RFID Lowdown

RFID Lowdown - Thur Nov 16, 2006

Show Me The... Uh... Passport
The new Irish ICAO-compliant contactless passports will be supplied [Contactless News] by the same company that makes the paper money for over 150 countries, De La Rue. The books will be 34 and 66 pages and contain a 72kb chip storing details about each citizen, as well as a digital copy of the passport photo. An anti-skimming and eavesdropping feature called BAC (Basic Access Control) is present, as is Active Authentication, to prevent data cloning.

Malaysian Livestock To Be Tagged
Malaysia's Veterinary Services Department has plans to tag all of the country's 2.5 million livestock animals by 2008. Tags would be attached to the ears of cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep and pigs. The objective is to ensure that only healthy animals are exported and sick animals quarantined. This program is similar to the NAIS initiative in the US.

Maxstream Extends ZigBee Range To 40 Miles
ZigBee, a low-cost, low-power, low-data rate wireless communications protocol, has had its range extended [EE Product Center] by up to 40 miles by modem supplier MaxStream through their XBee XTender bridge. The typical ZigBee range is 100-300 feet.

Pharmaceutical RFID Tech Not Ready?

If your company had a process with a 1% error rate, would you be satisfied? Not Cardinal Health, who conducted an RFID pilot study to tag, track and e-pedigree pharmaceuticals. For them, the desire is to be at a Six Sigma quality level because of the need for accurate e-pedigrees of drugs. Their conclusion was that while their pilot was encouraging [RFID Update],

the technology and industry are not ready for adoption.

Some of the issues that they feel need to be resolved includes global standards and privacy concerns.

Meanwhile, item-level tagging for pharmaceuticals is getting some innovation by packaging giant O-I in the form of embedded RFID inlays for packaging of the four common dosage forms (solids, gelcaps, powders, liquids). Their technology works with either HF or UHF tech.

Dec 1st, 2006, is the US FDA deadline for certain expensive and/or popular drugs to be e-pedigreed with RFID technology. This move is primarily to stop drug counterfeiting. While the industry backs the FDA, many companies are slow on the uptake.

ZigBee For Wireless Mesh Networks

ZigBee [wikipedia] is a wireless communications protocol that uses lower power and operates in either of three frequencies: 868 Mhz (Europe), 915 Mhz (USA), 2.4 Ghz (mostly worldwide). It's based on an IEEE standard (802.15.4) for WPANs (Wireless Personal Area Networks).

There are three types of ZigBee devices: ZC (ZigBee Coordinator), ZR (ZigBee Router), (ZB) ZigBee End Device. Each network has one ZC that maintains network information and security keys. The ZR passes data between devices. The ZED talks to either of the other two types of devices.

ZigBee is often used for low-power mesh networks that do not require high data transfer rates. An example use might be a home automation network to control lights, security, fire alarm, security and heating and air conditioning. Another use is to monitor devices in motion under a closed system - for example identity badges with ZigBee and RFID capabilities mobile within a predefined space. Some companies, such as the research firm In-Stat, believe that ZigBee will become the dominant wireless mesh network protocol.

RFID In Shipping

EPCglobal is conducting a pilot study to promote their EPCIS (electronic product code information services) technical specification in Asia, as well as test RFID for automated customs clearance. EPCIS is a guideline for the standardizing RFID data so that it can be shared. The first of two phases involves tagging containers being shipped between Hong Kong and Japan (by sea).

Another RFID pilot being run by Schenker, a division of Deutsche Bahn, is also being applied to sea freight containers, in this case between the ports of Hong Kong and Hamburg, Germany. This pilot is also in two phases and will last about a year. It will use tags and readers from Intermec, with the tags being able to withstand salt water.

Other companies such as Savi Networks are also testing RFID with shipping containers.

Measuring Gen 2 RFID

Data is just one of those things that begs to be analyzed. For analysis geeks, un-analyzed data is just wasted data. So it wasn't long after the debut of the Gen2 RFID tag protocol that an electrical engineering professor at University of Arkansas, Kazem Sohraby, and a post-doctoral fellow, Chonggang Wang, came up with two performance metrics for RFID - a way to measure the capacity of an RFID reader. Said Professor Sohraby:

As far as we know, this is the first quantitative analysis of the performance of the Gen-2 protocol

referring to the recent Gen2 UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID specification being backed EPCglobal and supported by over 60 other companies in the industry. EPCGlobal's EPC (Electronic Product Code) is being pushed as a worldwide standard for radio frequency technology. Some reports say that upgrading to Gen2 will be expensive, though the cost of UHF readers should fall. So any sort of analysis that improves the usage of current Gen 2 equipment holds a great deal of value. The model devised uses an advanced mathematical concept known as Discrete-Time Markov Chains, which help describe the state of a system - in this case, the different states of an RFID reader.

[via University of Arkansas]

Radio-Mobile Frequency Clash

-- By Pushpa Sathish, Staff Writer

Frequency and bandwidth issues in RFID deployments are coming to light Down Under too. A recent report states that IBM was asked to discontinue an RFID demo at this year’s Australian Open tennis tournament following complaints that signals from the readers were disrupting mobile phone towers in Vodafone’s network. The problem was apparently caused because both systems shared the same frequency band.

While IBM played down the issue saying only that it had terminated the demo because of a problem with a third-part, non-IBM reader, Vodafone said that this was not the first occurrence of such disturbances. The company has asked GS1, the RFID standards group, for assistance in resolving this issue.

GS1 is testing RFID standards and applications with the scientific license extended to it by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for the use of the frequency. ACMA is looking to ensure that Vodafone’s network is free from signal disruptions because of the money that the telecom company has paid for its spectrum license. The agency said that frequency issues would not be a problem as long as the RFID readers were compliant with GS1 standards.

Impinj + Reva Achieve Dense RFID Reading

In Europe, RFID readers must use a "listen-before-talk" technique, where a reader checks for other signals before transmitting its own broadcast. Reva Systems and Impinj performed a joint test using 36 readers and a single listen-before-talk sensor, as well as a Reva TAP (Tag Acquisition Processor) to achieve "dense reading" rates of 98-99% accuracy - previously unheard of for such signal density. Furthermore, the European spectrum for UHF (Ultra High Frequency) RFID is only 3 Mhz compared to 26 Mhz in the USA. So the net result is that the achievement might mean wider adoption of RFID in European, especially in the supply chain.

[BusinessWire via RFID Update]

RFID Faces Various Hurdles

Greater penetration of RFID use around the world faces a number of hurdles. According to a report sponsored by the DTI Global Watch Mission, that includes issues of RFID standards, skills shortages, spectrum differences, and even health worries. In Europe, it's a question of which standards to follow, as ETSI requires a certain protocol which is not compatible with multi-readers, and restricts real-time applications of RFID. US companies are assisting in resolving these problems.

However, even if the technical issues are resolved, there are still a lack of skilled technicians for RF and networking. While there are a few colleges and universities around the world who are running RFID academic programs and laboratories, e.g., Oakton Community College, they are only recent implemented.

[additional sources: Electronics Weekly]

RFID Lowdown Weekly Links: Mon Sep 18 - Fri Sep 22, 2006

Links for RFID Lowdown articles posted this week.

1. RFID Tech Knows What You Want?
2. Wanted For Warehouse Work: RFID Cyborgs
3. Making RFID Compliance Easy + Affordable
4. Big RFID Acquisitions: Motorola Buys Symbol
5. White paper: Top Ten Myths About RFID Data Analytics
6. Using RFID And GPS For Improved Transit Service
7. Revised US Pharma e-Pedigree Act?
8. Yet Another RFID Library: Hamburg, Germany
9. Stupid Uses Of RFID: Self-Order Beer Pubs
10. RFID For Combating Counterfeiting

Hardware Certification for Asian Reader

EPCglobal Inc. has certified Microelectronics Technology Inc (MTI), the Taiwan-based tech company that develops products for wireless communications, for its EPC Gen2 ODM Reader – MRD-E42 (RU-813). The reader allows RFID solution providers to offer customers across several markets thin-client, cost-effective, reliable and tailored services. EPCglobal is a non-profit organization entrusted by the industry to establish and support the EPCglobal Network as the global standard for real-time, automatic identification of information in the supply chain of any company, anywhere in the world. The hardware certification declares that products have been tested and will operate as per EPCglobal’s EPC/RFID standards. MTI reports:

“We are proud to be the very first vender in Asia to receive the EPCglobal certification for an RFID reader.” said Mr. Allen Yen, President and COO of Microelectronics Technology Inc. “By achieving this very important milestone, MTI plans to collaborate with more partners around the world in the RFID value chain, and provide complete.”

Skytek Recognized for RFID Excellence

Skytek Inc. is pretty happy with its award for the Most Innovative Communications Company in Boulder County, Colorado. The honor was announced in the Boulder County Business Report (BCBR) as part of its Seventh Annual Innovation Quotient (IQ) Awards, and bestowed upon the provider of embedded RFID reader technology on Aug 17. Media Workstation reports:

Rob Balgley, CEO of SkyeTek, said, “We are excited by the virtually endless opportunities for our embedded reader technology to enable breakthrough RFID solutions across multiple industries. This award is a testament to the hard-work and dedication of our employees - an overall team effort that has delivered our company to the forefront of RFID innovation.”

Generation Next – Gen II Takes RFID World by Storm

Gen II tags have proved their versatility in supply chain and asset tracking applications. Impinj has been able to hold the fort and keep pace with the demand for these tags all by itself till now. With manufacturers like Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics encroaching Impinj’s turf and manufacturing silicon for Gen II chips, the market has opened up to newer, more innovative and cost-effective possibilities. MMH reports:

Now that the market has accepted the Gen II standard, a bifurcation is taking place. "First, there's a commodity product that meets the Gen II specification," says Justin Hotard, director of product management for Symbol. "Then, there's an emerging market for higher value chips that include additional memory, additional security features, alternative forms for asset tracking or item-level tagging and temperature sensors for the cold chain."

Addressing Privacy Concerns

With privacy concerns raising their ugly heads and hampering growth in the RFID industry, the Secure ID Coalition is hoping to allay a few of these fears at the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL)to be held between August 16 and 18 at Nashville, Tennessee. The coalition, which includes secure card makers Gemalto and Oberthur Card Systems, and chip makers Infineon Technologies, Philips Semiconductors and Texas Instruments, will work to enhance understanding of the benefits of smart card technology, while simultaneously giving importance to protecting an individual’s privacy. PR Newswire reports:

The Secure ID Coalition is a resource to policymakers seeking to ensure standards for the protection of citizen identity information. It will meet with legislators to share their principles of privacy and their call for best practices and standards in securing identity information management programs.

Is there a need for RFID usage guidelines for the United States?

Radio-frequency tracking tags are being used more frequently than ever before. As such there is a concern about their potential environmental impact particularly relating to their recycling. Mr Joe Dugan who is the president and CEO of RF Code, a RIFD company, said that there is a need for RFID usage guidelines specifically for the United States which should be provided by the Congress. He impressed upon the fact that the industry has to have a sense of responsibility. Talking about his company, Mr Dugan said that all RIFD products from his company are completely free of lead and also comply with a directive of European Union which bans the use of certain toxic chemicals within the region. 

Several other industries have voiced similar concerns pertaining to the recycling of RIFD tags. These industries are - steel, aluminum, plastic, paper and glass.  Their chief concern is that when RFID tags are attached or potentially embedded within products they may not be removed properly and as such may have serious effects on the recycling process.

When copper is used as an antenna component in RIFD tags, there is a possibility of it mixing with steel scrap. This would prove to be disastrous for steel recycling and the steel industry. This concern was voiced by the American Iron and Steel Institute in April this year. Govexec reports:

The steel industry is calling on the government and business entities to reject the development of copper-based tags. An expert group on RFID formed by the global trade association AIM submitted a draft standard to the International Organization for Standardization last month.

Indus excels as Xcel and Progress were honored

Sometimes being behind the success is sweeter than the success itself. This is exactly the experience Indus International Inc. , a leading Service Delivery Management (SDM) solution provider, is reaping. Its clients - Xcel Energy and Progress Energy  - have recently been honored with 78th Edison Award , the power industry's highest honor. The honor was bestowed on them for the initiatives which come about the contribution courtesy Indus solutions.

Xcel Energy was awarded for utility innovations for its pioneering Utility Innovations (UI) initiative where Indus participates on Xcel Energy's Strategic Advisory Board. Indus has helped in creating utility innovations to leverage the creativity, knowledge and skills of its technology partners and thus develop solutions that relates to customer service needs, optimizing management functions on local electric grids and reduction of cost structure. 

Similarly, Progress Energy was recognized for its operational excellence i.e. unwavering focus on customer satisfaction and adding on to the operation quality.  The outstanding operation of the company's nuclear and fossil generating plants is supported by Indus work and asset management solutions, which drew praise in particular from EEI. But the question arises that - can we take success of Progress Energy and Xcel away from them where Indus has made significant contributions. Probably no…

The prestigious honor is given in recognition for the U.S. shareholder-owned utility or utilities and international members making significant contributions to the advancement of the industry and presented by the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), where winner are decided by a selected panel of experts consisting of the current EEI chairman and retired industry executives.

Memory Spot to Replace RFID?

There’s a new chip that’s causing ripples of worry in the RFID industry. The Memory Spot unveiled by Hewlett-Packard is a minute, wireless microchip that has high data storage and transfer rates. It is similar to an RFID passive tag that uses the power of a signal reader to transfer data.

With read-write capabilities, a half MB of data storage, and transfer rates up to 10 megabits per second, this tiny chip is two years away from making its debut in the global market. On the downside, it is very expensive (HP says it will cost approximately $1) and has very short read ranges. This makes it eight times more costly than the expected price of Gen 2 RFID tags in 2008, the year the Memory Spot is due to make an appearance.

HP will be hoping to keep the technology proprietary, which means that it will not be subject to industry-wide standards. Standards have to be set for widespread acceptance of any technology.

And last, but not the least, HP will have to develop the ecosystem for its chip, which means persuading other manufacturers to create products that will use this chip.

With all these hurdles to overcome before the Memory Spot is imbibed into mainstream technology, the RFID industry has nothing to fear from this invader onto its turf.

Malaysia’s RFID Drive

With the national conference on RFID scheduled for February 2007, the Malaysian organization Persatuan RFID Malaysia is working to chart out the skeletal infrastructure for the RFID industry in the country under the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP). As part of its efforts towards this goal, it is roping in RFID industries and research institutions and hopes to channel their combined energies into a fixed path for the future of RFID in Malaysia.

The association is involved in setting standards for New Field Communications in conjunction with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission; these standards will be presented at the RFID conference next year, in an attempt to prevent complications and conflict in the RFID industry in the future. A certification program for RFID workers and professionals is also in the pipeline; this move will ensure that there is no shortage of skilled human resources in the burgeoning RFID industry.

Persatuan RFID Malaysia is befuddled over one issue though – does the RFID industry fall under the jurisdiction of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) or the Energy, Communications and Water Ministry (MEWC)? There is one certainty though; the association does not want to be governed by Mosti with rumors circulating that the ministry has no plans for RFID under 9MP.

Conference on RFID Usage

If you are interested in learning more about RFID and its potential uses in various industries, mark August 4 on your calendar. The date will host an RFID conference at the Bellevue University in Bellevue which will feature seminars and presentations by experts in the RFID industry on the different ways that RFID technology is being leveraged.

The conference, which is meant for educators and learners, is sponsored by the Nebraska Logistics Council, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Cornhusker Motor Lines, DataFlo Consulting and the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Follow this link for more details on how to register.

EC brainstorms over RFID privacy issues

RFID related privacy concerns seems to be the important thing on the agenda of EU commissioner Viviane Reding. While the European Commission (EC) is determined to ensure that the use of radio frequency identification devices (RFID) boosts the competitiveness of the Europe's economy and improves the quality of life of its citizens, it is aware of the need to safeguard their basic rights, and in particular their privacy.

And what better way to get a whole lot of ideas than to get users from the world ver into a sort of a web based Brain Storming session. Reding has invited user on to the "Your Voice in Europe" web site and urged them to contribute what they feel must be the important considerations while implementing RFID for a better tomorrow.

It was at a trade fair in March 2006 that the EU began looking at the need to harness the technology in a manner ensuring right opportunities for its growth were provided. That the RFID is gaining popularity in practically every field is an undeniable fact. With a view to come to a conclusion on the "way ahead" a few workshops have need conducted during which issues pertaining to interoperability, international compatibility, radio spectrum allocation, and the future of RFID technology were discussed.

The idea of the exercise is ensure the entire EC stays on the same grid while discussing and arriving at solutions for their common advantage. It is intended this way to avoid a fragmented approach to RFID in Europe.

Another fair is scheduled in October. It is expected that by then the EU would have consolidated all feedback received from the online workshops and seminars. The findings will be presented to an audience of experts and decision makers, who will assist the EU, arrive at an assessment, which will then be presented, to the European Parliament and Council. Considering the fact that RFID is here to stay this move seems to be logical one in the correct direction and surely the findings will set standards for the RFID of the future.

RFID - Industry advocates, new uses...

The expanding use of RFID thanks to large retailers like Wal-Mart and Target has raised concerns with some privacy advocates. RFID devices use small processors and antennae that are integrated into a paper or plastic label. Those chips can then be read by an electronic scanner, and unlike bar codes, RFID chips withstand dirt and scratches.

This means that the tags and labels can remain on the consumer item and still have data on it and privacy alarms go off. So, the search is on for better options and we have tags that can be torn off and thereby destroyed and even self-destructing tags being touted as the answer. However there needs to be a code of conduct of sorts for RFID manufacturers whereby consumer’s privacy fears can be assuaged.

The Center for Democracy and Technology's (CDT's) Working Group on RFID has been advocating for some standard for the RFID industry to better the trust of RFID devices in day-to-day life. They suggest that companies using RFID tags on products should notify customers in all cases, should tell customers whether they can deactivate the tags and should build security into the technology as a primary design requirement.

On to more RFID news - We now have Australians finding unique uses for RFID and this time it’s for skiers on mountain slopes. At Perisher Blue, chief information officer David Allan is testing a resort-wide smartcard that will double as an electronic lift pass and virtual money. They have big plans for the following year when embedded RFID chip on the card will be used for access.

How does that work? An RFID sensor at the bottom of each lift will go red or green to validate passes and what’s more the card could be used to store loyalty points, tally the kilometers skied in a day and gain other services. Do you have any unique ideas for RFID tecnology?

RFID Industry Leaders

How visible is your company? How effective are your marketing strategies like conference visibility and representation, website updates, advertising in print and online mediums, announcements and press releases, market research sponsorships and citations, whitepapers and webinars, and press mentions?

RFID Update recently conducted a survey of RFID companies based on the above factors and how RFID end users, providers and prospects perceived the industry. The study, which considered the opinions of 550 members of the RFID audience, was conducted during the first two months of this year. Alien Technology, Texas Instruments, and IBM were consistently in the top echelon in most categories used to rank organizations.               

More than 15 companies featured among the top ten ranks in all the categories considered. While Alien Technology, Texas Instruments and Symbol Technologies topped the list of “Most Recognized RFID Providers”, IBM and Texas Instruments tied for first place as the organization “Most Desire to be Associated With”. Texas Instruments, IBM, and Alien Technology, in that order, were perceived to be RFID industry leaders.

RFID: Preparing for the Future

With all this noise about privacy being affected with RFID, don't you think its high time we started thinking about a privacy strategy?

According to an article by Kirk Nahra and John Kuzin entitled "RFID Vendors Need a Privacy Strategy,"

To succeed, companies providing RFID solutions must work closely with their customers to develop a strategy for ensuring privacy and security compliance.

Considering that a recent poll found 70 percent of Americans to be "worried about the invasion of privacy through new technology," the industry can't keep its head in the sand for long.

RFID solutions providers that work closely with their customers to develop a strategy for ensuring privacy and security compliance will be rewarded.

And how can this task be accomplished? Developing a compliance strategy involves developing an appropriate program for managing your customer relationships from a privacy and security standpoint.

New RFID Bills in California Assembly

The California Assembly Judiciary Committee has approved two bills, SB 433 and SB 1078. These bills would put a three-year moratorium on the use of RFID in driver's licenses and student identification cards. Both bills had been approved by the Senate earlier. SB 433 will be sent to the Assembly's Transportation committee. SB 1078 bill will be sent to the Education Committee. The bills must be approved by these committees and sent to an Assembly floor vote within the coming weeks.

According to sources, the bills received 6 positive votes from Democrats, while they received 2 negative votes from Republicans. In the beginning, both bills aimed at prohibiting the use of RFID. However, later they were amended and the ban was changed to a three-year moratorium. The intent of the bills is to allow more time to develop and implement the technology. It is yet to be seen how the data encryption and authentication between readers and cards could address concerns over privacy protections. RFID Journal has published an article on the Same Topic.

Opposition groups say that the use of RFID technology in identity documents such as driver's licenses and school IDs could bolster security rather than weakening it. Supporters of RFID-enabled school IDs say that the ability to account for the location of each student is a security tool and that using RFID-enabled IDs in an automated attendance-taking system would enable teachers to concentrate more on education and less on administration.

Transparency in RFID Systems

With the growing demand of RFID technology, there is a call for maintaining transparency to ensure that customers' privacy is protected. Consumer organizations have called on the European Commission to increase transparency in RFID systems. All the privacy issues related to RFID have been discussed during a workshop held by the European Commission recently. The workshop was a part of the European Commission's current initiatives into the use of RFID tags in Europe.

Transparency is the key to the implementation of RFID tags. It makes customers aware of the information that are gathered and used. Experts believe that transparency is important for both governments and retaliers. There also has been a call for the use of open source software within RFID deployments. As privacy violation mostly occurs at the software level, this area needs special attention.

More Information: Read Here

AWID Faces Compliance Issues

According to a statement issued by RFID reader manufacturer Applied Wireless ID (AWID), a few of its products do not comply with FCC equipment rules, while some others are not certified by the Federal Communications Commission. The company said that it is probing the matter to determine the extent of the non-compliance with FCC rules, while maintaining that AWID reader assemblies embedded in third-part products like handhelds, printers, and applicators are not affected by this issue. It has informed both its employees and customers about the matter, and from the looks of things, has temporarily stopped sales of its products.

Philippines Gets Three Frequency Bands For RFID

Hot on the heels of the news that China is reluctant to adopt foreign RFID standards, there are reports that Philippines has assigned three frequency bands for the use of RFID tags and readers. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of the country has used the rules and guidelines drafted by telecommunications regulators to bring order and some form of regulation to the technology that is already being used in an unregulated manner in the country. IP Communications reports:

Popular RFID devices currently being used locally are radio tags and barriers used in stores to prevent shoplifting, as well as so-called e-Pass devices attached to cars that use the South Super Highway toll system.

New CFO for WJ Communications

R. Gregory  Miller has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of WJ Communications, Inc., a leading designer and supplier of radio frequency solutions for the RFID reader markets. The move is aimed at increasing efficiency as the company is expanding its RFID product lines. RFID Solutions Online reports:

Mr Miller’s diverse financial and operating expertise, combined with his breadth of experience in the wireless and semiconductor industries will play an instrumental role at WJ Communications. Mr. Miller brings 30 years of financial experience from Fortune 500 companies as well as several high-growth corporations.

Oki To Ship RFID Enabled Printers

As the advantages of RFID are being recognized, a large number of companies are turning to the technology to capitalize on these. Oki Printing Solutions recently announced that its new generation 5000 series enterprise mono and color printers will be enabled with RFID tags before being shipped.
Trade Arabia reports:

By using RFID-equipped printers to scan consumables for unique codes, Oki users can now ensure that they only install genuine consumables in Oki machines. The move means that users' investment in hardware is not compromised by the potential damage caused by using non-compatible toner cartridges and will also cut down on warranty claims made subsequent to the use of unsuitable toner.

Standardizing RFID numbering system

The RFID Industry today lacks a single numbering system for identifying goods that go through the supply chains of different Industries. At a recent Global Retail Technology Forum held in Germany, a leading retailer Metro Group brought into focus the need to have a single data standard so that retailers could adopt and expand RFID applications on an international level without having to worry about having different identification numbers on RFID tags going to different industries in different countries.

Metro has made a very sensible demand on the Industry. Every country has its own coding and every industry its own numbering scheme. So a product going from one country to another has to follow the numbering systems of the target country and also of the industry it is entering into. So if drugs were being supplied to the army, it would have one number following the Drug code and another following the military Id system. Having a single coding system would eliminate such multi-numbering requirements.

EPC Global has assumed the role of setting standards in this direction. International Organization for Standardization is another body dedicated to setting RFID standards. Asian countries are forming a separate standard for their local regions. Even as the need to having a single global standard is being addressed, the emergence of several bodies developing global standards will again lead to conflicting protocols. One of these bodies has to assume the leadership role in integrating the different procedures being developed and arrive at a single solution that is practical and cost effective enough for industries to convince them into adopting the same.

Can legislation set standards for RFID usage?

The RFID Industry is currently in a state of flux with as many proponents and as many detractors debating on the utility of the technology. States are trying to give the industry a direction with the introduction of RFID bills. However the question is whether legislation can provide the answer to this fast-developing industry?

Are our legislators equipped to address the concerns of the industry or should the RFID industry itself take a more active role in defining the best business practices of RFID implementation and adoption. The RFID legislation as sought to be passed in California is being seen as very rigid and the RFID Coalition is seeking a more flexible approach on part of the state to define the privacy and security related issues so that the industry can leverage on the technology in the optimum manner without risking the associated fears.

In New Hampshire, the law seeks to make it necessary for RFID tagged products to be so labeled with a universal RFID symbol so that people can be warned of its negative fall outs. Even though the legislation is moderate, it leaves questions on establishing an universal and well accepted symbol for RFID tagged products and educating retailers and consumers on the use of it.

The best way to address the negative consequences of RFID is to let the industry find out the best business practices developed on the basis of their technology related experiences. Aim Global reports:

The RFID industry itself is best suited to develop these policies and procedures that adequately define RFID technology and delineate cost-effective and reliable security and privacy protocols. Unless and until such best practices are develop and widely endorsed, the industry will have to address each new proposed piece of legislation piece-meal.

AIM Global organizes event to discuss RIFD

RFID as a technology has grabbed the attention of most industries and several leading companies have adopted and implemented the technology. However it remains tangled with issues like privacy concerns and lack of standardization.

Considering the same, AIM Global, an association dedicated to automatic identification and mobility technologies, is holding a two day event in February in California inviting RFID experts to discuss all related issues. The meet will have the industry stalwarts sharing their experiences in RFID implementation. Failures and successes in RFID will be discussed.

It will also debate on the privacy issue that continues to be a problem area. End users and experts will get together to chalk out what needs to be done to improve the technology in the future. The event promises to be a learning experience for everyone participating in it. AIM Global reports:

"We are thrilled with the quality of the speakers for the Showcase program this year, and these panel discussions are absolutely essential," says AIM Global President, Dan Mullen. "Education is at the heart of AIM's mission, and the panel sessions are instrumental to delivering unbiased information in an engaging setting."

ITU to hold workshop to survey RFID standards

The International Telecommunication Union has announced a workshop that will be held on 14 - 15 February in Geneva to discuss the standards on RFID technology. According to the ITU, RFID was developing as a important technology and was expected to create a demand in the telecommunications industry.

The technology is generating great interest in certain areas like supply chain management, security and mobile telecommunication. However, there were no established standards for RFID and only certain fields of applications had some standard definitions. There was a need for setting certain global standards that could define data formats, compatibility, interoperability, interference problems among other issues.

The workshop will enable the participants to survey the market and identify areas that could be standardized. Factors like future trends, review of current status of RFID, identification of RFID with respect to telecommunications and a study of the existing standards will be undertaken in the workshop. Everyone involved with RFID is expected to attend the workshop. International Telecommunication Union newsroom reports:

Currently, the market for RFID standards is extremely fragmented. Special standards for certain limited fields of applications exist as well as quasi-proprietary standards. Many RFID applications still lack global standards for data formats, compatibility, interoperability, interference problems, personal information protection, authentication, key management and others.

Market research says upgrading to Gen2 Standards will be expensive

A recent market research conducted by Regan Jacob and Sydney foresees wide scale acceptance of RFID in 2006 but says it will be a costly affair for those wanting to upgrade their RFID system. The report predicts a licence revenue of $751 million in 2006 as compared to the $504 that was generated in 2005. This comes to a 30% rise.

The introduction of Gen2 standard in December 2005 will have many RFID deployments wanting to upgrade to the new standard. Gen 2 tag frequency standards offer better interoperability and bandwidth technologies. However, those who are still in the testing stage will benefit greatly from implementing systems that are amenable to Gen 2 standards. The reports expects about 15 to 25% of RFID deployment to be handled by large IT firms. Service providers and consultancies are expected to pick up 10% of the RFID projects. vunet.com reports:

A new RFID standard, Gen2, was introduced in December, which sets interoperability and bandwidth technologies. 'We expect to see stories in 2006 about the horrific costs of conversion from Gen1 to Gen2 tag frequency standards or users who made bad deployment decisions in 2004 and 2005,' say the report's authors.

ODIN technologies presents benchmark for RFID Gen 2 Tags

A  leading RFID company, ODIN Technologies released for the first time a report that can serve as a yardstick for users making RFID tag selections. The benchmark studies eleven of the top Gen 2 RFID tags that meet the EPC standard. The analysis makes a study of RFID tags in relation to different standard materials like metals and fluids.

ODIN Technologies used its lab to test products from the point of view of various end users. The report was sponsored by Unisys, which urges its customers to adopt RFID in the best possible manner by ensuring that the appropriate tags and readers are selected for each business operation. For instance what may work for a pharmaceutical industry may not do so for a retail store.

The benchmark covers subjects like performance testing related to distance, modulation depth and its quality, orientation sensitivity and material type. Earlier in June 2005, a similar benchmark was released by ODIN Technologies with sponsorship by Unisys on RFID Handheld Reader Benchmark. prweb.com reports:

ODIN technologies President and CEO Patrick J. Sweeney II commented,"Gen 2 is the foundation for the rapid growth of RFID. ODIN technologies is proud to once again lead the way in RFID by producing the industry's first and most comprehensive, scientific analysis of Gen 2 RFID tags." The RFID Gen 2 Tag Benchmark is designed to be an end user's trusted source for comparing the performance of leading RFID tags."

AT&T to run trial on fully integrated RFID solution

The US Telecom giant AT&T is planning to run a 90-day trial involving customers from various segments to test how well can the different elements of an open-system RFID solution be combined to form a more integrated solution. Taking WalMart's example whose RFID mandate, made it necessary for the development of a common and standard coding, AT&T too is keen on developing a network that is more global and comprehensive.

The project will be a complete exercise on the development of a RFID solution right from getting the radio tags and scanners to setting up the network middleware and the traffic handling hardware.The trial will use its global multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) network that will connect 28 data centers from all over the world. AT&T hope to act as the integrator in bringing together the various vendor partners who will work together to make the solution run.

Even as standardization is gaining strength, the industry is getting worried over the security threats that it brings along. AT&T hope to take care of this fear by acting as the data integrator and managing data across the network. AT&T says their trial is not about finding out whether it is the ideal technology for them to jump into rather the test is to get rid of any weak points that may be existing before they launch a full fledged RFID solution. crmbuyer.com reports:

In fact, Shepcaro and the rest of AT&T are talking about RFID far beyond the limited scope of the trial. From their perspective, RFID is just one element of a larger trend that is threading its way through all other sectors of telecom, IT and the consumer electronics industries.

Technology Meet in Dubai focuses on RFID

Dubai was host to the "Middle East Mobility & Wireless Broadband Summit" this December that saw large number of participants from leading technology companies. Held at the Emirates Towers at Hotel Dubai on 13th December, the delegates had the opportunity to see new products and learn about new developments in the mobility and wireless broadband Industry.

One of the most discussed technology was RFID or the e-label. The Dubai Egovernment along with Dubai Internet City and Dubai chamber of commerce and Industry except the summit to generate new business in the wireless segment. The participants included some top technology leaders like Inmate, HP, Intel, Alcatel and Sun among others.

Other hot topics at the summit besides RFID were Enterprise Wireless Networking, WiFi, WLAN, Wireless broadband, WiMax, VoIP and many more related technologies. The summit attracted every techno savvy person from Corporate Presidents of Technology, VPs of Sales and Marketing to Systems Distributors and customer service managers. This is was the third edition of the summit. ameinfo.com reports:

New this year will be RFID or e-label. 'To ensure the focus of the event, we invited sponsors and exhibitors to showcase the newest, cutting edge products and services, which are currently in demand by the wireless and mobile technology.

South Korean government approves Savi's RFID products

Acknowledging the growing importance of RFID, the South Korean government has certified Savi's RFID tags and readers enabling their uniform use across different implementation. The Ministry of Information & Communication (MIC) of South Korea gave its certification to Savi Tag ST-654 and Savi Fixed Reader SR-650, both of which are high quality RFID products. The certification also signals the acceptance of the ISO 18000-7 standard operating at the 433.92 MHz frequency.

Savi's tags and readers follow these global standards and they have been deployed all over the world for the last ten years. The Savi Tag St-654 has a transmission range of 300 feet and can be used in shipping containers or vehicles and any other large asset. Savi Fixed Reader SR-650 collects real time data and provides end to end visibility of goods and items as they move in the supply chain. South Korea is one of the largest Asian countries trading with the USA in RFID products. Certifying Savi products will help in standardizing all RFID applications in the region. telematicsupdate.com reports:

"The South Korean market recognizes the value of RFID as a core technology, and this certification facilities our ability to help bring innovative solutions to this region that can make make the supply chain more efficient and secure," said Fraser Jennings, Savi's vice president of standards & regulatory affairs.

Royal Philips RFID Tags receives EPCGlobal certification

A significant standard was laid down for the industry with the certification of Royal Philips Electronics RFID tags by the nonprofit organization EPCGlobal. The certificate was issued based on the Gen 2 standards for the RFID chips. The standard Philips tags can now be used both by manufacturers and end-users without any fear of inconsistency.

With an established and accepted standard, irrespective of the regulatory environment, different RFID labels and readers can work in a compatible manner. Philips tags and other Gen 2 RFID solutions are being used in several FMCG, pharmaceutical, textile and other consumer related industries. Philips has 20 years of chip manufacturing experience. It is working in collaboration with other Gen 2 Task Force to develop more open standards for RFID.

The certification of Philips tags will help companies to migrate without any hitches from their existing infrastructure to the next generation RFID solutions. industryweek.com reports:

"We want to ensure that adopters of RFID achieve a seamless migration from the previous infrastructure while capitalizing on the global interoperability and increased performance that Gen 2 offers, " said Christophe Duverne, vice president, marketing and sales, identification, Philips Semiconductors. "Philips and its Gen2 RFID solutions are answering the demand of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), pharmaceutical, apparel and many other industries."

IATA sets global standard for RFID tags

A global standard was unanimously endorsed for RFID baggage tags by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) at a Conference held in Geneva. The standard is expected to encourage the adoption of RFID for baggage management at airports by airlines.  It was revealed by the Project Manager-RFID of IATA that trials held earlier this year had proved that RFID does improve performance in a re-engineered baggage environment, hence the new standard was adopted to promote a wider implementation of RFID.

The new standard name RD1740c uses 850 MHz to 950 MHz frequency. The air interface protocol used is the open standard ISO-18000-6-C that helps define the way a reader talks to the tag and how the tag responds to the same. With this new standard, RFID will be incorporated into a silicon chip, which then will emit a radio signal that will match with a user-defined serial number as printed on the baggage label.

Earlier bar codes were being used extensively but they were prone to errors, with the introduction of RFID, the industry is expected to save US $760 million annually. IATA hopes to simplify Baggage management with RFID and aims to include complete electronic ticketing by 2007. morerfid.com reports:

"In trials conducted this year it has been proven that the technology improves performance in a re-engineered baggage environment," said Andrew Price, Project Manager -RFID, IATA, "IATA's job is to build the business case for wider implementation something that is becoming more compelling as the technology improves and tag costs come down."

UK exempts UHF Band for RFID from Licensing

Following the recommendations of the European Conference of Communications and Postal Administrations (CEPT), the regulatory body of UK, Ofcom, has exempted the UHF band for RFID from licensing. The exemption implies that for using RFID in the 865-868 MHz range there wont be any need to apply for a license.

Ofcom's decision should facilitate the introduction of short range RFID devices. Ofcom made comparisons between the possible levels of interference from RFID devices and the possible economic gains before arriving at a decision.

The body found that regulations over other factors like power levels, frequency bands and antenna characteristics would not allow interference from RFID in the UHF band. In fact, it found that business houses using RFID in this category would make a lot of savings in the form of better inventory management and improved security. Similarly consumers would benefit from reduced prices.

Ofcom's announcement was welcome by most RFID advocates who saw it as a necessary component in promoting UHF-based applications. arcweb.com reports:

Chantal Polsonetti, ARC Advisory Group, commented, "This announcement will go a long way toward resolving the regulator hurdles to RFID that are inhibiting its growth in the European Union at large. The UK is home to a number of large retailers, including RFID advocate Tesco, who are interested in pursuing RFID for business benefit.

Passports to contain RFID Chips

After being used in several fields, now RFID is all set to be used in passports. International travellers will find a new accessory starting in late 2006 in the form of an RFID-equipped passport. The new passports will feature a 64 KB chip containing a duplicate of the information featured on the passport's physical page. It will be mandated by State Department regulations. The government hopes that it will strengthen national security.

The electronic passport will be a secure document than the existing passport. It will provide one additional way to verify that the person, thus minimising the risk of suspicion. However, the American Civil Liberties Union believes that the addition of a radio beacon to a passport could lead to a identity theft or loss of privacy for the travellers. wistechnology.com reports:

The government did seek comments from the private sector throughout the past spring, according to Tischler, and has made concessions to privacy concerns. Among them, passports will only feature passive electronics chips, not the active kind that could transmit without being close to a dedicated reader.

Growth of RFID

According to the reports, RFID technology market is worth $1.49 billion in 2004. RFID has been recognized as the latest happening in the market. The demand for RFID systems is certainly increasing day by day. Some estimates show that the industry will be worth $1.95 billion in 2005 and as much as $26.9 billion in 2015. Most of the profits will come from the sale of RFID hardware components.

RFID applications are used for toll collection, animal tracking and automobile immobilization as well as stocking Wal-Mart and Metro AG. The US Department of Defense also uses it. However, people are increasingly worried about the loss of privacy in widespread RFID usage, given the ability of easily tracking RFID-tagged products. tmcnet.com reports:

Wal-Mart has strongarmed many of its suppliers to use RFID, and while compliance was slushy at first, it's picked up as the cost of RFID, or radio-frequency identification tags, has dropped. The world's largest retailer reports reducing out-of-stock merchandise by 16 percent at the company's stores that have begun to use the technology over the past 12 months, Linda Dillman, Wal-Mart's chief information officer, said at the company's annual analyst meeting last week, according to the Associated Press.

RFID Technology in India

RFID has proved its utility throughout the world. Now it is being used in India to improve the applications and services. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is similar to bar code identification. However, it eliminates the need for line-of-sight reading that bar coding depends on. A RFID scanning can be done at far greater distances than bar code scanning.

Although it is used in some applications in India, there is still a long way to go before it becomes a buzz word in Indian Industry. EPCglobal India, an initiative of GS1 India is leading the development of Industry-driven standards to support the deployment of RFID in India. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL), has tied up with a US based company for automating 425 HPCL's retail outlets using the RFID technology. hindu.com reports:

Talking about the implications for India, Nicholas Fergusson, Senior Technical Director, EPCglobal Inc, says "India is emerging as a strong global economy with a wide Industrial base. It also possesses globally recognized and well respected IT skills. These two factors offer exciting possibilities for deployment of EPC/RFID technology in India and across the world leveraging its IT skills."

RFID Technology Moving Forward

RFID is moving forward with its revolutionary technology. In all the important fields, RFID is being implemented to give a new dimension to the cutting-edge technology. In a significant development, CHEP has launched a breakthrough 3-in-1 tag that can be read through RFID reader, bar code scanner and simply human eye. The US government committee has been requested to work towards uniform RFID standards worldwide. Meanwhile the suppliers have again cried foul over the skewed costs and benefits situation.

CHEP highlights the tag’s multi-mode readability feature, the modes being RFID, bar code and human eye. The reason the company has refrained from calling it an RFID tag is that it reduces the need for installation of RFID readers in all supply chain locations. It is hoping to improve its applications using RFID technology. groceryfaqs.com reports:

While the costs are not known at this stage, it would be somewhat on the higher side as the tag offers the ability to temporarily write product related information such as serial shipping container code (SSCC) whilst permanently identifying the asset on which it is stuck. The company said that the tag comes with a packaging format that protects it from the external interference such as from metals and moisture.

NCR launched RFID One-Stop-Shop Offer

NCR Corporation launched its end-to-end RFID services. It has been designed to help the European companies achieve a faster return on RFID investment through a one-stop-shop solution. NCR is the first company to cover the whole chain of RFID deployment. It has integrated in manufacturing, supply chain distribution and payment methods. The NCR global RFID solution includes design, deployment and support for the full spectrum of RFID technologies.

RFID is a business revolution where companies can see ROI (Return on Investment) within 18 months, with supply chain cost reductions of 20 percent and inventory reductions of 20 percent. It has been noticed that smaller companies are now entering the market with RFID plans. They are adopting RFID technologies as part of the integration process, which is necessary for the future technological developments. morerfid.com reports:

To help users implement RFID more effectively, NCR will open a European RFID TransitionWorks demonstration center in Peterbourgh in the UK in 2006. The center will be one of three global centers demonstrating the range of solutions in NCR's RFID offer.

Pitt created RFID Center of Excellence

Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) is expanding its RFID capabilities by creating a RFID Center of Excellence. Pitt is a global leader in RFID technology. Pitt's RFID research program has been identified as among the top three programs in the world. The new creation will definitely help it to lead the RFID global market.

As RFID has become the need of the hour, new steps of Universities like Pitts will definitely give a new dimension to the technology. Pitt is helping to determine the future shape of RFID technology. The Center is a joint effort by the University researchers and ADCUS Inc. The result of the project is in the final stages of testing. umc.pitt.edu reports:

Besides offering solutions to such everyday annoyances as long lines at the checkout counter, RIFD holds great promise in the health sciences. Pitt researchers are working on an RFID technology to treat Bell’s palsy (the disease disrupts people’s ability to blink) as well as a treatment for depression through wireless stimulation of the brain’s vagus nerve.

Read More: Pitt Creates RFID Center of Excellence

RFID is on High Demand

RFID has been acknowledged as the next generation technology. More and more companies are now planning to RFID in their services and applications. RFID technology is on high demand now due to the advance features and technical aspects. According to ABC Research, this trend is all set to increase further keeping the use of RFID in several applications in mind.

RFID has been successfully used in enterprises, defense establishments, airports and hospitals. The lower-cost hardware, which has set a new standard, is the choice of companies worldwide. The user-friendly software provided by RFID has succeeded in making mark in the industry. The good news in the market is that prices of RFID tags are now decreasing further which will make them more affordable. informationweek.com reports:

Analysts have said that the RFID industry would be viable when prices dropped to five cents. Now, ABI contends that may not be the case, when other factors work in the industry's favor.

Read More: RFID Demand Set To Rise: Report