"Many companies miss the opportunity to lower costs and boost sales because they confuse the expense of the data carrier with that of data acquisition.
article tools
June 29, 2009—Last week, the venerable New York Times ran an article on the bar code turning 35 years old (see Game Changer in Retailing, Bar Code Is 35). The article contained this jarring statement, which immediately jumped out at me: "Bar codes, after all, cost just half a cent each, while the electronic tags used in RFID cost more than 5 cents each."
I'm not sure where the writer came up with such prices, but what bothered me was the implication that bar codes are cheaper than radio frequency identification. That's simply untrue—and yet, it's a myth preventing many companies from benefiting from RFID (granted, some people want to believe it so they can use it as an excuse not to change).
Saying bar codes are cheaper than RFID tags is like saying a wood-handled hammer is cheaper than a nail gun. Well, yeah. But it takes a mere fraction of the time to finish a job with a nail gun than it would with an old-fashioned hammer. Similarly, apparel retailers have found that it takes 75 percent to 80 percent less time to complete a store inventory with RFID than with bar codes.
Lets say there are two apparel stores, each containing 15,000 items. The cost of the bar codes in Store A, at half a cent apiece, would be $75. The cost of the RFID tags in Store B, on the other hand, would be $750 at five cents—but just to be sure, let's use a figure of $1,500, since the cost might be closer to 10 cents. In the course of a year, let's say each company sells 250,000 items. The cost of the bar codes for Store A would be $1,250, while the RFID tags for Store B would cost $25,000. Bar codes look like a much better deal, sure—but remember, neither store has yet taken inventory.
Let's say each location decides that in order to maintain an inventory accuracy of 98 percent, it will conduct inventory twice daily—once upon opening, and again when closing. Each day, two employees at Store A would take a total of 10 hours to scan the bar codes on every item. The total labor cost would be $100 per day, or $36,500, assuming the store remains open 365 days per year. At Store B, meanwhile, it would take one worker two hours to read all of the RFID tags. The total labor cost each day would, thus, be $20—or $7,300 per year.
Collecting the data necessary to operate efficiently with bar codes would thus cost Store A $37,750 ($1,250 for bar codes, plus $36,500 in labor), whereas it would cost Store B $32,300 to collect the data it requires ($25,000 in tags, plus $7,300 in labor). So collecting the information needed to maintain a high inventory accuracy would actually cost more with bar codes than with RFID.
I realize I've simplified things in this example. You would also need to factor in the cost of handheld bar-code interrogators, RFID scanners, software and so forth. But you get the point, and there should be no disputing it: Collecting data is not cheaper with bar codes than with RFID tags.
related content
* Marigold Industrial Gets a Better Grip on Glove Production, Inventory
* Plant Nursery Raises Efficiency With RFID
* RTLS Providers Cite Strong Demand From Hospitals
* RFID Journal LIVE! 2009 Report
The reality today is that most stores conduct inventory twice per year, not twice every day. Why? Because it's too expensive to hire people to scan bar codes twice daily. As a result, inventory accuracy in most apparel stores is approximately 65 percent—and that means the companies are losing a lot of sales. Since American Apparel began employing RFID to take inventory in its stores, however, it has found sales increasing by more than 14 percent. It seems to me that businesses not implementing RFID are missing out on an opportunity to cut costs while boosting sales, because of this crazy myth that bar codes are somehow cheaper, which is often perpetuated but is most certainly not the case.
Now let's say you're Store C. By installing an RFID system and taking inventory twice a day, you could boost your sales by 14 percent. That's an additional 35,000 items, assuming 250,000 items were sold annually before you implemented RFID. At an average selling price of $10, you would make an additional $314,200 every year ($350,000 in additional sales, minus $32,300 for RFID tags and labor on the original 250,000 items, and $3,500 in tags for the additional sales).
I guess the real question, then, is this: Why isn't Wall Street demanding that publicly traded apparel companies use this technology?"
http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/5005
joi, 2 iulie 2009
Bling Nation raises $8M for cell phone payment system
"There’s something cool about buying stuff in stores with your cell phone. They do it in Europe and Asia, so why not here? Bling Nation has come up with a way to introduce pay-by-cellphone transactions in the U.S. for the purchase of physical goods at stores.
That, in turn, has enabled the company to raise $8 million in funding, which is being announced today. Investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Meck and Camp Ventures. The hope is to disrupt the inefficient $60 billion credit card purchasing industry.
The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company works with banks in local U.S. communities to set up the infrastructure required for its Redi Pay Bling mobile payments service. It offers consumers a better and more fun way to buy things with a phone, helps banks set up secure mobile payments, and lets merchants offer on-the-spot reward programs to keep customers coming back.
The banks give consumers a sticker to put on their cell phones that contain radio frequency identification (RFID) tags with special security features. You activate them the same way you activate an ATM or debit card.
wencesBling Nation also gives out tag readers to merchants. So when someone comes in contact with a reader, the tag wirelessly activates and performs a digital handshake. The customer then pushes a button on the phone to authorize a purchase. The tag reader verifies the transaction. A text message is sent back to the customer as a confirmation and receipt. You have to enter a PIN code on big transactions.
For consumers, it’s a good deal because it’s more convenient and safer than carrying around a lot of cash. If you lose your cell phone, you can quickly report it, and the payment mechanism won’t work on big transactions without the PIN code anyway.
Wences Casares, co-chief executive officer of Bling Nation, said it took two years to develop the technology platform, which is similar to systems used in Japan. Two months ago, the company deployed its first system with The State Bank in the small town of La Junta, Colo. Now 25 percent of the bank’s customers are using the system and it has signed up more merchants to participate than it had in previous payment systems in the last two years.
There is no personal data stored on the encrypted RFID tag. It has both a static number and a dynamic number (one that changes) that are used in the authentication system. That helps the bank protect against anyone trying to create fake tags.
The company competes with credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard. Other competitors include Revolution Money and Tempo.
Like its rivals, it keeps less than a percent of the transaction fee. But it will try to offer the best deals so that the smaller fee can be a draw for merchants. Merchants can offer incentive programs, like sending a text message offering a free drink after someone buys five drinks at a coffeehouse.
Casares and his co-CEO are veterans of the Latin American banking industry. They created Patagon, a banking portal, and Internet Argentina, an Internet service provider. They created a micro-finance institution that is Brazil’s biggest such bank now. They’re familiar with community banking and want to launch the technology platform in small communities in the U.S. first. About seven or eight banks are expected to be operational this year.
Eric O’Brien, a partner at Lightspeed, said the company has looked at mobile and online payments for a while but hadn’t backed anything in physical mobile payments until now because no one had developed a system that worked well for consumers, banks and merchants as well. It’s also as disruptive to the payments industry as the Internet was to the telecom industry a decade ago, he said.
Previously, the company got $5.3 million in funding from Meck. The company was founded in 2007 and has 25 employees."
http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009/07/02/bling-nation-raises-8m-for-cell-phone-payment-system/
That, in turn, has enabled the company to raise $8 million in funding, which is being announced today. Investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Meck and Camp Ventures. The hope is to disrupt the inefficient $60 billion credit card purchasing industry.
The Palo Alto, Calif.-based company works with banks in local U.S. communities to set up the infrastructure required for its Redi Pay Bling mobile payments service. It offers consumers a better and more fun way to buy things with a phone, helps banks set up secure mobile payments, and lets merchants offer on-the-spot reward programs to keep customers coming back.
The banks give consumers a sticker to put on their cell phones that contain radio frequency identification (RFID) tags with special security features. You activate them the same way you activate an ATM or debit card.
wencesBling Nation also gives out tag readers to merchants. So when someone comes in contact with a reader, the tag wirelessly activates and performs a digital handshake. The customer then pushes a button on the phone to authorize a purchase. The tag reader verifies the transaction. A text message is sent back to the customer as a confirmation and receipt. You have to enter a PIN code on big transactions.
For consumers, it’s a good deal because it’s more convenient and safer than carrying around a lot of cash. If you lose your cell phone, you can quickly report it, and the payment mechanism won’t work on big transactions without the PIN code anyway.
Wences Casares, co-chief executive officer of Bling Nation, said it took two years to develop the technology platform, which is similar to systems used in Japan. Two months ago, the company deployed its first system with The State Bank in the small town of La Junta, Colo. Now 25 percent of the bank’s customers are using the system and it has signed up more merchants to participate than it had in previous payment systems in the last two years.
There is no personal data stored on the encrypted RFID tag. It has both a static number and a dynamic number (one that changes) that are used in the authentication system. That helps the bank protect against anyone trying to create fake tags.
The company competes with credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard. Other competitors include Revolution Money and Tempo.
Like its rivals, it keeps less than a percent of the transaction fee. But it will try to offer the best deals so that the smaller fee can be a draw for merchants. Merchants can offer incentive programs, like sending a text message offering a free drink after someone buys five drinks at a coffeehouse.
Casares and his co-CEO are veterans of the Latin American banking industry. They created Patagon, a banking portal, and Internet Argentina, an Internet service provider. They created a micro-finance institution that is Brazil’s biggest such bank now. They’re familiar with community banking and want to launch the technology platform in small communities in the U.S. first. About seven or eight banks are expected to be operational this year.
Eric O’Brien, a partner at Lightspeed, said the company has looked at mobile and online payments for a while but hadn’t backed anything in physical mobile payments until now because no one had developed a system that worked well for consumers, banks and merchants as well. It’s also as disruptive to the payments industry as the Internet was to the telecom industry a decade ago, he said.
Previously, the company got $5.3 million in funding from Meck. The company was founded in 2007 and has 25 employees."
http://digital.venturebeat.com/2009/07/02/bling-nation-raises-8m-for-cell-phone-payment-system/
Haptic Feedback, Fingerprint Identification, and RFID Tag Readers in Future iPhones
"Haptic Tactile Feedback
Perhaps most interesting amongst the patent applications is the acknowledgement by Apple that despite the many advantages of the iPhone's multi-touch screen, a lack of tactile feedback remains its biggest disadvantage:
However, one of a touchscreen's biggest advantages (i.e., the ability to utilize the same physical space for different functions) is also one of a touchscreen's biggest disadvantages. When the user is unable to view the display (because the user is occupied with other tasks), the user can only feel the smooth hard surface of the touchscreen, regardless of the shape, size and location of the virtual buttons and/or other display elements. This makes it difficult for users to find icons, hyperlinks, textboxes or other user-selectable input elements that are being displayed, if any are even being displayed, without looking at the display.
...
Unless touch input components are improved, users that, for example, drive a motor vehicle, may avoid devices that have a touch input component and favor those that have a plurality of physical input components (e.g., buttons, wheels, etc.).
The proposed solution is the adoption of "haptic" display technologies which allow for some tactile feedback from touch screen displays. Apple proposes including a grid of piezoelectronic actuators that can be activated on command. By fluctuating the frequency of these actuators, the user will "feel" different surfaces as their finger moves across it. As an example, a display could include a virtual click wheel which vibrates at a different frequency as the center. Users could easily sense the difference and use the click wheel without having to look at it.
Haptic technology has started gaining adoption in other mobile phones and there had been some talk that Apple might have been looking to adopt it.
Fingerprint Identification as an Input Method
A second very intriguing patent application suggests the detection of a user's individual fingerprints as an input method. Fingerprints have already been used in computers for security purposes, but Apple's research involves the use of fingerprint patterns to actually identify distinct fingers. This could then be used to produce specific functions depending on which finger is being used. As shown in the table below, an index finger press might perform one action (PLAY/STOP) while a middle finger press could fast forward.
The reason for such a distinction again falls back on non-visual usage. Instead of requiring the user to find a button on the touchscreen, the use of different fingers alone could trigger different commands.
RFID Reader
Finally, the last notable application covers the dual use of a touch screen as an RFID reader. RFID tags are small circuits that can be embedded in objects for identification using a special reader. Apple suggests that the an RFID antenna can be placed in the touch sensor panel itself, allowing it to also be used as a RFID reader. As RFID tags become more prevalent, this could add a very useful function to future touch screen devices."
http://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/02/haptic-feedback-fingerprint-identification-and-rfid-tag-readers-in-future-iphones/
Perhaps most interesting amongst the patent applications is the acknowledgement by Apple that despite the many advantages of the iPhone's multi-touch screen, a lack of tactile feedback remains its biggest disadvantage:
However, one of a touchscreen's biggest advantages (i.e., the ability to utilize the same physical space for different functions) is also one of a touchscreen's biggest disadvantages. When the user is unable to view the display (because the user is occupied with other tasks), the user can only feel the smooth hard surface of the touchscreen, regardless of the shape, size and location of the virtual buttons and/or other display elements. This makes it difficult for users to find icons, hyperlinks, textboxes or other user-selectable input elements that are being displayed, if any are even being displayed, without looking at the display.
...
Unless touch input components are improved, users that, for example, drive a motor vehicle, may avoid devices that have a touch input component and favor those that have a plurality of physical input components (e.g., buttons, wheels, etc.).
The proposed solution is the adoption of "haptic" display technologies which allow for some tactile feedback from touch screen displays. Apple proposes including a grid of piezoelectronic actuators that can be activated on command. By fluctuating the frequency of these actuators, the user will "feel" different surfaces as their finger moves across it. As an example, a display could include a virtual click wheel which vibrates at a different frequency as the center. Users could easily sense the difference and use the click wheel without having to look at it.
Haptic technology has started gaining adoption in other mobile phones and there had been some talk that Apple might have been looking to adopt it.
Fingerprint Identification as an Input Method
A second very intriguing patent application suggests the detection of a user's individual fingerprints as an input method. Fingerprints have already been used in computers for security purposes, but Apple's research involves the use of fingerprint patterns to actually identify distinct fingers. This could then be used to produce specific functions depending on which finger is being used. As shown in the table below, an index finger press might perform one action (PLAY/STOP) while a middle finger press could fast forward.
The reason for such a distinction again falls back on non-visual usage. Instead of requiring the user to find a button on the touchscreen, the use of different fingers alone could trigger different commands.
RFID Reader
Finally, the last notable application covers the dual use of a touch screen as an RFID reader. RFID tags are small circuits that can be embedded in objects for identification using a special reader. Apple suggests that the an RFID antenna can be placed in the touch sensor panel itself, allowing it to also be used as a RFID reader. As RFID tags become more prevalent, this could add a very useful function to future touch screen devices."
http://www.macrumors.com/2009/07/02/haptic-feedback-fingerprint-identification-and-rfid-tag-readers-in-future-iphones/
RFID at the races
"Twenty thousand runners pounding the pavement for more than 26 miles. How do you keep track of all of them? Officials of the Los Angeles Marathon rely on RFID tags and readers. Event organizers first tested the technology in 2008 and were so pleased with the results that they used it again in late May for the 2009 road race.
Each of the registered runners attached RFID-enabled timing tags from ChronoTrack Systems to his or her shoelaces. The tags, which incorporate UPM Raflatac RFID tags and Impinj tag chips, recorded times at the start, at the finish, and at milestones along the race route.
According to UPM Raflatac, attaching the disposable plastic-enclosed tags to the runners' shoes ensures consistent placement and readability. At certain milestones, the Los Angeles runners pass over urethane ramps that use UHF antennas to transmit race data to readers. Custom-designed controllers then format the collected data for use by scoring software. The system logged accurate data for 99.84 percent of the runners in 2008.
One thing we know: If this technology had been around in 1980, Rosie Ruiz wouldn't have had a chance of scamming Boston Marathon officials."
http://www.dcvelocity.com/news/?article_id=2348
Each of the registered runners attached RFID-enabled timing tags from ChronoTrack Systems to his or her shoelaces. The tags, which incorporate UPM Raflatac RFID tags and Impinj tag chips, recorded times at the start, at the finish, and at milestones along the race route.
According to UPM Raflatac, attaching the disposable plastic-enclosed tags to the runners' shoes ensures consistent placement and readability. At certain milestones, the Los Angeles runners pass over urethane ramps that use UHF antennas to transmit race data to readers. Custom-designed controllers then format the collected data for use by scoring software. The system logged accurate data for 99.84 percent of the runners in 2008.
One thing we know: If this technology had been around in 1980, Rosie Ruiz wouldn't have had a chance of scamming Boston Marathon officials."
http://www.dcvelocity.com/news/?article_id=2348
Three-year study shows RFID tags can withstand
"Radio frequency identification tags proved they can withstand multiple trips through the supply chain.
A three-year study of how the RFID tags handle temperature changes, wet and dry environments, cleaning, dropping, transporting and loading came back with promising results.
“What they determined is you could use a one-way tag multiple times with almost 100% readability,” said Jerry Welcome, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Reusable Packaging Association, sponsor of the study.
A researcher affixes a radio frequency identification tag to reusable containers used in a three-year test on RFID technology's durability. The small labels on the right are the RFID tags...
Courtesy Reusable Packaging Association
A researcher affixes a radio frequency identification tag to reusable containers used in a three-year test on RFID technology's durability. The small labels on the right are the RFID tags, while the larger labels contain identification data needed solely for the purpose of the test.
While the first two years of the study saw the RFID tags — affixed to one of two sizes of reusable plastic containers — subject to vibration tests, dropped from different angles, wrapped and shipped, it was the past year that they were really put to the test.
Three produce companies used RFID tags on their RPCs destined for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., all the way through the supply chain process — from field to store shelves.
Frontera Produce, Edinburg, Texas; Stemilt Growers, Wenatchee, Wash., and Salinas, Calif.-based Tanimura & Antle used the RFID tags with their produce shipments.
After two trips through the entire supply chain, the tags, which were subject to field conditions, coolers, trucks, distribution centers and cleaners, survived both trips. After the testing, 109 of 110 containers on a pallet could be read with 100% accuracy.
“Where we focused primarily was will it survive for the produce supply chain,” Welcome said. “It goes through a pretty vigorous system when you think about it.”
One trick to the success of this study is the placement of the tag.
“We did have some tags not applied correctly that did fall off,” Welcome said. “But for the most part, the vast majority stayed on and did their job.”
Optimal placement of an RFID tag is discussed in the entire study, which is available only to the association’s members at this time.
Besides the added value of being able to use a one-way RFID tag, Welcome said another cost saving advantage discovered is the need for fewer tag readers. Readers and equipment, along with pallets, were included in the study.
Welcome said the results of this study are particularly important for the produce industry because so much information can be stored on an RFID tag, and the study shows how the entire system can be more cost effective.
“That tag can be read and rewritten several times,” Welcome said. “It can have both product information and asset information. The whole reason to use the tags themselves is that you can get a lot out of them.”
From the grower-shipper’s perspective, the tags can store lot numbers, Global Trade Identification Numbers or other distinguishing facts, which can help quickly identify products in the case of a recall or outbreak.
For the pallet pooling company or RPC manufacturer, they can store and track information about that pallet’s number of trips, durability, etc., and use it to optimize their systems.
For both parties, the tags help facilitate analysis of the supply chain.
Lettuce, apples and peppers were used in this the study. Lettuce was used because of its high water content, and water’s ability to detune radio frequencies, while apples and peppers were used to study the effects of seeds, pits and shape on radio frequencies.
The RPCs used in the study were manufactured by Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta; IFCO Systems NA., Houston, and Orbis Container Corp., Fresno, Calif. The RFID tags were provided by Alien Technology, Morgan Hill, Calif.; Avery Dennison, Pasadena, Calif.; Impinj, Seattle, and UPM Raflatac, Hebron, Ky.
The physical testing was conducted at Michigan State University’s School of Packaging, while the RFID readability testing was performed at California State Polytechnic University. The study was peer reviewed by both universities."
http://thepacker.com/Three-year-study-shows-RFID-tags-can-withstand/Article.aspx?articleid=367856&authorid=351&feedid=218&src=recent
A three-year study of how the RFID tags handle temperature changes, wet and dry environments, cleaning, dropping, transporting and loading came back with promising results.
“What they determined is you could use a one-way tag multiple times with almost 100% readability,” said Jerry Welcome, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Reusable Packaging Association, sponsor of the study.
A researcher affixes a radio frequency identification tag to reusable containers used in a three-year test on RFID technology's durability. The small labels on the right are the RFID tags...
Courtesy Reusable Packaging Association
A researcher affixes a radio frequency identification tag to reusable containers used in a three-year test on RFID technology's durability. The small labels on the right are the RFID tags, while the larger labels contain identification data needed solely for the purpose of the test.
While the first two years of the study saw the RFID tags — affixed to one of two sizes of reusable plastic containers — subject to vibration tests, dropped from different angles, wrapped and shipped, it was the past year that they were really put to the test.
Three produce companies used RFID tags on their RPCs destined for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., all the way through the supply chain process — from field to store shelves.
Frontera Produce, Edinburg, Texas; Stemilt Growers, Wenatchee, Wash., and Salinas, Calif.-based Tanimura & Antle used the RFID tags with their produce shipments.
After two trips through the entire supply chain, the tags, which were subject to field conditions, coolers, trucks, distribution centers and cleaners, survived both trips. After the testing, 109 of 110 containers on a pallet could be read with 100% accuracy.
“Where we focused primarily was will it survive for the produce supply chain,” Welcome said. “It goes through a pretty vigorous system when you think about it.”
One trick to the success of this study is the placement of the tag.
“We did have some tags not applied correctly that did fall off,” Welcome said. “But for the most part, the vast majority stayed on and did their job.”
Optimal placement of an RFID tag is discussed in the entire study, which is available only to the association’s members at this time.
Besides the added value of being able to use a one-way RFID tag, Welcome said another cost saving advantage discovered is the need for fewer tag readers. Readers and equipment, along with pallets, were included in the study.
Welcome said the results of this study are particularly important for the produce industry because so much information can be stored on an RFID tag, and the study shows how the entire system can be more cost effective.
“That tag can be read and rewritten several times,” Welcome said. “It can have both product information and asset information. The whole reason to use the tags themselves is that you can get a lot out of them.”
From the grower-shipper’s perspective, the tags can store lot numbers, Global Trade Identification Numbers or other distinguishing facts, which can help quickly identify products in the case of a recall or outbreak.
For the pallet pooling company or RPC manufacturer, they can store and track information about that pallet’s number of trips, durability, etc., and use it to optimize their systems.
For both parties, the tags help facilitate analysis of the supply chain.
Lettuce, apples and peppers were used in this the study. Lettuce was used because of its high water content, and water’s ability to detune radio frequencies, while apples and peppers were used to study the effects of seeds, pits and shape on radio frequencies.
The RPCs used in the study were manufactured by Georgia-Pacific, Atlanta; IFCO Systems NA., Houston, and Orbis Container Corp., Fresno, Calif. The RFID tags were provided by Alien Technology, Morgan Hill, Calif.; Avery Dennison, Pasadena, Calif.; Impinj, Seattle, and UPM Raflatac, Hebron, Ky.
The physical testing was conducted at Michigan State University’s School of Packaging, while the RFID readability testing was performed at California State Polytechnic University. The study was peer reviewed by both universities."
http://thepacker.com/Three-year-study-shows-RFID-tags-can-withstand/Article.aspx?articleid=367856&authorid=351&feedid=218&src=recent
RFID system provides real-time monitoring
"Hi-G-Tek, a developer of radio frequency sensing and control devices, is introducing a new protocol that can be used in the packing, storing and shipping of fresh produce.
The Rockville, Md.-based company is marketing its 18.7 Secure Series, a line of active radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors designed to track and monitor sensitive cargo and materials, including fresh produce. Chief executive officer Larry Blue said the new line meets all 18000-7 standard protocols set for active RFID (those powered by batteries) by the International Standards Organization.
“It’s like all light bulbs screw into one socket,” Blue said. “The ISO establish rules and ways for products to inter-communicate. It enables companies to make products that work with each other.”
One of the 18.7 Secure Series products Blue thinks is suited to perishable items like fresh produce is a temperature sensor that reports in real time the condition of a shipment in the back of a truck.
“It can have a big impact on shelf life or spoilage,” Blue said. “The other thing this allows is, once you know a temperature profile, you can manage first-in, first-out in the distribution center through the tagging of pallets.
“With active RFID, you can immediately get the data.”
Blue said data is transmitted wirelessly to a hand-held computer or personal digital assistant.
“A store manager looking for shipment from a distribution center can call up and know where the truck is and what the condition and shelf life (of the cargo) is going to be, from source to destination,” he said.
Another product in the line is a container security device, whereby loads can be locked and monitored for any instances of tampering or contamination.
“The key thing here for us is, the perishables market is a market we want to get into,” Blue said. “We’ve primarily focused on tanker trucks and liquids like gasoline and oil.”"
http://thepacker.com/RFID-system-provides-real-time-monitoring/Article.aspx?articleid=367850&feedid=218&src=recent
The Rockville, Md.-based company is marketing its 18.7 Secure Series, a line of active radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors designed to track and monitor sensitive cargo and materials, including fresh produce. Chief executive officer Larry Blue said the new line meets all 18000-7 standard protocols set for active RFID (those powered by batteries) by the International Standards Organization.
“It’s like all light bulbs screw into one socket,” Blue said. “The ISO establish rules and ways for products to inter-communicate. It enables companies to make products that work with each other.”
One of the 18.7 Secure Series products Blue thinks is suited to perishable items like fresh produce is a temperature sensor that reports in real time the condition of a shipment in the back of a truck.
“It can have a big impact on shelf life or spoilage,” Blue said. “The other thing this allows is, once you know a temperature profile, you can manage first-in, first-out in the distribution center through the tagging of pallets.
“With active RFID, you can immediately get the data.”
Blue said data is transmitted wirelessly to a hand-held computer or personal digital assistant.
“A store manager looking for shipment from a distribution center can call up and know where the truck is and what the condition and shelf life (of the cargo) is going to be, from source to destination,” he said.
Another product in the line is a container security device, whereby loads can be locked and monitored for any instances of tampering or contamination.
“The key thing here for us is, the perishables market is a market we want to get into,” Blue said. “We’ve primarily focused on tanker trucks and liquids like gasoline and oil.”"
http://thepacker.com/RFID-system-provides-real-time-monitoring/Article.aspx?articleid=367850&feedid=218&src=recent
RFID Sales Projected Growing 5 Percent
"Forecast says retailers, governments fuel growth despite downturn
Worldwide RFID sales will increase 5 percent in 2009 to $5.56 billion despite the global economic downturn, according to a forecast by IDTechEx, an international market research and consulting firm.
The firm said sales of RFID tags, readers and software/services for RFID cards, labels, and other products and services are growing even amid the widespread reduction in inventory and shipping.
The report said many segments of the industry are growing at an annual rate of more than 10 percent.
The overall growth rate will be affected, nevertheless, by softness in some major markets and the completion of the Chinese national ID card program, which has been responsible for billions of dollars in RFID revenue in recent years. Despite the completion of the Chinese ID card program, public sector spending is still a significant source of RFID revenue, the report said.
Retailers will use about 225 million RFID tags on pallets and cases in response to mandates by major retailers such as Wal-Mart, mostly in the U.S.
Despite widespread criticism of the way Wal-Mart managed its mandate, the report forecasts a further "take off" in retail use of RFID outside formal mandates by retailers. For example, Marks & Spencer and American Apparel will use 200 million RFID tags on apparel during 2009. An additional 350 million tags will be used in the form of transit tickets, such as on toll roads. Overall, 2.35 billion RFID tags will be sold in 2009 compared with 1.97 billion in 2008.
A growing number of local governments, including some in China, Australia and New Zealand, have made it mandatory to use RFID systems to track animals such as pigs, cattle and sheep. For example, New Zealand, by law, requires all dogs to be tagged with RFID; Australia requires 35 million head of cattle to be tracked. The report forecasts 105 million tags in this sector in 2009."
http://www.joc.com/node/412170
Worldwide RFID sales will increase 5 percent in 2009 to $5.56 billion despite the global economic downturn, according to a forecast by IDTechEx, an international market research and consulting firm.
The firm said sales of RFID tags, readers and software/services for RFID cards, labels, and other products and services are growing even amid the widespread reduction in inventory and shipping.
The report said many segments of the industry are growing at an annual rate of more than 10 percent.
The overall growth rate will be affected, nevertheless, by softness in some major markets and the completion of the Chinese national ID card program, which has been responsible for billions of dollars in RFID revenue in recent years. Despite the completion of the Chinese ID card program, public sector spending is still a significant source of RFID revenue, the report said.
Retailers will use about 225 million RFID tags on pallets and cases in response to mandates by major retailers such as Wal-Mart, mostly in the U.S.
Despite widespread criticism of the way Wal-Mart managed its mandate, the report forecasts a further "take off" in retail use of RFID outside formal mandates by retailers. For example, Marks & Spencer and American Apparel will use 200 million RFID tags on apparel during 2009. An additional 350 million tags will be used in the form of transit tickets, such as on toll roads. Overall, 2.35 billion RFID tags will be sold in 2009 compared with 1.97 billion in 2008.
A growing number of local governments, including some in China, Australia and New Zealand, have made it mandatory to use RFID systems to track animals such as pigs, cattle and sheep. For example, New Zealand, by law, requires all dogs to be tagged with RFID; Australia requires 35 million head of cattle to be tracked. The report forecasts 105 million tags in this sector in 2009."
http://www.joc.com/node/412170
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