First e-lock solution to support 125kHz RFID technology

Aperio from Assa Abloy has become the first e-lock solution available globally to support 125kHz (HID PROX and EM410x) trusted RFID technology, says the company. Aperio is designed to upgrade mechanically locked doors and wirelessly connect them online or offline to new or existing access control systems, with minimal modification to doors and premises.
Assa Abloy says the new Aperio 125kHz devices ensure end customers with an equivalent EAC system can easily expand to incorporate additional wireless Aperio doors, without having the additional expense of dual technology cards.
“Aperio is Europe’s fastest growing wireless locking solution and now combined with the most popular and trusted RFID, it offers our customers a powerful solution to add to the existing range of Aperio products,” said Chris Bone, vice president access control EMEA. "In Europe alone, approximately 50% of installed access control systems still run with low frequency 125kHz.

Students will be tracked via chips in IDs

Northside Independent School District plans to track students next year on two of its campuses using technology implanted in their student identification cards in a trial that could eventually include all 112 of its schools and all of its nearly 100,000 students. District officials said the Radio Frequency Identification System (RFID) tags would improve safety by allowing them to locate students — and count them more accurately at the beginning of the school day to help offset cuts in state funding, which is partly based on attendance.

Ingenico and Vantiv Partner for NFC Mobile Payments

Ingenico announced today that the processor has chosen Ingenico's new generation Telium series point-of-sale (POS) products coupled with Vantiv point-to-point encryption (P2PE) solution for marketing and sale to its financial institution and merchant customers in the United States. In a proactive move to facilitate the migration to more secure EMV chip-based and NFC mobile payments in the U.S., the two companies collaborated and completed the Class A certification of the Telium series devices. The certification covers a comprehensive range of Ingenico's Telium devices including iCT220 & iCT250 countertop terminals, iWL220 & iWL250BT (Bluetooth) wireless devices, and iPP220 & iPP320 PIN pads.
The entire Telium range of products is designed to comply with the industry's most stringent PCI PTS security requirements and combine the latest POS technologies. The new Ingenico POS products fully support Vantiv P2P card data encryption solution to enable merchants to conveniently and securely accept electronic payment.
Built around Ingenico's Telium 2 architecture and EMV Level 2 kernel, the Telium range comes standard with all payment technologies already embedded such as contactless and NFC and ready to activate, so there is no need for add-on devices or components. This provides merchants with flexibility to seamlessly accept EMV, NFC, contactless and traditional magnetic strip cards.

Scansfer Box Client

Scansfer is a phone-to-phone data transfer app utilizing QR code technology to allow you to simply scan and transfer files, Apps, Contacts, Bookmarks, and more, now with cloud storage powered by box.net. The Scansfer Box.net Client app securely transfers files from your phone to box.net, and generates a private download key, only accessible by scanning a distinct QR code. The QR code can then be scanned from any other mobile device equipped with a bar code scanner to instantly download the file. The app can also be used to upload files from your phone to box.net, and access files from your box account on your phone.

Industrial Magnetics Offers RFID Chip on Magnetic Separators for Bulk Processing

Industrial Magnetics, Inc. is now offering an RFID chip as a standard on several types of their magnetic separators designed for the bulk processing industries. The RFID (radio frequency identification) device, manufactured by InfoChip, aides maintenance and quality personnel in documenting the magnetic separators' location, inspection history, safety compliance and maintenance record as part of their company's control programs.
The RFID chip can be read with most standard readers, or one of several models available for purchase from InfoChip, who also offers complete desktop, online or mobile software solutions for companies without an existing program.
The RFID's durable, low profile design measures .75 inch dia. and features extreme-environment adhesive that can withstand temperature ranges from -80° to +400° F. The RFID device will come standard on IMI's Bullet Magnets, EP Tube Magnets, Pneumatic Line Housing Magnets, Drawer-in-housing Magnets and Plate Magnets.

GS! warnes against unauthorised barcode seller

GS1 South Africa, the local custodian of bar codes to the retail industry, has warned South African retail businesses, suppliers and wholesalers about an unauthorised barcode seller that has recently begun soliciting business, offering prospective clients any bar codes they want, including several which are owned by GS1 Global.
According to GS1 South Africa executive Jacolien Richards, the company is attempting to sell bar code numbers with a prefix of 600 or 604, or any other prefix, some of which belong to GS1 Global. South Africa has been assigned the prefix 600 and 601 and the 604 prefix belongs to GS1 Senegal.
The numbering structure provided by the company consists of 11 digits. No bar code scanners in the FMCG supply chain globally can read this structure.
A supplier who buys this number will then apply it to all packaging and labels, but unfortunately the barcode symbol will never be scanned through the Point of Sale at a retail or wholesale location. “This means that the cost of re-barcoding all the products reverts back to the entire supply chain and ultimately could be carried by the consumer.”
The company also advises prospective clients that a barcode symbol can be stretched to “whatever size required”. A barcode symbol has extensive technical standards and any manipulation of the symbol which is out of proportion will result in a no scan. “If the supplier is an exporter, the impact will be far worse with the distribution costs being doubled, because of the reverse logistics for returned stock that does not scan. This is compounded if the product is fresh produce, which will result in the loss of the entire order.”

Tharo Systems enables barcode and RFID label printing

Tharo Systems has introduced an option for printing barcode and RFID labels, using extensible markup language (XML) enabled enterprise systems.  EasyLabel 5 Platinum's XML Monitor will 'watch' a file directory or Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) port and automatically print RFID or barcode labels when a compatible XML file is received. The feature provides a direct connection to any application capable of generating a properly formatted XML file to ensure seamless printing of RFID or barcode labels from supply chain or manufacturing software.

QR codes provide information to help parents, students, visitors

Warren County schools have a new way for parents, teachers and visitors to access school information in a school building. Each school now has a quick reference code at its entrance. A QR code is a small black and white square that looks similar to a barcode. Anyone with a smartphone can download one of many free QR reader applications that allow the phone to scan QR codes and immediately see information about the business, product or organization the code was created for.

AeroScout set to be sold for $200m

WiFi-based RFID chipset developer AeroScout Ltd. is set to be sold for $200 million. The Rehovot-based company, founded by CEO Yuval Bar-Gil in 1999, has 200 employees. AeroScout is in advanced talks with a large multinational infrastructures company. AeroScout originally developed Bluetooth technology under the name Bluesoft, before switching to radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and changing its name in 2004. The change in technology also involved a change in target market to consumer products and private users.

QR code use varies throughout Europe

A new study from SKOPOS, a market consultancy firm, shows that more German consumers have scanned QR codes than those in the UK. The study found that 24% of German consumers made use of QR codes versus the 12% of UK consumers that used them. The data was compiled from smart phone owners that knew what QR codes were and how to use the. SKOPOS believes that the popularity of the codes in Germany may be the result of the actions of the country’s various businesses.

RFID at UC Irvine Spots Sponges Inside Patients After Surgery

Radio-frequency identification technology is not only a way to track goods through the supply chain or the environmental conditions of food or medicine, but it may even save you from having foreign objects left inside of you after surgery. The University of California's Irvine Medical Center in Orange, Calif., has adopted SmartSponge RFID technology from medical device vendor ClearCount Medical Solutions to spot retained surgical items, or objects such as sponges left inside a patient following a medical procedure. The hospital has implemented SmartSponge in all operating rooms as well as the labor and delivery facilities.

NFC to Stream Audio

Research In Motion has announced a new device called the BlackBerry Music Gateway that can stream music wirelessly using NFC (Near Field Communication) and Bluetooth technology. The gadget will cost $50 and debuts in June. The BlackBerry Music Gateway is quite small and can be hooked up to your home stereo or car audio system via a 3.5mm auxiliary input or RCA connectors. You can then stream music from your phone via Bluetooth -- from a BlackBerry or competing smartphone -- from up to 30 feet away (sound quality degrades the farther you are from the receiver

Barcoding insects

Barcodes may bring to mind the sales tags and scanners found in supermarkets and other stores. But U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists are using "DNA barcodes" to monitor insects that damage crops as diverse as wheat, barley and potatoes, and to make pest management decisions. In DNA barcoding, scientists sequence a designated part of an organism's genome and produce a barcode from it for a systematic comparison with the sequenced DNA of other closely related species. DNA barcodes are being developed on a wide range of plants and animals as part of a global effort to catalogue the diversity of life on Earth.