Where Can I Find an Active RFID Tag Capable of Being Used in a Health-care Decontamination Environment?

The tag would need to be capable of being moved through a washer-disinfector operating at temperatures of up to 90 degrees Celsius (194 degrees Fahrenheit), and through an autoclave operating at temperatures of up to 134 degrees Celsius (273 degrees Fahrenheit). Any assistance you could provide would be much appreciated.

—Lee (Bristol, England)

———

Dear Lee,

In December 2010, AeroScout introduced its Autoclave Tag, which handles temperatures of 135 degrees Celsius (275 degrees Fahrenheit) in sterilization applications (see RFID News Roundup: AeroScout Announces Wi-Fi RFID Tag That Withstands Surgical-Equipment Sterilization Processes). In November 2012, the company announced a deployment that included the tag's use at Charité, a hospital in Berlin, Germany (click here for more information).

And in 2008, Awarepoint, a provider of active real-time location technology, announced a sterilizable tag that can withstand temperatures of 135 degrees Celsius (see Awarepoint Unveils Sterilizable Active RFID Asset Tag).

—Mark Roberti, Founder and Editor, RFID Journal