process; and the introduction of LoRa Alliance member self-testing of end devices.
Donna Moore, CEO and Chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance, said the updates demonstrate the maturity of the LoRaWAN Certification Program and provide OEMs with multiple approaches to certify their devices, meeting market requirements for tested devices. Achieving certification allows products to be featured in the LoRaWAN Marketplace, an online resource where end users can research and find where to purchase certified products and services.
“The simple fact is that IoT needs certified devices to ramp to billions of sensor deployments,” said Moore. “The tremendous benefit of certification— knowing that devices are correctly configured and will perform as intended—truly underlies the market’s trust in a technology’s ability to scale. LoRaWAN already has the most certified devices and the largest variety of certified devices in the LPWAN space, and the programs announced follow through on our commitment to continuously accelerate and simplify the certification process for end-device manufacturers.”
The alliance noted the authorization of DEKRA’s Brazil facility near São Paulo as a new ATL for LoRaWAN end devices demonstrates the strong growth in the Latin and South America regions. Having a local ATL means that members no longer must ship products outside of the continent, which offers time and cost savings when seeking LoRaWAN Certification. The move will support the area’s rapidly growing membership and is intended to promote increased device manufacturing in the region.
Heico, Aerosens Use BLE to Monitor Plane Life-Vest
Heico has teamed with Aerosens to develop a cabin management system utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) security and sensors to actively monitor the security of under-seat life-vest containers to support reduced aircraft turnaround times.
The system, called Aero CMS, employs BLE sensors that are transmitting constantly, letting an airline know the status of each life-vest container or other equipment containers being monitored. If a problem is detected, the software-enabled handheld device flashes a different color notifying the flight attendant or flight crew, so that they have to go and inspect the tampered container
Paul Belisle, vice-president and general manager, Heico Hardware Accessories Group, said the sensors are lightweight and inexpensive, and communicate with the Aero CMS software which may be customized based upon airline specifications. Heico and Aerosens have performed flight and ground tests with several operators.
”Data is transmitted to a handheld device which has the location of passenger accommodations and configuration of each aircraft type specific to that airline,” said Belisle. “Within minutes you are able to verify the status of the entire aircraft, identifying if there has been any tampering.”
Company officials highlighted the use of sensors gives a vast improvement in the turn time of aircraft that come into the U.S. Currently, as several life-vests expire and others’ expiration approaches, an airline would most likely switch out the entire suite of vests during the next check, due to convenience.
“Flying with expired life-vests is a fineable offense,” Belisle said. “Being able to exchange only the soon-to-expire vests reduces the inventory holdings of an air carrier, as they don’t need to replace the entire suite.”