Rutgers University RFID Research Center

The Rutgers Center for Innovative Ventures of Emerging Technologies and RFID TagSource collaborate to create the Rutgers University RFID Research Center on the Rutgers Busch Campus in Piscataway, New Jersey. ...

... "The newly established Research Center combines laboratory facilities with real world insight into how RFID is being utilized across the globe to provide real business value. This provides the Rutgers community and industry sponsors with the tools required to support research activities that have near term commercial value. The center will also be used to host industry seminars and executive forums, continuing education classes, and independent research projects to support industry, government, and department of defense RFID initiatives. " ...

Via RFID Tag Source: Rutgers RFID Research Center

RFID Convergence Enterpreneurs

RFID Research Alliance

Georgia Electronic Design Center and Microsoft Research will collaborate through a research alliance to develop RF-DNA, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology for advanced authentication. ...

... "Under the alliance, Microsoft Research is investing $600,000 over two years. The new lab’s work, which is based on intellectual property from both partners, is providing both basic research into RFID technology and ongoing student education in the field. New RFID technologies allow tiny circuits, sometimes printed on paper, to enable secure sharing of product information and other data via wireless networks at low cost. This new collaborative RF-DNA research project will be designed to enable the creation of hard-to-forge certificates of authenticity by exploring the randomness of simple objects in the RF electromagnetic domain. Advances in this area of research could have a significant and positive impact on the pharmaceutical and banking industries. " ...

Via Georgia Tech: Electronic Design Center Alliance

Cool RFID Network Lab

The University of Arkansas RFID Research Center makes the Network World top ten cool university networking labs. ...

... "Network World said that the RFID Research Center is cool because it is not only used by engineering students and faculty, but is also staffed by students from every college on campus. That speaks to the many applications RFID has and will have, including loss prevention, inventory accuracy. The Center consists of a 10,000-square-foot lab at Hanna’s Candle Co., plus 4,500-square-foot lab in a cold storage facility. The labs feature conveyors, forklifts and other things you’d find in stores and warehouses that use RFID for their supply chains, asset tracking and such. Big name companies such as J.B. Hunt, Dillard’s and WalMart are among more than 50 supporting work at the lab. The center is a founding member of the Global RF Lab Alliance. " ...

Via University of Arkansas: RFID Research Center

RFID Ink Tattoo

Somark is a technology company located at the Center for Emerging Technologies and is
developing a proprietary ID system based on a biocompatible ink with chipless RFID functionality. The company has successfully tested RFID ink in animals, which proves that ink can be delivered and read. The primary application of the RFID ink is animal tracking in the livestock industry. ...

... "Somark announces the successful testing of Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink in cattle and laboratory rats. The test proved the efficacy of injecting and reading a Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink tattoo within the skin of animals. The technology will be initially leveraged to the livestock industry to help identify / track cattle and thus mitigate export trade loss from BSE (a.k.a. Mad Cow Disease) scares. Secondary target markets include laboratory animals, dogs & cats, prime cuts of meat, and military personnel. The company, which is currently raising a Series A equity financing, will license the technology to secondary target markets." ...

Via Somark Innovations: Somark Innovations Announces Successful Live Animal Tests of Biocompatible Chipless RFID Ink in Cattle and Laboratory Rats

RFID Asset Track Lifecycle Management

Hexaware Tech and Fluensee partner to deliver RFID solutions through a Center of Excellence. Hexaware will leverage Fluensee technology to track its IT assets. ...

... "Fluensee AssetTrack is a proven, cost effective RFID-enabled software solution that allows companies to significantly improve asset visibility, security and utilization. AssetTrack can be integrated with existing operational systems to provide more timely, accurate and comprehensive information on the state, condition and location of assets and their utilization within the business. AssetTrack can be implemented on a stand-alone basis or easily interfaced to existing systems as required. AssetTrack identifies deviations from expected asset location or condition, triggers exception-based alerts or specific warning notifications, provides full asset life-cycle management, improves asset utilization and delivers the security and control over enterprise assets that customers demand. " ...

Via Hexaware: Hexaware Selects Fluensee as Partner for RFID-Enabled Asset Tracking Solutions ...

RFID Lab Villanova University: Stimulate Region Competitiveness

Villanova University researches RFID technology at its Center for Advanced Communications. The director of the RFID lab is Dr. Yimin Zhang. The Center was created through a partnership of Villanova, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and the National Science Foundation to stimulate regional industrial competitiveness. ...

... "The Center for Advanced Communications (CAC) at Villanova University has established state-of-the-art Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) facilities on Villanova University campus. The main objective of this Lab is to become a leading provider of RFID research in the region and promote collaboration and partnership with RFID manufacturing industries. " ...

Via Villanova University College of Engineering: Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Lab ...

RFID Drug Authentication eCustoms

IBM announces solution that provides ability to share and analyze real-time RFID sensor data to enable drug authentication and e-customs for clients in the pharmaceutical value chain. ...

... "The new technology, WebSphere RFID Information Center, is based on a recently completed EPCglobal standard called EPCIS, which provides a standard way to securely communicate the data created by sensors and RFID tags, and tie it to existing business information and trading partners. The growing trend of item-level tagging will create exponential growth in sensor data well beyond that generated from conventional barcode technology. This creates a need for a new way to manage this explosion of data in a manner that does not overwhelm a business and its supply chain partners. In addition to managing the massive amount of data RFID creates, two other barriers to widespread RFID adoption to date have been the lack of standards and data sharing capabilities. RFID Information Center solves all of these issues, clearing the way for wider-spread RFID adoption in various industries.

The IBM WebSphere RFID Information Center has already been successfully deployed for a number of early-adopter IBM clients across several industries, including consumer packaged goods company Unilever, the e-customs project ITAIDE in Europe, and Big Three pharmaceutical distributor AmerisourceBergen. " ...

Via IBM: IBM Enables Drug Authentication, E-Customs With Release of New RFID Technology ...

RFID Technology Enables Asia Logistics for Metro Supply Chain

The METRO Group and Savi Networks will collaborate to implement the Advanced Logistics Asia (ALA) project. The project will deploy RFID radio frequency identification technology to monitor the location and security of inventory shipped from Asia to Europe in real-time through the supply chain. ...

... "The ALA project, managed by METRO Group Buying Hong Kong (MGB Hong Kong), will utilize SaviTrak(TM), a web-based, real-time information service that leverages automatic data transmissions from Electronic Product Code (EPC) - compliant passive and active RFID tags, among other wireless devices, on shipments transported throughout the global supply chain. MGB Hong Kong manages METRO Group imports from sourcing to delivery at Distribution Centers in Germany. Under the ALA project, SaviTrak will monitor a variety of retail products while they are transported through a global RFID reader network, stretching from a consolidation center in Hong Kong, through the Port of Hong Kong, to the Port of Rotterdam, the inland Port of Duisburg in Germany and finally to a METRO Group distribution center in Unna, Germany.



Active, battery-powered RFID tags on containers will be utilized to automatically transmit information into the SaviTrak information service. As a six-month pilot, the ALA project is designed to evaluate improvements in the visibility, management and security of inventory while it is transported end-to-end. The project will further evaluate investment returns in reduced lead times and inventory, improved customer service as well as supply chain and financial performance." ...

Via Savi Networks: The METRO Group and Savi Networks Launch Real-Time Information Service on Inventory Shipped From Asia to Europe

Philips RFID: Healthcare Assets

Philips RFID technology is focused on the healthcare market combined with services. The first customer to deploy the Philips asset tracking solution is the University Medical Center (UMC) in Tucson, Ariz. Philips installation at UMC is one of the healthcare industry's largest Wi-Fi-based asset tracking projects. This RFID implementation covers eight floors and a million square feet with 2,300 RFID-tagged assets in use throughout the hospital. The hospital workforce will use the Philips RFID solution to track and manage medical equipment, such as infusion pumps, beds, monitors, wheelchairs and other portable devices. ...

... "Helping hospitals to focus on the patient, Philips' asset tracking solution helps locate hospital assets through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. The solution is designed to work within existing wireless infrastructure, allowing hospitals to leverage investments they have already made in wireless technology. Philips' asset tracking solution consists of a suite of services to maximize the solution's benefits, including wireless tags, a location engine and the MobileView user interface. Product tracking information is fed into the location engine and the asset's position can then be portrayed on a map, in a table, or in a report format for any networked hospital user. In addition to pinpointing lost equipment, the information gathered from the asset tracking solution can help improve asset utilization and work flow efficiencies.

The Philips asset tracking solution is designed around each hospital's specific use cases to help solve problems such as productivity, regulation requirements, utilization, theft, and loss. With an understanding of the unique requirements that the healthcare environment demands, Philips has an advanced solution that can enable hospitals to make facility-wide improvement. The Philips asset tracking solution utilizes technology that includes wireless tags, a location engine, and the MobileView user interface. The tags, which can be attached to most mobile assets, transmit to the hospital’s existing 802.11 infrastructure. This information is fed into the location engine and the asset's position can then be portrayed on a map, or in a table or report format for any networked hospital user. " ...

Via Philips: Philips Delivers New Radiology Products At 2006 RSNA That Present Clinicians with a Clear View of Patient Data and a Clear Path to Patient Care

Solar RFID: RPI Pilot

RPI pilots solar-powered RFID readers to collect traffic data and monitor flow. The portable RFID reader has the potential to decrease traffic congestion and enable travel time estimation in real-time, using intelligence dynamically about work zones, events, etc. When fully networked, the RFID-enable database can recommend the best driving routes and avoid construction zones and accidents. ...

... "In the coming months, the units will be deployed to collect traffic data during the morning commute on busy Capital Region roads. The portable units, which are based on the same technology as E-ZPass tag readers, could eventually be used to provide valuable data for a variety of applications, from decreasing congestion in work zones to assisting emergency evacuations. A portable, solar-powered tag reader that collects data to monitor traffic flow. The research is funded through a $3.9 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to the Center for Infrastructure and Transportation Studies (CITS) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. " ...

Via Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute: Portable, Solar-Powered Tag Readers Could Improve Traffic Management

RFID Pilot: Cardinal Health Completes

Cardinal Health completes its RFID pilot, which tested RFID tags for end-to-end pharma packaging and distribution business processes. The pilot tested the application of tags and the utilization of item level tracking techniques. Alien Technology, IBM, and Verisign provided hardware, software and implementation services. The application and encoding of the RFID tags approached 100 percent success rates. Reliable read rates were best achieved at the individual case level. The pilot was a fruitful learning experience for the pharma industry. ...

... "The pilot program tested whether ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) tags could be applied, encoded and read at normal production speeds during packaging and distribution of pharmaceuticals. Verifying the authenticity of medications along each step of the distribution process adds an additional layer of security to lessen the chance of counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the supply chain. It is also hoped that RFID data could improve efficiencies in the supply chain. Pilot Program Background: In conducting the industry's first end-to-end pilot program, Cardinal Health used new technology to place RFID tags on the labels of brand-name solid-dose prescription drugs, then encoded the electronic product code (EPC) standard data at the unit, case and pallet levels during the packaging process. The products were shipped to a Cardinal Health distribution center in Findlay, Ohio, where the data was read and authenticated as products were handled under typical operating conditions. Normal procedures were enhanced with RFID hardware and software from Alien Technology Corporation and IBM along with project management support from VeriSign.

RFID Labeling and Online Encoding: Data collected from the pilot suggest that it is feasible for RFID tags to be inlaid into existing FDA-approved pharmaceutical label stock, and the tags can be applied and encoded on packaging lines at normal operational speeds. Online encoding yields were 95 percent to 97 percent, and fine tuning of the process is expected to produce yields that approach 100 percent. The RFID tag application and encoding requires minimal adjustments to current labeling and packaging lines.

RFID Read Rates: Unit-level read rate data varied widely depending on the locations and type of reading stations throughout the supply chain. Highly reliable unit-level read rates in excess of 96 percent were found when reading individual cases one at a time and when reading units mixed with other products in tote containers prepared for delivery to a pharmacy. However, as expected, unit-level read rates were not found to be reliable when attempting to read units within a full pallet of product. " ...

Via Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health Releases RFID Pilot Results ...

RFID Pharma Supply Chain: Track and Trace EPCIS Pilot

AmerisourceBergen announces innovative Track and Trace Program that will benefit the pharmaceutical supply channel. Its pilot program connects AmerisourceBergen's EPCIS directly to other business partner EPCIS systems and to specific pharmaceutical manufacturer systems. In Q1-2007, VeriSign will provide authentication services and enable visibility across multiple EPCIS systems. ...

... "AmerisourceBergen has been a leader in protecting the integrity of the pharmaceutical supply channel, first by pledging over one year ago to purchase 100 percent of its pharmaceutical and other products directly from the product manufacturer, and now by launching a unique Track and Trace initiative which will utilize RFID and Electronic Product Code Information System (EPCIS) technology to track and trace products throughout the entire distribution process. AmerisourceBergen plans to formally launch the Track and Trace pilot program at its largest distribution center in California by the end of 2006. In the pilot, AmerisourceBergen will use IBM's RFID middleware and embedded software on readers to read RFID tags currently used by certain pharmaceutical manufacturers as those products enter the distribution center. The unique product ID from each RFID tag will be electronically stored in IBM's EPCIS, which will be the platform for secure electronic communications back to the product's manufacturer. This secure information exchange will allow AmerisourceBergen and its trading partners to work collaboratively to share transaction information and further secure the supply channel. As new orders come into the AmerisourceBergen distribution center, the RFID system can monitor product placed in shipping totes as they move through the picking, packing, and shipping processes. As each tote leaves the distribution center the EPCIS software will record the time and location of each unit leaving the premises as well as its intended destination so that AmerisourceBergen has a complete record of the history of all RFID tagged drugs. " ...

Via AmerisourceBergen: AmerisourceBergen Announces Innovative Track and Trace Program for the Pharmaceutical Supply Channel

ClipTag RFID: IBM LIcenses

IBM's Clipped RFID Tag gives privacy protection to the consumer through visual confirmation of the tag modification. ...

... "IBM announced it will license its acclaimed Clipped Tag technology to Marnlen RFiD, who will begin production of the tags and offer availability immediately. The Clipped Tag, developed at IBM's Watson Research Center, allows consumers to tear off the majority of an RFID tag's antenna, reducing the tag's read range to just a few inches, ensuring consumer privacy while maintaining the benefits of the technology, such as product authentication or recalls. " ...

Via IBM: IBM Licenses Clipped Tag RFID Technology to Marnlen RFiD ...

RFID Packaging Machinery Applications ...

Applications of RFID technology to packaging machines will be demonstrated at the Pack Expo upcoming. ...

... "RFID PAVILION: The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Pavilion will again highlight solutions that meet the requirements of the entire supply chain. Included in the exhibits will be technologies to upgrade conventional lines into RFID-enabled packaging lines capable of applying multi-pack, case and pallet tags online. Also view the latest advances designed to verify the presence of tags, write to the tags and validate data on the tags.

WHEN: October 29 - November 2, 2006 9 am to 5 pm Sunday through Wednesday 9 am to 2 pm Thursday

WHERE: PACK EXPO International 2006 McCormick Place Convention Center Chicago, Illinois " ...

Via PRNewsWire: Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI): Leveraging the Power of Packaging to Grow Brand Sales ...

RFID Partnership Implement Location Tracking ...

Atos Origin and Globe Ranger partner to deliver RFID location tracking solution for FloraHolland to automate the auction inventory process. ...

... "Atos Origin and GlobeRanger, the leading provider of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), mobility and sensor-based software solutions, announced a strategic partnership that will offer innovative RFID services to the market. FloraHolland, the largest flower auction company in the world, is the first customer where their joint RFID solution is implemented. FloraHolland is a co-operation of flower and plant growers worldwide that had a turnover of over 2 billion Euros in 2005. Each day approximately 4,000 buyers (dealers and exporters) from around the world purchase fresh flowers in its international trade center, using 26 auction clocks online or using FloraHolland's direct sales force. FloraHolland houses flowers from approximately 7,000 growers worldwide. FloraHolland is a warehouse that is about the size of 100 football fields and one of the largest commercial warehouses in Europe. During the daily auctions, more than 100.000 trolleys of flowers are constantly being moved from one location to another for selling and shipping to the world wide customers. Atos Origin's implementation of GlobeRanger's iMotion solution for FloraHolland applies RFID technology to capture location data of flowers in moving trolleys, as well as to make this information available instantly for the auction's IT systems, and employees. RFID makes it possible to log all movements of every individual trolley and control the process. The trolleys and tractors have RFID tags and there are RFID loops embedded in the floor. " ...

Via Atos Origin: Atos Origin and GlobeRanger start implementation of innovative RFID solution at FloraHolland

HP RFID: DataCenter Asset Tracking ...

Meijer, a large privately held retailer, tests HP RFID solution for the tracking of assets in the data center. HP is investing in RFID technology to help retailers and manufacturers optimize their supply chain costs while accelerating the speed to market. ...

... "HP announced its researchers have created a radio frequency identification (RFID) asset tracking technology for data centers and successfully tested it at a major retailer. The technology was developed by HP Labs, the company's central research facility, and tested at Meijer Inc., a retailer with more than 170 grocery and specialty stores in the midwestern United States. The solution could automatically monitor data center assets, providing real-time tracking and auditing of servers, networking equipment, server and storage enclosures and other technology using RFID.

The technology uses RFID readers and RFID tags to monitor the location of individual components within the data center, including the addition of new devices and device movement to other areas. The sensing infrastructure creates a high-resolution view of devices throughout the data center. The system also can provide historical data related to additions, changes and moves of servers and server-related equipment. " ...

Via HP: HP Creates RFID Technology for Tracking Data Center Assets:

EPCGlobal RFID Conference This Week ...

This week: EPCGlobal Conference ...

... "The EPCglobal US Conference 2006 will be held October 17-19 in Los Angeles, California at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This year's three-day event will feature interactive workshops, an expanded tradeshow floor, live technology provider demonstrations and the opportunity to problem solve and network with global thought leaders and experts. " ...

Via EPCGlobal: 2006 Conference: Industry-leading EPC/RFID event to be held October 17-19 in Los Angeles, California ...

RFID Enterprise Service Upgrade ...

BEA WebLogic RFID product family is a component of the BEA's service oriented architecture. RFID Enterprise Server 2.0 is available for download. The RFID system's event repository is interoperable with the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) standards. ...

... "A core component of the BEA WebLogic RFID product family, BEA WebLogic RFID Enterprise Server is designed to help enable central management of RFID data collected at the edge of an enterprise, i.e. inside a retail store, warehouse or data center. With enhanced support for industry standards and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), the 2.0 release of BEA WebLogic RFID Enterprise Server provides a suite of six services that can help manage and coordinate RFID data and edge operations globally. BEA WebLogic RFID Enterprise Server 2.0 complements the BEA WebLogic Edge Server and BEA WebLogic Compliance Express products, and is designed to make it easier to bridge the gaps between people, processes, applications and systems across enterprise and trading partners. BEA WebLogic RFID Enterprise Server 2.0 can provide customers unprecedented visibility into product movement data, and is designed to help enable them to derive business value more quickly from RFID data collected at the edge. " ...

Via BEA Systems: BEA Strengthens RFID Infrastructure Software for Enterprise-Grade Deployments ...

DOD RFID Dept of Defense Implementation Enablers

ODIN Technologies shares some of the key ingredients (Accuracy and Implementation Speed) to enabling their successful implementation of RFID technology in the DOD supply chain. The Dept of Defense has strict read rate accuracy requirements that ODIN had to meet with limited technology capabilities at that time. In addition, ODIN perfected an implementation methodology for the DOD that improved the speed of delivery while sustaining performance quality. ...

... "DoD is modernizing its logistics system to better support the warfighter. Passive RFID is at the center of that transformation. It is a core element of the DoD's force transformation initiative designed to create a more agile military. However, if the tags and readers do not communicate reliably, the benefits will not materialize. After years of planning, the DLA needed a highly accurate RFID network established rapidly.

...

Accuracy: DoD expected its RFID system to be an order of magnitude more sophisticated than what was currently being deployed. Boundaries relative to read-rates and performance were strict, unlike many retailers who have toyed with trial-and-error methods. Rather than just attempt to read a single pallet tag, the DoD demanded 20 Gen 1.0 and Gen 2.0 RFID tags be affixed to cases and read as they come through a dock door - 100% accurately. This required scientific precision when designing and configuring the RFID network. Each portal was tested 10 times for that performance criteria. The DoD has shown RFID will reduce costs, increase supply visibility and streamline its entire supply chain, from the factory-to-the-foxhole. However, it can only do this if the RFID system is accurate and reliable.

...

Implementation Methods and Speed: Eighteen facilities spanning the continental U.S. (CONUS) were evaluated, solutions designed, installed and tested to 100% accuracy in under 130 days. " ...

Via ODIN Technologies: DOD Case Study (PDF) ...

Hospital RFID: High Value Asset Management ...

THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano will be dedicated solely to providing inpatient and outpatient cardiovascular care. The $100 million, 68-bed hospital is scheduled to open in January 2007 on the campus of Baylor Regional Medical Center in Plano., Texas Hospital will automate the storage, tracking, utilization, and billing of clinical resources through RFID technology to realize benefits in enhanced care quality, increased productivity, accurate billing, and significant inventory cost savings. ...

... "To support the opening of the facility in January 2007, THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano will implement a radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled inventory management system to store, track, and manage the utilization of high cost cardiovascular devices and supplies. Developed by Mobile Aspects, Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa., the system, called iRISupply, uses a RFID tracking architecture to automate charge capture, inventory management, device expiration management, and other key operational processes within the patient care setting. THE HEART HOSPITAL will implement fourteen iRISupply cabinet units to manage items such as stents, catheters, and guide wires that are commonly used during cardiovascular procedures. In leveraging the RFID technology, the organization seeks to efficiently and accurately automate device and supply utilization processes without manual tracking approaches such as paper documentation, stickers, bar coding or button pushing. " ...

Via Mobile Aspects: THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano selects RFID system from Mobile Aspects ...

RFID Army Depot MRO Maintenance Repair Overhaul ...

Tobyhanna Depot implements WhereNet's active RFID technology to manage MRO of command and control systems for the military. ...

... "WhereNet Corp. announced that Tobyhanna Army Depot has expanded use of the standards-based WhereNet active RFID, real-time locating system (RTLS) technology to streamline the repair and overhaul of defense electronic systems at the Pennsylvania facility. Tobyhanna Army Depot performs the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems for the Defense Department. Tobyhanna initially contracted with SYS-TEC to deploy the WhereNet system in late 2004 to optimize the refurbishment of the AN/TRC-170 Microwave Communications System and AN/TPS-75 Air Defense Radar System. After extended deployment in rugged environments while supporting America's armed forces, these communications systems are shipped to Tobyhanna, where each system is disassembled, overhauled, and tested before being shipped out to the field again. With assemblies, subassemblies, components, and spare parts spread across the more than 1.9-million-square-foot refurbishment areas, WhereNet's RTLS technology provides each work center with visibility of the AN/TRC-170 and AN/TPS-75 system's work in process. " ...

Via Wherenet: TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT EXPANDS USE OF WHERENET ACTIVE RFID REAL-TIME LOCATING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY ...

RFID Wireless Communications Enables Distribution Visibility ...

Food distibutors implement RFID wireless communications system to support supply chain visibility to temperature compliance. ...

... "Two Los Angeles-area food distributors have recently purchased and deployed the new ReeferTrak Scout units and base stations at their distribution centers. ReeferTrak Scout is an RFID wireless communications system that gives users full two-way command and control capability of their refrigerated truck and trailer fleets when the units are within a several mile range of a base station-equipped distribution center. When the reefers are operating out of range of the distribution center, the Scout unit logs GPS, trip and refrigeration unit performance data and automatically downloads the information to StarTrak's central data center via the local base station upon return to the center. Customers use the data to immediately confirm temperature compliance of the shipment from origin to destination. The base stations' several mile RFID range provides excellent coverage of distribution facilities, allowing customers to achieve significant savings in yard operations, fuel usage and product quality. " ...

Alanco Technologies: Alanco's StarTrak Announces New ReeferTrak Scout RFID Product Line For Local Refrigerated Food Distribution ...

RFID Readiness Conference: Explore Opportunities ...

Upcoming conference at University of Alabama will explore opportunities to leverage RFID technology. ...

... "To help explain what opportunities exist, the Northeast Alabama Regional Small Business Development Center is presenting, RFID: Are You Ready? The daylong conference is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 14, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. " ...

Via Huntsville Times: Conference will introduce RFID to area businesses

RFID Manufacturing Shipping Implementation ...

Peg Perego wil imeplement Northern Apex RFID in the manufacturing process for tracking WIP work-in-process materials and finished goods. ...

... "Peg Perego USA Inc., a subsidiary of Peg Perego SpA, Italy, manufacturer of high quality children's riding vehicles and the exclusive U.S. distributor of Italian infant products manufactured by Peg Perego SpA, Italy, which include baby strollers, car seats and high chairs, has awarded Fort Wayne-based Northern Apex Corporation a contract to integrate Apex's RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) equipment in Peg Perego's Indiana manufacturing and shipping facilities. Northern Apex will install a solution that incorporates automated RFID label applicators, RFID readers, antennas and software into Peg Perego's manufacturing and distribution center for WIP (work in process) and finished goods tracking. UHF 900 MHz Gen 2 RFID tags will be automatically applied to each box, at the end of the production line, to initiate the tracking system. " ...

RFID Manufacturing Shipping Implementation: Northern Apex To Provide RFID Technology to Peg PeregNorthern Apex To Provide RFID Technology to Peg Perego ...

RFID Medical Record Army System ...

3M will implement RFID-enabled medical record system for the US Army that support their operational efficiency objectives and increase the quality of services through reduced errors. ...

... "3M has been awarded a $3.76 million contract to develop and install a system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to track medical files at the U.S. Army's massive Fort Hood Installation in Texas. The system is expected to make a positive impact on operational efficiencies in health care delivery, the troop deployment process and the management of medical data collection. The active medical records of more than 150,000 servicemen and women and their dependents are housed at five sites at Fort Hood, and as many as 70,000 files may be in use at the base's six clinics during the course of a month.



The RFID system is intended to substantially reduce errors and inefficiencies associated with manual tracking, retrieval, filing and file merging methods. The tracking of Army medical records through RFID technology is an innovation led by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), a unit of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC). Fort Hood, situated about 60 miles north of Austin, the state capital, is the nation's largest active duty domestic military installation, occupying some 340 square miles. The Army becomes the third federal entity to employ RFID systems from 3M, following similar decisions recently by the Tax Division of the Department of Justice and the U.S. Tax Court. Unlike the other applications, however, the system in development for the Army requires higher-performance capability and a greater degree of continuous and automatic tracking of the files. " ...

Via 3M: United States Army Awards Contract to 3M for Pilot RFID Program To Track and Manage Medical Records at Fort Hood ...

RFID RTLS Sensor Collaboration: RFCode OhioU ...

RF Code partners with Ohio U by equiping the university's auto-id center with RFID-based real-time location system. ...

... "RF Code, Inc., a leading provider of real-time, high definition location solutions, announced it is providing Ohio University's Center for Automatic Identification with a permanent, interactive demonstration of RF Code's Real-Time Location and Sensor (RTLS) solution. The Center for Automatic Identification is part of the Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ College of Engineering and Technology. RF Code has donated radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, tags and software to be tested by the center so it can provide unbiased information on active RFID's potential and challenges. The demonstration is the first RTLS solution to be evaluated by the center, which is the nation's oldest university-based center devoted solely to the subject of automatic identification. " ...

RFID RTLS Sensor Collaboration: RFCode OhioU: Via RF Code: RF Code and Ohio University Showcase Real-Time Location and Sensor Solutions ...

RFID Chips Support Electronic Medical Records ...

VeriChip, Hackensack Medical Center, and Horizon BCBS NJ collaborate to enable an real-time on-demand electronic medical record through RFID technology, which will be accomplished through RFID implants in patients. ...

... "Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer, announced a two-year collaboration with Hackensack University Medical Center, its physicians, and the VeriChip Corporation (VeriChip) to implant FDA-approved microchips in chronically ill patients enabling emergency room physicians to access those patients' medical record electronically. The microchips provide immediate access to family contact information and information about the patients' medical histories that could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency. Horizon BCBSNJ will make the new technology, developed by the VeriChip Corporation of Delray Beach, Florida, available to select members with chronic conditions. Those members who participate in the program will agree to have an implantable radio frequency identification device (RFID), the size of a grain of rice, placed under their skin. VeriChip calls the RFID a personal health record module. The information on the module will include medical information from Horizon BCBSNJ's claim records, such as lab test data and pharmacy prescription information. This module emits a 16-digit number that links the patient to their electronic medical record when a special hand-held scanner is waved over it. The pilot program will give Hackensack Medical Center physicians access to the member's electronic medical records and other vital information in the event the chronically ill member cannot respond during an emergency. The content of the electronic medical records will be approved by each member and include information about their condition, family contact information as well as lab test data and pharmacy information maintained by Horizon BCBSNJ. " ...

RFID Chips Support Electronic Medical Records: Via VeriChip: Horizon Blue Cross to Sponsor Two-Year Pilot With Hackensack to Implant Microchips in Chronically Ill Patients ...

RFID Oracle EdgeServer Success ...

Noel SA, South American CPG company, successfully uses Oracle RFID edge services to understand the application of RFID to logistics business processes. ...

... "Noel SA used RFID-enabled Oracle Warehouse Management (WMS), part of the Oracle E-Business Suite, as the logistics platform for the pilot, which included tagging 2,000 pallets of Ducales cookies that were sent to the distribution center in Medell? Colombia. Noel SA used Oracle Sensor Edge Server, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, to connect and manage all the devices on the RFID system, including tag printers and readers. Data captured from the system was processed by Oracle WMS and synchronized with the Oracle enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications. Each pallet received a passive RFID tag, which included important order information such as the lot number and product expiration date.



The RFID-tagged pallets were read throughout the supply chain from the production floor to the final distribution center to ensure proper delivery of orders. Once the pallet arrived at the distribution center of Medell? it was read again to reconcile the sales order and fulfillment information held in the Oracle order management system. At the conclusion of the pilot, Noel SA uncovered that the bar code process prior to the RFID pilot was being executed incorrectly, rendering inventory and shipment data inaccurate. Noel SA gained valuable visibility into its operations such as inventory management and order fulfillment using RFID. The company plans to begin the roll out of a full-scale RFID system in the future. " ...

Via Oracle: Noel SA Successfully Completes RFID Pilot Based on Oracle Solutions

RFID Library Applications: Shenzhen and NOLA ...

TAGSYS delivers library RFID applications in New Orleans and Shenzhen, China with local development / deployment partners. ...

... "TAGSYS and Integrated Technology Group (ITG), an established developer and provider of cutting-edge library RFID systems, have combined forces to donate a fully-automated, item-level RFID infrastructure to the Alvar branch of the New Orleans Public Library located in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans. The branch, which was completely destroyed in the Katrina disaster, will officially reopen its doors on Sunday, June 25, 2006 in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference.

Traditionally, libraries have relied on employees manually scanning each item as it went through the book handling process. As a result, valuable staff resources were directed to time-consuming checkout and inventory management procedures, while patrons faced long lines and moderate customer service due to the demands placed on library staff. RFID-based library material handling systems provide library staff with the ability to computerize the entire material handling process. With the RFID system in place, staff can be relieved of checkout duties, and can spend more time providing other services to library patrons. " ...

RFID Library Applications: Shenzhen and NOLA: Via TAGSYS RFID: TAGSYS and ITG Donate Fully Automated, Item-Level RFID Infrastrusture To New Orleans Public Library ...

... "TAGSYS, announces that it has been awarded the largest library RFID project in China at the Shenzhen Library. By the end of June, nearly two million TAGSYS RFID tags will be integrated and installed on books, CDs, VHS tapes, patron cards, and other library materials by TAGSYS' local integration partner, Shenzhen Seaever Enterprise Co. Ltd. The complete and fully automated RFID system is the second largest in the world – second only to the system developed by TAGSYS for the Seattle Public Library in Seattle, WA. It includes security gates, automatic self check out and return stations, as well as programming and circulation stations.

The Shenzhen Library has been recognized worldwide for its technological and architectural innovations. The 50,000 square meter library features an open space, partition-free design and has the capabilities to store over four million books, service 8,000 patrons and circulate 50,000 volumes per day. Scheduled to open to the public in July 2006, it will serve as the documentation and information service center and regional library network center for Shenzhen. " ...

RFID Library Applications: Shenzhen and NOLA: Via TAGSYS: TAGSYS Equips China’s Shenzhen Library With Fully Automated RFID Infrastructure ...

Hoboken RFID Parking Permits ...

Hoboken implements software, mobile computers, and RFID technology to enable better management of residential parking permits. ...

... "Hoboken is one of the first municipalities in the United States to implement RFID in this way. Hoboken parking enforcement officers were finding it difficult to distinguish the permits of residents with extended parking privileges from those of city visitors with more limited privileges tinted windows, weather conditions and inconsistent permit placement were all challenges. As residential Hoboken parking permits become more valuable, officers have also noticed a rise in illegally issued and counterfeit permits. The combination of PayLock's RFID Permit Management software running on Symbol RFID rugged mobile computers enables Hoboken parking officers to rapidly read the parking permit information stored on the RFID tag, allowing them to easily identify illegally parked vehicles and those using counterfeit permits.

The city of Hoboken's solution consists of Symbol MC9000-G RFID mobile computers running PayLock software to read Symbol passive RFID tagged parking permits. With this integrated solution, Hoboken parking enforcement officials can do away with the laborious car-by-car inspections that were previously needed to determine whether a permit was real or counterfeit. The RFID tags, which are embedded in the parking permits, contain an identification number that is stored in a permit database. This database holds the information on the vehicle and the type of permit issued, defining where a vehicle can legally park. Valid tags and associated information are synchronized to the Symbol mobile computers daily, allowing parking officers to validate if a car is permitted to park in a particular location at a particular time. PayLock's RFID Permit Management software also allows the city of Hoboken to greatly reduce the cost and effort associated with issuing new permits every year permit holders are now able to renew online through a 24/7 call center and have their existing permit extended immediately. " ...

Hoboken RFID Parking Permits: Via Symbol Technologies: Symbol RFID Solution Helps City of Hoboken Battle Parking Permit Counterfeiting: Innovative RFID Solution Helps Manage City Parking Demands ...

Hospital RFID Applications Discussed ...

MIT Forum will discuss RFID applications in the hospital. ...

... "RFID in the Hospital
Monday June 12, 2006
6:30 - 6:45 Networking & Light Snack
6:45 - 7:45 Panel Presentation
7:45 - 8:30 p.m. Q & A
Location:
Stata Center (Bldg. 32)
Room 124, 1st floor
32 Vassar Street
Cambridge, MA 02139 MAP

In addition to manufacturing and retail marketing, healthcare is considered the next home for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Although in its early stages, RFID technology has great potential in the hospitals to significantly reduce cost, improve patient safety and deliver medical services. Imagine the hospital of the future where unnecessary expenses will be cut and more patient lives will be saved. " ...

Via MIT EF: RFID SIG ...

RFID Lab Retail Analytics ...

Teradata creates RFID laboratory to focus on analytics in retail applications. ...

... "Teradata, a division of NCR Corporation, has established an advanced analytics lab specifically for retailers and consumer goods companies where information on the most important facets of their operations can be discovered. The lab also analyzes data captured by radio frequency identification (RFID) applications across the supply chain. The new Retail Advanced Business Analytics & RFID Lab is housed at the Teradata Benchmark Center in Rancho Bernardo, Calif. The lab demonstrates to retailers and consumer goods companies how their data can be used in innovative ways to derive incremental business value. Focal points at the lab include deep analytics, predictive modeling, data mining, and RFID data analysis. Analytical results are presented using data visualization technologies. " ...

RFID Lab Retail Analytics: Via Teradata: New Teradata Retail Advanced Business Analytics & RFID Lab Delivers Insight from Enterprise or RFID Data

RFID DOD DLA Contract: Passive Systems ODIN Tech ...

ODIN Tech awarded contract from DOD DLA for passive RFID systems ...

... "DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY: ODIN Technologies, Dulles, Va., is being awarded a maximum $7,000,000 combination firm fixed price, cost, and time and materials contract for passive radio frequency identification (RFID) portals, hardware, and installation for Defense Logistics Agency. Other location(s) of performance are Defense Distribution centers, CONUS and OCONUS. Proposals were Web-solicited and 11 responded. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Date of performance completion is May 16, 2007. Contracting activity is Defense Distribution Center (DDC), New Cumberland, Pa. (SP3100-06-D-0003). " ...

RFID DOD DLA Contract: Passive Systems ODIN Tech: Via DoD: Contracts for May 17, 2006 ...

RFID Certification Prep Training in June ...

Lowry offers RFID training in preparation for CompTIA RFID certification. Course is coming up in June. ...

... "A System's Approach to RFID Implementation will be offered at Lowry's state-of-the-art RFID Center June 13-15th and August 8-10th. OTA Training, the developer of the comprehensive RFID training curriculum, is based in Dallas, Texas. Both 3-day training sessions have an optional RFID+ Certification Module. The Certification Module includes additional hours of training and a full day dedicated to review of all exam topics. Those who register for the add-on module have an opportunity to become RFID certified, by taking the CompTIA RFID+ exam at the conclusion of the class. CompTIA certification is the industry recognized standard for foundation-level information technology (IT) skills. " ...

RFID Certification Prep Training in June: Via Lowry computer Products: LOWRY ANNOUNCES UPCOMING RFID CERTIFICATION TRAINING CLASS DATES: Industry-Recognized Classes Prepare Attendees For Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Certification ...

RFID Solutions Center: Print and Apply ...

Weber RFID print and apply products are available at Alien Tech RFID Solution Center ...

... "Weber's Model 5200rfid system combines the printing, encoding, verification and application of pressure-sensitive RFID smart labels to cartons and pallet loads into one operation. At the same time, the system rejects and recovers RFID smart labels that are not compliant. The system will help users of the Center learn how to meet the emerging RFID labeling requirements in the consumer and governmental sectors.

The capabilities of the RFID Solutions Center are now available to companies, educational institutions, government agencies and other organizations undertaking the implementation of RFID technology. The Center's facilities encompass technical labs and testing grounds, and include a wide range of RFID equipment and services that will simulate real-world RFID situations. " ...

RFID Solutions Center: Print and Apply: Via Weber Marking Systems: Weber RFID labeling system at work at new, collaborative RFID Solutions Center Dayton ...

RFID Drug Authenticity Pilot at Cardinal Health ...

Cardinal Health begins second wave of RFID testing that supports the safety of the drug supply. RFID technology will enable in-process authentication as drugs make their way through the extended supply chain. Cardinal will also look for ways to achieve operational efficiencies from the RFID-enabled supply chain information. The company is expecting to complete this wave of tests by the 4th Quarter of 2006. ...

... "Cardinal Health, Inc., the leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry, announced the next phase of the first end-to-end pilot program to test technology that could improve the safety and efficiency of the nation's drug supply. The pilot program will begin to tag medication with labels carrying unique data that can be captured and read to verify its authenticity at each step of the supply chain. Verifying the authenticity of pharmaceuticals along each step of the distribution path adds an additional layer of security to lessen the chance of counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the supply chain. In addition, the data gathered could improve efficiency as logistics experts at Cardinal Health will be able to analyze the data to identify bottlenecks, read rates and other opportunities to improve efficiency in the supply chain.

In conducting the end-to-end pilot program, Cardinal Health will use new technology to place radio frequency identification (RFID) tags on the labels of brand-name and generic solid-dose prescription drugs at the company's Printed Components facility in Moorestown, N.J. Next, the company's facility in Philadelphia will encode the electronic product code (EPC) standard data at the unit, case and pallet levels during the packaging process. The products will be then shipped to a Cardinal Health distribution center in Findlay, Ohio, where the data will be read and authenticated as products are handled under normal operating conditions. Normal operating procedures will be enhanced with RFID hardware and software from Alien Technology Corporation and IBM along with project management support from VeriSign. From Findlay, the tagged product will be sent to a health-care provider to further test read rates and data flow using the same technology as the distribution center. The product dispensed to patients will not be in the RFID packaging. The company launched the pilot in February and expects to complete the test in the fall." ...

RFID Drug Authenticity Pilot at Cardinal: Via Cardinal Health: Cardinal Health Announces Next Phase Of RFID Pilot ...

RFID Garment HangTags Manage Inventory ...

Checkpoint implements RFID garment hangtags for Lemmi to management apparel inventory in the supply chain. ...

... "Checkpoint Systems, Inc., one of the largest manufacturers and marketers of RF and RFID based solutions for security, identification, tracking and merchandising applications in the world, announced they were chosen by Lemmi Fashion, a Fritzlar, Germany-based producer of children's apparel, to supply the company and its strategic partners with RFID (radio frequency identification) hangtags. The RFID consumables will be used as part of a strategic initiative to help improve Lemmi's speed to market, inventory management, and order accuracy. Checkpoint Systems is supplying Lemmi's manufacturing partners in Asia and Europe with Performa(R) 13.56 MHz RFID-enabled hangtags. The hangtags, which include a visible version of the RFID tag and a traditional bar code, contain data such as article number, size, and color. The tagging process begins when Lemmi's partners apply Performa RFID-enabled garment tags to items at their production sites. The goods are recorded when they are shipped from the manufacturer to Lemmi's distribution center (DC), and upon receipt at the DC. Movements within the DC are also recorded, and Lemmi reads the RFID tags a final time at the shipping area to confirm that all items required for the shipment have been packed." ...

RFID Garment HangTags Manage Inventory: Via Checkpoint Systems, Inc.: Lemmi Fashion Selects Checkpoint Systems RFID Hangtags to Improve Customer Service and Delivery Reliability; Apparel Manufacturer Partners with Checkpoint to Ensure RFID Tag Performance, Production and Fulfillment Requirements ...

RFID Hospital: Blood Tracking ...

IBM collaborates with Japan hospital to track blood samples using RFID technology. ...

... "At the Kyoto Medical Center, under the new project, RFID tags were attached to dummy samples of plasma derivatives (about 50 units) and successfully traced. Using these RFID tags, information on the distribution and use history of the products - from the pharmaceutical manufacturer via the wholesalers to the medical institutions through to use - can be shared (federated), and the basis for a tracking mechanism can be established. In the future, multiple users, beyond the boundaries of individual industries, can make use of this kind of historical information to provide a system for enabling safe medical care. IBM Japan has built a distributed information system for seamless operation of RFID tags, while protecting a variety of highly classified medical information, such as personal information. Moreover, from the point of view of privacy, it has become possible to provide access control technology, which strictly limits access to the database and displays only the information necessary for the business at hand in systems used by multiple businesses or departments. " ...

RFID Hospital: Blood Tracking: Via IBM: Japan's first RFID tag drug-shipment-to-in-hospital medication traceability successfully demonstrated ...

Walmart RFID Commitment ReAffirmed by New CIO ...

Walmart CIO, Rollin Ford, reaffirms committment to the Walmart RFID program, praising company innovations and the efforts of Linda Dillman. ...

... "The pioneering work at WalMart to mine the supply chain benefits of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) will continue unabated under the Wal-Mart Information Systems Division's new leader. Rollin Ford, WalMart's new executive vice president and chief information officer, who previously served as the company's executive vice president of logistics and supply chain, strongly endorsed RFID technology at the biannual CIO summit, hosted by WalMart on Wednesday in Bentonville. Ford told the audience of CIOs he was thrilled to be in his new position and that both logistics and information systems were at the center of WalMart's competitive advantage. Ford said he intended to build on the success of his predecessor, Linda Dillman, who was named executive vice president of risk management and benefits administration at Wal-Mart. " ...

Walmart RFID Commitment ReAffirmed by New CIO: Via WalMart Stores: New CIO Confirms Wal-Mart Commitment to RFID ...:

RFID Research Program: Georgia Tech in Ireland ...

Georgia Tech starts RFID research program at research enterprise in Ireland. ...

... "The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), the applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology, will establish a research enterprise in Athlone, Ireland to focus on industry research and development needs. GTRI Ireland will be GTRI's first applied research facility outside the United States.

The new institute will focus on four technology areas that mirror Ireland's research strengths — digital media, radio frequency identification (RFID), biotechnology and energy. The research with RFID will center on authentication and identification technologies from acoustics to optics for the commercial sector. For instance, because Ireland has a thriving pharmaceutical industry, some of the institute's research will target pill-tracking accuracy, ensuring authenticity and dosage. " ...

Via Georgia Institute of Technology: GTRI to Open Institute in Athlone, Ireland ...

Additional university-sponsored RFID research programs ...

Information Technology Research Institute: RFID Research Center: "Information Technology Research Institute created its first sub-unit, the RFID Research Center. This new center spans many disciplines including retail, supply chain, industrial engineering, and computer science, among others. The center's base of operations is a lab which models a production warehouse environment in 7000 sq ft. of space donated to the center by Hanna's Candles and located within Hanna's manufacturing and warehouse facility. Collaborators with the RFID Research Center within the Walton College include the UA information systems department, the Supply Chain Management Research Center, and the Center for Retailing Excellence. Leveraging multidisciplinary expertise across the University of Arkansas, the RFID Research Center also has collaborative relationships with the College of Engineering, including the departments of computer science and computer engineering, industrial engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering; the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, including the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies and the department of public policy; the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences, including the department of food science; and the School of Law. "

RFID@WINMEC:RFID Research: "RFID@WINMEC Middleware - The RFID@WINMEC middleware research project involves the development of a middleware stack with sub-stacks that manages r/w functions, abstracts reader and tags, networks readers together, provides hooks to databases and provides a homogeneous interface for application development. We work with sponsoring organizations on developing and studying RFID pilots by using our RFID middleware stack. "

RFID Academic Convocation II: Opportunities for RFID Sponsored Research Collaboration: "The RFID Academic Convocation brings together Directors of leading RFID research laboratories with executives from lead users in their industries and their RFID platform partners to address underlying research issues surrounding implementation of RFID. This event is part of a series of meetings that are being organized around the world to build collaboration across academic disciplines, institutional and geographic boundaries. Participation by qualified academic and industry researchers and governmental agency representatives is invited. "

RFID Hospital Improves Patient Safety ...

Upcoming IQPC conference focuses on the use of RFID technology in hospitals to increase patient safety. ...

... "Recognizing the need for hospitals and health centers to implement RFID and barcoding processes to achieve greater efficiency, track moveable medical assets (including patients), and enhance patient safety, Healthcare IQ, the healthcare division of the International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC), announced it's 4th Annual RFID, Tracking and Barcoding for Hospitals, to take place March 20-23, 2006 at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, AZ. This conference will feature over 20 brand new case studies in two separate tracks: Innovative Solutions in Barcoding and Innovative Solutions in RFID. " ...

Via IQPC: Leading Hospitals and Health Centers Discuss Innovative Solutions Utilizing RFID and Barcoding to Reduce Medical Errors and Increase Patient Safety

RFID Logistics Readiness PDK ...

Marines get trained in using the RFID-enabled portable deployment kit (PDK) to increase their logistics readiness. ...

... "The PDK assists with gear and shipment accountability by using radio frequency identification to continually keep track of electronic tags embedded with supplies. Unlike most RFID interrogators, which are static in design and cannot move, the PDK fits inside a case that can be carried by one person. ...

For the first two days of the training, the Marines attended lectures about the components that make up the PDK and how to use them properly. Marines then began practical application of their new skills by riding in a HMMWV and configuring their PDK to scan for specific RFID tags. " ...

RFID Logistics Readiness PDK: Via US Marine Corps: Marines increase logistics readiness with PDK training

Marine Corps: Logistics tracking equipment valuable to operations: "Tracking all this equipment can be an arduous task, but with the help of the portable deployment radio frequency identification tag kit made by Savi Technologies Incorporated and the Marines of Marine Air-Ground Task Force Distribution Center, the of tracking these shipments is made a little easier. "

DOD RFID Contract Value Doubled and Extended ...

DOD doubles RFID contract value with Savi Technology and extends the contract expiration date.

... "The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has increased its RFID II contract value with Savi Technology from $207.9 million to $424.5 million and extended the ordering period for the company's active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products and services by another two years -- through January 31, 2008. The contract amendments were made by the U.S. Army's Information Technology, E-Commerce and Commercial Contracting Center (ITEC4), and the executive agent for the DoD is the office of the Product Manager, Joint-Automatic Identification Technology. In a public notice, the Department of the Army wrote: The extension of the ordering period and raising of the contract ceiling is necessary in order to continue to provide active RFID tags and associated supplies and services for shipments of materiel to the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Savi Technology, a leading developer and provider of RFID supply chain solutions for allied defense forces and commercial enterprises, has provided RFID solutions to the DoD for more than a decade. The company helped build the DoD's In-Transit Visibility (ITV) network, which spans more than 45 countries and tracks military supplies through more than 2,000 sites. In addition to the DoD, the company provides RFID solutions for allies such as NATO, the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Spain, among others. Savi Technology is building interoperable RFID-based networks for allies that enable them to improve the management of consignments for multi-national, joint-force operations. " ...

DOD RFID Contract Value Doubled and Extended: Via Savi Technology: SAVI TECHNOLOGY’S DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE RFID II CONTRACT CEILING INCREASED TO $424.5 MILLION: Procurement contract for RFID Products and Services Extended Two Years ...

Tags: Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, RFID Tag

RFID Competency Center ...

Click Commerce creates RFID competency center to showcase the use of RFID technology in the extended enterprise ...

... "Click Commerce, Inc., a leading provider of on-demand supply chain management solutions, announces the opening of its radio frequency identification (RFID) Competency Center. Located at company headquarters in Chicago, the RFID Competency Center showcases how RFID enhances Click Commerce solutions. In addition, the Center showcases the next-generation extended enterprise with solution demonstrations. The Competency Center features the Intelligent Supply Chain, a RFID solution created by Click Commerce and Vue Technology, a leading provider of item-level RFID. This demonstration tracks the movement of inventory through a multi-tier supply chain from manufacturing through distribution to the retail store shelf. Item, case, and pallet level RFID tagging is used to provide inventory visibility and management across the supply chain. This visibility and control increases supply chain agility and accuracy, allowing inventory to be pulled through the network based on real-time demand conditions to avoid stock-outs. Within the distribution center, RFID drives labor productivity and accuracy by automatically sensing inventory throughout the warehouse, eliminating labor associated with check-in, bar code scans, and cycle counts. The resulting benefits of the Intelligent Supply Chain include fewer lost sales, increased customer service levels, and lower supply chain costs. " ...

RFID Competency Center: Via Click Commerce: Click Commerce Unveils RFID Competency Center

RFID Jewelry Inventory Management ...

De Grisogno implements Tagsys RFID for inventory management in its extended supply chain ...

... "TAGSYS, the global leader in item-level RFID infrastructure, announced that Geneva-based watchmaking and jewelry company de GRISOGONO has adopted the company’s RFID track and trace solution for inventory management across its stores worldwide. Under the terms of the rollout, the luxury retailer will utilize TAGSYS' Reliable, Accurate and Secure (R.A.S.) High-Frequency RFID readers and tags in its efforts to reduce theft and minimize loss of its valuable jewels and watches. The project begins immediately in the company's Paris and Geneva branches, with future deployments in the company's European, Asia-Pacific and North American outposts, expected at the rate of one store every two months. De GRISOGONO initially considered the use of traditional bar codes as a means to track individual items, such as gems, from its distribution center through the shipment process to the retail shop. However, the threat of theft or loss of assets required the deployment of a near errorless tracking technology. By leveraging the tagging capabilities of TAGSYS' RFID jewelry application, developed in conjunction with system integrator SOLID, the accessories company has enabled a real-time RFID-based detection system that monitors stock location at any point in the supply chain. " ...

RFID Jewelry Inventory Management: Via TAGSYS RFID: De GRISOGONO Finds a Gem of an Inventory Management Solution With SOLID and TAGSYS Item-Level RFID Jewelry Application: Item level track and trace technology minimizes threat of theft, loss and counterfeiting of luxury accessories ...

RFID Wave: Make Business Sense ...

Upcoming RFID event ...

... "Making Business Sense of the RFID Wave: February 23, 2006: Making business sense of the RFID wave will give attendees the opportunity to meet key innovators and leaders of the RFID industry and through a panel discussion, attendees will gain first-hand insight into the technological progress around RFID, where the industry is leading to, what the forecasts are, how can companies make business sense or get ROI from RFID. Panelists will include:

Jamshed Dubash, Director of Technology, Proctor and Gamble (The Gillette Company)
Sanjay Sarma, Professor at MIT and Founder, OAT Systems
Mal Postings, Global Lead for RFID, CapGemini
Robert Steinberg, President, Productivity by RFID
Other speakers expected from Tyco, Think Magic

Time: 6 - 8:30 p.m. Location: Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP, World Trade Center West, 155 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA " ...

Via MIT Sloan Alumni: Making Business Sense of the RFID Wave ...

Implanted RFID Microchips for Dogs ...

Digital Angel Corp's RFID microchips will be implanted into dog rescue teams. ...

... "Digital Angel Corporation, an advanced technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location tracking, and condition monitoring of high-value assets, announced that the United Network for Worldwide Disaster Aid (UNWDA), an internationally-known, EU-based team of experts deployed at catastrophic events throughout the world, has selected the Company's implanted electronic RFID microchips for its specially-trained canine search and rescue teams based in diverse countries. To date, a total of 49 of the group's 178 dogs have been implanted with the Digital Angel microchip and many of the chipped dogs have recently been deployed in emergency aid areas including Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Caribbean and China. The UNWDA organization, which has canine units connected to 22 countries around the world and has deployed dogs to catastrophes of the magnitude of the New York 9/11 disaster and last year's tsunami in Asia, had previously used tattoos to identify their dogs. UNDWA switched to the implanted microchips because of the need for access to a variety of information about the individual animals, said Dr. S. Eynn, spokesperson for the organization's coordination center in Brussels. The Digital Angel microchip was selected after a careful review of other similar microchips available on the international market, she added. " ...

Implanted RFID Microchips for Dogs: Via Digital Angel: DIGITAL ANGEL CORPORATION ELECTRONIC RFID MICROCHIP SELECTED FOR SPECIAL INTERNATIONAL CANINE SEARCH/RESCUE TEAM; Need for Complete Canine History Prompts Use of Microchips; Chipped Team Deployed in Afghanistan, Pakistan ...

RFID Fulfillment Network: New Service Accelerates Adoption ...

One Network introduces new network fulfillment service based on RFID technology. ...

... "One Network Enterprises, the pioneer of innovative solutions for Business Process Networks, announced the RFID Fulfillment Network, a new service that will accelerate the adoption of RFID technology and revolutionize its economics. The service delivers an advanced network and RFID technology that can reduce the cost of RFID printing by 75% and drive significant savings in the end-to-end order fulfillment process. The RFID Fulfillment Network is being demonstrated at the National Retail Federation Expo at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York from January 16th - 17th at both Zebra's booth #1653 and One Network's booth # 9999.

The service delivers a complete package of hardware, maintenance, software, consumables and network connectivity for managing the end-to-end process. It is priced on a per-click basis in which the users pay a fixed fee to generate RFID compliant labels, with no upfront capital costs. " ...

RFID Fulfillment Network: New Service Accelerates Adoption: Via One Network Enterprises: On Demand Supply Chain Solutions and Network Applications ...

RFID UID Military Packaging Seminar ...

Local seminar on RFID UID this Thursday ...

... "Thursday January 12: Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Military Packaging Requirements, 9 a.m.-noon; RFID/UID, military marking requirements for items and packages, 1-4 p.m., 616 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud. " ...

RFID UID Military Packaging Seminar: Via St. Paul Pioneer Press: WEEKLY PLANNER

RFID Growth: Symbol Plans ...

Symbol plans RFID growth in the new year, with new products introductions expected. ...

... "Symbol has a number of new initiatives in the works, including new form factors for readers (think fork lifts and other distribution center applications), handheld readers that incorporate EPCglobal Inc.'s Generation 2 standard and multiplex reader capabilities through a recent partnership with Vue Technology. " ...

RFID Growth: Symbol Plans: Via eWeek: Symbol Anticipates a Breakout Year for RFID

RFID Lab Provides Hands-On Classroom Experience ...

Stratum Global will provide the RFID technology foundation for the hands-on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) lab in Illinois at Oakton Community College, serving fourteen northern Chicago suburbs.

... "The Community College RFID lab will be located at Oakton’s new Art, Science, and Technology Pavilion in Skokie. Stratum Global, William Frick, Intel and Intermec Technologies Corp. are providing Oakton with the tools required to develop an RFID lab and curriculum that will give students the opportunity to study the dynamics of how RFID infrastructure, readers, tags, and software logic solve business problems.

Stratum Global’s TagNet RFID solution suite will serve as the software application foundation for understanding the integration components and the dynamics between the infrastructure, tags and readers. Students will use the software to manage and configure readers, conduct remote diagnostics, commission and interrogate tags, verify tag reads against existing enterprise data and create rules to establish application level events. William Frick, based in Libertyville, IL, specializes in tag and labeling solution offerings. Frick will assist in developing the tag curriculum as it relates to tag materials, tags for high impact or rugged environments, application of active or passive tags, high visibility tags as well as tagging location. Frick will provide the lab with a variety of tag types for the students to work with on different materials, in multiple scenarios. Students will have a firm understanding of the differences between tags types, where those types are applicable and how to effectively construct a tagging methodology. Enterprise data will reside on an Intel based P4 and Xeon Server infrastructure. Data will be used to commission tags, construct work rules and manage events. Stratum Global’s TagNet® will ensure a seamless flow of data within the RFID environment, between the Intermec Readers, antennas, tags and the Intel platform.

RFID hardware will be provided by Intermec and will include Intermec’s IF5 fixed readers, IP3® portable readers, and a combination of Intermec Intellitag antennas. Students will use the hardware to understand how physical readers, handhelds and antennas are used to develop portals, and how portal development impacts read rates and the dynamics of hardware configuration. The hardware and curriculum will prepare students for careers in RFID, with a firm understanding of the technology required for a successful implementation and how that implementation can bring continuous process improvement to the business. " ...

Via Stratum Global: Hands-On RFID Lab at Oakton Community College: Industry leaders collaborate to develop lab and curriculum ...

Additional resources on university RFID labs:

Via Cal Poly: RFID HIGHLIGHTS: "Fred Abler, Tali Freed visited Sun Microsystems in Menlo Park, CA for a day of meetings to present the Cal Poly RFID Research and Testing Lab to a team of SUN executives. The meeting was arranged by Sema Alptekin, a Cal Poly IME professor currently on sabbatical at UC Berkeley. During the day-long series of meetings, the directors presented their vision for RFID Research at CAL POLY, resulting in the RFID Research and Testing Lab being nominated to become the SUN Center of Excellence for RFID."

Via University of Wisconsin: Headlines for March 21, 2005: "The RFID laboratory on the UW-Madison campus enables RFID workgroup members to conduct structured experiments ranging from tag placement to antenna design. "

Via University of Arkansas - Daily Headlines: "The University of Arkansas RFID Research Center laboratory has passed accreditation criteria established by EPCglobal Inc., a global not-for-profit standards organization commercializing the Electronic Product CodeT (EPC) and RFID worldwide. The UA lab is one of the first EPC/RFID research laboratories worldwide to receive the EPCglobal Performance Test Center accreditation. The RFID Research Center, a subunit of the Information Technology Research Institute, housed in the university's Sam M. Walton College of Business."

RFID Simulated Supply Chain in Educational Environment ...

Students are learning about RFID using a simulated supply chain. ....

... "Indiana University is one of the first business schools to decide to build a working model of a RFID environment. Davison Schopmeyer, senior director of RFID Professional Services at Manhattan Associates, invited Venkataramanan, Ashok Soni, chairperson of the Operations and Decision Technologies Department, and Daniel Conway, a Kelley School professor, to tour Manhattan Associates' RFID Lab in Atlanta earlier this year. The professors have created an RFID lab that is used to teach RFID to the university's graduate and undergraduate classes. This lab uses miniature train sets and radio-controlled trucks, RFID tags, readers and antennae to create a scale model of how goods flow through the supply chain-from manufacturer to warehouse to retailer. The trains and trucks carry goods with product names and equipped with tags. Antennae read the tags as the miniature carriers pass by. The students track how the tags are read, collected and presented on a computer. The school will continue to move ahead with RFID as an important part of its curriculum. " ...

RFID Simulated Supply Chain in Educational Environment: Via Manhattan Associates: Indiana University and Manhattan Associates Bring RFID to the Classroom ...

Additional resources on RFID in the classroom:

Via RFID Journal - RTI, DeVry Team Up to Teach RFID: "RFID Technical Institute (RTI) has partnered with DeVry University to offer business and technical courses in radio frequency identification, beginning in July. RTI, a Cambridge, Mass., startup launched in January, develops RFID educational services. "

Via EIS - EIS Assists University of Arkansas with RFID Lab: "Enterprise Information Systems, Inc. (EIS), an RFID systems integrator and member of EPCglobal US, announces it has joined with leading RFID manufacturers and The University of Arkansas to sponsor a lab dedicated to the study of the engineering aspect to RFID. The Engineering RFID lab is located in the Bell Engineering Center at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The RFID lab is part of the Engineering Center's Material Handling lab that provides students practical experience with different aspects of a production environment, which includes a conveyor system that incorporates alerting systems, scanning technologies and now RFID. "

UW-Madison RFID technology lab debuts Friday | Via WTN: "The lab involves more than 40 companies from the UW RFID Industry Workgroup, plus UW-Madison students and faculty - all focusing on keeping Wisconsin industry competitive through RFID technology. The UW RFID Lab also is available to individual companies for sponsored company-specific projects."

RFID Emergency Card: Enables Electronic Health Record ...

MedicAlert will show its RFID-enabled smart-card for enabling emergency medical care through the use of identification and electronic health records. ...

... "MedicAlert will be showcasing technology products - the MedicAlert® E-HealthKEY, the Health Enhancement System (HES), and the RFID Emergency Card in response to the federal government’s goal to give all Americans electronic medical records in the coming years. Within a few years, one-third of all Americans will be elderly – about 77 million people – the single biggest demographic group in the country. Globally, the U.S. will have the largest population of elderly people in the history of the world. " ...

RFID Emergency Card: Enables Electronic Health Record: Via MedicAlert: MedicAlert® to showcase technology at the White House Conference on Aging ...

MedicAlert® is committed to providing technology-based solutions and is an active member and a leader in developing interoperability standards with all the major Healthcare IT standards organizations. The MedicAlert® repository uses Web service interfaces to support standard Electronic Health Records (EHRs), including electronic drug prescriptions and for patient record interoperability. These activities will ensure the rapid development and deployment of standards to improve the quality of care, lower healthcare costs while increasing patient safety. MedicAlert® is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1956 with a mission to protect and save lives, is headquartered in the United States and has international affiliates in nine countries.

Additional resources on uses of RFID to support emergency health care or electronic health care identification:

Health Care CIO Runs Internal RFID Test - Computerworld: "Halamka said this month that when the chip is scanned by an RFID reader, an identifying number directs physicians to his medical records, which are stored electronically at CareGroup's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. "

VeriChip launches secure database to consult health care data stored on implantable RFID chips: "VeriChip is a miniaturised, implantable, radio frequency identification device (RFID) which can be used in a variety of security, emergency, and health care applications. About the size of a grain of rice, each VeriChip is composed of FDA-accepted materials and contains a unique verification number which can seamlessly integrate to the GVS Registry."

RFID can be a matter of life and death in the medical world | WTN: "Radio frequency identification technology is often touted as a way to improve supply chain management. But in the health care world, the technology is bringing other, perhaps more important benefits: safety and security."