Feb 10, 2022SML Issues Retail Insight Report
The past 18 months have been challenging for the retail sector. Undustries worldwide are deep into the recovery process, and the domino effect of COVID-19 continues as supply chain issues and labor shortages undermine sales. Supply chain disruptions and shuttered stores have caused dramatic shifts in inventory levels, item-level stock count accuracies, and sales figures. With that in mind, SML Group has issued a report titled "SML RFID State of Retail Insight Report Part 2: Helping Customers Prosper Through Technology" (see SML Acquires Sumzed, Releases Retail Insight Report).
Revenue reductions have caused retailers to lay off personnel to remain operational, a short-term solution that has had long-term implications. Part one of this insight report looked at the sector's sentiment toward growth and the challenges that retailers perceive to be impacting the industry going forward. Part two now considers how retailers can put greater emphasis on streamlining in-store processes and the importance of finding the right solutions that cater to newfound consumer demands. The report explores current concerns from retailers when it comes to implementing new technologies and the pain points that many currently feel as recovery continues.
According to SML's report, 43 percent of retailers believe enhanced stock-level visibility would help them better serve customers and increase the overall customer experience. The study analyzes responses from more than 500 independent senior decision-makers and executives from apparel retailers throughout the United States and United Kingdom. Topics include the impact of the coronavirus, digital transformation, and the challenges and concerns facing retailers. You can read more about the report in this article from reporter Claire Swedberg, or download it directly from RFID Journal's white paper library.
CAEN RFID Intros Portable Inventory-Management Reader
CAEN RFID
has announced its skID Mini Sled RAIN RFID Reader, a portable device with an integrated antenna for medium-range applications. The reader, the company reports, is suitable for inventory-management, mobile-worker and service-and-maintenance applications. The unit is based on Impinj's R2000 chipset, which, according to CAEN RFID, allows it to achieve fast reading speeds and be used in dense reader and tag environments.
A Bluetooth communication interface allows the skID to be added to any Bluetooth-enabled host, the company reports. The reader can be securely fixed to mobile devices either via a magnet, 3M Dual Lock or SP-Connect. The Dual Lock method provides a durable fastening that can be opened and closed multiple times, the company explains. The system can be adapted to mobile devices, such as smartphones, PDAs or tablets.
SP-Connect is a smartphone-mounting system that provides a protective case with an integrated twist-lock attaching mechanism. The case is compatible with Apple smartphone models. The solution is compliant with UHF EPC Class 1 Gen 2 RFID and ISO 18000-63, with ETSI and FCC versions also available. Features include an integrated, circular-polarized antenna; an ergonomic form factor; battery power; and iPhone and iPad compatibility.
Semtech Integrates LoRaWAN In ICT Oyster-Farming Solution
Semtech has announced that ICT International, an Internet of Things (IoT) solution provider for environmental applications, has integrated Semtech's LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN standard into its water quality monitoring systems for aquaculture. The implementation of LoRaWAN provides long-range, low-power, wide-area network coverage, the company reports, allowing the solutions to transmit near-real-time data to oyster farmers, including information regarding temperatures, water levels, tides, water salinity and more.
"ICT International's water-quality systems leveraging LoRaWAN deliver near-real-time water salinity and temperature data directly into the hands of the oyster farmers," said Peter Cull, ICT's managing director, in a prepared statement. "Data-based management is driving reductions in oyster mortality, increased harvest times and reduced labor costs."
ICT's sensors form part of the Estuary Sensor Platform, a tool built for oyster farmers as part of New South Wales Department of Primary Industries' $6.7 million AUD Climate Smart Pilots project. The platform features centralized gateways using LoRaWAN to capture sensor data and upload it to a cloud-based system. The collected data is visually represented through ICT's Dataview Web-based platform, which allows farmers to view oysters' environmental conditions.
"The IoT is simplifying and easing workloads more than ever seen before by providing valuable data that helps to efficiently scale most work applications," added Marc Pégulu, the VP of IoT product marketing and strategy for Semtech's Wireless and Sensing Products Group, in the prepared statement. "ICT International's oyster-farming sensor solutions are a great example of the value of Semtech's LoRa devices and the LoRaWAN standard to smartly monitor Earth's resources and keep businesses working year-long."
LoRa Alliance Issues LoRaWAN Report
The LoRa Alliance, a global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), has issued its "2021 End of Year Report: The Power of LoRaWAN," which examines the organization's activities and achievements throughout the past year. Specifically, the report highlights the Alliance's accomplishments that drove massive scaling of the Internet of Things.
"2021 saw many critical achievements that advanced the standard and LoRaWAN's standing as the leading LPWAN technology," said Donna Moore, the LoRa Alliance's CEO and chairwoman, in a prepared statement. "The industry at large has recognized the value of LoRaWAN and its benefits: an open standard, business model flexibility, support from a large and diverse ecosystem that drives innovation, vendor choice, network coverage worldwide, and the backing of a strong certification program to ensure the interoperability and consistency needed for scale. Our commitment to a multi-RAN strategy further demonstrates the advantages of using open standards. Finally, our members have experienced growth across a huge range of vertical markets where LoRaWAN's low power and long range are a critical differentiator."
Several market factors drove LoRaWAN's rapid scaling, according to the LoRa Alliance: it was accepted as an international standard by an independent SDO; its network model flexibility has allowed public, private and hybrid network options; and it has ensured long-term viability and networking to serve the needs of a diverse and growing market. LoRaWAN coverage became ubiquitous in 2021, with networks operational in almost every country worldwide. A growth in deployments of scale demonstrated LoRaWAN is critically important to the digital transformation of all businesses, and the Alliance saw an increase in membership, adding nearly 100 new members last year, with the pace of membership growth in early 2022 already increasing.
"It is clear the world stage is set for significant, rapid market acceleration of LoRaWAN in the coming year," Moore added in the prepared statement. Those interested can read the full report here.
Essence Group Joins Qualcomm Smart-Cities Accelerator Program
Essence Group, a technology group developing IoT-based security, safety and healthcare solutions and cloud-based services for homes, families and businesses, has announced that it has joined the Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program. As a member of the program, Essence Group will provide its suite of security and safety products to help protect workers, buildings and assets.
The program is designed to connect cities, municipalities, government agencies and enterprises with an ecosystem of providers to deliver greater efficiencies, safety, cost savings and sustainability. Program members include hardware and software providers, cloud solution providers, systems integrators, design and manufacturing companies, and smart-city solution providers.
"The Qualcomm Smart Cities Accelerator Program is a central hub for smart-city solution providers utilizing our cutting-edge technologies," said Sanjeet Pandit, Qualcomm's senior director for business development and head of smart cities, in a prepared statement, "and we are excited to collaborate with Essence as they work to enhance Enterprise Security and employee safety in university campuses, transportation, construction, smart-stadiums, and a host of other industries."
"At Essence Group, our mission is to enhance safety and security to provide peace of mind for our residential, small business and enterprise customers," added Yaniv Amir, the president of Essence Group North America, in the prepared statement. "We are thrilled to bring the Essence Umbrella mPERS, MyShield, and future products to the Qualcomm Advantage Network services portfolio."
The Enterprise Solutions portfolio comprises an AI-based IoT solution with a suite of integrated cloud platforms to ensure the safety of workers, buildings and assets. The suite allows customers to deter, prevent and address incidents in real time. The Umbrella line of wearable Personal Safety Panic devices provides incident notification and protection, including fall detection, for VIPs, transportation workers, construction workers, students, teachers and others. And the MyShield solution is a cloud-based intruder prevention and intervention platform connected to 5G CAT-M networks, which can be integrated into existing security systems and monitoring centers.
"We are excited to collaborate with Essence to deliver smart-enterprise solutions to keep our customers' personnel and assets safe," Pandit added in the statement. "Prioritizing enterprise safety, and especially that of our workers, will continue to accelerate the transformation of our cities and help enrich communities' lives."
