Under Construction with RFID

Like many other industries, construction is starting to turn to RFID to monitor assets and increase efficiency. Some contractors are using the technology to create automated inventory systems for hand tools, while others are using it monitor the location of large equipment like excavators and forklifts. Some companies, however, are finding the real efficiency gains can come from monitoring their most valuable assets—their workers. Two construction companies in Texas, for example, just installed an RFID workforce monitor service that keeps tabs on workers as they enter and exit the jobsite. Holder Construction from Dallas, Texas, installed an RFID system at construction site in San Antonio, and WS Bellows Construction, www.wsbellows.com, Houston, Texas, installed the same solution at a site in Houston.

TypeHaus Combines Form Templates, Barcode Generator, and Job Reformatting for HP LaserJets

The newly released TypeHaus FormJet Internal provides the ideal HP LaserJet upgrade solution for eliminating preprinted and multi-part forms, as well as completely reformatting existing host print jobs to create entirely new modernized documents. FormJet Internal facilitates professional business printing by incorporating form templates, a 1D and 2D barcode generator, and job reformatting technology all within a solution that installs within HP LaserJet enterprise-class printers.
Businesses looking to modernize their documents and electronic forms can find the perfect solutions in the TypeHaus FormJet Family of electronic forms solutions. The new FormJet Internal expands this family by providing FormJet functionality as a add-in upgrade for HP LaserJet enterprise-class printers. FormJet Family real-time print job processing includes both form templates and barcode generator capabilities. Form templates can replace pre-printed forms with automatically printed form backgrounds or multi-part forms with automatically generated multiple copies with identifying watermarks. The barcode generator can identify specific values being printed and use them to automatically add barcodes to the existing print job.
Configuring complex host applications requires a lot of effort and resources. Once configured, making major changes to the host is often undesirable or even impossible. The FormJet Family solves these problems by accepting existing host print jobs, restructuring them as necessary, and then printing the newly formatted job – all in real-time.
By expanding the FormJet Family to include FormJet Internal, TypeHaus now provides the ideal forms modernizing solution for use with HP LaserJet enterprise-class printers. Utilizing the add-in expansion socket located inside nearly all HP LaserJet enterprise-class printers, the FormJet Internal completely disappears inside the printer. All forms processing occurs completely within the LaserJet.
Carlos Lara, TypeHaus Business Development explains “Empowering managed print services dealers to fulfill business requirements is what our FormJet Family is all about. MPS dealers talk to a wide range of businesses, each with their own unique set of printing challenges. When those challenges involve modernizing forms and integrating PDFs without the risks of modifying host applications, TypeHaus delivers the solutions that help dealers address their customers’ needs.”
Advanced processing can include receiving a print job for one purpose, extracting the data, and printing it reformatted for an entirely different purpose. For example, an electronic medical records application prints a simple patient information report. FormJet extracts the necessary data from this print job and automatically prints barcoded patient wristbands and a sheet of matching labels completely without any changes to the host application.
FormJet Pro provides the same forms processing capabilities as FormJet Internal, but as an external add-on for laser printers from other manufacturers or non enterprise class HP LaserJets. FormJet Enterprise can also create PDF images for archival purposes, and optionally email those PDFs to specified recipients. FormJet Enterprise standalone print server can perform print job processing simultaneously for multiple printers across the enterprise.
For companies that require only a barcode generator, the TypeHaus BarCodeJet Family comes packed with intelligence to automatically format over 20 primary 1D barcodes including 43 variants as well as 2D barcodes including Aztec, Codablock F, Data Matrix, Maxicode, PDF-417 and QR Code. The BarCodeJet Family accepts the raw data and automatically calculates all mode shifts, CRCs, checksums, etc, as required to generate properly structured barcodes. TypeHaus also provides MICR Font, corporate logo digitizing, forms digitizing, and signature digitizing services for businesses of all sizes.
The FormJet Family provides the ideal partnership opportunity for managed print services dealers to address unique customer requirements using turnkey solutions. MPS dealers should contact TypeHaus today to learn more about how TypeHaus solutions can help their customers modernize their printing capabilities.

Borg Cube t-shirt delivers Resistance is Futile message via QR code

Taylor Morgan has come up with a use for the QR code that's actually quite clever. He's printed it on the side of a Borg Cube, and when you scan the code, it reads, "We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Your biological and technological distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is futile."

2-D bar code: Phone can tell drug's genuineness

Apart from 1-D bar coding identified by black lines stripes on the product, manufacturers, mostly from pharmaceutical sector, have started using 2-D bar coding.

Smart phone users could use their hi-end gadget to scan information scripted in 2-D bar code printed on the packet of medicine to ascertain whether the drug is a genuine or spurious.

QR Code Becoming the New Youth Identity With WeChat

WeChat, a mobile communication app, now allows users to create their own QR code identity and share the same with friends via WeChat, Facebook and email. Sharing mobile numbers, user names and email ids to connect are now things of the past. Every WeChat user can now have a unique, personalised QR code identity. WeChat users can generate their unique QR code identity from their WeChat account on their Android, iPhone, and Windows handsets. Recently, WeChat has been promoting users to generate their QR codes and share with friends to connect with each other in a new, fun manner.

As per the latest QR code promotion contest, WeChat users in India are encouraged to post their own WeChat QR code on facebook and scan their friends' QR code to connect with them. Users adding the maximum number of friends using their QR code scanned, stand to win iPhone5, iPad3, Google Nexus 7 along with many other exciting gift vouchers. WeChat has witnessed a great response to the contest and already more than 10000 users have shared their QR codes on their respective Facebook walls.

WeChat users are going one step ahead, by making their own QR code as their facebook profile pic. This new way to connect is fun and hassle-free without any need to exchange pins, numbers, ids or run exhaustive search - all you need to do is, scan the QR code, make connections and win.

Mac's RFID lab on track to saving subway workers' lives

Radio frequency technology developed in a partnership between McMaster University and Bombardier and aimed at saving lives on subway tracks is now ready for sale. The project team is on the road in Atlanta this week demonstrating the technology to transit authorities, hoping to find a buyer.

Final testing is still under way on TrackSafe, which uses radio frequency identification tags worn by track workers to offer warning when trains are approaching. An alert is also issued to the train operator.

QR codes used by hotel to offer extra services

Hotels are among the industries that have found the most uses for mobile commerce features to offer their customers, and these include being able to scan QR codes for various different purposes. Some services have been developed to allow customers to use the QR codes as their room keys. These barcodes are very inexpensive to generate and their uses are limited only to the imagination of the mobile marketing team at the hotel. There is even a unique hotel room in the Netherlands that was created by Dutch fashion designer, Antoine Peters, who covered the room’s entire décor in quick response barcodes.

Taiwanese form giant human QR barcode

More than 1,000 Taiwan people formed a human QR code Sunday in an event designed to promote the island to the world by cashing in on the rising use of smartphones which can read the barcodes. QR codes are commonly used to direct users to websites, videos or social media sites. Forming the QR code, highlighted by a blue word "Hi" in the middle, involved a total of 1,369 people carrying umbrellas on the square of the Taipei City Hall, organisers said.

Barcoding for Glass

Specialist ceramic decal developer Xerital has come up with a system of serialised barcodes that can be applied to glass substrates – and now the world’s leading sorbent sample tube manufacturer, Markes International, has switched entirely to this method for glass tube marking. Xerital’s high temperature decals, which incorporate the barcode, are actually fired on to the glass tubes, resulting in a permanent marking that is strongly resistant to scratching, chemical attack and thermal processes. The final, fired product is not only extremely durable but provides for a high resolution output which is vital for accurate code scanning and reading.

Digicel Wins Best Near Field Communication (NFC)

While operators in major markets like the UK and the USA experiment with programmes using smart phones and credit cards, a small Pacific nation was propelled into the spotlight as a global leader in mobile payments earlier this month when Digicel triumphed at the Connected World Forum, winning the award for Best NFC Deployment for its 'Beep and Go' service.

Launched in the Kingdom of Tonga in July, 'Beep and Go' is the world's first fully inclusive payments network linking NFC point-of-sale (POS) terminals to mobile money wallets across the nation.

The Pacific nation is home to 105,000 people with significant ties to Australia, New Zealand and the USA and is heavily dependent on private remittances. In a developing economy where credit card and bank account penetration is low and very few people have smart phones, Digicel's service in Tonga is now recognised as a unique deployment of mobile-based NFC payments services. Any customer with a Digicel phone can receive international payments direct to their mobile and can then make purchases at over 150 retail stores across the Kingdom. Customers simply tap their mobile on an NFC-enabled POS terminal and enter their secure PIN to complete their transactions.
The Digicel service uses contactless stickers inside the device which have been specifically designed to provide reliable transactions no matter what Digicel mobile phone is used. These contactless stickers give current customers the possibility to use mobile phones to make payments while waiting for NFC handsets to reach critical mass.

The Connected World Forum is the world's leading event dedicated to mobile value added services (VAS). With over 1,000 leading experts focused on launching and scaling profitable Mobile Lifeline services, the Connected World Forum is considered the best place to discover the latest developments in mobile money, mobile health, mobile education, mobile agriculture and other mobile lifeline services.

Trumpia Launches QR Code Enhancements

Trumpia, a Web-based solution provider for multichannel marketing and messaging, announced new QR code enhancements to offer users more flexibility with their QR code marketing campaigns. Trumpia users can now change or update the Web content linked to their QR codes at any time. This capability allows users to save on printing costs since the same QR code can be used to redirect customers to different Web content.
The new QR code enhancements also include automatic QR code generation for every mobile keyword that is created. Subscribers now can opt-in by scanning the QR code with their smartphones or by texting in the mobile keyword to a short code. Trumpia users can significantly grow their contact databases by promoting multiple avenues for customer opt-ins.