RFA RFID Technology Provides DVD Theft Protection in Supply Chain

NXP Semiconductors and Kestrel Wireless collaborate to develop an RFA (Radio Frequency Activation) RFID solution to provide DVD theft protection throughout the supply chain. The solution enables the ability to disable DVDs at manufacture and enable at the point of sale, rendering the in-transit goods useless while in the supply chain, which eliminates the motive for theft. ...

... "The first application of NXP and Kestrel's RFA / RFID solution will be integrated into optical media. The solution, however, is applicable to all consumer electronics products, such as MP3 players, electric shavers, toothbrushes, flat screen TVs, ink jet cartridges and flash memory. NXP and Kestrel's network-based RFID solution opens up new opportunities for the distribution of optical media and consumer electronics. It eliminates expensive security devices, restrictive packaging and display cages, enabling a more comfortable shopping experience for consumers. Minimized product packaging creates more environmentally friendly solutions, such as paper instead of plastics. Additionally, the costs and problems of returns for DVDs and other disc-based media are reduced. " ...

Via NXP: NXP and Kestrel Wireless partner to eliminate theft of DVDs in retail

Retail RFID Implementation: European Shoes

Checkpoint Systems enters into a strategic agreement with RENO, European shoe retailer. The agreement will enable an RFID source-tagging program and implementation at 700 retail locations across six countries with NDRF-based (New Digital Radio Frequency) RFID tagging system. The implementation will be completed in May. The RFID system will support reduction of shrinkage and improvement of the customer experience. ...

... "Switching from EM to NDRF technology, RENO wants to further optimise both its market presence and its operational processes. To be successful in the shoe retail trade the goods have to be presented in the right way. As well as displaying shoes in pairs and in boxes, an open shop construction is also particularly important, says Konigs. With NDRF, the current aisle widths in the branches could be increased from 90 cm to 1.80 m and a more customer friendly entrance introduced. Further improvements in the business process include simpler deactivation of the tagged goods at the point of sale. The cashier transaction is sped up while it guarantees that no customer will leave the store with a tag that accidentally remains activated, thereby triggering a false alarm. RENO's decision for radio-frequency source tagging is a further step towards a uniform standard in security technology, not only in Germany, says Ulrich Schafer, Vice-President and General Manager NCE Unit, of Checkpoint Systems. For retailers, radio-frequency source tagging is the best option for reducing the costs of shrinkage. At the same time they are able to create a customer-friendly shopping atmosphere, which will help to boost sales. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: RENO Partners with Checkpoint Systems for Its Source Tagging Programme

RFID Manages Metro Shrinkage

Metro partners with Checkpoint to implement RFID source tags to reduce shrinkage across a significant number of stores across multiple countries. ...

... "The strategic agreement, which includes worldwide store installation of NDRF (New Digital Radio Frequency) technology and source tagging, will help METRO Cash & Carry to minimize shrinkage and reduce operational costs by using only one supplier, Checkpoint Systems, and implement source tagging, with the ultimate aim of improving their customers' shopping experience. Installation of 3G NDRF (called Liberty PX in North America) antennas and deactivators is planned for the more than 425 Cash & Carry self-service wholesale stores in 28 countries, making it the most international EAS (Electronic Article Surveillance) roll out of its kind. The global shrink management solution provides METRO Cash & Carry (under METRO and MAKRO brand names), with product protection throughout the entire supply chain, from manufacturing and distribution to the point of sale, where the RF tags on the item are deactivated. This eliminates the need for employees to spend time physically securing the tags in-store or removing them at point of sale. " ...

Via Checkpoint Systems: METRO Cash & Carry Selects Checkpoint Systems as Their Exclusive Shrink Management Global Partner

RFID Asset Protection ...

PWC Mexico will implement Axcess's RFID asset management capabilities to protect computing assets in order to reduce shrinkage. ...

... "Under the terms of the rollout, PricewaterhouseCoopers in Mexico will utilize AXCESS' Dual-Active RFID solution for its custodial asset management capabilities; allowing for real-time detection when a valuable asset such as a laptop is in or out of a secured area. When an item is removed from company premises without authorization the technology will deliver actionable intelligence through which a reliable security response can be determined and initiated. Corporations face an uphill battle when it comes to securely and accurately managing their physical assets. In 2005 alone, losses from the theft of proprietary data from corporations and other institutions more than doubled compared to the previous year totaling $356,000 per incident. AXCESS' RFID solutions provide companies with the tools necessary to protect assets and data from theft and help organizations comply with federal and state laws, which necessitate the development of an internal IT best practice for managing computer assets and the notification to individuals if a client's personal data may have been compromised. PricewaterhouseCoopers identified the potential for significant ROI by managing assets and by preventing computer theft. In addition to preventing monetary loss associated with the theft or loss of IT assets, the company recognized how AXCESS' ActiveTag solutions could empower them with the ability to better protect their clients' data through increased accountability and security. The AXCESS solution implemented for PricewaterhouseCoopers addresses the problem of preventing theft or loss of assets and data by offering individual asset tracking and protection, dynamic wireless custodian assignments to assets, complete reports, and wireless alerting to exception-based security events. One key to the reliability of the solution is AXCESS' battery powered RFID tags which generate strong signals to enable metal encased computers to be identified even when hidden, which is far superior to passive RFID and bar code systems which require some form of line-of-site recognition. " ...

RFID Asset Protection: Via Axcess International: PricewaterhouseCoopers Selects AXCESS' RFID Solution to Protect Computer Assets and Data ...

RFID: Prevent Computer Shrinkage ...

RFID is seen as a means to prevent computer shrinkage. ...

... "Michael Deckert of Deckert's Communications suggests an RFID tag for computers which he says emit an electronic signal that can be tracked and would also be helpful in maintaining an accurate inventory record. " ...

Via Public Opinion Chambersburg, PA: Computer thefts begin to rival stolen vehicles ...

RFID Mobile Asset Management

IBSS introduces RFID-enabled mobile asset management solution to create a real-time view of assets and their movements. Benefits are lowering asset shrinkage and accelerating asset location. Active RFID enables the identification of mobile assets. ...

... "Integrated Business Systems and Services, Inc. (IBSS) announced its new offering, the SynTrack Mobile Asset Management system , a new product created for organizations seeking more efficient asset utilization by the use of RFID and wireless technologies. Simultaneously, IBSS also announced an agreement establishing IDENTEC SOLUTIONS as a certified Value Added Reseller of SynTrack Mobile Asset Management. Today, organizations spend millions of dollars on expensive equipment only to have it lost or stolen. Annual losses can range from thousands to millions of dollars. By having a real time view of where these assets are, when and where they move, and how they are managed, companies can significantly reduce these losses as well as improve worker efficiency in locating critical equipment.

SynTrack Mobile Asset Management is IBSS' application for real time, dynamic tracking and management of assets and personnel. It allows organizations to locate, track and manage expensive, important equipment utilizing active RFID technology. Developed on IBSS' proprietary Synapse platform, the system is quickly and easily configurable to nearly any asset tracking application across commercial vertical markets. SynTrack Mobile Asset Management is ideally suited for applications in Energy, Government, Manufacturing, Security, and many other industries. Installation is quick and easy. The system is configured intuitively by defining a hierarchy of zones, tags and tag groups so assets can be quickly located. Important assets and/or desired personnel are equipped with RFID tags. These tags are sensed by strategically placed RFID readers and antennas that communicate with the SynTrack Mobile Asset Management system as a tagged object passes through a geographically defined zone. " ...

RFID Mobile Asset Management: Via IBSS: IBSS INTRODUCES SynTrack MOBILE ASSET MANAGEMENT ...

ItemLevel RFID: Manage StockOuts Shrinkage ...

Vue and Symbol collaborate to develop RFID solutions that minimize retail stock-outs and inventory shrinkage. ...

... "Vue Technology, a leading provider of item-level RFID (radio frequency identification) technology, and Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL), The Enterprise Mobility Company, announced that they will jointly develop and deliver integrated item-level RFID solutions for retailers and manufacturers. The integrated item-level RFID solutions will offer visibility into inventory levels, location and authenticity, resulting in significant reductions in out-of-stocks, shrinkage and labor costs. The TrueVUE RFID Platform is an ROI-driven solution that supports end-to-end item level RFID, enabling manufacturers and retailers to streamline the tracking of individual items throughout the supply chain. Vue Technology will combine their patent-pending RF Networking technology and EPC management software with Symbol's RFID fixed and handheld readers, tags and peripheral devices to deliver a cost-effective platform, enabling customers to reap the benefits of item-level RFID. The joint item-level RFID solutions will expand the reach of RFID from traditional pallet and case-level distribution applications that focus on broad supply chain visibility to in-store applications which focus on achieving enhanced on-shelf availability and sales for specific product categories. " ...

ItemLevel RFID: Manage StockOuts Shrinkage: Via Vue Technology: VUE TECHNOLOGY AND SYMBOL TECHNOLOGIES TO DELIVER ITEM-LEVEL RFID SOLUTIONS TO RETAIL AND MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY: Integrated Solutions Will Reduce Out-of-Stocks, Shrinkage and Labor Costs ...

Vue Technology is the leading provider of item level RFID, delivering breakthrough technology that provides the most scalable, reliable, and ROI-driven solutions on the market. With patent-pending technologies, VUE allows standard RFID readers to network across thousands of antennas, exponentially increasing the number of zones a typical reader can support. Vue provides customers unprecedented visibility into inventory levels, location and authenticity while eliminating the prohibitive cost barriers previously associated with item-level RFID roll-outs. With its TrueVUE™ RFID Platform, Vue offers the most complete suite of integrated RF networking hardware and EPC management software for item-level RFID, maximizing the benefits to our customers while minimizing implementation risks – at the lowest TCO.

RFID Market Leaders: Walmart DOD ...

RFID Market Leaders: Walmart DOD: Via Dept of Commerce: David A. Sampson RFID Conference, U.S. Chamber of Commerce ...

... "According to industry sources, the RFID market for related consulting, implementation, and managed services is expected to reach between $2 billion and $4.2 billion by 2008. In addition, as much as 30% of all capital goods will carry RFID tags by 2008. There are many business reasons to use RFID technology: supply chain visibility, inventory management, ensuring product legitimacy, and shrinkage/loss prevention. It's therefore not surprising that WalMart and the Department of Defense are market leaders as both rely on extensive supply chains. RFID applications are also being tested in other parts of government for logistics support and for public safety and security. But the commercial sector will continue to drive innovation in this area. " ...

RFID Intellectual Property Agreement: Pinnacle Manufactures ...

USM Systems, Ltd., developer of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions, licenses its intellectual property to Pinnacle Technology Group, Inc. (Toledo, OH) for manufacturing and marketing of RFID and other products. ...

RFID Intellectual Property Agreement: Pinnacle Manufactures: Via USM Systems: Pinnacle Technology Group to manufacture, market products using USM Systems, Ltd. intellectual property ...

... "USM Systems intellectual property enables RFID systems to gather and export data from its collection to an enterprise computer network. The license helps to introduce into the marketplace RFID solutions that let businesses control loss/shrinkage; improve equipment maintenance and record keeping; increase utilization of fixed assets; and manage personnel tracking. " ...

USM Systems, Ltd. develops Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions, and holds key intellectual property patents for advanced application of RFID technology. Founded in 1995, the Southfield, Michigan-based Corporation is central to the development of emerging RFID technology that tracks and manages assets and personnel in a range of environments. RFID expertise is concentrated in personnel & asset management to include valuable and sensitive asset tracking; finished goods tracking; mobile equipment tracking; event-driven data collection; and configurable reporting/action.

RFID Physical Asset Tracking Sun Solution ...

Sun launches RFID technology support of physical asset tracking solutions. ...

RFID Physical Asset Tracking Sun Solution: Via Sun: Sun Launches RFID Industry Solution for Physical Asset Tracking ...

... "Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNW), announced the availability of the Sun RFID Industry Solution for Physical Asset Tracking, a combination of products and services to help simplify and accelerate the process of designing and integrating an RFID solution for tracking physical assets. The Sun RFID asset tracking solution enables organizations to more effectively manage their physical assets, keep an effective inventory of exactly what assets they own and determine how those assets are used throughout their life cycles, from beginning to end. Asset tracking is increasingly becoming a more important issue as companies try to get a better handle on the status and location of their critical assets and inventories. Companies are looking to reduce operating costs by implementing improved asset tracking to decrease shrinkage, lower maintenance costs, and optimize asset utilization. The Sun solution leverages RFID technology to determine the real-time location of critical assets and issue an alert when an asset is not in its designated location. In addition, the solution allows managers to effectively analyze and plan asset utilization and deployment. " ...

RFID Optimize Patient Flow in Orthopedic Center

Lancaster General implements PeriOptimum and Radianse solution to optimize patient flow in new orthopedic center

... "Lancaster General Hospital is using a real-time workflow-management and patient location solution from industry partners PeriOptimum and Radianse to streamline patient throughput and optimize capacity in its new state-of-the-art Orthopedic Center. The solution integrates Radianse active-RFID location technology into PeriOptimum's PathFinder, a software application that collects patient, equipment and process-tracking data across perioperative care, then distributes the information via a hospital's intranet or the Internet and stores it for analysis.

When patients arrive at the center, they are assigned active-RFID location tags that identify where they are in real-time and their surgical status as they move through the perioperative process. The PeriOptimum/Radianse solution replaces an old manual-data-entry system with one that automatically enters the patient data into the network for quick and easy access by caregivers and administrators." ...

For more than 100 years, Lancaster General has been meeting the healthcare needs of Lancaster County in southeast Pennsylvania. Lancaster General is a hospital and a healthcare system with a reputation for excellence. The winner of numerous national and local awards, 563-bed Lancaster General Hospital employs more than 4,600 people and has more than 470 physicians and surgeons on its active staff. Lancaster General Hospital has won the Solucient Leadership Institute 100 Top Hospitals award for five years from 1997 through 2001 and been recognized by Hospital & Health Networks magazine's Most Wired Award in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PeriOptimum provides a broad range of products and services that help hospitals improve surgical throughput. Hospitals and surgicenters use the company's Perioperative Improvement Evaluation (PIE?) PathFinder? workflow management solution and Surgical Capacity Improvement Program (SCIP?) to create predictable and streamlined perioperative environments. The result is increased patient throughput, significantly improved physician, staff and patient satisfaction, and tremendous net revenue gains.

Radianse, Inc., Lawrence, MA, provides indoor positioning solutions (IPS) to track medical equipment, patients and staff, combining active-RFID with a patent-pending location algorithm to deliver the proven accuracy and return on investment hospitals require. Radianse adheres to an open systems approach to location solutions, shunning exclusive arrangements it sees as limiting effectiveness across a healthcare campus. Hospitals in the U.S. and Europe use Radianse solutions to reduce asset shrinkage and excess rentals and improve staff efficiency, resource utilization and overall safety, patient flow and workflow. The Radianse Ready? partner certification program provides training, support and warranties to ensure consistently high performance of Radianse location software, active-RFID-tags and LAN- or WiFi-ready receivers.

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.

RFID Education: RFID Technology Lecture Series Explores Revolution in Business and ...

From Business Wire (press release), CA ... Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is revolutionizing the world of inventory and data storage around the globe. ...

Merrimack College sponsors advanced lecture series on RFID technology with exciting roster of presenters ...

... A complimentary three-part lecture series on RFID and its future implications, featuring internationally renowned guest speakers, will be held at Merrimack College. The series will focus on: -- where RFID technology began -- what industries can benefit from RFID, and -- how the technology will modify identification and data collection in the future. ...

Dr. Sanjay Sarma will discuss RFID as a larger class of technology and focus on RFID tags in terms of wireless sensing and the business and economic benefit of those tags. He will also describe the Auto-ID Center (Dr. Sarma is a co-founder of the Center) and address the research MIT and other universities did to bring RFID to reality.

Radianse, Inc., of Lawrence, Mass., provides an active-RFID technology that incorporates an indoor positioning system (IPS) for healthcare to reduce asset shrinkage and labor costs and improve utilization, patient flow-times and overall workflow efficiency. A Radianse IPS combines long-range active-RFID with a patent-pending location algorithm for accurate, continuous location and association of people, places and things. The IPS solution is in use at Mass. General Hospital, Brigham & Women's Hospital, the Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, and several other hospitals.

Wireless RFID: Dealing with the "Wi-Fi as Amenity" Issue

From Wi-Fi Planet, United States ... They could also use it to track assets using Wi-Fi RFID technology, helping reduce assets shrinkage, or to provide wireless check-in services for smart card ...

RFID Technology: Impinj pitches its chips for radio tags; retailers eager

From Seattle Times, WA ... Now, it has identified a market for its technology, called radio frequency identification (RFID), which has received considerable hype recently since retailers ...

Impinj's RFID products reduce inventory costs, improve out-of-stock conditions, minimize shrinkage and address counterfeiting issues. Impinj's series of RFID products deliver low cost, long range, field rewritable functionality that complies with a single, open, worldwide RFID standard in accordance with recent initiatives by the world's leading retailers, including Wal*Mart, DoD, Tesco and Metro Group. Impinj's advantages derive from its patented Self-Adaptive Silicon™, an integrated circuit design technique to produce nonvolatile memory and high performance analog functions, critical elements of RFID products.

RFID Technology: TRAXUS Technologies Announces RFID Fulfillment Partnership with ...

From Business Wire (press release) ... TRAXUS Technologies, a leading RFID technology services company, announces a partnership with ISR Solutions, one of the nation's leading independent electronic ...

TRAXUS designs, develops, and integrates enterprise and supply chain systems leveraging Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Traxus is committed to providing innovative solutions using leading RFID technologies that improve the speed and efficiency of the movement of goods. Through partnerships with some of the most advanced RFID technology companies in the world, Traxus integrates RFID technologies into enterprise and supply chain applications that allow our customers to know exactly where their goods, materials and assets are in real time so the maximum business value can be achieved.

Weak links in the supply chain, poor inventory processes, lost product data and uncertainty about delivery can bring business operations to a crawl. The benefits from integrated RFID systems range from providing delivery assurance, to taking instantaneous inventory, to having real-time supply chain visibility that helps reduce shrinkage and out of stock items. Integrated RFID systems provide you with the assurance that your products are where they are supposed to be and in the right peoples' hands, so that you can focus on running your business. And just complying with the growing number of mandates to use RFID technology can present a real challenges.

RFID Technology: TRAXUS Technologies Announces RFID Fulfillment Partnership with ...

From Business Wire (press release) ... TRAXUS Technologies, a leading RFID technology services company, announces a partnership with ISR Solutions, one of the nation's leading independent electronic ...

TRAXUS designs, develops, and integrates enterprise and supply chain systems leveraging Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Traxus is committed to providing innovative solutions using leading RFID technologies that improve the speed and efficiency of the movement of goods. Through partnerships with some of the most advanced RFID technology companies in the world, Traxus integrates RFID technologies into enterprise and supply chain applications that allow our customers to know exactly where their goods, materials and assets are in real time so the maximum business value can be achieved.

Weak links in the supply chain, poor inventory processes, lost product data and uncertainty about delivery can bring business operations to a crawl. The benefits from integrated RFID systems range from providing delivery assurance, to taking instantaneous inventory, to having real-time supply chain visibility that helps reduce shrinkage and out of stock items. Integrated RFID systems provide you with the assurance that your products are where they are supposed to be and in the right peoples' hands, so that you can focus on running your business. And just complying with the growing number of mandates to use RFID technology can present a real challenges.

Impinj Technology to Solve Fundamental Problems for Explosive RFID Market

Impinj, Inc., the Self-Adaptive Silicon™ company, announced plans to provide Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) products which reduce inventory costs, improve out-of-stock conditions and minimize shrinkage for the trillion-dollar worldwide consumer packaged goods industry. Impinj’s RFID products will leverage the company’s award-winning Self-Adaptive Silicon technology to deliver low cost, long range, field rewritable functionality that complies with a single, open, worldwide RFID standard in accordance with recent initiatives by the world’s largest retailers.

Self-Adaptive Silicon, a proprietary integrated circuit design technology, enables standard logic CMOS to deliver extremely high performance circuits that consume very low power. This technology will improve the achievable performance for several key analog building blocks of RFID products...