EPC’s Tipping Point
RFID adoption is growing more slowly than many had forecast, leaving some to wonder when Electronic Product Code technology will fulfill the vision of a world where goods are tracked and traced through the global supply chain.
To EPC or Not to EPC?
That is the question on the minds of companies as they consider the benefits and challenges of deploying Electronic Product Code technology.
PinnacleHealth Extends Asset Tracking to Community Hospital
Already one of the largest active RFID deployments in health care, the system will let the staff at either site locate as many as 10,000 devices, from defibrillators to vacuum cleaners.
Researchers Finish Work on Needle-free Glucose Tester
Developed by Gentag, Georgetown University and SAIC, the system uses a non-invasive skin patch to measure a patient’s glucose level, and an RFID-enabled cell phone to receive that data.
Startup to Deliver Standards-Compliant UWB RTLS
DecaWave, a startup in Dublin, announced ScenSor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) RTLS system based on the IEEE 802.15.4a standard. DecaWave claims the technology provides 10-centimeter accuracy and can locate 11,000 items in a 20-meter radius. Production is set to start in 2010, but prototypes will be delivered this December.
Spanish Postal Service Expands Its RFID Deployment
Correos is now using a total of 65,000 EPC Gen 2 RFID tags, enabling it to monitor and improve the movement of mail at 56 sorting centers.
Gunning for Change
Sig Sauer, a leading handgun manufacturer, is offering customers the ability to track weapons with a RuBee-based inventory management system.
Ándale! Spain’s Postal Service Deploys RFID
Correos, the Spanish national postal service, has outfitted 37 distribution centers with an RFID system that tracks mail samples to analyze the flow of mail through the system. Reva Systems, whose equipment was used in the project, says the postal industry is a growing RFID market.
The Tough Get Going
Some companies are moaning about higher energy prices, the credit squeeze—even RFID tagging requirements—but others are seizing the opportunity.