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.

VingCard Elsafe donates RFID locks and security solutions for wireless locking to children’s resort

VingCard Elsafe recently announced its continued involvement with Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) and donation of security solutions for wireless locking such as Signature RFID locks and VISIONLINE software in Kissimmee, Florida.

In its latest charitable contribution, VingCard Elsafe provided 140 Signature RFID locks to outfit the resort’s villas and VISIONLINE software for the front desk. Jakob Hardrick of National Installations and Service in Winter Park, Florida, volunteered his company’s time to complete the installation of VingCard Elsafe Signature RFID locks at each of Give Kids The World’s villas.

Nadra unveils biometrics Smart Cards for pensioners

Nadra has worked on a comprehensive mechanism to facilitate pensioners by issuing them biometrics Smart Cards so that they could withdraw their pension from any biometrics enabled platform used by banks, Post Offices and any other alternate channel. The proposed system comprises of three main elements starting from the collection of pensioner's data to eliminate duplication and ghost pensioners, issuance of Smart Identity Cards and then the deployment of Pension Disbursement system to be utilised by all disbursing partner entities.

Pharmexcil urges govt to adopt 1D barcodes on pharma packaging

The Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) recently made a representation to the Commerce Ministry urging them to consider adopting 1D barcodes on pharma packaging instead of 2D barcodes for all exports of pharmaceutical products from the country. The suggestions were submitted to the government based on the expert recommendations made by the Committee of Administration (CoA), after deliberation and discussion with all the stakeholders from across the country. Interestingly, the trace and track technology which was adopted by the government to address the issues and apprehensions about the export of spurious drugs from India, was made compulsory for tertiary level packaging from October 1 last year.

Internet of Things table lamp illuminates comings and goings of distant loved ones

This is a charming idea. The Good Night Lamp is actually a set of table lamps that you distribute among friends or family. The lamps communicate remotely so that as a lamp is turned on or off by its owner, that action is replicated in the others, giving illuminating little insights into the comings and goings of loved ones – even those on the other side of the world.

Tablet Computer allows mobile use of barcode tracking software

Dynamic Systems, a Redmond, Washington software developer, specializing in data collection applications has introduced rugged tablet computers for use with the CheckMate Suite of Barcode Tracking applications based on bar code technology. The rugged tablet computers would be used in conjunction with the CheckMate Software Suite, when it’s necessary to take the full power of the software to the production line or shipping dock within a facility.

The Checkmate software, which integrates major functions within an organization and includes tracking of assets, inventory, documents, job costing, tools and equipment, can now be used anywhere within wireless range of the server. Now the fish processor can work at the dock, the farmer can take SIMBA processing to the field and a construction company can have access to their full database in their yard. The tablet computers are Windows OS based, rugged, sealed against dust and moisture, and have a viewing screen that works well in direct sunlight.

Handheld Barcode Readers feature dual field optics

Microscan, a global technology leader in barcode, machine vision and lighting solutions, announces two new handheld barcode readers. The HS-21 and HS-41X handhelds are ideal portable reading solutions for almost any 1D/2D symbol, with a compact and durable design to withstand multiple drops from 6 feet. Both products are equipped with a 1.2 Megapixel CMOS sensor and dual field optics to provide reliable reading of codes ranging from large 1D barcodes to tiny high density 2D symbols.
The HS-21 and HS-41X imagers are ideal for any high-contrast automated data application from clean rooms to industrial environments. The HS-21 is an excellent portable solution for decoding both linear barcodes and 2D symbols in common applications such as high-contrast black and white labels. The HS-41X additionally includes Microscan’s industry-leading X-Mode decode algorithms and innovative bright field lighting for reading difficult low contrast codes, including direct part marks (DPM) such as dot peen and laser/chemical etch.
Both imagers are ergonomically designed for comfort in repetitive and heavy duty applications, and feature visual and vibrating indicators to provide confirmation of successful reads in noisy or sensitive environments. The IP54-rated enclosure protects all sensitive components and is easily cleaned by common hospital disinfectants for use in healthcare applications. Compatible accessories include a presentation stand with a flexible neck to use the readers in their motion detecting presentation mode.
Microscan offers handheld barcode readers for all applications, ranging from easy linear barcodes up to the most challenging 2D direct part marks. The introduction of the HS-21 and HS-41X expands Microscan’s product offering for standard applications, complementing its existing line of specialty handheld barcode imagers designed for more challenging DPM applications.
 

Can RFID-Based System Deliver More Productivity for Very Narrow Aisle Forktruck Movements?

Can productivity in very narrow aisle forktruck systems be improved by as much as 25% through use of RFID location systems and smart truck controls? Maybe yes, according to Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA), which announced this week the availability in the North American market a system developed in Europe by Jungheinrich that uses this innovative approach. MCFA is a distributor of Jungheinrich products in North America. According to a press release, the systems uses RFID identifiers on the aisle floor that connect to a reader on the truck, part of the overall Warehouse Navigator system from Jungheinrich.

QR Codes Used At Lincoln Cemetery

QR (Quick Response) Codes can be scanned with a smartphone, providing instant information in the palm of your hand. You've seen them on posters and in magazines, but how about cemeteries? It might sound odd, but QR codes may now be found at one Lincoln cemetery. It's so small that even if you were looking for it you might miss it. Placed on a grave marker in the Wyuka Cemetery is a QR code. These barcode-looking decals are reserved for those with, shall we say, an extensive history.

Govt signs deal for smart card-based driving licences

The UP government today signed a tripartite agreement with National Informatics Centre Services Incorporation (NICSI), a Government of India enterprise, and National Informatics Centre (NIC) for issuing smart card-based driving licences.

The state government’s Principal Secretary, Transport, B S Bhullar, NICSI Managing Director Rajesh Bahadur and NIC Technical Director Y K Singh signed the agreement in the presence of transport minister Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh. Y K Singh said smart card DLs will be issued and applicants’ details digitised using SARATHI software created by NIC-Hyderabad.

No more queues with QR code movie tickets

Golden Village (GV), a cinema operator in Singapore, is planning to cut down on paper movie tickets and long queueing times for its patrons. The company today unveiled new automated features at its latest multiplex in City Square shopping mall. Moviegoers will soon be able to book their tickets via the iGV mobile app, after which a unique QR code is assigned to them. They will then enter the theatre by flashing the QR code--which can store tickets for up to eight persons--at the automated gates.

MMDA launches e-tagging for PUVs

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Thursay launched the electronic tagging scheme for public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Metro Manila. Milagros Silvestre, head of the MMDA’s Organized Bus Route department, told reporters that the scheme’s actual implementation is being eyed in April as it would take at least three months for all the PUVs in Metro Manila to be fitted with the radio frequency identification devices (RFID).

Ten-year battery life for "internet of things" devices

The internet of things has been much-hyped for years but has been held back by restrictive power consumption in connected devices, among other things. Now an industry standard looks set to address the issue of power-hungry connected widgets. Backed by ARM and Cable and Wireless Worldwide, the Weightless wireless standard is intended to become a global standard for machine-to-machine communications over a WAN. According to ARM, which hopes to provide the silicon platform for many connected devices, the technology being developed by the group will lead to a chipset costing under $2 with a range of up to 10km and battery life of ten years.

QR codes on gift tags may be much more commonplace this year

The Inconvenient QR Clock

Appcelerator partners with Scandit to deliver barcode scanner module to Titanium developers

Scandit announced the release of a barcode scanner module for the popular mobile app development platform Appcelerator. The new module will provide developers using Appcelerator’s Titanium platform with a simple way to integrate Scandit’s leading-edge barcode scanner SDK for both iOS and Android apps.
The new barcode scanner module is now available to developers through the Appcelerator Marketplace. The module includes support for UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-13, EAN-8, Code39, Code128, ITF, QR, Datamatrix and PDF417 (beta) barcodes. Scandit’s scan technology captures barcodes from any angle before the camera even focuses, and represents the latest in mobile image recognition. With the new Appcelerator module, developers will be able to support the largest possible number of devices across iOS and Android, including a wide range of low-cost Android devices without autofocus cameras.
Developers using the new barcode scanner module can also access Scandit’s valuable product database through their Product API. With Scandit’s extensive product database featuring over 25 million products, developers can use a wealth of product data in their apps including UPCs, names, descriptions, and categories. Additionally, Scandit’s product database features premium offerings including nutritional product data, European product data for German-speaking countries and a mechanism to sell 3rd-party warranties through mobile apps. This unique combination of barcode scanning technology, expansive product data, and related services has positioned Scandit as a leading platform for the development of product-centric m-commerce and m-payment applications.

AdvanIDe Launches NFC TagExplorer App for Scanning

AdvanIDe, the leading independent provider of semiconductors for the smart card and RFID industry, today introduced a mobile app that can scan and display NFC tag content on Samsung Galaxy S III smartphones. AdvanIDe's NFC TagExplorer app reads all NFC-compliant tags including those using MIFARE1 technology, and enables customers to share and analyze tag contents so they can explore the IC technology and IC type that is being used for tags or contactless cards.
"With NFC phones getting a wide market acceptance, we wanted to introduce a tool, that enables our clients and partners to be able read and share tag contents and IC information using NFC-enabled smartphones," said Kintu Shah, Senior Technical Sales Manager with AdvanIDe.
"This is in particular important, as our customers often pass cards and tags to us with the request to identify the IC-type and manufacturer. With the NFC TagExplorer App, our clients can now read details of the IC by themselves and forward them to us. We chose the industry's most popular NFC-enabled smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy SIII handset, as the first mobile device for our NFC TagExplorer app with more to be scheduled in the near future."
The AdvanIDe NFC TagExplorer app takes advantage of the company's industry-leading expertise in RFID component and transponder technology. It runs on the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) platform, and uses the platform's integrated NFC stack along with NFC classes on Java. Customers can use the NFC TagExplorer to identify the type of tags that are being used in applications such as smart posters and labels or contactless smart cards. Currently the app supports about 20 different IC types from a variety of leading chip suppliers. Users also can review the data in a personalized NFC tag and use this information to program their own tags, or scan the tag to see what NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) commands have been employed so they can incorporate these commands into their NFC applications. Upon request, AdvanIDe will also make the app source code available to selected customers.

Trimble Introduces ThingMagic Mercury6e-Micro RFID Reader Module

Trimble introduced its next-generation UHF RFID reader module, designed to be embedded into a wide variety of handheld, portable and stationary devices. The exceptionally small size and powerful performance of the Mercury6e-Micro (M6e-Micro) yields increased efficiency, reduced development costs and time-to-market advantages for RFID applications. Only 46 mm long and 26 mm wide, the M6e-Micro offers two antenna ports and supports the ability to transmit up to +30 dBm (1 Watt) of power for the most demanding applications.

"The opportunity to embed high-performance, low cost RFID technology into many different types of products and solutions is driving innovation throughout commercial, industrial and consumer markets. The M6e-Micro module represents a significant step in supporting this innovation," said Tom Grant, general manager of Trimble's ThingMagic Division. "The introduction of the M6e-Micro demonstrates our continued commitment to removing the barriers to adoption so that more organizations can take advantage of RFID technology for their mission-critical applications."

The M6e-Micro can be embedded into handheld and portable devices to add RFID to everyday products such as printers and mobile computers. It can also be used to create small RFID readers and add-on accessories for existing and emerging solutions where using auto-identification technology can automate workflows or deliver new services.

The read distance of the M6e-Micro is limited only by the size and quality of the antenna selected to operate with the module. With the same antennas typically used in low-profile handheld readers, the M6e-Micro delivers up to two times the read distance of other RFID modules used in mobile applications. The M6e-Micro can read tags at a rate of up to 700 tags per second - more than 4 times the advertised read rate of comparable products on the market. Power can also be throttled down to support applications that demand precision such as tag writing.

When transmitting, the M6e-Micro draws less current than is typical for a high-performance UHF RFID module. The module is able to consume as little as 0.025 Watts while remaining ready to react quickly to commands. Support for voltages ranging between 3.3 V and 5 V makes this module compatible with a wide variety of solution architectures, and its built-in voltage regulation allows it to be run directly off battery power. Further performance optimization results in battery power savings over modules that need to transmit longer to read the same number of tags.
Customers can choose from two mounting options - vertically combining the module with low-profile connectors or soldered to a motherboard, requiring no cabling. The solder-down option supports high-volume production and reduces component and assembly costs for original equipment manufacturers.

These form factor and performance advantages allow customers to add optimized and standards-compliant RFID technology to a great number of devices and solutions, delivering cost savings and time-to-market advantages over alternative methods of embedding RFID.

Burlington Medical Supplies Adds RFID Tags to Its X-ray Aprons

Burlington Medical Supplies (BMS) has teamed up with RFID software company ODIN to create an RFID-based system to track X-ray protection aprons for the purposes of inventory control and inspection management. The firm has opened a new division, BurmedID, to market the solution, known as the Burlington Apron Inventory Management System (BAIMS). ODIN provided the software and, in cooperation with BurmedID, is hosting the server on which that software resides.

Fujitsu develops new data transmission technology

NeoMedia Adds New Patent Licensee to Mobile Barcode Patent Family

NeoMedia Technologies, Inc. announced that 4GQR LLC., a provider of QR code technology, is a new patent licensee to its portfolio of barcode related patents. 4GQR joins a growing list of companies actively licensed to use NeoMedia's patents, a list which includes industry-leading companies such as Microsoft. “The mobile barcode industry continues to grow at an explosive rate across a variety of brands and industries,” said Laura Marriott, Chief Executive Officer, NeoMedia. “In the last year alone, we’ve seen smartphone adoption rise to over 950 million and QR code scans increase by nearly 120 percent from the same period last year. As a leader in the space, we are encouraged by this growth and the value brands continue to see by leveraging our IP portfolio.”
 

Isis RFID mobile payment system launches in Salt Lake City

AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless on Monday launched a pilot program in the Salt Lake City area aimed at getting Utah consumers to embrace the idea of paying for merchandise with the wave of their mobile phones instead of presenting a credit or debit card. The program, which the three wireless carriers are operating under a joint venture known as Isis, also includes Austin, Texas. It is part of a major push by the credit card and online payment industry to get U.S. consumers and businesses to adopt mobile phone payment systems.

Kraft Foods conserves time by upgrading to image-based barcode readers

Allergen management is playing an increasingly important role in the packaged foods industry. Manufacturers are taking better care to avoid labelling mix-ups that sometimes lead to expensive recalls and potential liability concerns. In order to address these matters, Kraft Foods Canada scans each label after it has been affixed on the packaging line to ensure that it matches the package contents.
The barbeque sauce product line at the plant in Québec, Canada, produces 30 different stock keeping units (SKUs) at a rate of up to 265 bottles per minute. When the line is changed over to produce a different SKU number, the proper labels are manually loaded into the filling machine.
The possibility exists, however, that the machine operator might load the wrong labels or that a few wrong labels might be accidentally mixed in. To address this concern, Kraft deployed laser-based barcode scanners to read the 1-D barcode on each label and send the results to the programmable logic controller (PLC) that runs the machine.
The problem with the laser-based scanners is that they are only capable of reading codes located within a small field of view. When the labels are changed to a new SKU, the code may be in a different position depending on the label design. This required that the laser scanners be adjusted whenever the product line changed, taking a considerable amount of the technical team’s time. They were repeatedly called out to make adjustments to the laser scanners and often struggled to determine why they generated no read failures.
“I suggested to Kraft that they consider image-based code reading technology,” said Mike Palmieri, Senior Technical Sales Representative for Cadence Automation, a Cognex integrator. The basic idea behind image-based technology is that the reader uses a series of algorithms to process a captured image to make it easier to read the codes no matter the orientation or print quality. Palmieri recommended the Cognex DataMan 300 ID reader because its 800 by 600 pixel image resolution was able to see the entire label and easily read the code regardless of its position. “The DataMan 300 also provides built-in Ethernet which makes it easy to communicate with a PLC,” Palmieri said.
The DataMan 300 uses a new 1DMax algorithm, which incorporates Hotbars technology designed to handle difficult linear barcode-reading applications on high speed lines. The DataMan 300 series also offers the flexibility of integrated and controllable modular lighting and optics.
Kraft started by replacing one laser scanner with a DataMan 300 reader on the barbeque sauce line. From the moment it was installed, the image-based reader virtually eliminated read failures, providing 99.9%+ read rates. Kraft replaced the three other ID readers on the line spurs and has since also replaced the scanners on three additional lines. No adjustment is required so the technical staff has been freed from managing the product changeovers.
“DataMan 300 ID readers have significantly improved the efficiency of our packaging lines,” said Dave Fortin, Technician for Kraft Foods Canada. “In the past, our technical team had to spend a considerable amount of time adjusting laser scanners and had to deal with the many bottles with good labels that the laser scanners were not able to read. The new image-based ID readers have solved these problems by providing near-perfect read rates. They are also economical to purchase and easy to install and maintain.”

Wireless Joint Venture Isis To Launch NFC Mobile Payments

NFC mobile payments through Isis will be enabled in Salt Lake City and in Austin, Texas. A map listing equipped commercial establishments is posted on an Isis Web site, paywithisis.com. Stores will have a purple "Isis Ready" emblem displayed in the window. More details on the Isis NFC payments service will be released on Monday. Google currently offers mobile payments with its Google Wallet application, using MasterCard's PayPass and Visa's Paywave system, and Square -- created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey -- accepts payments through a phone attachment or by entering card numbers in an app. Square this week ended a trial run in New York City taxis that began in March, utilizing card readers attached to back-seat iPads.

Swipe out?

The mobile payments industry floats on oceans of hype and buoyed expectations as any industry in its infancy must. NFC, long the poster child for mobile payments, has suffered as key players brought products to the plate that swung and missed, or at best connected but went foul. There are no North American NFC home runs, a winner that delighted consumers and merchants alike by providing them services that made their interactions demonstrably better, faster or cheaper. So is any of this the fault of NFC? Sure, NFC is expensive to deploy. And there hasn't exactly been a flood of handsets that support NFC, so most merchants and consumers can't currently use NFC without upgrading their hardware.

ShopWiki Launches Barcode Scanning, Price Comparison App

ShopWiki, which operates an Internet shopping search engine, has released a new, barcode scanning app for iOS. The site--which is owned by Los Angeles-based Oversee.net--said the barcode app lets users check online prices while shopping at brick and mortar retail stores.

NFC is not an easy task, but mobile payments are already here

NFC has long been heralded as the holy grail for mobile. Paying with your phone is something that seems so futuristic and rightly so. The idea of getting rid of your wallet and just carrying a phone is tantalizing indeed, but most movements to kill the wallet have gone nowhere. Google Wallet has been around for a while now, but it's yet to see much traction around the world, let alone in the USA. There's a few places you can pay, a few compatible handsets and a few different credit card companies that support it, but you have to really want it to actually bother getting it.

TAGSYS Partners With Hilden

TAGSYS RFID, a provider of item-level inventory management systems that streamline the supply chain, has announced a partnership with Hilden, UK's leading supplier of linen products and related services. The partnership will see Hilden become the first company to offer RFID-enabled textile products to its customer base of hotel and hospitality clients in the UK and Ireland. Hilden, part of Vision Support Services, will leverage TASGYS' 15+years of expertise in RFID technology and its proven track record in the textile services market to help its customers better monitor and control linen use.
With the RFID-enabled products, Hilden's customers can take advantage of TAGSYS' item-level inventory management system based on the industry's most complete and scalable RFID-based infrastructure. The system, developed specifically for the textile services industry, includes RFID technologies, materials, software and consulting services to satisfy the entire management and logistics process of textile items from, to, and within the laundry and its customers, all from a single source.
As part of the agreement, TAGSYS will provide Hilden with UHF RFID tags in the form of discreet woven labels, which can be seamlessly integrated into textile items. This unique application of RFID technology offers the best read performance, resilience and quality/price ratio on the market compared to other industrial tags. It can sustain pressure of up to 60 bars and a temperature of 200 degrees C.

Happy Birthday! Barcode turns 60

Barcode, the distinctive black-and-white stripes that provide details relating to an object you purchase, has turned 60. There are more than five million individual barcodes in use around the world, according to regulator GS1 UK. Although barcodes were filed in the US on October 7, 1952, they did not make their first appearance in a US shop until 1974 - because the laser technology used to read them did not exist, the 'BBC News' reported.

Transfusion Medicine RFID Consortium details plans for commercializing technology to track and monitor blood products

The Transfusion Medicine RFID Consortium announced today that S3Edge Inc., the software partner for the consortium has been selected to exclusively commercialize the RFID and barcode based Blood Product Tracking suite of applications designed and built under a private, academic, and public initiative funded by the NIH. The system, consisting of mobile, desktop, and server software applications provides greater visibility to the physical movement of blood products, while improving the efficiency of Blood Center operations.  The RFID consortium includes BloodCenter of Wisconsin, SysLogic Inc., S3Edge Inc., Carter Bloodcare, Mississippi Blood Services, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Mississippi Baptist Health System, University of Wisconsin Madison – RFID Laboratory, and Mediware Corp.
The suite of applications has been deployed in a production pilot at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) with promising results. "Thanks to the outstanding work of the entire consortium team, we have successfully piloted the new system to track blood products as they move from fixed and mobile donation sites, through the blood center and to distribution. After 24 weeks of running the system in a pilot mode here at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin, we have seen process efficiency and traceability gains, as well as marked improvements in reconciliation," said Lynne Briggs, Vice President and Chief Information Officer for BloodCenter of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
The hospital transfusion services tracking module was piloted at the DeGowin Blood Center at UIHC where it was run in parallel with IPR, an internally developed barcode-based tracking system.  "The RFID system provided equivalent capabilities to those of IPR in terms of detecting and resolving process errors.  It additionally provided the blood bank staff real-time visibility for blood products in transit from the hospital blood bank to the point-of-care and in remote storage in our emergency department." said Dr. Thomas J. Raife, MD, Clinical Professor & Medical Director, UIHC DeGowin Blood Center.
The initiative to introduce RFID technology in transfusion medicine is also a showcase of how ground-breaking solutions can be very effectively designed, developed, and commercialized via private-academic-public initiatives for the healthcare industry. "This effort represents the culmination of years of hard work by the consortium members in bringing a much needed innovation to the market in a collaborative manner. We are pleased to see S3Edge taking the next steps to ensure that the cumulative efforts of the consortium benefit the transfusion medicine industry as a whole," said Rodeina Davis  who was the principal investigator for the STTR grant, and a luminary in the transfusion medicine field recognized for her role in advancing this new technology from idea to adoption.
SysLogic Inc., one of the founding members of the consortium and awardee of the STTR grant allowing for creation of the system will continue to spearhead efforts to obtain the 510(k) clearance for the blood product tracking suite of applications developed by the consortium. "Today's announcement solidifies our commitment not just to create compelling technology, but to realize the vision of creating a successful product for the transfusion medicine industry. We look forward to completing the requirements for the 510(k) clearance and facilitate the technology's potential to transform current operations in the transfusion medicine industry for all end-users," said Tina Chang, CEO of SysLogic Inc., a Brookfield, Wisconsin-based information systems consulting and services firm.
"S3Edge is extremely pleased to lead the commercialization effort and make the technology broadly available to the transfusion medicine industry. This significant milestone could not have happened without the efforts, guidance and leadership of the consortium. We look forward to working in tandem with this team of health care stakeholders and distinguished researchers to ensure Blood Centers around the world can take full advantage of this new system," said Mark Anastas, President of S3Edge Inc.

RFID consortium to bring blood product tracking technology to market

The Transfusion Medicine RFID Consortium, which seeks to improve safety and reduce costs in the blood supply chain through use of radio-frequency identification technology, announced Friday that Beaverton, Ore.-based S3Edge has been tapped to commercialize a new RFID and barcode-based blood product tracking technology. Designed and built under a private, academic and public initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Blood Product Tracking suite consists of mobile, desktop and server software applications that offer greater visibility to the physical movement of blood products, while improving the efficiency of blood center operations, officials say.

Accusoft Releases Barcode Reader App

Accusoft, the leading provider of document, content and imaging solutions, today releases Accusoft Barcode Scanner app for Android, utilizing the barcode engine of the Barcode Xpress Mobile software development toolkit (SDK), with barcode reader support for over 30 barcodes including DataMatrix, PDF417 and more.
The easy to use Accusoft Barcode Scanner app demonstrates the powerful performance of the Barcode Xpress Mobile SDK and its newly extended library of barcode support. After opening the app, simply aim the mobile device over the intended barcode inside the viewfinder rectangle to scan it. Results will immediately appear on the device with a variety of options to choose. For example, scanning an ISBN barcode will perform a book search on that title or scanning a URI barcode will jump to a web address at the click of a button.
The Accusoft Barcode Scanner app can read 1D and 2D barcodes, including DataMatrix, UPC, EAN and more. Today several industries utilize barcode technology to track inventory, index records, access medical records and more, for industries such as retail, industrial, transportation and medical. For example, the Retail industry relies on barcodes to gain valuable product information, receive special pricing or to educate their customers by watching a short video when making purchasing decisions.
The Barcode Xpress Mobile SDK for iOS has also been updated to include the extended library of barcode support and is available for download. Additionally, GS1 Databar support is coming soon to Barcode Xpress Mobile.

Explore Downtown Tampa Architecture On QR Code Tour

AIA Tampa Bay is hosting an architect-led walking tour of downtown Tampa's unique architecture on Friday, Oct. 5, from noon to 1 p.m. The one-hour tour, beginning at Lykes Gaslight Square Park in downtown Tampa, will include five to six historically significant buildings that contribute to the city's sense of place. The event is free and open to the public. Participants can start the tour by visiting Tour Tampa Bay Architecture, where they will find maps of the sites and pictures showing where the QR codes can be found. Some codes are obscure, whereas others stand out on windows and can be found while passing by. The website also includes historic sites in Ybor City and Hyde Park.

iPhone 5 NFC snub won't hinder contactless uptake

Apple has overlooked near-field communication (NFC) for its new iPhone 5, but it won't stymie the growth of NFC contactless payments, according to Datacard director of mobile solutions business development Sebastien Tormos. Pundits previously said that if Apple released an NFC-enabled phone, it would be a giant leap for the adoption of the contactless technology. There was speculation that the iPhone 5 would include the necessary hardware, but those rumours were proven wrong when the phone came out last week.

RFID Credit Cards: Is Your Identity Safe?

So-called "smart cards" are now common among major credit card issuers. They make shopping easier and faster for the holder and can add additional protection against traditional forms of credit card theft. Some users and identity theft watchdogs, however, raise an alarm about the safety and security of the information embedded in the card.

RFID Tags to be Required at Port of New York/New Jersey

Trucks serving the Ports of New York and New Jersey will be required to use Radio Frequency Identification technology sometime next year. The RFID mandate will require each truck serving the port to be identified through its VIN number and other characteristics to enhance port officials' ability to identify vehicle that may pose a security risk, reports the American Trucking Associations' Intermodal Carriers Conference.

Health Robotics' Launches Embedded RFID Support

Health Robotics announced the general availability of embedded Radio-frequency identification (RFID) for its world-leading Sterile Compounding Automation solutions i.v.STATION, i.v.SOFT, and i.v.STATION ONCO. These RFID upgrades will be showcased at the upcoming ASHP Midyear Meeting & Exhibition (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) on December 2-6 in Las Vegas, Nevada at Booth # 853. At the same time, Health Robotics announced that it entered the Blood/Plasma Automation Industry by leveraging its unique technology benefits across the Pharmaceutical and Blood/Plasma industry sectors.
Health Robotics' RFID solutions provide a wireless non-contact system that uses radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data from a tag attached to an object, for the purposes of automatic identification and tracking. The RFID tags contain rich, electronically stored information, which unlike bar-codes, do not need to be within line of sight of the reader and may be embedded in the tracked object, often resulting in faster scans, hands-free operations, massive scanning of multiple objects, and improved workflow and patient safety.

'Smart cards' to debut in 2013

Starting next month, the Regional Transportation District (Colorado) is leaping into the digital future with the introduction of its new smart card fare payment system for EcoPass holders. Late next year, the smart cards -- dubbed MyRide -- will replace all general bus passes and punch cards throughout the system. For EcoPass holders, of which there are more than 80,000 in Boulder County alone, it means an end to the tiny colored stickers that adorn their bus passes. RTD will instead distribute credit card-sized passes, each equipped with an implanted microchip, that riders can swipe on a reader when they board a bus or light-rail train.

Nadra starts issuing Smart Cards

The (Pakistan) National Database Registration Authority (Nadra) has started issuing Smart Cards, the most secure national identity card of the world, containing 36 security features, sources told ‘The News’ on Monday.

First Smart Card has been issued on the name of Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, the sources said adding that Director General (DG), Nadra, presented the first card to President Asif Ali Zardari in President House on Monday night. The Smart Card is a 3rd Generation Chip-based identity document that is built according to international standards and requirements.

Omni-ID: Leading the Pack in RFID for IT Asset Tracking

Omni-ID, the original patent holder and supplier of high-performance, on-metal passive UHF RFID tags and visual tagging systems, shared the results of some recent performance testing conducted by the engineers at the RFID Network on a variety of RFID tags for IT Asset Management applications, from multiple vendors.

"The largest data centers in the world are now using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for IT asset management. There are numerous companies claiming to have RFID tags designed for IT asset management. The RFID Network engineers did performance testing of commercially available RFID tags advertised as complying with the FSTC Guidelines for IT asset management...What we found was the Prox NG from Omni-ID had the furthest overall read performance, and more importantly, the least amount of orientation sensitivity..."

Barcelona’s QR Code Shopping Wall

Spanish supermarket Sorli Discau has opened a QR Coded virtual store in Sarrià subway station in Barcelona. 400 products are available and are delivered to the shoppers home. QR Code poster shops at subway and railway stations are not new but what is interesting is that some virtual grocery stores are using QR Codes while others like Philadelphia’s Peapod use UPCs and an app. The question is, in the long run which method will consumers prefer?

Track Students With RFID Chips, Get Rich

Today in the department of bad ideas, we have a pair of San Antonio schools that’s decided to tag its students with radio frequency identification (RFID) chips so that they can track their every move on campus. Starting this fall, the Northside Independent School District will be issuing RFID-equipped identification cards that the kids have to wear on lanyards any time they’re on campus. And then, in some corner of the principal’s office, the students show up as moving dots on a map of the screen like some real life game of Pac Man.

Rutgers Communication School Unveils QR Code Exhibit

Embracing the next step in communication and technology, faculty and students at the School of Communication and Information at Rutgers University (SC&I) on Tuesday unveiled a new exhibit embedded completely in QR Codes. QR Codes, those little boxes with puzzle-looking lines that come to life when read with a QR Code reader on a smartphone or ipad, are one of the latest forms of information sharing, showing up in advertisements, on billboards, and have even been embedded in some printed publications.

British mobile wallets NFC venture cleared by EU watchdog

The European Commission gave the go-ahead to mobile operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Everything Everywhere to create a joint venture that will allow customers to make payments via their phone using near-field communications (NFC) technology. The system stores debit or credit card information on handsets and enables payment by swiping the phone near a reader at the checkout.

From iOS vs Android to the timeless PC vs Mac. As Samsung and Apple take the headlines, we look at the other classic battles. The probe was launched in April after concerns were raised by 3UK, which complained to the Commission that the project was "discriminatory" since the three companies involved represent more than 90% of UK mobile subscribers.

Retrofitting Locks to Provide Greater Security

Innovations in hotel locking have been moving full speed ahead since the world’s first mechanical card lockset was introduced in 1979. Door locks with recordable pre-punched keycards replaced metal cutout keys in hotels around the world, providing greater security for guests and operational benefits for individual properties. As time passed, the mechanical card lockset that was once thought to be cutting-edge was replaced with magnetic stripe key systems. Today, new technology has allowed for even greater advances in locking with Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) and Near Field Communications (NFC) options.