How Hotels Can Turn RFID From Concept to Reality

RFID has many more uses for the guestroom, including improving the back-of-house of inventory management. Steve Waldron, CIO of London-based Grange Hotels, suggested that better inventory management ultimately improves the guest experience, and that if a housekeeper could simply walk into a room and know if the bathrobes were in need of replenishment that would help everyone.
“That is going to be a revolution in the future,” he said. “Basically everything that has value and enhances guest experience will have an RFID chip in it for housekeeping to instantly room check to a Tablet–bathrobes, duvets, blankets and so on.”

Why Did QR Code Die Despite The Smartphone Revolution

The year 2014 is dubbed as the beginning of an era of smartphone; the first time ever, smartphone sales to end user crossed 1 billion mark in a year, reaching 1.25 billion units in 2014. Users are much more data hungry now and this is clearly evident with the availability of 3 million unique apps to download. Brands are actively pursuing app developers with a focused mobile-first strategy and trying to lead the customer-acquisition race. Some apps win this race, but many fail to reach a sizable number of smartphone users despite having a promising solution to offer – QR code is one such type of application.

Internet of Things Vital to Future of Transportation and Logistics Industry

Zebra Technologies Corporation released survey results finding that 96 percent of surveyed transportation and logistics (T&L) companies agree that the Internet of Things (IoT) is the most strategic technological initiative their organization will undertake this decade. Zebra will discuss the survey findings this week at ProMat 2015 in Chicago.

•The survey, conducted in October 2014 by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Zebra Technologies, showed that 90 percent of T&L companies either have or plan to deploy IoT solutions within a year.
•More than half of respondents expect IoT to improve regulatory compliance (51 percent) and delivery processes (51 percent). More than four in ten expect IoT to help their companies improve safety (45 percent), recognize cost efficiencies (44 percent) or improve their supply chain visibility (44 percent).
•Wi-Fi, security sensors, near field communications (NFC) and real-time locating systems were cited as the most important technologies for enabling IoT implementations.
•Nearly 40 percent of respondents listed privacy and security concerns as the largest challenge for IoT implementations, while 38 percent mentioned implementation complexity.
•Zebra released global findings on IoT adoption across many verticals and industries, surveying IT and business decision makers from nearly 600 global firms.

Welcome To Privacy Hell, Also Known As The Internet Of Things

There are more devices and more types of devices, so this just gives you more ways for people to track you or hurt you," Corman, a long-time security expert and cofounder of I Am The Cavalry, says. "What we've done is blindly assume that [adding software and connectivity] is always good. And we're making really horrible, horrible choices." Corman founded IATC—a cybersecurity research non-profit focused on reducing IoT-related public safety risks—with security researcher Nick Percoco at a 2013 hacker conference. Medical devices are a big area of concern for Corman and his group.

RFID use seems to be getting some legs

The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags in both the manufacturing and retail sectors is apparently reaching a “tipping point” of sorts, if the results of a new survey are to be believed. Why should trucking companies care? Because RFID-tagged cargo is going to provide a lot more “granular” logistical information about how and where goods go in the supply chain network – data that could ultimately affect the freight motor carriers get to haul.

Armourcard beats RFID skimmers, without changing your wallet

Protecting your credit cards from wireless skimming no longer requires switching out your wallet, thanks to a new device, released out of Australia, that uses electronic jamming technology to beat RFID scanners at their own game. The major banks have really jumped on board the contactless payment bandwagon, offering their customers simple credit card transactions without the need to swipe a magnetic strip or enter a PIN. The cards use Radio Frequency Identification, allowing shoppers to electronically share card details with a payment terminal, all by passing their card near the terminal.

New Usecases Broaden Mobile ID, NFC

Several Mobile Digital ID solutions were shown at Mobile World Congress (MWC), held here last month, but the traditionally PC-based technology is challenging for an increasingly mobile world. Several existing systems rely on the presence of smartphones to unlock devices. Chrome OS uses Bluetooth connection to an Android smartphone or tablet to unlock a Chromebook and Chromebox. Using mobile identification in this fashion is difficult as many people do not have access to a laptop or desktop computer, or they share one with others and don't want to install a digital ID on it.

Could Your RFID Company Use $100,000 for Promotions?

We use trackers to measure our daily footsteps, sleep, calories burned, UV ray intake, heart rate, stress levels—and that's just for us. Imagine if you had another human inside of you. As the connected world spills over into every aspect of life, technology is making its way to babies and toddlers. New devices include Bluetooth and wireless-equipped pacifiers to bottles and connected onesies. Some examples: A baby car seat clip from Intel hat informs parents if their child is properly clipped in, or a smart pacifier (Pacif-i) that measures a baby's temperature while keeping them from crying.

Radio chip harvests energy from RFID readers

Spanish firm Farsens has an RFID chip which is powered by harvesting radio frequency energy from commercial UHF RFID readers and communicates with them using EPC C1G2 standard commands. The device also has an SPI interface to drive sensors in a battery-free design. Because the RFID device, called ANDY100, works under standard EPC C1G2 commands any commercial UHF RFID reader can be used just by programing with the correct standard commands.

GS1 US Survey Finds Strong RFID Adoption

A survey of product manufacturers and retailers by supply chain standards organization GS1 US has found that among those who are aware of radio frequency identification, the technology's adoption is strong and growing. On average, the research indicates, 40 percent of new items made by manufacturers in that group now have EPC ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tags attached to them, while 47 percent of the goods received by retailers in that group are tagged.

RFID to curb ‘ghost’ medical faculty

Teaching faculty in medical colleges will no longer be able to work in different medical colleges at the same time. In a bid to deter “ghost faculty” in medical colleges, the Medical Council of India has made it mandatory for colleges to introduce the radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track the movement of faculty members. RFID is a fool-proof system which will have a photo of the individual, degrees obtained, personal details and fingerprints. The database will then be integrated into Aadhaar cards of the faculty members.

Manufacturers and Retailers Embrace RFID

The results of the 2014 GS1 US Standards Usage Survey show that apparel and general merchandise manufacturers and retailers are using item level Electronic Product Code (EPC)-enabled radio frequency identification (RFID) to enhance inventory visibility and respond to consumer demands for omni-channel options. The survey found that nearly half (48.2 percent) of the manufacturers surveyed responded that they are currently implementing RFID, and another 21.1 percent planned to implement RFID within the next 12 months. Additionally, 18.4 percent planned to implement RFID over the next 13-24 months. Respondents reported that 40 percent of items made by apparel and general merchandise manufacturers have RFID tags.

CommBank adds HCE-based NFC payments

Commonwealth Bank of Australia this past week updated its mobile banking app and added the ability for its customers to make mobile payments using any Android phone with NFC and running KitKat 4.4 and above, according to multiple media reports. Of course, the bank is using Host Card Emulation technology to make tap-and-go payments possible for Android users. Before HCE, customers needed to purchase a physical PayTag (contactless sticker) to make mobile payments and link it to the app.

Why the Internet of Things matters

As the world moves towards converging technologies, analysts predict that billions of devices will be able to communicate with each other—an ability that has the potential to dramatically enhance the quality of living and change the way we experience products around us. The Internet of Things, or IoT, is defined as a worldwide network of “things” that include identifiable devices, appliances, equipment, machinery of all forms and sizes with the intelligence to seamlessly connect, communicate and control or manage each other to perform a set of tasks with minimum intervention.

New Embedded UHF RFID Modules for various applications available

Embedded RFID readers in the ultra-high frequency range have been revolutionizing the RFID market over the last ten years. However, apart from the benefits, UHF readers have a number of technical challenges such as integration time and cost for a RFID projects. A new generation of embedded UHF RFID modules has been introduced by iDTRONIC to overcome those challenges.

iDTRONIC’s next-generation embedded UHF RFID module family is designed to be used in a wide range of applications and offer exceptionally small size and powerful performance. The Austrian Microsystem chip based UHF embedded modules increase efficiency, reduce development cost and offer time to market advantages.

GSF India Is Now Hunting Internet Of Things Startups

GSF India, the Bangalore-headquartered accelerator program and angel investment firm, is broadening its scope to cover young startups in India’s internet of things space. The organization has partnered global tech giant Cisco for batch four of its incubator program — and, importantly, extended the deadline for applications until March 17. The organization was founded two years ago by serial angel investor Rajesh Sawhney, who saw the potential to invest in the early stage of India’s startup ecosystem with a Techstars-like program.

Disney MagicBand Makes It Harder For Parents To Say No

Disney World guests are now invited to wear the new Disney MagicBands. The rubber wristband (available in stylish pink, yellow, orange, red, blue, green and grey) contains RFID-enabled technology that keeps you in constant touch with opportunities in the park. The MagicBand tracks--and often guides--your every move. When you arrive to a restaurant in the Magic Kingdom, the hostess will receive a signal and seat you without you having to say a word. The waiter will know what you ordered the last time. And if you had sex last night...no wait, it doesn't track that, but..

Verve Adds iBeacon Tech to Panel App

London-based online community specialist Verve has added Apple's iBeacon technology to its Community Panel app, allowing it to track individual members as they travel into and around stores fitted with the iBeacon device. When a Verve Community Panel member enters a client's store, their Verve app detects the in-store iBeacons and the member’s exact location, down to aisle level.

Swatch to integrate timepieces with NFC technology, bypass smartwatch concept

Maintaining his stand about smartwatches being too small, their batteries too weak and their designs inelegant, Nick Hayek, CEO of Swatch Group says that Swatch are now integrating a few smart functions in their existing timepieces rather than producing dedicated smartwatches. To be equipped with near field communications technology, the new watches will be able to perform functions like cashless payments and hotel-room access. A tiny chip and antenna in each watch will ensure they won't need constant recharging. Speaking to WSJ, Mr Hayek said “We are not a consumer technology company. We don’t want to produce a reduced, minimized mobile phone on your wrist.”

Global Smart Card Market in the Government Sector to Grow at a CAGR of 10.2%

Market Research Reports, Inc. has announced the addition of  Global Smart Card Market in the Government Sector 2015 - 2019 research report to their website. This report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Global Smart Card market in the Government sector for the period 2015-2019.

According to the lead analyst of this report,the availability of twin smart cards is a key trend witnessed in the market. Twin smart cards, also known as hybrid cards, eliminate the need to carry multiple cards, thus providing ease of handling.

According to the report, the increased use of smart cards in the defense sector is a major driver in the market. The need for advanced levels of security is high because of the increased number of terrorist attacks. As a result, defense agencies of developed countries have employed smart cards for identification and access control.

Further, the report states that the complex technology of smart card chips poses a threat to the market. Microchips embedded in cards are used for data and information storage. As these chips are technologically advanced, they are more complex to use than magnetic tape smart cards.

Read QR codes on the Windows desktop with BarCode Reader

The easiest way to scan the occasional QR code is on your phone. Install one of the many QR Reader apps, point your camera at it, and you’re done: it’ll detect the code, read the text and maybe act on it, for example opening your browser at a URL. ByteScout BarCode Reader is a free tool which brings the same QR-reading abilities to the Windows desktop, and adds a lot of other functionality as well The program can work with graphics files and PDFs, as well as acquiring images from webcams, scanners or other WIA devices.

This startup is using iBeacon to make IRL networking more efficient

We’ve all been frustrated by the notion of networking. You walk into a meetup full of people you don’t know, but you do know something about them. Say, for example, it’s a meetup of developers. You know that lots of people there are devs, but what kind? And just because it’s an Android devs meetup, for example, that doesn’t mean that’s what they all actually do. One startup that’s working on a solution is Surf Labs. The new, two-person company, cofounded by Amazon and Fab.com alums, has released two iOS products that could make it more likely that you will find the person you are looking for.

GameStop Has Long-Term Plans for Short-Range Beacons

Since November 2014, video game retailer GameStop has been testing a new system that helps bring promotional content and information to customers' smartphones, using Gimbal's Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons at 36 of its stores in Austin, Texas. The game company is now beginning to assess the results of that trial, in order to determine how favorably customers at those locations respond to the beacon-based system, as well as whether it leads to increased sales. The firm then intends to consider the next U.S. region in which it will trial the technology, to verify those results. The system allows consumers to access information about the video games being offered in the specific section of the store in which they are shopping.

RFID Institute Announces First Official Certification Exam

The RFID Professional Institute, a not-for profit organization founded to promote professionalism in the RFID industry through standardized certification exams, announced today that it will hold its first formal RFID Professional Institute Certified Associate (RPICA) exam at the RFID Journal LIVE! 2015 conference and exhibition, taking place on Apr. 15-17 in San Diego, Calif., in partnership with Instruct U.

The RFID Professional Institute was founded in 2012 as a nonprofit organization registered in the state of Virginia. It held its first beta exam at RFID Journal LIVE! 2014 and another at RFID Journal LIVE! Europe. Exam questions have been refined to ensure that the associate-level certification accurately reflects an exam taker's knowledge of RFID terms and concepts. The aim of the associate-level certification is to show that those who have passed have demonstrated a broad knowledge of all types of radio frequency identification, system components and applications.

Anyone attending this year's LIVE! conference can take the RPICA exam, which will be held on Apr. 16-17. Training geared toward helping those new to RFID to pass the exam will be available onsite, before the test is administered.

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Bottles to Use NFC Technology Giving a More Premium Experience

Diageo plc, is looking to change the role of a scotch bottle in the consumer experience, with a prototype JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL smart bottle.  The NFC technology behind the bottle will be provided by Thin Film Electronics ASA. The NFC-enabled smart bottle aims to enhance the consumer experience by using printed sensor tags featuring Thinfilm’s OpenSenseTM technology, which can detect both the sealed and opened state of each bottle. The tags and the sensor information they contain will allow Diageo to send personalized communications to consumers who read the tags with their smartphones, providing a more ‘premium’ experience.

The innovation, created by Thinfilm in collaboration with Diageo Technology Ventures, will make it possible to send consumers targeted and timely marketing messages, whether at retail or after purchase, such as promotional offers, cocktail recipes and exclusive content.
Thinfilm’s proprietary and patent-pending OpenSense technology makes use of smartphones’ NFC capabilities. The technology allows Diageo to track bottle movements across the supply chain, in-store and to the point of consumption, with the sensor tags remaining readable even when the factory seal has been broken, providing an additional layer of security in protecting the authenticity of the product.

Unlike conventional static QR codes that are often difficult to read, easy to copy, and do not support sensor integration, OpenSense tags can dynamically detect if a bottle is sealed or open with the simple tap of an NFC smartphone. To ensure authenticity, the tags are also completely and permanently encoded at the point of manufacture and cannot be copied or electrically modified.

Internet of Things solutions in supply chain

India is the second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, second-highest producer of milk, fifth- largest producer of eggs and sixth in fish in the world. But, unfortunately, it has an erratic produce-supply chain that leads to a lot of wastage. In India, fresh produce worth Rs 133 billion is wasted each year due to inadequate cold storage facilities and refrigerated distribution. vegetables, the most significant challenge is the increasing consumer demand. Thus, there has been an increased need for IoT (Internet of Things) solutions like Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) that can provide interesting prospects for the management of information flow within the supply chain and security in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector.

Securing the future of NFC?

Ever since the deployment of Apple’s NFC solution – ‘Apple Pay’, and the various competitors launches since, there’s been speculation around what the future holds for consumer payments and how security will impact it, writes Jean-Claude Deturche The number of mobile and NFC transactions are growing globally; and with the recent Apple Pay launch acting as a catalyst, NFC adoption is set to increase further as consumer awareness grows.

Global Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-To-Machine (M2M) market expected to grow at a substantial growth rate

The global Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-To-Machine (M2M) market is expected to grow at a substantial growth rate. Rising demand for cloud apps, wireless networks, and sensors, is affecting the growth of this market. The factors driving the IoT and M2M market rely on the government support, and enhancing connectivity.

The global Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-To-Machine (M2M) market is segmented into four major categories, on the basis of technology and platforms into Radio frequency identification (RFID), Sensor nodes, Gateways, Cloud management, Near field communications (NFC), Complex event processing (CEP), Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), Zigbee and information and discovery services (IDS).

On the basis of M2M connections and modules, the market is segmented into network connections, sim-cards and module types. On the basis of IoT components into RFID, network communications, data processing and safety, security and support technology. The market is also segmented by application into Public safety & urban security, Retail, Healthcare, Energy & power, Transportation, Telecom & IT, Consumer & residential, Industrial & commercial Buildings, Manufacturing. The market is further segmented by geography into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and rest of the world regions.

The market is driven by factors such as the government driven technology, and ubiquitous connectivity. Some of the factors inhibiting the growth of the market are privacy and security, governance and standards and deployment of phase out of 2G technology. New ideas & bigger potential for market and deployment of innovative devices will serve as an opportunity, fuelling the growth of this market.

Some of the key players in this market are Alcatel-Lucent S.A., At&T Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Nxp Semiconductors Nv, International Business Machines Corporation, Google, Inc., Intel Corporation, Qualcomm Incorporated, Gemalto Nv and others.


Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2489970#ixzz3TxdTMtSE

Apple Pay Appeared to be Vulnerable to Scams

The Apple Pay is being increasingly exposed to fraud, despite the high level of protection of the technology proper. According to Payspace, encryption of the credit card data, a built-in chip for storing transaction data and a fingerprint reader for authentication of the owner of the iPhone payment service do not solve the security problem. The vulnerability is noted when entering credit card data in a mobile wallet.

Canadian Hockey Group Scouts Out RFID's Ability to Measure Athletic Skills

The Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA), a Canadian minor- and junior-level ice hockey governing body, is considering the adoption of an RFID-based solution called NEXT Testing, for use by all coaches and teams throughout the association. NOHA, which selects and manages teams of players from the region in multiple age levels—known as Team NOHA—employed NEXT Testing in November 2014 at its Team NOHA trials.

NFC system reference design by ams and ST for mobile and wearable

ams AG and STMicroelectronics introduced an NFC system reference design for secure contactless transactions supporting sleek form factor of mobile and wearable devices. The reference design can work with tiny antenna, that is typically adjacent to metal surfaces or shielded by the user’s hand, and mounted in a location hostile to RF transmissions. The ref design uses AS39230 analog front end (AFE) with boostedNFC technology from ams, along with the ST21NFCC controller and ST33G1M2 Secure MCU from ST. The certification includes EMVCo, GlobalPlatform, and Visa, Mastercard, Amex, and PBOC1.

Montclair Public Library Introduces RFID Checkout Technology

The Montclair Public Library will become the first library in the state of New Jersey to fully utilize radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, library officials said. RFID technology, used in the electronic toll-collection system E-ZPass, is a combination of radio-frequency based technology and microchip technology, and will provide the library with better tracking, more security and an easier method of loaning and returning library materials, Montclair Public Library said.

Want to go big with the Internet of things? Think 'some' not all

Close to 25 billion sensors could be sharing data wirelessly by 2020, attached to everything from LED lights to cars to industrial equipment to doorbells. That’s five times what’s connected right now. (There are lots of “things” that aren’t connected, but that’s another story.) Naturally, Intel is at the center of the movement: technology related to machine-to-machine communications represented the chipmaker’s fastest growing revenue line in 2014

Corporate Leaders Aren't Prepared for the Internet of Things

In a recent Gartner survey, more than 40 percent of organizations expected the Internet of Things (IoT) to have a significant impact over the next three years. That makes sense for industries dealing with tangible equipment, products and services. For example, many retailers already track inventory with RFID tags, and manufacturers use industrial automation and utilities that exploit sophisticated monitoring and control systems. However, many survey respondents feel that senior levels of their organizations don’t yet have a good understanding of the potential impact of the IoT.

HID Global UHF RFID tags for industrial environments

HID Global announced that its Identification Technologies division has launched its new High Temperature Label portfolio of wafer-thin UHF RFID tags that endure harsh industrial environments. The company’s High Temperature Labels were originally designed for the automotive industry, where manufacturers use them to identify and track each vehicle both during assembly and throughout its life on the road. Lifetime traceability of parts and components yields more accurate and efficient records which can help automakers expedite service in the event of a recall.

HID Global’s High Temperature Labels deliver consistent, reliable readability during the rigors of auto manufacturing, including welding operations, autoclaves, immersion in anti-corrosive electrolyte baths, cycles of paint layer application, and drying ovens that exceed 400° F (200° C).

Resistance to extreme physical, mechanical and thermal environments makes the High Temperature Label portfolio of tags ideal for all types of manufacturing logistics and inventory control operations. They are especially useful for tracking both work-in-progress and finished goods for industrial tools, medical trays, heavy equipment, car and aerospace components, cargo containers, and even blade and rack servers.

TfL plans to replace Oyster smart card technology

Transport for London is exploring options to replace the technology which is currently used inside its Oyster smart cards. Under the proposal, future Oyster cards would incorporate the contactless payment card technology which is used by bank credit and debit cards. This would allow fare payments to be handled using the proprietary Transit Transaction Model of payment rules and software which TfL developed to enable passengers to pay for travel using contactless bank cards instead of a dedicated smart card.

Mobile ticketing most cost-effective plan for railways

Although railway minister Suresh Prabhu has proposed debit card based ticketing machines, the banking industry has pushed for mobile-based ticketing as the best way forward for reducing queues and cost savings for Indian Railways. According to bankers use of mobiles would be most cost-effective as card-based payments are not viable for low-value tickets such as platform tickets and short distance suburban tickets. Even if on-site ATMs were used for issuing paper tickets it would be feasible for only higher value tickets as the interchange charges that banks pay to one another are quite high.

Mumbai Metro smart card and debit/credit is now rolled into one

Here comes the really smart card. Now your debit or credit card as well as the Metro fare card comes all rolled into one single card. The Mumbai Metro has introduced a debit/credit-smart card for Metro users. The Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL), a special purpose vehicle to operate the Metro in which Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra) holds a majority stake, has tied up with two banks for the purpose. The Combo Card is available with the State Bank of India and ICICI Bank.

Publix prepares to switch to smart-card system

The new credit-card terminals started appearing in Publix Super Markets stores a few weeks ago with little fanfare. But the new smart-card terminals represent a big step for Publix and are part of a nationwide project to thwart credit card fraud with microchip-enabled cards. There may be several years of transition for shoppers and merchants, but when the new systems are fully implemented, shoppers at every gas station, grocery, retail store and mall in the nation will need to learn how to use the new credit cards and start using a secret PIN with every purchase, much the same as debit cards require now.

Thinfilm Launches OpenSense NFC Sensor Label for Bottles

Printed electronics company Thin Film Electronics (Thinfilm) has announced a Near Field Communication (NFC) sensor tag known as OpenSense, a product designed for use on bottles to authenticate a bottle's contents, or to indicate (when read) if its seal has been broken. The "smart bottle" tag (slated for commercial launch during the third quarter of this year) will be displayed in prototype version by Thinfilm and Diageo, a maker of alcoholic beverages that assisted in the tag's development. The two companies will demonstrate a "smart bottle" of Johnnie Walker Blue Label with the OpenSense label attached to its cap and bottle at the Mobile World Conference, being held on Mar. 2-5 in Barcelona.

RFID 'at heart' of Internet of Things era in retail

As the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) in retail gains traction and businesses look to increase connectivity, RFID is expected to play a central role, according to Adam Sharp, business development director for retail at Smartrac Technology Group. Sharp suggests that as the retail industry continues to go through some "transformative changes", RFID can play a key part in helping businesses in the sector improve inventory accuracy and planning, prevent shrinkage, and facilitate omnichannel fulfilment. At this year's European retail tech solutions show RBTE, which takes place between 10-11 March at London's Olympia, retail visitors will have an opportunity to visit a dedicated RFID Zone showcasing nine companies – including Smartrac – that are bringing the technology to the retail sector.

Quicklock padlock unlocks via app or NFC

When I lock all my stuff into my gym locker, I leave my glasses in there as well. And because I have 46-year-old vision, I literally cannot make out the numbers on the padlock. That's made for some rather embarrassing attempts to get it open. Sigh. One potential solution: Quicklock, a new padlock that supports both Bluetooth and NFC. Translation: You can unlock it via a smartphone app or various convenient NFC accessories.

QR Codes Engineered into Cybersecurity Protection

QR, or Quick Response, codes – those commonly black and white boxes that people scan with a smartphone to learn more about something – have been used to convey information about everything from cereals to cars and new homes. But, University of Connecticut (UConn) researchers think the codes have a greater potential: protecting national security. Using advanced 3-D optical imaging and extremely low light photon counting encryption, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Bahram Javidi and his research team have taken the ordinary QR code and transformed it into a high-end cybersecurity application that can be used to protect the integrity of computer microchips. The findings were published in IEEE Photonics Journal.

Lloyds Bank to push customer rewards to mobile phones and smartwatches

Lloyds Bank is to start sending push notifications about special deals with selected retailers to customers’ smartwatches and smartphones.The launch of push notifications for the UK bank’s Everyday Offers service – which allows customers to earn up to 15% cashback on purchases made at a range of leading retailers – represents the “first step” towards a broader push notification service the banking group plans to deliver.