Shaw Industries RFID Implementation For Supply Chain Value

Shaw Industries Group, Inc. partners with ODIN to implement RFID technology at 37 of its distribution sites around the United States. This implementation brings the total number of RFID-enabled sites to 40 for Shaw. ODIN helped Shaw to pilot RFID for supply chain visibility and retailer compliance in 2006. Shaw understands the ROI of an RFID-enabled supply chain system and is implementing RFID across its US distribution network. Supply chain visibility will drive operational efficiency and improve customer service. ...

... "ODIN technologies is currently deploying an RFID enabled Master Bill of Lading tracking and visibility system that was originally piloted in 2006. With the system, Shaw has real time visibility into the status of trucks and customer orders in its distribution network. This will allow Shaw to be more effective and also provide their customers with accurate feedback on order shipment status. The Master Bill of Lading system will be deployed at an additional seven primary Distribution Centers (DCs) and an additional 30 regional DCs located across the country. ODIN technologies deployed RFID printers and customized secure RFID enclosures. The acceptance testing protocol documented 100% read rates in the pilot and is fully integrated into MQ Series and Shaw’s legacy systems. " ...

Via ODIN technologies: Shaw Industries RFID Implementation

Schiff RFID Pilot Tests Technology Across Value Chain

Schiff Nutrition tests RFID technology in a pilot phase, with intention to realize benefits across its value chain with partners and customers. ...

... "Schiff Nutrition International, a U.S.-based manufacturer of vitamins and nutritional supplements, and IBM announced a new Radio Frequency Identification pilot to better anticipate current and future customer needs and improve efficiency. This makes Schiff the first mid-size manufacturer to execute such a program, giving it a competitive advantage in the market and illustrating that RFID is sustainable for small- and medium-sized businesses. After researching RFID technology, Schiff turned to IBM Global Services and Business Partner, OATSystems, for the initial design, testing and implementation of their RFID infrastructure. Remaining compliant with retailer mandates while also having a strategic vision of extended uses of the technology, Schiff required an RFID partner with deep expertise in integration and open standards. " ...

Via IBM: IBM Wins First of a Kind RFID Project for SMB, Schiff Nutrition ...

Marks & Spencer RFID Pilot

Marks & Spencer continues to pilot RFID across a range of clothing and a higher amount of stores. ...

... "M&S is quick to point out that the only purpose in using RFID is for improving its stock-taking process. The RFID tags are not scanned at the checkout, nor is any link made between the garment information held by the tag and the customer's details ... " ...

Via Computerworld, Australia: Marks & Spencer RFID trial

RFID Pilot: Tokyo Cosmetics

RFID pilot in Tokyo will enhance the customer experience. ...

... "The Mitsukoshi store in Tokyo's Ginza district is host to the trial in which RFID tags have been attached to lipstick, eye shadow and blush. In one part of the trial a kiosk can provide customers with a simulation of what they would look like wearing various make-up. " ...

Via IDG News: Tokyo RFID cosmetics trial

Checkpoint RFID Metro Pilot Implementation Solves Technical Challenges

Checkpoint Systems is involved in pilot of UHF RFID technology at METRO Group's Distribution Centres near Hamm, Germany, under supervision of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) task group 34 (TG34). The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) plays a major role in the global standardization of Information and Communication Technologies. This pilot has been created to improve the read performance of RFID tags in a high-density UHF reading environment and validate the performance of portal dock door solutions. The successful pilot solves UHF RFID challenges and supports Metro's plan to implement RFID more broadly in 2007. The Metro RFID implementation is aimed at enhancing customer service and increasing the efficiency of its supply chain. METRO Group is an international retailing company with 2005 sales of EUR55.7 billion. The company has a headcount of about 250,000 employees and operates more than 2,200 outlets in 30 countries. ...

... "Utilizing equipment from numerous RFID suppliers in Europe and North America, Checkpoint served as a hardware integrator for the trials. In this capacity, Checkpoint helped with the design work for the hardware solution and procurement, configuration and installation of the 36 RFID-enabled dock door portals which were used to validate successful simultaneous operation of multiple dock doors using a 4-channel synchronized approach under the ETSI 302 208 standard. Pallets containing 62 individually tagged cases largely containing RFID unfriendly materials (such as cans, liquids and metal lined items) were simultaneously transported at warehouse speeds through 36 adjacent loading dock doors. Some 4.5 million individual reads were recorded over the course of the trials. Complying with the ETSI listen before talk (LBT) requirements, the tests achieved a 98.5%+ read rate simultaneously from multiple pallets as they were wheeled through the dock doors. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: Checkpoint Systems Partners with Metro Group to Successfully Deploy UHF RFID Dock Door Solution: 98.5%+ Read Rate Represents Milestone in European RFID Deployment ...

RFID Shipment Tracking and Detection

Pliant implements IBM-designed RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) platform pilot program, that tracks shipments between technical centers and customer sites. The RFID system detects tampering in shipped products and enables workforce mobility using handheld devices to track products. Potential tampering can be identified and addressed in real-time. ...

... "IBM Global Business Services consultants collaborated with Pliant to develop a comprehensive RFID technology roadmap, helping Pliant prepare and validate the RFID equipment in its labs. Pliant's IBM software and solution, which has been in place since December 2005, leverages IBM's Data Collection Server software and WebSphere RFID Device Infrastructure. The software installed on Pliant's network helped to create RFID labels which were printed and deployed on pallets and the pallets were tracked as they moved between the two Pliant technical centers in Newport News, Virginia and Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. IBM consultants worked with Pliant to create Web pages on a network database to track the content and movement history of each pallet so that its location was always known.



A wireless handheld RFID reader loaded with the WebSphere RFID Device Infrastructure used to scan the pallets within the plants to immediately look up pallet content information. With the support provided by the IBM Global Business Services team, Pliant now has a proven product concept to access to real-time tracking information for shipments between its two facilities. This setup allowed Pliant to download and monitor critical information which helped protect business-critical applications. " ...

Via Pliant Corporation: IBM Helps Pliant Design and Implement RFID System to Track Shipments and Detect Tampering ...

MINI RFID Billboard Ads

MINI USA using novel approach to brand loyalty as they incent MiniCooper owners to personalize billboard ads through sensing of RFID keyfobs as owners pass within proximity range of special RFID billboards. ...

... "MINI has begun a pilot advertising campaign in Chicago, New York, Miami, and San Francisco, which gives select Cooper owners the chance to get an RFID keyfob in the mail, and moreover, a reason to consistently drive under MINI billboards. " ...

Via Engadget: Read MINI RFID Billboards ...

Healthcare RFID MayoClinic

3M and Mayo Clinic demonstrate pilot installation of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system in Mayo Clinic's endoscopy surgical suites for management of the collection and tracking of patient tissue samples. 3M RFID system was configured to enable Mayo Clinic's business processes for specimen management. ...

... "Utilizing 3M Track and Trace Technology, this RFID system enhances Mayo Clinic's ability to manage specimen and tissue samples from the collection stage to the pathology laboratory. Collecting and analyzing patient tissue is a crucial medical procedure. Mayo Clinic continues to take a leadership role in health care's effort focused on patient safety and care. Multiple 3M technologies were brought forward during the five-month pilot project at Mayo Clinic. Results demonstrated quantifiable operational efficiencies in the specimen-management process, accurate communication of data, and verification of information. Expansion of the Track and Trace system within the endoscopy practice will take place in planned, controlled phases. 3M and Mayo Clinic expect this rollout to be completed in early 2007. " ...

Via 3M: Two Minnesota Institutions Advance RFID Technologies in Health Care

Tokyo RFID Ubiquitous Network

Tokyo shopping district pilots location services using RFID technology. University of Tokyo professor leads the pilot project, which understands where people are and helps them navigate to their destination within the district, providing additional relevant information about products and services. The pilot is planned for the first quarter of 2007. ...

... "The Tokyo Ubiquitous Network Project seeks to install RFID, infrared and wireless transmitters throughout Tokyo's Ginza area, which is the most famous shopping area in the capital. " ...

Via ComputerWorld: Read RFID Project

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

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

RFID Implementation: ROI More Predictable

Research report looks at the increased predictability of RFID implementations and the overall return-on-investment, or ROI. ...

... "the once hidden costs associated with sometimes dramatic organizational changes brought about by (or necessary to) a successful RFID implementation can now be anticipated and managed. As a result, enterprises are enjoying shorter design and pilot phases, scalable solutions, smoother rollout, and less challenging integration tasks. " ...

Via Aberdeen Group: Link

Upcoming Conference will focus on the return on RFID investments ...

5th Annual Global RFID ROI Summit London - The RFID Conference (Radio Frequency Identification) for industry experts: "The Global RFID-ROI Summit 2007, 29 & 30 January 2007, ExCeL Conference Centre - London: the event focuses on achieving real business value from successful RFID implementation. "

RFID implementation must be integrated into business processes in order to realize the full benefits ...

Via Sun Micro: RFID ROI Requires More Than Slap and Ship Deployment: "To really realize ROI from RFID, companies need to see this technology as a way to collect valuable business intelligence that can help them cut costs and increase profits, says Manish Bhuptani, director of market development at Sun Microsystems. "

Companies that drive business change increase the ROI from RFID implementations ...

Via Teradata: The Analytic Value of RFID (PDF): "Companies that take a more functional approach to RFID implementations will often be disappointed, but those companies that see and leverage RFID adoption as an opportunity to drive system-level changes will unlock the ROI in RFID. "

Adoption of RFID technology will ultimately deliver the full benefits of the RFID project. Leading indicators of RFID adoption should be monitored. ...

Deloitte & Touche LLP on RFID: "The high costs of RFID deployment make it hard to see an immediate return on investment. Businesses should not rush in without first knowing the best RFID adoption strategy and how they intend to measure its performance. "

RFID Badge: Airport Access Control Pilot ...

Airport freight drivers will participate in an access control pilot at Washington Dulles airport, using RFID technology in ID badges. ...

... "Unisys Corporation has selected Fidelica Microsystems and Abeo Corporation to deliver a biometric-based RFID badge to positively identify cargo drivers " ...

Via Security Document World: New badge for airport freight drivers ...

China RFID Pilot Projects ...

RFID pilot projects planned in China by IPICO and local alliance. ...

... "IPICO Inc. and the China RFID Alliance have announced that IPICOs IP-XTM Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology will be tested in four RFID pilot projects in China. This announcement follows the China RFID Alliance IP-X Forum event held in Beijing this past July, where IPICO presented its IP-X RFID technology to various RFID experts from government, industry and academic institutions. The pilot projects will be deployed in Qingdao, a port city of the Shandong province in China and will include the respective Government bureaus and organizations in Qingdao, as well as Haier. Haier is the world's fourth largest white goods manufacturer and one of China's top 100 electronics and information technology companies. David Ou-yang, Secretary General of China RFID Alliance, indicated that it will support RFID technologies, such as the IP-X technology platform, as well as other advanced technologies in the world that are suitable for key application areas, as defined in the recently published Ministry of Science and Technology White Paper on the adoption of RFID technology in China. " ...

Via IPICO: IPICO's RFID Technology To Be Piloted In China ...

RFID Retail Solutions POS

Tally partners to RFID-enable the retail shopping experience. It will leverage the strengths of AVAAN for integration of RFID technology into the point-of-sale process. This positions Tally in the high-growth segments of the retail industry. ...

... "Tally announced its alliance with AVAANA, an Innovation and Integration Services Company focused on the high growth RFID market. The Tally-AVAANA alliance is to RFID-enable Tally Products and establishes AVAANA as Tally's Preferred RFID partner. AVAANA will be providing the RFID enablement for the TallyShoper Retail POS (Point-Of-Sale) of India's largest product software company. This targets the high-growth Retail industry. This will also be deployed in an upcoming industry RFID pilot. RFID is a data collection technology that provides suppliers, retailers, manufacturers and distributors with up-to-the-minute supply chain visibility, from inventory and logistics to freshness dates. RFID is powerful because it provides a unique identifying serial number to each and every item, unlike bar codes that typically have a unique number for a set of similar items. " ...

Via Tally Solutions: TALLY and AVAANA sign MOU for RFID As Tally's Preferred RFID Partner, AVAANA's RFID technology enables Shoper for Retail industry ...

RFID Wawa Brand Card ...

Wawa brand card leverages RFID technology to simplify the retail experience. ...

... "The Wawa brand cards contain radio frequency identification technology, known as RFID, that the store's payment system can read without direct contact. The transaction requires no swipe, no signature and no numbers punched. " ...

Via Virginian-Pilot: Local market slow to embrace RFID tracking technology ...

Active RFID: Aviation Equipment Asset Tracking ...

Qinetiq implements proof of concept using active RFID technology to track high-value aviation assets. ...

... "QinetiQ and the Harrier IPT have just started a one year Proof of Concept evaluation of an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system that automatically tracks critical aircraft equipment between designated zones. The Forward Maintenance Asset Tracking (ForMAT) proof of concept underlines the IPT's drive for efficient assurance of operational capability and through enhanced visibility of assets, will improve aircraft turnaround, reduce stock holdings resulting in financial savings and minimise the effort spent looking for them. Around 1200 high value/critical items, some costing up to GBP50k, including aircraft role equipment, Line Replacement Units (LRU) and Special to Type test equipment, held within the Forward Maintenance areas at RAF Cottesmore, have each been tagged with active RFID devices located within remove before flight flags.



Now when aircraft are scheduled for maintenance, all the necessary modules, components and tools can be easily located anywhere within the designated zones, eradicating time and effort spent hunting for them. Tighter asset control should also result in optimised stock holdings, potentially eliminating the need for the MOD to invest in equipment duplication, thereby freeing up millions for other activities. " ...

Active RFID: Aviation Equipment Asset Tracking: Via QinetiQ: QinetiQ trials Active RFID system to track aircraft equipment

Unilever RFID: Open Standard Supply Chain Data ...

Unilever collaborates with IBM and T3Ci to test interoperability of the emerging EPCIS RFID data standard. The standard focuses on the efficient use of real-time data among partners in the supply chain. ...

... "The standard is designed to help better enable retailers, manufacturers and organizations throughout the supply chain to overcome information overload and share information to improve business processes. This milestone marks the first step toward delivering interoperability based on the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) for exchange and query of RFID data. IBM and T3CI are the co-chairs of the EPCglobal EPCIS Working Group. The objective of the Working Group is to create common interfaces among RFID software, allowing organizations to exchange and leverage RFID data independent of the applications in which data is created or stored. For organizations throughout the supply chain, this will deliver greater value by allowing them to inexpensively capture large volumes of detailed data at each stage of the supply chain and share that data among trading partners. While retailers today can provide manufacturers with large amounts of data about RFIDtagged products, until now there has been no simple and standardized way for manufacturers to sort through the volumes of raw data and perform queries to use it to improve product introductions, promotions and distribution of new products.



The new EPCIS standards-based ability to query RFID data will provide organizations with near real-time RFID data from their trading partners, for the first time giving manufacturers access to the precise information they need. Unilever North America, a global manufacturer of foods, home care and personal care products, also announced today its plans to pioneer use of the EPCIS standard to query RFID data provided by retailers. Unilever will conduct a trial using IBM's EPCIS implementation to collect and access information from within the company's manufacturing environment and from trading partners. By leveraging IBM and T3Ci reports and analysis, Unilever is looking to create additional business value in the areas of promotion management, supply chain visibility and metrics, as well as RFID readability. " ...

Unilever RFID: Open Standard Supply Chain Data: Via T3Ci: IBM and T3Ci Successfully Pilot Open Standard to Enable Manufacturers to Leverage RFID Data and Improve Supply Chain Processes: Unilever Among First Manufacturers to Pioneer New Interface to Connect Data Among Trading Partners ...

EPCIS standard ...

Software Action Group: "EPC Information Services (EPCIS) Phase 2: Create one or more normative technical specifications that will facilitate the development of interoperable EPCIS systems. "

Background on Unilever ...

Unilever awards HR outsourcing contract to Accenture: "Unilever's mission is to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Unilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe. Its portfolio includes some of the world's best known and most loved brands including twelve EUR1 billion brands and global leadership in many categories in which the company operates. The portfolio features brand icons such as: Knorr, Hellmann's, Flora, Bertolli, Dove, Lux, Pond's, Lynx, Sunsilk, Persil, Cif and Domestos. Unilever has around 206 000 employees in approaching 100 countries and generated annual sales of EUR40 billion in 2005. "

Info on T3Ci ...

T3Ci: The RFID Analytics and Applications Company: "T3Ci, the leading RFID analytics and applications company, offers a broad range of RFID software and services, representing the most comprehensive RFID vision in the industry. T3Ci develops software and provides enterprise-class solutions for managers of RFID initiatives who are responsible for delivering business value from their company's RFID investment. T3Ci's enterprise-class solutions include RFID analytics as well as a suite of high-value applications for retail suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, and major retailers. Applications include Out-of-Stock Management, Promotions Execution Management, Deductions Management, and Product Authentication. "

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 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 MasterCard PayPass KeyFob ...

Good look at the Mastercard Paypass keyfob, based on RFID technology ...

... "The new MasterCard PayPass is an RFID token that uses radio frequency keys to authorize purchases. " ...

Via Popgadget: Citibank's RFID PayPass credit card ...

... "The average time consumers spend waiting in line is 7.4 minutes, but starting this fall, Citibank Banking Card cardholders in New York will begin zipping through checkout lines faster. They will be able to make their purchases quicker with the innovative, new tap-and-go Citibank MasterCard PayPass,a free, speedy companion payment device to the Citibank Banking Card, Citibank's ATM/debit card. Similarly, Citi will begin to pilot MasterCard PayPass for its credit card customers this fall. The PayPass key fob device fits on a key chain for easy access, so customers can make payments on purchases with a simple tap on a PayPass reader at participating merchants...and go. Following the initial launch in the New York market beginning this fall, Citibank plans to roll out 2.5 million PayPass debit devices across the country.



With the Citibank MasterCard PayPass, there is no need to swipe a banking card or hand it to a cashier to make a purchase. Customers simply tap their PayPass-enabled key fob on the PayPass reader at participating merchants and they are on their way. The purchase is automatically deducted from their checking account. When the lights flash on the reader, the transaction is complete. Tap-and-go convenience makes payment faster than using cash, check, even a card. Also, tracking smaller purchases is easier than when paying with cash, and no signature is required for purchases under $25 at select merchants. " ...

Via Mastercard International: Citibank Introduces Tap-and-Go Convenience for Its Debit Customers: Citibank MasterCard PayPass Fits on a Key Chain, Does Not Have to Be Swiped or Handed to a Cashier, Saves Time ...

RFID Adoption Rate Increasing ...

RFID adoption rate is increasing according to new study sponsored by NCR. ...

... "According to the survey RFID: How Far, How Fast? sponsored by NCR Corporation and conducted by Retail Systems Alert Group, the adoption rate of RFID is moving at a modest pace. Many challenges, both technical and cultural, continue to impede the growth of RFID. However, there is reason to believe that growth may be on the way. Highlights of the survey include:

Retailers are lagging far behind manufacturers in adopting RFID. Only 9 percent of retailers who responded to the survey have an RFID-implementation timeline, and the majority of retailers who responded positively estimated their organization's overall revenue to increase to $5 billion or more; 44 percent of manufacturers have developed a timeline. Although fewer retailers reported a timeline for implementation, those retailers that have a timeline reported that they are spending more than in 2005, according to survey results.

According to the survey results, manufacturers are focusing their attention on one to 50 product lines, rather than across a broader range of product lines as was reported in the 2005 survey results. Among those companies that have a timeline for RFID adoption, most respondents (both retailers and manufacturers) report that they have pilot distribution centers up and running. " ...

RFID Adoption Rate Increasing: Via NCR: Adoption Rate of RFID is Moving at Modest Pace, But There is Reason to Believe Growth May Be on the Way, According to New Study

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 Supply Chain Pilot: China EPC Initiative ...

VTech implements RFID supply chain pilot to enable Walmert compliance ...

... "Cisco Systems and Intel Corporation announced that VTech (Telecommunications division), a leading supplier of corded and cordless telephones, has selected a radio frequency identification (RFID) solution from Cisco and Intel for its pilot participation in the Hong Kong EPCnetwork initiative directed by EPCglobal Hong Kong. Upon completion, VTech will be able to comply with Wal-Mart's RFID request requiring key suppliers and business partners to become RFID-compliant. This will also help VTech improve the efficiency of warehouse operations and management through automation, as well as serving to enhance visibility throughout the supply chain.

VTech's pilot participation demonstrates that the Hong Kong EPCnetwork of EPCglobal Hong Kong has made significant strides since its launch last year. The Hong Kong EPCnetwork initiative aims to bring end-to-end supply chain visibility to the Pan Pearl River Delta (PPRD) region through the use of a common, standards-based data exchange allowing easy, secure, real-time communication between manufacturers, logistics companies and retailers. Manufacturers and logistics companies in the PPRD can expect to enhance their connections and relationships with retailers worldwide through the EPCnetwork initiative.

The RFID solution, comprising Cisco AON for RFID and Cisco Services for RFID, is based on platforms powered by Intel technologies including Intel Xeon-based servers, RFID readers and PCs. The solution delivers integrated and intelligent RFID capabilities that connect the VTech and Wal-Mart RFID systems. The Hong Kong EPCnetwork project will enable VTech to take advantage of next generation RFID technology to track telecommunications products from the Dongguan factory to Wal-Mart distribution centers in the US. " ...

RFID Supply Chain Pilot: China EPC Initiative: Via Cisco: VTech Selects Cisco and Intel RFID Solution for Supply Chain Pilot ...

RFID Next Steps: Virgin Atlantic Pilot ...

Virgin Atlantic plans next steps beyond RFID pilot ...

... "Virgin Atlantic is evaluating whether or not to extend the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging to track plane parts, following a four-month trial of the technology. The airline has been using RFID to track high-value aircraft parts ... " ...

RFID Next Steps: Virgin Atlantic Pilot: Technology News: Virgin Atlantic Pilot Program Paves Way for RFID

GSK RFID Pilot Trizivir ...

According to report, GSK pilots RFID with Trizivir drug. ...

... "After evaluating the packaging, packing lines and distribution networks of these drugs, GSK judged Trizivir to be the best candidate to assess RFID on. " ...

GSK RFID Pilot Trizivir: Via in-Pharma: GSK turns to RFID to protect its AIDS drug

RFID GlaxoSmithKline Technology Test ...

GlaxoSmithKline tests RFID technology on HIV drug to combat counterfeiting. ...

... "GlaxoSmithKline has begun distributing a medicine tagged with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology as part of a pilot project to help protect patient safety. The tags will be placed on all bottles of Trizivir (an HIV medicine) distributed in the United States. When scanned at close range, the tags will help verify that the medicine bottle contains authentic Trizivir. This specific medicine was selected for the project because it has been listed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy as one of 32 drugs most susceptible to counterfeiting and diversion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked the pharmaceutical industry to develop standards and pilot processes for RFID that may lead in the next few years to broad adoption and use of the technology. RFID uses a tiny silicon chip and antenna about the size of a postage stamp that is attached to each bottle of medicine. The chip stores a unique product code that reflects information about the drug's manufacturing and shipping history. The product code can be read by pharmaceutical wholesalers and pharmacists using a hand-held or stationary electronic device that is placed within 2-18 inches of the tag. The tag can be read by wholesalers when it is received from the manufacturer and when it is shipped to pharmacies, who would then record when they have received the medicine. This allows manufacturers to more precisely account for medicine as it moves through the distribution chain and to authenticate medicine at the point of dispensing. " ...

RFID GlaxoSmithKline Technology Test: Via GlaxoSmithKline: GlaxoSmithKline begins testing new technology ...

RFID Tags Temperature Sensors ...

RFID with temperature sensors used to monitor sake. ...

... "So a group of companies led by NTT have started a pilot program to tag sake bottles with RFID tags with built-in temperature sensors. " ...

RFID Tags Temperature Sensors: Via Engadget: RFID tags keep the sake fresh ...

RFID Warehouse Pilot Study ...

RFID technology pilot is planned at The Warehouse ...

... "This year's pilot is likely to involve tagging pallets and cartons containing one undisclosed product category with RFID chips, once they are delivered by suppliers, so they can then be tracked in warehouses and stockrooms. " ...

RFID Warehouse Pilot Study: Via NZ Stuff: Warehouse study paves way for RFID trial ...

RFID Hospital Blood Supply Management ...

Siemens supports RFID technology implementation for management of hospital blood supply ...

... "Back in 2005, Siemens Business Services chose Saarbruecken as the first hospital in Germany to try out an RFID project for patient identification by fitting all patients admitted to the clinic with a bracelet containing an RFID chip. In the future, this system will be extended to blood bank supplies for around 1,000 patients. When the blood bags reach the hospital, they are each equipped with an RFID chip on which a unique number has been stored. This number corresponds to an entry in a protected database containing information on the origin, designated purpose and recipient of the blood. When a nurse fetches a blood bag for a patient, she uses a PDA to read in both the chip on the packaging and the data on the patient's RFID bracelet. Only if the data matches will the blood actually be used for this patient. This ensures patients always receive the right transfusion in the right quantity. The data involved is immediately added to the clinic's process workflow and the patient's data records. Siemens Business Services acts as prime contractor. The technological equipment involved in the RFID solution includes notebooks from Fujitsu Siemens Computers with access to the clinic's patient system, as well as Pocket Loox PDAs and Stylistic tablet PCs with Intel mobile technology. RpDoc Solutions is in charge of the software for medication plans and storage, as well as for checking the dosages involved in various treatments, including blood transfusions. " ...

RFID Hospital Blood Supply Management: Via Siemens Business Services: Saarbruecken Clinic adds stocks of stored blood to its RFID pilot project

RFID Smart Label Print Server ...

Loftware plans RFID product launch at upcoming RFID World ...

... "A proven brand leader for its ability to integrate from a centralized software platform both RFID Smart Labels as well as traditional bar code labeling, this latest release of the Loftware Print Server further extends these capabilities by adding software support for fixed mount RFID reader technology from companies like Alien, Symbol, AWID and ThingMagic. As a result, companies implementing pilot programs can use multiple hardware devices with a single software solution from Loftware. Loftware's highly integrated, multi-device platform encodes and now reads both Smart Labels and RF Tags to perform real time use cases, including building, receiving, and verifying pallets. The Loftware Print Server is a server-based software solution for managing and processing barcode label and RFID Smart Label requests from corporate applications. An enterprise-class solution, LPS 8.4 is a highly-scalable and fault tolerant system designed to handle thousands of requests targeted to hundreds (or thousands) of printers, whether local or remote, with all of the appropriate queuing, status, and recovery features expected in advanced enterprise systems. Key to its leading market status is the product's seamless integration of Department of Defense (DOD) and EPC specifications via universal interfaces for HF, UHF, and GEN 2 RFID whether printing smart labels or encoding RFID tags. " ...

RFID Smart Label Print Server: Via Loftware: New Product to Make First Public Debut at RFID World, Booth 310 on Feb. 27th: INNOVATIVE LPS 8.4 SOLUTION FROM LOFTWARE, THE ONLY USER-CONFIGURABLE PRODUCT IN ITS CLASS TO SUPPORT BOTH LEGACY BAR CODES AND RFID SMART TAGS, NOW INCLUDES RFID TAG READER SUPPORT ...

RFID Subway Cards ...

New York will pilot RFID cards for subway pass / contactless payment ...

... "The readers display a logo so people know which turnstiles accept their cards, embedded with radio frequency identification, or RFID, chips instead of a magnetic stripe. " ...

RFID Subway Cards: Via CNET News: RFID subway pass? Sure, New York says ...

RFID: Volvo Asset Tracking ...

Volvo continues to embrace RFID technology and drive its adoption in various opportunity areas. ...

... "Truck and bus manufacturer Volvo is considering using radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging to track equipment in its warehouses. " ...

RFID: Volvo Asset Tracking: Via IT Week: Volvo studies RFID for tracking assets ...

Additional references on Volvo and RFID ...

Via Volvo: Mats Boll to speak at the RFID Europe conference: "Mats Boll, Business Develop Project Manager at Volvo Logistics, will speak at the RFID Europe conference in Frankfurt, Germany, on October 21. Mats Boll will discuss some of Volvo's case studies involving containers and packaging, security, distribution of finished vehicles and distribution of hazardous material. He will also review a solution introduced within manufacturing facilities of Commercial Vehicles. "

Via RFID Journal LIVE! Europe: Agenda 11 October: "Volvo has been using RFID in production and logistics for a long time and continues to launch new pilot tests on a regular basis. This session will communicate how RFID has improved Volvo's visibility, traceability and lead-time reduction. Besides demonstrating where Volvo is today, the leaders of the company's RFID projects also will look into Volvo's future, where RFID seems destined to enhance its entire supply chain. Speaker: Stina Apel, RFID Project Manager, Volvo; Annika Johansson, RFID Project Manager, Volvo "

Via IT-universitetet i Goteborg | Nyheter: Students in successful pilot project for Volvo logistics: "They carried out an RFID - Radio Frequency Identification pilot project at the cross-docking terminal at Arendal. Volvo Logistics were very pleased with the result of the project and all three of these students are today employed at Volvo Logistics. "

Wireless RFID Animal Tracking and Traceback System ...

ScoringAg leverages RFID to enable web-based animal tracking system and could replace NAIS cattle ID project. ...

... "Instead of waiting for hours or days for animal health history - which is the stated goal of the proposed NAIS animal ID consortium - all field data updates, including those that are available on the animal's public page, are displayed instantly - in real time - as they occur, when and where the data is collected and uploaded - in the field or in chutes at auctions, feedlots, packing plants, and elsewhere. Only ScoringAg's system is ready and able to deliver this level of secure information in just seconds to those in need during a catastrophic event. The animal's public records page can also show other tags, brands or tattoos, or a photo of the animal if needed. This gives an additional means of animal ID when RFID ear tags are lost or stolen and only the animal's unique identifying characteristics can give positive ID. ScoringAg's Web-based databank uses its secure Internet interconnections and servers to provide real-time traceup and traceback, as well as complete traceability and animal movement history, to geographically diverse livestock groups - from original producers through all production stages, using a system of checkpoints to account for tagged livestock as they move through the system. " ...

Wireless RFID Animal Tracking and Traceback System; Via ScoringAg: NAIS Cattle ID Pilot Projects Not Needed, Since Proven Advanced Technology Already Exists: While NAIS regional pilot projects merely promised some limited animal ID and tracking results after a few years of study, ScoringAg's Web-based traceup / traceback database system delivers real time results in seconds – in operation now for all livestock species, using high-speed, wireless RFID and precise premises locations ...

RFID Technology: Tellitrace Pilot ...

Partners are collaborating on RFID technology pilot, dubbed TelliTrace, in the mobile phone supply chain. ...

... "Royal KPN NV said that it, TNT NV's Logistics division, Symbol Technologies Inc and Zebra Technology are preparing to launch TelliTrace, a pilot project using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. " ...

RFID Technology: Tellitrace Pilot: Via Forbes: KPN, TNT Logistics, Symbol Tech, Zebra Tech prepare joint RFID pilot ...

Wifi Active RFID Solutions: RTLS ...

Wifi Active RFID Solutions: RTLS: Via AeroScout: AEROSCOUT AND ALANCO INTRODUCE INDUSTRY’S FIRST TAMPER-PROOF WI-FI ACTIVE RFID TAG: Partnership Delivers Wi-Fi-based Location Solution to Corrections Industry ...

... "AeroScout, Inc., the market leader in the field of Wi-Fi based Active RFID solutions, announced a partnership with Alanco Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALAN) to develop and deliver a 2.4 GHz real-time location solution (RTLS) for the corrections industry. The two companies have successfully completed joint development on the industry's first tamper-proof Wi-Fi Active RFID tag, and deployed the first pilot site for a European prison customer. ... Through the partnership, AeroScout and Alanco have developed an extension to Alanco's successful TSI PRISM tracking system, which provides real-time identification and tracking of inmates and officers within corrections facilities, both indoors and out. The system can accurately locate and identify any person wearing a small wireless tag device, and this information is integrated into prison monitors. It handles common prison complexities such as a multi-floor, mixed indoor/outdoor environment, as well as the need for cell-level accuracy (using AeroScout's compact Exciter choke point device.) The two companies have developed the industry’s first Wi-Fi-based RFID tag with tamper-proof capabilities. The tag, which can be read by standard Cisco wireless access points, immediately detects any attempt to remove or tamper with it. The joint development efforts have also enabled the TSI PRISM system to now use the popular Wi-Fi standard (2.4 GHz) as a communications protocol. The system was designed to be extended to other environments with similar needs, such as psychiatric facilities. " ...

Pharma RFID Dispensing Authentication ...

Aegate is commercializing RFID-enabled authentication solutions for the pharmaceutical industry, which focuses on controls at the point of drug dispensing. ...

Pharma RFID Dispensing Authentication: Via Aegate: Aegate Moves Forward into Commercialisation Phase and Appoints Gary Noon as CEO ...

... "Aegate, a wholly owned subsidiary and specialist venture company for PA Consulting Group, has developed a commercially viable solution to combat one of the pharmaceutical industry's biggest and growing patient safety issues -- the trade in counterfeit and fake drugs. Authentication at the point of dispensing enables investment in mass serialisation security technologies such as bar code and RFID to be effectively leveraged as a brand protection mechanism. Sales of counterfeit prescription medicines are forecast to reach $75 billion by the end of the decade, nearly doubling current levels and outgrowing the annual growth rate of legitimate pharmaceutical sales. Following the outstanding success of Aegate's pilot programme in the UK, the company is now in the planning phase for commercial launch and roll-out in the USA, UK and Belgium during 2006. " ...

RFID Technology Tire Program: Goodyear NASCAR

Goodyear and NASCAR will partner to pilot RFID technology program for management of leased tire inventory. ...

RFID Technology Tire Program: Goodyear NASCAR: Via Goodyear Tire: Goodyear’s 2006 NASCAR Tire Lease Program to Deploy RFID Technology: Test-run planned for Homestead ...

... "Goodyear will start the 2006 racing season with a new tire leasing program for NASCAR's top three series and racing's first deployment of Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID) in the form of an embedded computer chip in the tires to help manage the leased inventory. The RFID technology will assist in the implementation of NASCAR's new controlled testing procedures, which were developed by the sanctioning body to reduce private team testing next year in an effort to level the playing field for all teams. The new tire lease program will get its own test run this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Craftsman Truck Series race, according to Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of race tire marketing. " ...

The world’s largest tire company, Goodyear began its involvement with motorsports more than 90 years ago. Since then, Goodyear tires have dominated many forms of racing. Goodyear is the exclusive tire supplier to NASCAR’s top three series and a leading supplier to NHRA and numerous other racing organizations. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Goodyear produces nearly one-half million race tires a year.

2006 Big Year For RFID ? ...

Article supports the hypothesis that RFID will have a big year in 2006. Experts point to RFID adooption rates and the creation of industry RFID standards as indicators of a strong foundation for significant adoption in the year ahead. ...

2006 Big Year For RFID ?: Via CIO Today: Analysts Predict Big Year Ahead for RFID

... "Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology will reach a significant turning point by the end of 2006, according to Unisys Global Visible Commerce experts. Companies will move beyond the pilot phase, implementing RFID infrastructures that will increasingly become a core element of their businesses in 2006. ... " ...

RFID Training Initiative: RFID4U Printronix Collaborate

Printronix contributes its real-world knowledge of RFID technology applications to RFID certification training initiative. ...

RFID Training Initiative: RFID4U Printronix Collaborate: Via Printronix: Printronix Expands RFID Education Initiative With RFID4U Alliance: RFID4U Prepares Supply-Chain Leaders for CompTIA's RFID+ Certification While Printronix Imparts Real-World Knowledge Gleaned From Pilot Implementations ...

... "Printronix Inc. (Nasdaq: PTNX), the leading integrated supply-chain printing solutions manufacturer, and RFID4U today aligned to help train tomorrow's supply-chain leaders on radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID4U is a division of eSmart Source Inc. and a worldwide leader in vendor-neutral RFID learning solutions. The company delivers training content in a range of formats tailored to individual learning styles, including online courses, instructor-led training and publications. Printronix will contribute content to RFID4U's curriculum and offer its RFID demo center to students as a hands-on learning lab. RFID4U will incorporate Printronix's handbook, RFID Labeling: Smart Labeling Concepts and Applications for the Consumer Packaged Goods Supply Chain, into its program. The training provider also will engage Printronix's chief technology officer, Andy Chapman, who is one of the authors of 'RFID Labeling,' in an interactive ask the expert column. " ...

Walmart RFID: Linda Dillman Shares Status Update

Linda Dillman shares interim results on the Walmart RFID program ...

Walmart RFID: Linda Dillman Shares Status Update: Via WalMart Stores, Inc.: WalMart Improves On-Shelf Availability Through the Use of Electronic Product Codes

... "WalMart customers found items they wanted in stock more often due to the retailer's use of electronic product codes (EPCs) powered by radio frequency identification (RFID) technology when compared to control stores. This is according to an independent University of Arkansas study's initial findings. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found a 16 percent reduction in out-of-stocks. Additionally, the study also showed that out-of-stock items with EPCs were replenished three times faster than comparable items using standard bar code technology. Equally important, WalMart experienced a meaningful reduction in manual orders resulting in a reduction of excess inventory. This is no longer a take-it-on-faith initiative, said Linda Dillman, executive vice president and CIO for Wal-Mart. This study provides conclusive evidence that EPCs increase how often we put products in the hands of customers who want to buy them, making it a win for shoppers, suppliers and retailers. ...

As part of its standard processes, WalMart has focused on driving improved product availability for its customers through a series of initiatives unrelated to RFID technology. The research was structured to isolate the impact of RFID to be able show the improvements directly attributable to the RFID process improvements. The study showed RFID-enabled stores were 63 percent more effective in replenishing out-of-stocks than the control stores, Dillman said. The WalMart RFID team knew that this technology would have a huge impact on out-of-stocks. Now we have an independent study that confirms RFID has a significant impact in retailing, Dillman continued. However, we are not stopping there. This is only one of many changes that RFID will bring. We are already working on initiatives and enhancements that will build on this success. The 16 percent reduction in merchandise out-of-stocks was determined by physically scanning out-of-stocks at the shelf every day. A baseline was established and this was then compared to the number of out-of-stocks in both sets of stores once the RFID technology was enabled in the pilot stores, explained Hardgrave. The net result of the impact of RFID, removing any other influences, was a reduction of 16 percent in the occurrences of products being out-of-stock on the shelf. " ...

RFID Tags: Active Passive SemiActive ...

RFID Tags: Active Passive SemiActive: Via Compliance Policy Guides: Radiofrequency Identification Feasibility Studies and Pilot Programs for Drugs

... "A passive tag draws all of its power from the radio waves transmitted by an RFID reader. A semi-active tag uses a battery to run the microchip's circuitry, but not to communicate with the RFID reader. An active tag is powered entirely by battery to send and receive RFID information. " ...

Dexit RFID Service Pilot: Controlled Launch ...

Dexit RFID Service Pilot: Controlled Launch: Via Dexit: Dexit Opens in Ottawa ...

Dexit has initiated a controlled launch of the Dexit Service and installed its Dexit RFID tag readers and terminals in four independent merchant locations ...

... "Dexit has supplied approximately 1,500 RFID tags for distribution to the more than 5,000 people who work in the Place Bell office tower. Tags can be acquired by consumers at Sweet Rosie's Cafe and can be refilled at this location, online at dexit.com or by automated credit card refill authorization. " ...

RFID Smart Waste Containers: National Municipal Roll-Out ...

RFID Smart Waste Containers: National Municipal Roll-Out: Smart Waste Containers to Roll Out Nationally: Launch of High-Tech Garbage Bins Follows Successful Philadelphia Test Program ...

RFID-enabled smart waste containers will be rolled out in municipalities nationally ...

... "Cascade Engineering announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind waste container equipped with electronic tags that will help municipalities and waste collection companies operate their waste management processes more efficiently and cost-effectively. The announcement follows the conclusion of a large-scale pilot program in the City of Philadelphia that demonstrated the effectiveness of Cascade's new container technology. The company made its announcement at the Solid Waste Association of North America's Sept. 27-29 WASTECON trade show in Austin, Texas. Cascade's smart waste containers emit radio signals that allow sanitation personnel using an electronic reader to collect key data on the container's use. The new bins combine the company's expertise in engineered plastics systems with a technology known as radio frequency identification, or RFID, that has gained popularity in a number of other applications, including EZ Pass for toll collection, a variety of door entry systems, pallet tagging, and livestock tracking. " ...

Walmart RFID Compliance Using SAP Netweaver Platform ...

Walmart RFID Compliance Using SAP Netweaver Platform: Via SAP: SAP RFID Rollout Signals Major Savings for Midsize Flag-Maker: Annin & Co. Gears up for Wal-Mart Requirement Within Three Months and Sets Cost-Cutting Course to Master Retail Market Challenges ...

SAP Netweaver Platform enables Walmart RFID Compliance for flag manufacturer ...

... "SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced that Annin & Co., the world's oldest and largest flag manufacturer, has implemented the radio frequency identification (RFID) technology within the SAP NetWeaver platform to meet WalMart's RFID requirement for key vendors. Annin, a midsize enterprise that manufactures more than 10,000 different flags and flag accessories, implemented the pilot project within three months, which will allow the company to achieve Wal-Mart compliance by January 2006. Annin also anticipates that its investment in RFID technology from SAP will bring significant cost savings. The announcement was made at the EPCglobal U.S. Conference 2005, being held in Atlanta, Georgia, September 13 - 15. " ...

Annin & Co is the world’s oldest and largest flag manufacturer. Starting from a sail loft in downtown New York City making signal flags for sailing ships in the 1820’s, Annin incorporated in 1847 and has since grown to four manufacturing locations. Annin now has worldwide distribution. As the official flag manufacturer to the United Nations, Annin’s international flags are the standards for exactness, followed by the rest of the world.

Australian Government RFID Pilot ...

Australian Government RFID Pilot: Via SupplyChain Review: Feds fund RFID/EPC pilot ...

... "The Federal Government's Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) will fund a National Demonstrator Project for RFID/EPC technology, systems and standards, with results available as early as June 2006. " ...

RFID Pilot Experiences Update ...

RFID Pilot Experiences Update: Via GCN: Special Report: DHS' Double Duty

Wilson P. Dizard III, GCN Staff, writes about the U.S. Visit program’s RFID pilot ...

... "Program officials also are seeking advice from vendors about how to take border transit RFID technology to higher levels. Among the ideas they are exploring: developing methods by which RFID units would be able to provide information about as many as 55 travelers on a bus passing a border point at about 50 mph, according to a recently released request for information. " ...

RFID Pilot Produce SupplyChain

RFID Pilot Produce SupplyChain: Via RedTail Solutions, Inc.: University of Florida Research Center Launches RFID Pilot to Improve Fresh Produce Supply Chain

Univ of Florida CFDR is sponsoring RFID pilot in the produce supply chain to determine impact of increased material visibility ...

... "The University of Florida IFAS's Center for Food Distribution and Retailing (CFDR), Gainesville, FL announced the launch of a research pilot featuring RFID technology and network-based information exchange to improve the distribution of fresh produce. The pilot, named Visibility Validated (V2), will measure the impact of improved supply chain visibility between suppliers and retailers. The V2 project is focused on the publishing of observation events to a virtual test bed simulation of the EPCglobal NetworkTM. It is the hope of the V2 project participants to show how EPCglobal-based RFID technology will and can provide valuable supply chain visibility. The V2 project is being conducted in cooperation with its participating members; suppliers, a retailer, and technology providers. " ...

RedTail Solutions, Inc. is a privately held company that was formed in 2000 and is located in Westborough, MA outside of Boston that provides internet EDI (electronic data interchange) and other managed services for electronic trading designed expressly for middle-market businesses. RedTail handles the EDI mapping and exchange of thousands of purchase orders, invoices, and shipping transactions every month between suppliers and their large customers in retail, grocery and industrial segments. RedTail’s simple-to-use, cost-effective EDI solution works directly with the most popular back-office accounting systems used by middle-market manufacturers and distributors enabling them to fully participate in the global electronic supply chain.

RFID Port Security CyberTracker ...

RFID Port Security CyberTracker: Homeland Integrated Security Systems Completes White Paper for Savannah Port Project ...

HISS reports on the pilot of RFID port security pilot using CyberTracker ...

... "The Savannah Port Security Project revolves around Homeland Integrated Security Systems' revolutionary Cyber Tracker, which monitors drivers' activities to and from the port's berths. Cyber Trackers would be dispensed using an automated system that will integrate the Cyber Tracker via RFID to bills of laden. When the drivers are leaving the port, the units are collected, thus insuring that all vehicles entering a port facility are accounted for when leaving. The device also allows port officials to monitor flow both in and around the port, as well as speed control, stop times, and the ability to archive the customized reports. The Savannah port is the fourth-busiest port in the U.S., making it the ideal test site for the project. " ...

Homeland Integrated Security Systems owns proprietary technology and has the rights to use patents to some of the most innovative and sophisticated security products. One of the key target markets is the 361 commercial seaports in the U.S., which are vulnerable to criminal penetration.

RFID Implementation Leaders: Auto CPG Logistics ...

RFID Implementation Leaders: Auto CPG Logistics: Via CompTIA: Automotive, Consumer Goods and Transportation Industries Leading RFID Push, CompTIA Study Reveals ...

Frost and CompTIA research identifies RFID implementation leaders will be in industries: auto, CPG, and logistics ...

... "The automotive, consumer goods and transportation and logistics industries will lead the way in implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology solutions over the next year, new research commissioned by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) reveals. Just over one-half of more than 500 organizations surveyed in North America have either completed RFID implementations or plan to do so within the next 12 months. This includes companies that are evaluating, pilot testing, implementing, or currently using RFID. " ...

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics.

The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a global trade association representing the business interests of the information technology (IT) industry. For more than 23 years CompTIA has provided research, networking and partnering opportunities to its 20,000-plus members in 102 countries. The association is involved in developing standards and best practices, and influencing the political, economic and educational arenas that impact IT worldwide.

Incident Management RFID Technology: Pilot Demonstration NIMS

Via Cimulus: Cimulus and ICT Invited to Demonstrate RFID Technology in Multi-Agency Exercise ...

Cimulus and ICT collaboration to demonstrate RFID technology for incident management in the NIMS process ...

... "Cimulus and ICT will perform a live demonstration of a new on-scene tracking system built on Cimulus’ DataCenter platform. The application, which will use RFID tags and mobile readers to track equipment and personnel in real time, is targeted toward giving Incident Commanders (scene supervisors) the critical information they need to make life-safety decisions in chaotic and highly variable environments. The system simplifies the enormous task of tracking resources from local, State and Federal agencies who respond to such events, and assists emergency response agencies in meeting requirements of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), a new Federal mandate that requires local, State and Federal agencies to work together in the mitigation of large scale incidents. " ...

Cimulus serves businesses and organizations by creating targeted IT solutions, focusing on technical applications for efficiency and productivity. DataCenter, Cimulus’ real-time data collection and management system, provides a scalable and open platform for managing information from a wide range of sources, including radio-frequency identification (RFID) and bar codes.

ICT is a provider of technology solutions to the Emergency Responder community. Emergency scenes inherently require that critical, time-sensitive decisions be based on the rapid and accurate collection of data. ICT delivers technology products that improve emergency operations by streamlining the process by which data is collected and disseminated. Improved safety and efficiency is the result.

RFID CyberInfrastructure Center: Purdue Univ

Via Purdue University: New Purdue cyberinfrastructure center to speed innovation ...

... "Our vision is that world-class cyberinfrastructure is the foundation for rapid growth in 21st century economies, said Kim, an expert on cyberinfrastructure whose research includes work to improve radio frequency identification tags, known as RFID. This new initiative can be viewed as a bold and visionary experiment on the driving role of cyberinfrastructure, with Purdue as the laboratory, the state of Indiana as the pilot plant and the national economy as the full-scale system. " ...

RFID Smart Card VA Pilot: Identity Management ...

RFID Smart Card VA Pilot: Identity Management: Via House Committee on Veterans' Affairs: Identity Management Systems: Neville Pattinson, Director of Business Development, Technology and Government Affairs, Axalto, Inc. ...

... "One of the card variants will also contain a third chip for supporting the installed base of existing physical access systems based on RFID technology. The Smart card project team within Veterans Affairs has spent considerable time performing feasibility studies and prototype evaluations in many areas to ensure the correct application of the technology to their systems and processes. " ...

RFID Trial Hostile Environment ...

RFID Trial Hostile Environment: Via CSC Case Study: RFID Refines Copper Quality for BHP Billiton ...

CSC collaborates to pilot RFID in hostile manufacturing environment. Discusses RFID trial outcomes in this case study ...

... "CSC and BHP Billiton tested the effectiveness of RFID in the company's Cerro Colorado tank house, in a hostile environment that included acid mist in the air, water temperatures of 190 degrees Fahrenheit and short-circuiting. Two hundred RFID tags—embedded in one-inch protective capsules—and readers were implemented and left in production for six months. The trial demonstrated that the tags and readers could survive for six months before requiring maintenance. " ...

Tag: RFID

Cephalon RFID Pilot: Drug Tracking ...

Cephalon RFID Pilot: Drug Tracking: Cephalon Selects OAT Foundation Suite for Item-Level Drug Tracking Pilot: OAT Foundation Suite Powers RFID Initiative to Drive Supply Chain Efficiencies and Ensure Patient Safety ...

Cephalon pilots RFID drug tracking as products move through the value chain to market. Broader RFID drug tracking implementation is expected, upon conclusion of the pilot period ...

... "OATSystems®, Inc., the recognized RFID framework leader, announced that Cephalon, Inc, an international biopharmaceutical company, has selected OAT Foundation Suite as the RFID software platform for use in a pilot program for tracking branded pharmaceuticals across the supply chain. For the pilot, OAT Foundation Suite will deliver end-to-end visibility of Cephalon’s products as they move across owned and outsourced facilities as well as selected drug wholesaler trading partners. Once the pilot project has proven successful, Cephalon will implement RFID utilizing the OAT Foundation Suite. " ...

OATSystems, Inc. is the recognized RFID framework leader with software that empowers businesses to achieve competitive advantage from radio-frequency identification (RFID). As pioneers in the development of RFID technology, OAT has been setting the standard in RFID for over half a decade and is responsible for industry firsts that include the largest scale and largest scope of deployments, as well as the most innovative approaches to providing enterprise-wide RFID solutions.

Additional resources on RFID pilots for drug tracking:

Purdue Pharma announced that it is placing RFID tags on bottles of the pain reliever OxyContin (oxycodone) to make it easier to authenticate, as well as to track and trace the medication. OxyContin, which is a controlled substance, has been subject to abuse, theft, and diversion. Based on the availability of sufficient RFID tags, Purdue also plans to tag bottles of Palladone (hydromorphone), a newly approved product to treat persistent moderate-to-severe pain.

Nine months after an FDA task force promoted the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) on drug packaging and labeling to prevent fake products from entering the supply chain, agency officials on November 15 announced that at least four pharmaceutical makers are participating in pilot projects or studies to test the effectiveness of RFID in combating counterfeiting.

GlaxoSmithKline [NYSE: GSK) announced that it will begin using radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in the next 12 to 18 months on at least one product deemed susceptible to counterfeiting in order to more effectively monitor its progress from the company to the patient. GSK is partnering in this pilot project with the US Food and Drug Administration, which is encouraging the use of RFID technology to protect American patients from the growing risk of counterfeit and diverted medicines.