RFID is Fashionable in the Apparel Industry

ABI Research takes pulse of the RFID market and sees growth in the application of RFID technology in the apparel industry. ...

... "Specifically, adoption of item-level RFID in the fashion apparel market is graduating from pilot testing to full-scale deployment. While installations at Marks and Spencer in the United Kingdom, American Apparel in the US, and Charles Vögele in Switzerland remain the largest contributors to market growth, scores of companies are now in various stages of implementation. " ...

Via ABI Research: RFID Bright Spots

AIAG RFID Revision

The Automotive Industry Action Group, AIAG, updates its item-level RFID standard, offering a comprehensive view to its application in the industry. ...

... "B-11 revision enhances the global RFID user community's use of standards-based RFID technology to meet the needs of OEMs and the supply chain ... " ...

Via AIAG: RFID Standard B-11

Item-Level RFID Drives Apparel Business Advantage

Research suggests that market growth for RFID will accelerate in the retail apparel space. ...

... "item-level RFID systems have become a key competitive advantage and business process automation differentiator for apparel companies due to their ability to drive increased sales and facilitate significant labor cost reductions by providing improved inventory visibility. " ...

Via Reuters: RFID in Fashion Apparel and Footwear

WalMart RFID Manages Inventory Driving Sales

Walmart sees strong benefits from RFID program if inventory stock-outs are eliminated and the customer experience is improved. The key is improving inventory accuracy so that the right product is available at the right time. ...

... "The key behind it all is making sure RFID tags are installed on all products, and using a forklift with RFID equipment installed to show the driver exactly where merchandise is inside store warehouses. " ...

Via CIO: WalMart RFID Benefits

Bloomingdale RFID Improvements

The ITRI at the University of Arkansas shares results of study at Bloomingdales that show significant improvements in inventory metrics using item-level RFID tracking. ...

... "According to the study, the level of perfect inventory accuracy in the RFID store increased by 27%, as measured in the simulated system versus the actual PI. " ...

Via Supply Chain Digest: Item-Level Retail Apparel Tagging Study

Motorola Small Fixed RFID Readers

Motorola launches business-class fixed radio-frequency identification readers that a designed with a small form factor for retail and office environment deployments. ...

... "Motorola’s new cost-effective, high-performance fixed RFID reader is built on a new platform that supports Gen 2 technology and is capable of hosting third-party, customer-driven embedded applications to meet the growing requirements of enterprises. As a compact, lightweight, unobtrusive RFID reader, the FX7400 can be installed under point-of-sale counters, behind walls or on ceilings – providing an ideal solution for item-level tracking, retail inventory management, file tracking and asset management applications in environments where performance and a small footprint are critical. For retailers, this new reader will help improve employee productivity, reduce cycle count times and decrease out-of-stock items in order to improve operations and increase sales. The FX7400 series complements Motorola’s existing portfolio of industrial solutions and opens a new window of opportunity for retailers and businesses to implement RFID. Motorola intends to broaden this business-class portfolio with additional reader options in the future. " ...

Via Motorola: New Business Line of RFID Readers

RFID ISO Revision

The enabling ISO standard for item level RFID, International Standard 18000-1, has been revised and updated. ...

... "ISO/IEC 18000-1:2008, Information technology – Radio frequency identification for item management – Reference architecture and definition of parameters to be standardized, defines the generic architecture concepts in which item identification may be commonly required within the logistics and supply chain and defines the parameters that need to be determined in any standardized air interface definition in the subsequent parts of ISO/IEC 18000. All parts of ISO/IEC 18000 provide the specific values for definition of the air interface parameters for a particular frequency/type of air interface from which compliance (or non-compliance) with Part 1 of ISO/IEC 18000 can be established. " ...

Via ISO: Standard provides common international framework for RFID frequencies

Printed Silicon RFID Platform Enables Item-Level Tracking

Kovio has developed a silicon ink-based RFID tag that can support affordable item-level RFID solutions. ...

... "The first products based on this patented platform technology are printed silicon HF integrated circuits (PICs) with 128 bits of printed read-only memory. The Kovio HF (13.56MHz) PIC will be the foundation for Kovio's low-cost HF RFID tag family. The innovative features of Kovio's HF PICs include a synchronous tags-talk-first mode of operation, a 106kbps data rate, an integrated capacitor, and printed read-only memory. In addition, Kovio's PICs dramatically reduce the overall cost of tag manufacturing through features such as large PIC bond pads and the use of
ultra-thin metal foil substrates. Large bond pads improve attach reliability, simplify attach requirements and lower antenna costs. The use of thin metal foil starting substrates precludes the need for wasteful thickness reduction used by traditional IC manufacturers for conventional silicon ICs. " ...

Via Kovio: Printed Silicon RFID Platform

NASA RFID Deployment Continues at Space Center

RFID Global Solution will deliver the second phase expansion of a real-time, RFID-enabled location system at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center through a contract with Boeing. ...

... "This expansion follows a successful deployment of the initial real-time RFID location tracking solution earlier this year. This second phase extends the real-time tracking to more items as well as transitions to RFID Global Solution’s new Visi-Trac Asset Tracking software. " ...

Via RFID Global Solution: BOEING NASA RFID DEPLOYMENT

Additional NASA reference on RFID ...

Handheld RFID Reader Europe

Motorola introduces new RFID product enhancements expands geographic availability to meet the business needs of customers globally. ...

... "Rugged, lightweight and ergonomically well-balanced, the new European R1 version of Motorola's high-performance RFID handheld reader is compliant with current ETSI 302 208 standards required for operation in countries in the European Union. The new R1 version offers integrated RFID reading/writing and barcode scanning and is able to seamlessly switch to multiple channels and transmit 100 percent of the time. The long read ranges produced by the linear antennae make the reader ideal for a variety of retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics applications including shipping and receiving, work-in-process, item-level in-store inventory management and asset, baggage and cargo tracking. " ...

Via Motorola: RFID reader performance enhancements

Underwear RFID

RFID in Fashion conference will be protested for introducing item-level radio frquency identification tracking into retail industry and supply chain, triggering privacy concerns. ...

... "Albrecht planned today's protest after discovering the conference would promote the use of RFID in individual clothing items. " ...

Via Wired: Arphid Watch

NineWest RFID Pilot

Jones Apparel Group launches program to pilot Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in specific Nine West retail locations to determine its impact on item tracking and service, operational efficiency, and inventory. ...

... "The goal of this pilot program will be to study the benefits that item-level RFID provides in the areas of enhanced productivity, customer service and inventory accuracy. The team of companies with whom Jones is partnering on this initiative consists of: Vue Technology, which will provide the RFID software and system management solutions; Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Business, which will provide fixed and handheld RFID readers and antennas; Avery Dennison, which will provide RFID tags and printers; inCode Wireless, which will provide installation and integration services and, along with RFID Sherpas LLC, will perform operational and business case analysis. " ...

Via Jones Apparel Group: Item-Level RFID Pilot in Select Nine West Retail Locations

RFID Item-Level Demonstration

Impinj founder discusses item-level RFID tracking ...

Motorola RFID Reader Bi-Static Ports

Motorola introduces the XR450, a fixed radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, that features bi- and mono-static antenna ports on a single platform to protect RFID investments and decrease the complexity of deployment. ...

... "The uniquely designed XR450 RFID reader offers customers the ability to select between using four bi-static ports that require dual antennas or four mono-static ports that require only one antenna for transmitting or receiving tag data. Mono-static ports are ideal for real-time item-level tracking, application processing and management, such as in postal tracking or reading pallets of goods at retail stores. Businesses can use the bi-static ports for the highest possible performance in the most challenging RF environments. The inclusion of both mono- and bi-static ports in a single platform allows customers to purchase one reader with the opportunity to utilize either port option - providing greater flexibility to adapt the reader to the intended application and environmental needs. " ...

Via Motorola: XR450 RFID Reader Offers Greater Flexibility with Increased Functionality and Security

RFID Solution Solves Reusable Item Tracking in Europe

Xterprise releases its RFID solution for Reusable Transport Items (RTIs) into the European supply chain market. ...

... "Reusable transport items play a critical role in many environments to help ensure the timely, continuous flow of materials and products to production lines, distribution and ultimately customers. Xterprise and third-party research indicates that more than 50 million RTIs are lost, damaged or otherwise removed from service each year at an estimated cost, globally, of close to $1 billion – a significant portion of which are in Europe. Without proper visibility and management of these valuable assets, stockpiling occurs at artificially high levels at critical choke points, resulting in unnecessary replenishment to meet demand. Xterprise has purposely built the Clarity RTI application to address the unique uses and resulting challenges of managing RTIs as they move between stakeholders in closed-loop environments typically found in retail, 3pl, and manufacturing organisations." ...

Via Xterprise: RFID-Enabled Reusable Transport Item (RTI) Application

Pharma RFID Item Tracking

Sirit TAGSYS RFID Partnership

Tagsys and Sirit link up to enable RFID solutions in the UHF item-level tracking space using their complementary technologies. ...

... "The partnership further reinforces Sirit's position as the leading supplier of UHF reader technology and provides TAGSYS with a more powerful RFID infrastructure, enabling companies to rapidly deploy and maintain RFID solutions. As part of the agreement, TAGSYS will release its RXU-400 UHF fixed reader built on Sirit's performance-leading INfinity 510 platform. Also, TAGSYS' integrated tunnel systems, with proven capability to deliver Six Sigma performance, will be developed for UHF item-level applications powered by Sirit's reader technology. " ...

Via Sirit: Sirit, TAGSYS Announce RFID Technology Partnership

Bookstore RFID Implements Item Level Tracking in SuperStore Format

Byblos implements item-level RFID tracking in its large-format bookstore in Portugal, using solutions from Vue Technology. ...

... "Byblos is using the TrueVUE RFID Platform to help track more than 150,000 items across its 35,000 square foot retail outlet. Every individual item within the new Byblos Amoreiras store is equipped with a UHF RFID tag. The company is using the item-level RFID solution to help maximize store operational efficiencies and on-shelf product availability, as well as provide a better customer experience. The Lisbon store is the first in a series of superstores planned to launch across Europe. " ...

Via Vue Technology: Largest Item-Level Retail RFID Deployment

RFID Research Invests in Item Level Validations

Checkpoint will fund RFID Research Center's laboratory through investment and equipment donation. The research will support proof-of-concept, pilots, and use case validations in areas, such as item-level tracking. The RFID Center sponsors range from RFID technology providers to end user companies, such as WalMart, FedEx, Microsoft, and Tyson Foods. ...

... "The RFID Research Center is part of the Information Technology Research Institute in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University. The Center, which opened in 2005, is a vendor-neutral, third-party testing and research facility focused on the use of RFID and other wireless and sensor technologies in the supply chain. Checkpoint has supplied RFID, electronic article surveillance (EAS) and source-tagging technology and services to some of the world's largest retailers, and will be able to leverage that experience to share its insight and expertise in the area of item-level tracking and shrink management with the RFID Research Center. " ...

Checkpoint Joins University of Arkansas RFID Research Center

RFID Pharma Item and Case Tag Reading

Impinj pharma RFID solution supports packaging operations, while it reads the item-level and case RFID tags. ...

RFID Drug Serialization for California

IBM and TAGSYS to deliver RFID technologies for item level serialization in pharmaceutical manufacturer packaging operations. ...

... "Serialization is the first step towards compliance with California's drug pedigree regulations and the basis for improved supply chain performance. As of January 1, 2009, all prescription drugs being sold in the State of California must bear a unique identifier that can be used to track products throughout the supply chain, making it easier to identify counterfeits and prevent them from reaching patients. The new IBM and TAGSYS offering provides the hardware, software, and services needed to validate the performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of RFID for this purpose. " ...

Via IBM: Serialization Pilot Kit for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Staples RFID Long-Range Inventory Tracking

Fujitsu successfully implements AbsoluteSKY's Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based intelliTRACKER suite in three months at STAPLES Business Depot’s first store. ...

... "STAPLES Business Depot, Canada's largest supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services, worked with Fujitsu to install AbsoluteSKY's real-time, long range inventory tracking system in a 37,000 sq. ft. STAPLES Business Depot store in May 2007 as a test pilot. To date, roughly 1,500 SKUs have been tagged, and the system has been dynamically reporting inventory status and changes on a minute-to-minute basis as merchandise travels from receiving to store shelves, across retailer-defined zones and through the point-of-sale process. The results achieved illustrate a fully automated and highly accurate business system for item-level inventory tracking. " ...

Via AbsoluteSKY: Fujitsu Installation of AbsoluteSKY RFID System is Successful at STAPLES Business Depot

WalMart RFID Acceleration to Realize Benefits

Walmart will accelerate its use of RFID technology throughout its stores at the item-level to drive beneifts. ...

... "The world's largest retailer, with US$345 billion in sales last year, is gearing up to roll out the RFID gear to make that prediction a reality in its 4,068 North American stores. " ...

Via Yahoo! News: WalMart RFID

NordicID RFID does HF for Item Level Tracking

Nordic ID expands its PL3000 product platform with HF RFID which enables item level tracking. ...

... "The Nordic ID PL3000 with the HF RFID reader is designed to ensure performance. Healthcare organizations and pharmacies have started many pilot projects with RFID involvement. In healthcare, the importance of patient identification is paramount. The handheld device is bringing enhanced safety to daily functions in hospitals. It reduces mistakes and improves patient safety by making sure that the patients get the right treatment at the right time. Improved communication will keep hospital personnel connected and help them to reduce errors by having up-to-date information from the hospital’s backend system. Aligning accurate data with the correct patient is essential in healthcare, whether or not technology is applied. RFID will ensure easy and fast identification of patients and medicines, and thus strengthen the level of care making the administration of the drugs safe and easy. In the PL3000 Nordic ID has combined powerful data collection, processing and storing capacity with a variety of wireless communication technologies, including WLAN and Bluetooth for local environments and GPRS or GSM for wide area applications. " ...

Via Nordic ID: PL3000 product platform with HF RFID features

Alien RFID Squiggle Tags

Alien Technology expands its portfolio of Alien Squiggle EPC Gen 2 RFID tags by introducing two new form factors for case and item-level tracking that are smaller and higher performance. ...

... "Alien Squiggle: The Squiggle (ALN-9540), the most versatile member of Alien's family, delivers industry leading range, reliability and price for a broad range of traditional pallet and case uses as well as innovative new RFID applications. The Squiggle tag outperforms other tags in leading benchmark studies, including the recent EECC UHF Tag Performance Survey. " ...

Via Alien Technology: Two Additions to Its Squiggle(R) Portfolio of EPC Gen 2 Tags

Retail RFID Strategy Enables Customer Experience in Mexico

Levi Strauss deploys TAGSYS UHF RFID readers in its Mexico retail outlets, using Grupo Hasar for system integration into its business systems. ...

... "The TAGSYS/Grupo Hasar deployment represents an expansion of Levi Strauss' RFID strategy to improve the customer purchasing experience by expediting the checkout process (especially during peak seasons) and to improve inventory management. For this application, Levi Strauss required a unique, cost-effective solution that offered high performance, reliability, an ergonomic design and easy integration capabilities. The TAGSYS reader combines leading UHF reader technology with a unique embedded antenna design that reliably inventories multiple stacked garments while not erroneously reading nearby items (a critical requirement in point-of-sale applications). The TAGSYS readers will be deployed in 40 Levi Strauss stores throughout Mexico. " ...

Via TagSys: In-Store Apparel RFID Deployment

RFID Research in Retail Supply Chain

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals funds RFID research. ...

... "Hardgrave's research team has already been collaborating with WalMart Stores Inc. in the use of RFID at the pallet and case level, and found that using the tags can reduce out-of-stock inventory by 30 percent. " ...

Via The Morning News: RFID Lab

RFID Retail Enables Book Sales Growth

BGN, Boekhandels Groep Nederland, the Netherlands largest book retailer, selects Vue Technology's TrueVUE item level RFID infrastructure platform. This infrastructure enables BGN RFID initiative to create operational benefits and improve customer service. ...

... "As a leading adopter of item level RFID, BGN has already achieved success with the technology through a proof of concept deployment in two of its retail stores in the cities of Almere and Maastricht. Results have shown a 12% increase in sales, a significant decrease in receiving and inventory costs, a reduced risk of books being out of stock, and have provided BGN the ability to track which books are selling quickly and which haven't moved recently. As a result of this success, BGN has publicly announced it's commitment to rolling item level RFID across all of its retail locations. " ...

Via Vue Technology: Building upon initial proof-of-concept successes, the Netherlands largest book retailer selects Vue as it prepares for nationwide rollout

LIME RFID Tag Secure Encryption of Item-Level Data

SecureRF Corp introduces the LIME RFID-Tag, which is a battery-assisted passive tag with security technology that authenticates and encrypts data communications on the tag. It can be used at the item-level that only allows authorized readers to access the sensitive information on the tag. The company will begin deployment of the LIME tag in the pharmaceutical industry supply chain. The RFID tag will support authentication and data protection to address drug counterfeiting through cryptographic methods that translate into an electronic seal. ...

... "The company's strong LIghtweight Multistream Encryption Tag (LIME Tag) is based on SecureRF and industry standard security protocols. SecureRF's solutions include integration technology that allows its tags to be used with most of today's Gen 2 compliant readers without the need for firmware upgrades. This will allow currently deployed systems to easily upgrade to a fully secured supply chain with little cost or change to their current network. Mike McGregor, formerly a lead RFID chip designer at Alien Technology Corp. and one of the industry's foremost RFID chip engineers, is in charge of creating the new LIME Tag. SecureRF's founders include three world-class mathematicians / cryptographers who developed the cryptographic algorithm. " ...

Via SecureRF: LIME Tag authenticates and encrypts data communications on the tag ...

Secure RFID through Partnership

SkyeTek and Atmel will partner to create secure HF reader and tag platforms for the RFID market. ...

... "The partnership between Atmel and SkyeTek will provide customers with an ultra-secure option for embedded RFID applications. Resulting solutions leverage CryptoRF's security features and the enterprise-class reliability and price-performance of the SkyeTek ReaderDNA and ReaderWare technology. This combination will provide customers with the ability to adapt RFID technology into existing applications and is well positioned to provide valuable solutions addressing ePedigree, patient safety, consumables authentication, item-level inventory management, and ticketing. SkyeTek's ReaderWare also provides the capability to upgrade the reader to support future tags, protocols, and cryptography via a firmware upgrade. " ...

Via SkyeTek: SkyeTek and Atmel Partner to Offer Industry Leading Secure RFID Technology ...

HighSpeed RFID Read Rates: Pharma Cases

Impinj discusses results of live demonstration of RFID technology in pharmaceutical packaging application with Owens-Illinois (O-I) at the RFID Health Care Industry Adoption Summit in D.C. ...

... "In pharmaceutical manufacturing and fill-line demonstrations, a near-field UHF Gen 2 RFID solution, comprising Impinj's Speedway reader and O-I's item-level embedded RFID tags powered by Impinj's Monza chips, achieved 100% reliability when reading and writing tags at high speed on pharmaceutical bottles. In the first demonstration, the UHF Gen 2 system programmed 96-bit EPC numbers at rates exceeding 600 tags per minute on bottles containing the four most common dose types - liquids, gel caps, solids and powder. In the second demonstration, the system developed by Impinj and O-I flawlessly read 600 tags per minute on cases containing 48 individually tagged bottles and a case-level tag. " ...

Via Impinj: Impinj-Powered UHF Gen 2 RFID Solution Delivers Exceptional Results for Item Tagging of Pharmaceuticals

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 ...