DOD RFID in Action: Service and support Marines provide critical edge in combat ...

From United States Marines (press release) ... The company employs radio frequency identification tags, or "RFID tags" - fastened to supplies being shipped - that emit a signal that is automatically ...

Sgt. Enrique S. Diaz, 1st Force Service Support Group, writes ...

... While infantry Marines continue to rid Fallujah of insurgents, Marines with the 1st Force Service Support Group here are providing crucial, behind-the-scenes support to those on the frontlines. Within several defunct hangars and open lots on this former Iraqi air base is the Supply Management Unit - a central logistical hub for the 31,000 Marines, sailors, and soldiers of the I Marine Expeditionary Force operating throughout Iraq's Al Anbar Province. ...

RFID Technology Drivers: Gaining Momentum: BearingPoint Publishes White Paper on Government ...

From Yahoo News (press release) ... of a white paper detailing the findings of its recent survey of government IT executives on the drivers and barriers for adoption of RFID technologies within ...

... BearingPoint, Inc. (NYSE: BE), one of the world's largest business consulting and systems integration firms, today announced the availability of a white paper detailing the findings of its recent survey of government IT executives on the drivers and barriers for adoption of RFID technologies within government. The survey, sponsored by BearingPoint, the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) and Federal Computer Week, was conducted from mid-September to mid- October 2004. ...

RFID Middleware: Guangzhou Middleware Research Center Joins ObjectWeb, Expanding ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... including J2EE servers, application development and integration, portals, integrated platforms, security, management, pervasive middleware and RFID middleware. ...

... ObjectWeb, an international consortium dedicated to open-source infrastructure software, and Guangzhou Middleware Research Center (GMRC), a leading Chinese middleware research institute on middleware, today announced that GMRC joined ObjectWeb to reinforce the consortium presence in China. ...

Guangzhou Middleware Research Center is the leading middleware research institute in China. Sponsored by Guangzhou government and hosted by South University of Technology, GMRC is one of the largest research institutes in middleware in China. GMRC's core team contains experts returning from the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. GMRC's main research area include: enterprise application infrastructure, pervasive middleware, RFID middleware, grid Middleware, adaptive middleware and enterprise integration technologies. The LongTeng platform, developed by GMRC, is a unified enterprise application infrastructure platform that integrates application development, operation, integration, deployment and management all-in-one single platform. It provides a highly reliable, available and secure environment for today's ever demanding application requirements.

Founded in 2002 by Bull, France Telecom and INRIA, ObjectWeb is a consortium of leading companies and research organizations from around the world who have joined forces to produce next generation of open-source Middleware. ObjectWeb's goal is to provide Real-Time Enterprises with independent solutions which combine quality and robustness at the best possible performance/cost ratio. ObjectWeb targets alternative solutions to proprietary products for e-business, EAI, data connectivity, grid computing, and enterprise messaging. Based on open standards, ObjectWeb's middleware includes application servers, components, frameworks and tools. Examples of ObjectWeb's "cost killer" platforms are JOnAS - an open-source implementation of the J2EE specification, JORAM - a message-oriented middleware with JMS(TM) / SOAP connectors and Enhydra - a Java/XML application server.

European RFID Networking Forum: SeeBeyond Sponsors Largest RFID Event in Europe, RFID Networking ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... network suite (SeeBeyond ICAN) for advanced integration and composite application solutions, today announced its sponsorship of the RFID Networking Forum being ...

... SeeBeyond (Nasdaq:SBYN), provider of the world's first fully integrated composite application network suite (SeeBeyond ICAN) for advanced integration and composite application solutions, today announced its sponsorship of the RFID Networking Forum being held today at the Renaissance Hotel in London Heathrow, UK. As Europe's largest RFID event, the RFID Networking Forum allows attendees to investigate how investments in radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies can be leveraged to extract greater efficiency, higher availability, lower costs, and reduced shrinkage for their organizations. ...

Based on 15 years of software innovation and real-world experience in integrating systems across Global 2000 organizations, SeeBeyond (Nasdaq: SBYN) delivers the industry's first integrated composite application network built on a comprehensive integration platform. Beyond eAI, the SeeBeyond(R) Integrated Composite Application Network Suite(TM) helps organizations rapidly assemble and deploy enterprise-scale end-user applications built on existing systems and infrastructure to dramatically improve business operations. SeeBeyond has nearly 1,950 customers worldwide, including ABN Amro, BHP Billiton, The Cleveland Clinic, The Dial Corporation, DuPont, Florida Power & Light, Fluor Daniel, Fujitsu, General Motors, Halliburton, Hertz Corporation, HP, Lockheed Martin, Pfizer, Samsung, Sprint and Sutter Health.

Upcoming Healthcare RFID Seminar: 2nd Annual RFID, Tracking & Barcoding for Hospitals ...

From IQPC ...

... "2nd Annual RFID, Tracking & Barcoding for Hospitals: Innovative Solutions for Reducing Medical Errors, Increasing Patient Safety and Improving Processes, January 25 - 26, 2005, Green Valley Ranch, Las Vegas, NV" ...

Gain practical and first-hand knowledge in some of these key areas ...

Understand how to make today’s Auto-ID investment foundations for the future
Enhance the quality of care by instantly having the most current patient information
Recognize the benefits of RFID tagging for medical equipment
Analyze and capture relevant data through RFID systems to improve hospital processes

Wi-Fi RFID: AEROSCOUT INTRODUCES THE INDUSTRY’S MOST ADVANCED WI-FI-BASED ACTIVE RFID SOLUTION ...

New AeroScout Engine 3.0 Provides a Complete Suite of Visibility Solutions for a Multitude of Applications

San Mateo, Calif. – December 8, 2004 – AeroScout, Inc., a pioneer in the field of Enterprise Visibility Solutions, today announced the AeroScout Visibility System (AVS), an integrated suite of hardware and software products based around the company’s new AeroScout Engine 3.0. AVS is the industry’s most flexible and complete solution for Wi-Fi-based visibility of assets and people, and the only solution to enable three different location types as well as telemetry functionality, to fit all user application needs.

“Our customers have sophisticated requirements that range from accurate real-time asset location, to vehicle telemetry, to automated inventory counts, to personnel tracking—and they need a single wireless infrastructure that can do it all,” said Andris Berzins, VP of Marketing and Business Development, AeroScout. “AeroScout has introduced the first integrated solution that can meet all of these needs with a single infrastructure, bridging Wi-Fi location and Active RFID at a low total cost.”

AVS is a flexible set of hardware and software products that utilize standard Wi-Fi networks to accurately locate and identify assets or people in indoor and outdoor environments. At the foundation of the system lies the new AeroScout Engine 3.0, the core server-based software that provides location and telemetry processing based on data collected over standard wireless radio frequencies. With the release of version 3.0, the AeroScout Engine has added innovative, new and improved features that bring unparalleled capabilities to users. These include:

· Multiple Location Modes – AeroScout customers can now utilize three different modes of location within a single installation, to best fit the precise needs of any set of applications. Real-Time Location mode offers industry-leading accurate positioning; Presence mode offers Active RFID-style zone detection; and the use of AeroScout Exciter hardware enables Choke-Point detection for doorway and gate coverage.
· Telemetry – AeroScout tags now have the capability to retrieve wired serial data and transmit it over the 802.11 air interface to the AeroScout Engine. For example, this enables vehicle fleet managers to wirelessly transmit vehicle data such as mileage and fuel automatically on a periodic basis or as a vehicle enters and exits the lot.
· Event Management – The AeroScout Engine now contains a centralized Event Management tool for configuring system and application level events from a single console, including alerts and notifications.
· Updated User Interface – The Engine GUI has been updated to provide an even greater ease of use and more refined user experience to AeroScout customers.
· Updated APIs – AeroScout has expanded its set of APIs, enabling application partners to retrieve more complex visibility information and control AeroScout Engine operations via the API.

AeroScout’s innovative products enable customers to immediately take advantage of the Visibility System’s unparalleled flexibility. These products include AeroScout’s industry-leading Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tags, the AeroScout Exciter for choke-point RFID detection and the AeroScout Tag Activator for wireless configuration of large batches of tags. Multiple industries, including manufacturing, health care, logistics, retail and others, utilize AeroScout products to help manage their valuable assets and gain better visibility of their operations, thereby lowering costs, increasing efficiency and driving revenue.

American Port Services (APS), announced as an AeroScout customer today, is a perfect example of the benefits that can be realized with AeroScout solutions. APS, a third party logistics provider, has chosen AeroScout to accurately track the real-time location of hundreds of trailers in their Savannah-based cross-docking facility, operated on behalf of the world’s largest retailer. APS expects to drastically improve efficiency, increase utilization and throughput, and reduce costs with this implementation. For more information, please see Dec. 8 press release “American Port Services Chooses AeroScout’s Active RFID Solution for Yard Management”.

AeroScout Engine 3.0 and the AeroScout Visibility System are currently available for purchase.

About AeroScout
AeroScout provides award-winning enterprise visibility solutions that utilize Wi-Fi wireless networking standards to deliver accurate location-based solutions. The AeroScout system includes real-time location services (RTLS), telemetry, long range active RFID and choke-point visibility all in a single integrated cost-effective infrastructure. AeroScout’s standards-based applications locate valuable assets and people in indoor and outdoor environments, enabling customers in numerous industries to drive revenues and cut costs. AeroScout is a privately held company based in San Mateo, CA. For more information, please visit www.aeroscout.com.

AeroScout is a registered trademark of AeroScout, Inc. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information is subject to change without notice.

AMERICAN PORT SERVICES CHOOSES AEROSCOUT’S ACTIVE RFID SOLUTION FOR YARD MANAGEMENT

RTLS: AeroScout to Provide Wi-Fi-Based Real-Time Location System for Cross-Docking Facility Operated by APS for World’s Largest Retailer ...

San Mateo, Calif. – December 8, 2004 – AeroScout, Inc., a pioneer in the field of Enterprise Visibility Solutions, today announced that American Port Services (APS), a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider, has deployed its visibility system at a 60-acre cross-docking facility in Savannah, GA operated by APS on behalf of the world’s largest retailer. APS chose AeroScout and partner AGI Worldwide to implement the system, which accurately tracks the location of hundreds of trailers in the facility in real-time in order to improve efficiency, increase utilization and throughput, and reduce costs.

“The AeroScout system is an outstanding solution to a pressing problem in the logistics and transportation industry, and automates a manual trailer-tracking process that used to take a full team of people and hours every day,” said Ty Cobler, Director of Operations, APS. “We expect that AeroScout’s innovative Wi-Fi-based solution will deliver huge efficiency gains for our facility, and provide a quick return on investment.”

The AeroScout Visibility System will enable APS to benefit from accurate and reliable trailer location data at a low total cost of ownership. With only 20 AeroScout Location Receivers, APS has full visibility of the facility’s 1000 trailer spaces spread over 60 acres. When a trailer enters the facility, it is fitted with a small radio device-- AeroScout’s Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tag. As the trailer moves throughout the yard, the tag’s location is accurately tracked in real-time using standard WLAN protocols, allowing APS to easily locate the trailer for loading and unloading. Information about a trailer’s location and contents is integrated with existing yard management systems and shared with partners or customers.

“Third party logistics providers have to compete through the efficiency of their processes, and AeroScout technology will help APS serve their major retail customers even more effectively,” said Andris Berzins, VP of Marketing and Business Development, AeroScout. “This deployment illustrates the strong value that can be achieved through the use of accurate, reliable asset visibility based on standard wireless networking protocols.”

AeroScout was chosen as the technology provider for APS by partner AGI Worldwide, a supply chain consulting organization. AGI researched the real-time location services market on behalf of APS, and chose AeroScout based on a combination of reliability, high performance and a low total cost of ownership. “AeroScout is far ahead of the pack in offering a full-featured, flexible location system that delivers the combined power of Wi-Fi and Active RFID for yard management environments,” said John Bryant, CEO of AGI.

“The AeroScout solution is more than just an asset tracking application. Combined with tightly integrated yard management, warehouse management, and visibility tools we are able to deliver significantly enhanced value to both APS and their customers by increasing yard turns, improving transloading quality, and increasing yard management efficiency,” stated Bryant.

AeroScout also announced today its newly-expanded AeroScout Visibility System, the only visibility platform on the market to enable multiple types of location with a single Wi-Fi-based infrastructure. As APS grows, it will be able to take advantage of these new capabilities by utilizing the existing AeroScout infrastructure for further location-based applications such as personnel tracking and tag-based vehicle telemetry. APS is already planning to use AeroScout Exciters for choke-point visibility, sending alerts as trailers pass through certain locations. For further details, please see Dec. 7 press release “AeroScout Introduces the Industry’s Most Advanced Wireless Visibility Solution”.

About AeroScout
AeroScout provides award-winning enterprise visibility solutions that utilize Wi-Fi wireless networking standards to deliver accurate location-based solutions. The AeroScout system includes real-time location services (RTLS), long range active RFID, telemetry and choke-point visibility all in a single integrated cost-effective infrastructure. AeroScout’s standards-based applications locate valuable assets and people in indoor and outdoor environments, enabling customers in numerous industries to drive revenues and cut costs. AeroScout is a privately held company based in San Mateo, CA. For more information, please visit www.aeroscout.com.

About AGI Worldwide
AGI Worldwide is a leading global provider of Supply Chain Execution (SCE) solutions and services. We provide clients with a full range of consulting and technology implementation services helping to improve operational and logistics performance. We have extensive experience in a wide range of services, including strategic planning, solution design and development, integration, software selection and implementation, process re-design and improvement. Industries of expertise for AGI include 3PL, consumer product goods, distribution, manufacturing and retail.

About American Port Services
American Port Services (APS) specializes in developing and operating high volume distribution centers and cross-docking facilities. With over 1,500 trained associates, 600 doors, four million square feet of warehouse space and the most advanced warehouse management systems available, APS is the leading logistics company for the Southeast, covering the major ports. Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk and Houston are the sites of our distribution facilities, offering cross-docking, drayage and inland transportation.

AeroScout is a registered trademark of AeroScout, Inc. Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Information is subject to change without notice.

Press contacts:
Joshua Slobin
AeroScout, Inc.
650-571-0800 x108
press@aeroscout.com

Kevin Wilson
AGI Worldwide
678-319-9443 x.201
kw@agiworldwide.com

RFID Compliance Services: AGI Worldwide completes RFID compliance initiative at American Port Services’ Norfolk distribution facility ...

AGI Worldwide, a leading Supply Chain Services and Solutions company based in Alpharetta, GA, announced the successful RFID pilot and implementation at American Port Services (APS), a leading East Coast Third Party Logistics provider (3PL). AGI was hired to assist APS in meeting and exceeding a major retailer’s RFID compliance mandates in their distribution centers in order to offer RFID compliance services to their customers.

AGI provided project management, vendor management, integration and testing services, as well as warehouse management process changes (software and procedures). “We were starting to fall behind our deadlines - an easy thing to happen considering we had 7 different vendors involved, including Alien, Printronix, International Paper, HighJump, Loftware and GlobeRanger,” stated John Edwards, Assistant Director of Operations for APS. “Kevin Wilson, RFID specialist with AGI, took over the project. He and the AGI staff brought the project back under control, and helped us successfully meet our October 1 RFID pilot deadline for one of our key clients who is a top supplier for a major retailer,” stated Edwards.

“We are very pleased at the success of this RFID project. Most RFID projects you read about seem to take longer than expected, and go over budget, due to the somewhat changing and untested state of RFID, as well as the involvement of multiple vendors. We were able to pull all the participating vendors together, fill in existing project gaps, and execute efficiently coming in on time.” stated Kevin Wilson, Vice President and RFID specialist for AGI. “APS now has a solid RFID infrastructure fully integrated with their warehouse and yard management software, enabling them to accommodate future RFID compliance initiatives they have planned with other major retailers,” stated Wilson.

About AGI Worldwide
AGI Worldwide is a leading provider of Supply Chain Execution (SCE) solutions and services. They provide clients with a full range of consulting and technology implementation services helping to improve operational and logistics performance. AGI has extensive experience in a wide range of services, including strategic planning, solution design and development, integration, software selection and implementation, and process re-design and improvement. Industries of expertise for AGI include Third Party Logistics (3PL), consumer product goods, distribution, manufacturing and retail.

About American Port Services
American Port Services (APS) specializes in developing and operating high volume distribution centers and cross-docking facilities. With over 1,500 trained associates, 600 doors, four million square feet of warehouse space and the most advanced warehouse management systems available, APS is the leading logistics company for the Southeast, covering the major ports. Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk and Houston are the sites of our distribution facilities, offering cross-docking, drayage and inland transportation.

Contact:
Kevin Wilson
Vice President
AGI Worldwide
www.agiworldwide.com
678-319-9443 x.201
kw@agiworldwide.com

RFID Print Management: ClearOrbit Introduces Enterprise-Class RFID and Bar Code Print ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... the leading provider of real-time supply chain execution (SCE) software solutions, has dramatically simplified bar code label and RFID print management with ...

... ClearOrbit, the leading provider of real-time supply chain execution (SCE) software solutions, has dramatically simplified bar code label and RFID print management with the release of its new X.LM (Extended Label Manager) software. Affordable, pre-packaged and easy to implement quickly, X.LM offers a bar code and RFID label compliance management software for companies of any size using any warehouse management system (WMS) or enterprise resource planning system (ERP). Using an open architecture that can exchange XML or leverage direct APIs, X.LM offers connectivity from any WMS or ERP to all leading bar code label printers and RFID printers (a.k.a. "tag burners"). Moreover, X.LM serves as a central repository for all the current drivers needed to run these diverse devices while isolating the ERP and WMS applications and business process from the effects of any hardware changes. ...

Since 1994, ClearOrbit has assisted more than 250 clients in automating and controlling their supply chain execution processes. ClearOrbit extends enterprise systems value with proven Supply Chain Execution (SCE) and Collaborative Supply Management (CSM) software solutions that allow customers to fully leverage their investment in enterprise applications while also gaining additional value by incorporating their trading partners into their supply chains. ClearOrbit products work within the existing enterprise system to leverage a "single version of the truth," expanding rather than duplicating functionality to eliminate inefficiencies in the supply chain. By using the customer's data model, ClearOrbit delivers on the promise of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with fully integrated supply chain execution and collaboration solutions that address "last mile functionality" issues inherent in most ERP systems. ClearOrbit customers include Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), JDS Uniphase (Nasdaq: JDSU), and Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN).

Smart Card Activities ...

From National Institute of Standards and Technology, TESTIMONY by Ben Wu before The Committee on Veterans Affairs, October 6, 2004 ...

... "Smart cards provide opportunities for improving security of our critical infrastructure, both from a physical and logical perspective. Because they are capable of performing cryptographic functions, they can perform important security services such as securely storing digital signatures, holding public key credentials, and authenticating a claimed identity based on biometric data. As such, smart cards are a crucial element in a range of current and expected critical applications and programs. They are also the underlying foundation for the standard required by Hspd-12. NIST's smart card program dates back to 1988. Recognizing the potential for smart cards to improve the security of Federal IT systems and our national information infrastructure, NIST chose to invest significant research effort in smart card technology at an early stage. The NIST smart card program produced many early innovations in the area such as a generic authentication interface for smart cards, the first cards to implement the Data Encryption Algorithm and the Digital Signature Algorithm, and the first reprogrammable smart card. These innovations are integral to modern smart cards." ...

Comments on the Smart Card Forum ...

From Consumer Privacy and Smart Cards — A Challenge and an Opportunity ...

... "The consumer should be educated about what a smart card is. A brief description of how smart cards work may be helpful in dealing with consumers. The following may be useful general information in doing that. There are two basic kinds of smart cards. An intelligent smart card contains a microprocessor that actually stores and secures information and makes decisions as required by the card issuer's specific application needs. New information can be added to these cards and processed by the microprocessing unit. Monetary value, for example, can be added or debited as required. The second type of card is better described as a memory card. These cards are primarily information storage cards that contain stored value which the consumer can spend in a pay phone, retail, vending or related transaction. Many of today's prepaid telephone cards are memory cards. In both types of cards, the integrated circuit chip allows the stored information to be protected from damage or theft. " ...

Smart Card Interoperability: GSA Adds Interoperability Standards to Smart Card Specifications ...

From US GSA ...

... "Government-wide Smart Card Interoperability:

Flexibility, more smart card products and services
Works with electronic physical access, logical (computer) access, Biometrics and cryptography
Multiple vendor products will work together within the same smart card applications
Federal agencies can benefit from the smart card development of other agencies; i.e. federal smart card applications can be shared.
Gives the Federal government common smart card identification services
Gives Federal agencies the ability to identify and authenticate employees from other agencies
Federal IDs can be used for electronic visitor control systems
Federal agencies need not issue additional access or ID cards to detailed employees
Reduces data and paper handling for Federal employees
Provides for information portability
Helps the Federal government work cheaper and better by reducing the number of access cards federal employees need for controlled access, i.e. buildings, computers, parking areas, Secured Compartmentalized Information Facility (SCIF), and other controlled areas
Creates a multiple application smart cards that can be used by any Federal agency
Provides for secure electronic routing of government documents" ...

FEDERAL SMART CARD IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ...

From Electronic Processes Initiatives Committee ...

... "To facilitate the implementation of the NPR/GITSB recommendations, the President's Management Council and its Electronic Processing Initiatives Committee (EPIC) have prepared this strategic plan, which presents a framework for the governmentwide implementation of smart card technology to achieve widespread electronic commerce; provide federal employees and public customers responsive, reliable, and secure electronic access to government information and services; and bolster federal agency reengineering efforts. To accomplish these goals, this plan describes the critical governmentwide actions that will lead to a smart card supported electronic government, and it presents a framework within which federal agencies and private industry can together begin to build a smart card foundation for the future." ...

Summary: The smart card generated digital signature offers the government an entrance ramp for the efficient use of the National Information Infrastructure as a federal electronic business highway. It will establish the basis by which federal business systems can be converted from inefficient, stovepipe, and paperbound processes into efficient, interoperable and electronic processes. It presents the opportunity for re-engineering the way we do business, so that the government will be able to substantially reduce its operating costs while improving the delivery of services to its citizens.

Navy Smart Cards ...

From Department of the Navy, CAPT Pete Hyers, USN, writes ...

... "Smart Card technology has improved dramatically since the cards were first introduced to the Department of the Navy (DON) in 1996. They are longer no longer simple plastic cards with magnetic stripes that contain static information. Today, Smart Cards have embedded integrated circuit computer chips for storing data and programs that can run when connected via a card reader to a PC or network. The magnetic stripe can hold personal, access and financial information. The strides made in Smart Card technology enable people to work more efficiently, improve information assurance and reduce costs of operation. Currently, Smart Cards are used at various commands throughout the Department. Every recruit entering the Navy receives a Smart Card upon arrival at the Recruit Training Center, Great lakes and uses the card for numerous functions throughout basic training. A similar implementation of Smart Card technology is underway at the Marine Corps Recruits Depot at Paris Island. Smart Cards are also in use in Hawaii, Pensacola, Dam Neck, Virginia; and two carrier battle groups. A number of applications are in use, including quarterdeck access, manifesting, weapons issuance, property accountability, food service, and medical and dental." ...

Definition: smart card ...

From National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA, a part of the U.S. Department of Commerce DOC) ...

... "smart card: A digitally encoded card, similar to a credit card, usually containing a variety of information about the individual(s) authorized to use it. Note: The information can be accessed by a card reader into which the card is inserted. The information may include access codes (for opening doors), account numbers (merchant account numbers as well as banking account numbers), and electronic cash (which is withdrawn from the card as a purchase is made). " ...

Smart Card: What is a Smart Card?

From Fermilab Linux Repository ...

... "What is a Smart Card? Simple plastic card, just at the size of a credit card, with a microprocessor and memory embedded inside is a smart card. Beside its tiny little structure it has many uses and wide variety of applications ranging from phone cards to digital identification of the individuals. These application could be; identity of the customer, library card, e-wallet, keys to various doors, etc... And only one card can be issued to an end-entity for all these applications. Smart cards hold these data within different files, and , as you will read, these data is only visible to its program depending on the operating system of the card. These data files are arranged in a file system much like a Linux directory structure. " ...

RFID Network: Ubisense Ultrawideband Location Devices Certified by US FCC

From PR Newswire (press release) ... While traditional radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is becoming the standard for managing product manufacturing and the distribution supply ...

... From developing new and productive ways to utilize office space to locating patients, medical staff and equipment in hospitals to managing innovative lighting for stage shows, Ubisense Smart Space uses patented and patent pending technology to create an ultrawideband-based network inside a building capable of locating a person or object in three dimensions to within 6 inches in real-time. The devices comprising the platform today received certification from the Federal Communications Commission to operate in the United States. ...

With offices in Denver, Colo. and Cambridge, England, Ubisense is the Smart Space company whose location aware sense-driven platform increases the value, usability, and security of space. Ubisense utilizes ultrawideband (UWB) technology to deliver cost-effective, scalable products for the intelligent tracking of thousands of objects to 6-inch 3D accuracy, in real-time.

RFID Accelerator: ObjectStore Trading Accelerator Delivers Real-Time Event ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... ObjectStore(R) products are supporting RFID implementations, and are deployed in industries such as finance, telecommunications and travel, where companies ...

... ObjectStore, a leader in products for real-time data services, and an operating company of Progress Software Corporation (Nasdaq: PRGS), today announced a major update to ObjectStore(R) Trading Accelerator(TM), which provides financial trading houses with real-time market data capture, query and management, integrated with historical market data. With its newly available Event Query Language (EQL), ObjectStore Trading Accelerator allows trading houses to apply sophisticated "what-if" scenarios and analytics on incoming data sources and execute such real-time trading strategies as volume weighted average pricing (VWAP) analysis and program trading. ...

RFID Supply Chain Visibility: Maximizing Collaboration and Visibility While Reducing ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... performance metrics to efficiently reduce supply chain operating cost, and remaining competitive in the food & beverage industry by integrating RFID and much ...

... The Best Practices in Food and Beverage Supply Chain conference concentrates on providing practitioners within the industry with practical solutions that will allow them to revolutionize their supply chain process. This conference is produced by marcus evans, one of the world's leading business information companies, presenting over 1,000 strategic business summits and conferences worldwide. The conference being held early next year, January 19-20, 2005, at the Radisson Miami Hotel in Florida will attract experts in supply chain management process. Roy Fossum, SVP of Merchandising for Marsh Supermarkets, Inc., will deliver the keynote presentation on Successfully Achieving Collaboration Relationships Between Vendors and Suppliers within the Food and Beverage Industry. ...

Healthcare RFID Solutions: ClearCount Medical Solutions Receives Just Under $300,000 in Pre ...

From Yahoo News (press release) ... "We provide a simple and intuitive system using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to provide instantaneous counts. ...

... ClearCount has a patented process and technology to tackle the current cumbersome method of tracking surgical sponges and instruments throughout a surgical procedure. At present, perioperative nurses spend 30-45 minutes manually counting surgical sponges and instruments before, during and after each typical surgery. When manual counts do not match up, hospitals are forced to X-ray the patient, leading to more than a million X-rays annually. Even with this last line of defense, thousands of cases of retained foreign bodies still occur. ...

Innovation Works is a state-sponsored organization working to seed technology companies in Southwestern Pennsylvania and grow them to the point of being self-sustaining. Innovation Works provides risk capital, business expertise, and other resources to high-potential companies with the greatest likelihood for regional economic impact. The combination of Innovation Work's early-stage investments and the hands-on guidance of an experienced business team helps companies commercialize their innovative technologies, gain critical early customers, develop strategies to maximize their competitive edge, and form relationships with other investors and advisors who can help these companies attract additional capital and grow.

The Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse is a public/private partnership, founded by the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, UPMC Health System, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its regional foundation community. Together with private industry and advanced research and healthcare capabilities of our institutional partners, PLSG invests in and supports the growth of regional life sciences companies in the areas of: bioinformatics; bionanotechnology; diagnostics; medical devices; medical robotics; therapeutics; and tools and services.

Idea Foundry, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3), was founded in 2002 to fill Southwestern Pennsylvania's major business gap between innovative "ideas" and sustainable technology start-up businesses, in turn creating jobs. Idea Foundry bridges the significant gap between idea generation and a fundable start-up by providing the intellectual and financial capital necessary to support innovators. Idea Foundry is a collective of private foundations, government entities and universities.

RFID Biometrics: Release 8 of SecuGen's SDK Collection now provides fingerprint ...

From Yahoo News (press release) ... For more information, visit www.casio.com. Psion Teklogix, Inc. is a global provider of solutions for mobile computing, wireless data collection and RFID. ...

... SecuGen announces the next release of its Software Developer Kit (SDK) Collection, which is used to build powerful biometric software applications that incorporate SecuGen's increasingly popular fingerprint recognition technology. ...

NASA RFID for HazMat: NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Deploys Advanced Hazardous ...

From PR Newswire (press release) ... (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020718/ORCLLOGO ) The ChemSecure program integrates Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and sensor-based ...

... The ChemSecure program integrates Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and sensor-based technology with the Department of Defense's existing web-based Hazardous Materials Management System (HMMS) database to automate the real-time management of hazardous materials including usage, shipment, tracking and storage. The first project of its kind, NASA Dryden developed ChemSecure in close partnership with the Department of Defense and leading private sector companies, including Oracle, EnvironMax, Inc., Intermec Technologies Corporation, and Patlite (USA) Corporation. ...

Oracle Sensor-Based Services are a comprehensive set of capabilities to capture, manage, analyze, access and respond to data from sensors such as RFID, location and temperature. Based on Oracle Database 10g, Oracle
Application Server 10g, Oracle Enterprise Manager 10g and Oracle E-Business Suite 11i, Oracle Sensor-Based Services enable companies to quickly and easily integrate sensor-based information into their enterprise systems. Oracle's solution includes a number of flexible deployment options that allow companies to start small and grow by leveraging their investment in Oracle technology, including the EPC Compliance Enabler, an RFID/EPC pilot kit, and integrated support in Oracle E-Business Suite and Oracle Application Server 10g.

RFID Patent Purchase: Shuffle Master, Inc. Purchases RFID Patents

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... today that it has purchased two patents owned by ENPAT, Inc., US patent numbers 5,735,742 and 5,651,548, which relate to the use of RFID technology at gaming ...

... Shuffle Master, Inc. (NASDAQ National Market: SHFL) announced today that it has purchased two patents owned by ENPAT, Inc., U. S. patent numbers 5,735,742 and 5,651,548, which relate to the use of RFID technology at gaming tables and throughout a casino. Under the terms of the agreement, Shuffle Master has agreed to pay ENPAT $12.5 million in cash, with an initial payment of $2.4 million and the balance to be paid over a three-year period. Shuffle Master previously announced on October 21, 2004 that it had entered into an option and exclusivity agreement with ENPAT for the purchase of the aforementioned RFID patents. ...

RFID Growth Study: IDC Study Shows RFID Deployments Accelerating in 2005; Leading ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... to ensuring child safety - perhaps no other autoidentification concept has gained as much attention in 2004 as the topic of radio frequency identification (RFID ...

... Encompassing a wide range of applications - from helping to protect the U.S. drug distribution network from counterfeiters to ensuring child safety - perhaps no other autoidentification concept has gained as much attention in 2004 as the topic of radio frequency identification (RFID). And with major companies planning to increase the deployment and integration of RFID systems in retail stores and warehouses in the years ahead, the market for related consulting, implementation, and managed services is expected to grow by 47% in 2004 and reach $2 billion worldwide by 2008, according to a new report from IDC. ...

RFID Data Management Tools: Xpaseo Inc. Introduces XpaseoEdge RFID Data Management Platform

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Xpaseo Inc., a leader in wireless RFID enterprise solutions, today announced the release of XpaseoEdge(TM), an integrated hardware/software platform to manage ...

... Xpaseo Inc., a leader in wireless RFID enterprise solutions, today announced the release of XpaseoEdge(TM), an integrated hardware/software platform to manage RFID data. Xpaseo's money-saving RFID solutions focus on real-time remote asset management, warehouse and inventory management, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, lease management and retail management. Integral to the XpaseoEdge platform are the Xpaseo Asset Manager(TM) and Xpaseo Warehouse Manager(TM). Xpaseo Asset Manager, a powerful application for Enterprise Asset Management using RFID technology, complements and integrates with existing ERP asset management systems. ...

Founded in 2003 and based in Silicon Valley, Calif., Xpaseo Inc. is an enterprise software company that develops and markets comprehensive RFID solutions. The key components of Xpaseo solutions are RFID support, wireless capability, enterprise applications and an integrated hardware/software RFID platform. Xpaseo provides the critical link between RFID networks and business applications. Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc., in Vernon Hills, Ill., offers a comprehensive line of factory automation solutions. Products include automation platforms, programmable logic controllers, human machine interfaces (HMI), AC variable frequency drives, general purpose servo amplifiers and motors, motion controllers, industrial computers, control software, computerized numerical control systems, robots, uninterruptible power supply systems and industrial sewing machines.

RFID EPC Gen 2: EPCglobal Completes Testing of Generation 2 Standard; Results ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... The UHF Generation 2 standard is a foundational element of the EPCglobal Network, a network that combines RFID technology, the Internet and the EPC to provide ...

... EPCglobal Inc(TM), the not-for-profit standards organization entrusted with driving global adoption of Electronic Product Code (EPC) technology across multiple industries, today announced that testing on the proposed UHF Generation 2 specification has been completed, with results validating the feasibility of the proposed standard. This announcement marks one of the final steps toward ratification of the royalty-free UHF Generation 2 specification, which is expected by the end of 2004. ...

EPCglobal Inc(TM), a joint venture between EAN International and the Uniform Code Council, Inc.(R), is a not-for-profit organization entrusted to establish and support the EPCglobal Network(TM) as the global standard for real-time, automatic identification of information in the supply chain of any company, across multiple industries, anywhere in the world. The EPCglobal Network combines radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, existing communications network infrastructure, and the Electronic Product Code(TM) (a number for uniquely identifying an item) to enable accurate, cost-efficient visibility of information in the supply chain. The end result helps organizations be more efficient, flexible, and responsive to customer needs. EPCglobal US is an affiliate of EPCglobal Inc., serving subscribers in the United States to help foster the adoption of the EPCglobal Network and related technology. EPCglobal is leading the development of industry-driven standards for the Electronic Product Code™ (EPC) to support the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in today’s fast-moving, information rich trading networks.