UK contactless spending totalled £1.5bn in March 2016

UK contactless payments in March totalled £1.5bn (US$2.19bn), The UK Cards Association has revealed, four months after monthly contactless spending hit £1bn in November 2015. “The £0.5bn mark came in May last year,” the organisation says. “One in seven of all card transactions are now contactless, compared to one in 16 a year ago.

Integrated liquid lens autofocus for barcode reader

Microscan announces that fully-integrated liquid lens autofocus models of MicroHAWK barcode readers are now available for pre-order featuring both automatic and software-programmable autofocus. Liquid lens autofocus technology has been offered in Microscan technology since the release of the company’s high-performance QX Hawk barcode imager in 2009. This technology uses electrostatic pressure to create electrical currents that react with the two liquids inside the lens to produce the appropriate lens curvature. This enables barcode imagers to read symbols at any distance and speed in any environment, including very large linear barcodes on packages.

Sport Zone Raises Inventory Accuracy With RFID

European sporting goods and sportswear retailer Sport Zone is expanding its use of RFID technology to eight stores, following a two-store pilot that raised inventory accuracy to 99 percent, thereby boosting sales. The company expects to recoup its investment within a year after deploying an RFID solution that helps it track when merchandise leaves its distribution center, arrives at stores and is put out on the sales floor. Sport Zone trialed the technology beginning in April 2015, by tagging and tracking all apparel and footwear sold at two of its stores. The technology includes Avery Dennison and Zebra Technologies hardware, as well as software provided by Tyco Retail Solutions.

The Tamper Evident Crypto RFID Label for Smart Traffic

Confidex XENON VIP is targeted for highest security level of windshield label based smart traffic management applications with its crypto features and thin, tamper evident label structure. Confidex XENON VIP improves the security level of RFID-based smart traffic solutions such as high-speed Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI), automated toll collection, parking and access control solutions for highly populated metropolitan areas. Batteryless, more cost effective, passive RAIN RFID technology opens totally new opportunities for smart traffic solutions at broader geographical coverage based on lower vehicle based costs.

Newly designed innovative label structure is further enhancing the Confidex XENON VIP level of security. It is a result of combining deep knowledge of materials and best available material components for achieving superior tamper evidence features - without losing robustness and thinnest possible structure in the targeted application usage.

By utilizing new NXP UCODE DNA chip, Confidex XENON VIP combines exceptional long-range contactless RF performance with cryptographic security implementation. It uses revolutionary security features, such as two 128-bit AES keys and an AES digital core for cryptographic authentication for the first time in smart traffic applications.

Smart Card Alliance and International Parking Institute Publish New Edition of EMV and Parking White Paper

With the U.S. moving to EMV chip technology for more secure credit and debit card payments, parking industry stakeholders across the payments value chain recognize the need to learn about EMV to plan to migrate their infrastructure effectively. Now that the October 2015 EMV fraud liability shifts are in place, the Smart Card Alliance and the International Parking Institute (IPI) have revised last year’s white paper, EMV and Parking, to provide current information on the technology and refreshed scenarios covering the critical aspects of deploying EMV-compliant solutions within the parking infrastructure.

“Understanding how EMV affects different attended and unattended parking scenarios is critical for parking operators planning upgrades to accept chip transactions,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance. “By collaborating with IPI and bringing together experts from both industries, we are uniquely positioned to provide the education and implementation guidance necessary to help parking stakeholders move their chip technology implementations forward.”

Eventbrite's RFID Technology Helps Festivals Enhance Consumer Experience

This summer, fans attending Governors Ball on Randall’s Island in New York will enter the festival using one of the most advanced RFID wristband technologies in live music. Developed by Eventbrite and its recently acquired Scintilla Technologies, the new RFID technology is an access control system that allows for cashless payments, rapid onsite fulfillment and offline operations with multiple layers of redundancies to continue to power an event if the network goes down.

NAPA Technology Introduces New Spirit/Batch Cocktail Dispensing System, RFID and Mag Stripe Hotel Access

Napa Technology expands into the automated dispensing of spirits and batch cocktails with the introduction of the SpiritStation- the newest addition to the product portfolio.  The SpiritStation provides portion control, temperature control and is a beautiful showcase to show off top shelf Whiskies, Bourbons, Tequilas and more. With automated and programmable pouring options, restaurants, bars and clubs can customize their service based on the needs and demands of their business. While operators are using the technology as self-service or implementing the automatic billing to a hotel room key, it can also be used to provide consistent and regulated pours of wine, spirits and batch cocktails

Chipless RFID market to grow at a CAGR of 29.33%

Global Chipless RFID Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

RFID devices can be integrated with other technologies such as Wi-Fi and real-time locating systems (RTLS). Those manufacturers who require efficient inventory management systems demand highly advanced RFID devices. Technically advanced RFID semiconductor devices are being developed keeping in mind the specific needs of customers. These technological advances have led to increased adoption of RFID devices in retail and logistics applications.

According to the report, asset tracking is the process of tracking a physical asset and collecting information on its usage and whereabouts, while an inventory management system keeps track of stocked goods in order to plan further production. Both systems are an integral part of the supply chain. Chipless RFID keeps track of all products and lets the manufacturer know if any product is out of stock. It is also used in the healthcare sector, especially in hospitals. Chipless RFID helps the management keep track of medical equipment.

Shenzhen playing a strong hand in the global IoT game

Chinese Special Economic Zone of Shenzhen is set to become a global hub for IoT hardware manufacturing. This thriving metropolis of an estimated 14 million people and has already made big waves in the IoT world as an attractive spot for entrepreneurial manufacturing, especially for IoT-related companies. Shenzhen has grown considerably over the past several years, and its history in the manufacturing world makes it an ideal place to find talented innovators to help shape the future of the IoT market. For startups, it offers a range of unique benefits including giving businesses access to vital IoT-specific components needed for product development, as well as an experienced workforce that knows the technologies and has the ability to fast-track manufacturing.

A Clever Use of QR Codes to Help Students Log In

First introduced in 1994 in Japan, QR codes never quite took off in the U.S. It may speak to our impatience that whipping out a smartphone, launching a scanner app, and focusing the camera on an image of pixelated square proved too big a hassle. But perhaps people have been focusing on the wrong target audience for this technology. Clever, a San Francisco, CA-based startup, think it’s found the right users: K-12 students. The company best known for developing APIs that help 51,000 U.S. schools manage and provision user accounts from over 200 education technology companies is unveiling a new product: Clever Badges.

1,000 to be issued RFID cards for ragpickers

With the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in the process of installing biometric devices at the Deonar dumping ground, nearly 1,000 ragpickers will be able to resume their jobs from June onwards. Ragpickers were barred from entering the dumping ground in March following a number of pocket fires. The solid waste management department of the BMC will set up watchtowers as well as high masts around the 120-hectare ground for increased surveillance.

HID Global Offers RFID-enabled Fuel-Management Solution

HID Global has released a set of components known collectively as identiFUEL that it says will enable fuel-management system (FMS) providers to further automate their offerings for managing fueling processes. IdentiFUEL employs passive low-frequency (LF) 125 kHz RFID technology and is designed to enable cashless fueling of a company's vehicle fleets, prevent fraud and contamination (such as a driver using the wrong fuel), and accurately track when fuel is taken, which vehicle operators have done so and the volume of fuel being consumed.

Ubisense Introduces AngleID to Provide Low-Cost, Real-Time Zone Location

Implementing a real-time location system within a factory or at another site typically requires the installation of a network of readers and software integrated with a user's own management software. This makes the installation daunting for companies that want a quick and inexpensive solution, especially if the issue they hope to resolve with the technology is small or isolated. Now Ubisense, a U.K.-based global provider of location-based solutions, released AngleID, an RTLS product that can be installed within a matter of minutes, according to Jay Cadman, Ubisense's marketing director.

Bell and Howell: Historic Company Moves Into IoT Space

Survival is based on instinct. While this is true for people, it’s also true for companies. The intuition we follow when deciding which path to take is similar to a company’s roadmap for product development. Bell and Howell is a good case in point. The company, which is remember by some as a manufacturer of motion picture machinery, is aiming to make its mark in the IoT world through its smart locker package delivery system.

Fitbit acquires NFC payments tech from Coin

Fitbit said acquiring the wearable payment assets of US start up Coin will accelerate its ability to put an NFC capability into future devices. The wearables firm, which did not disclose the value of the deal that closed on 12 May, said it was taking on key personnel as well as intellectual property relevant to Coin’s wearable payments tech. The deal excludes Coin’s smart payments products, including Coin 2.0.

Mums devise unique barcode system to stop children losing their school uniform

All parents have been there... sending their children off to school fully kitted out in uniform, but by the time they come home, half of it's gone missing. So two mothers have decided to swap name tags for something more normally seen in the supermarket - they're making unique barcodes to stick onto children's clothes. The idea is that parents and teachers can scan the barcode on an app to find out who the clothes belong to. The barcodes are being trialled at their children's school in Milton Keynes.

Barclays to roll out HCE mobile payments across the UK in June

Barclays is to begin rolling out a host card emulation (HCE) based mobile payment feature to its mobile banking app in June, the UK bank has confirmed to NFC World. The service will enable customers to make transactions at any contactless terminal and pay for services across Transport for London (TfL) with a tap of their Android device using either a debit or credit card.

Singtel Dash mobile payments service adds NFC transit

Singapore mobile network operator Singtel has made NFC transport payments and top-ups available through its Singtel Dash mobile payments platform. Deals and rewards have also been added as well as overseas money transfers. In addition to the new features, the service will continue to let users make in-store and online payments.

RFID-based drug management and electronic nursing service management systems

The local healthcare industry faces serious challenges of insufficient manpower, a continuously high utilisation rate of medical services, and surging demand for personalised nursing services due to an aging population. To address these issues, frontline healthcare practitioners are under considerable pressure. The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed two Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based smart healthcare systems, namely 1) a drug management system and 2) an electronic nursing service management system.

The former system tracks drugs throughout the drug handling processes to ensure accurate drugs replenishing and dispensing to prevent errors in dispensing drugs. The latter is an electronic information system which enables the management, recording and tracking of nursing services information with real-time service monitoring and alert features. It aims to relieve workload and pressure of frontline practitioners, and enhance efficiency and quality of nursing services. Both systems can be used in healthcare institutions including hospitals, infirmary units, rehabilitation centres, elderly nursing homes, clinics, etc.

Disney Research uses RFID tags to create powerless, low-cost interactive controllers

The team at Disney Research is up to its fun old tricks, this time finding some new uses for off-the-shelf RFID tags. Along with researchers from Carnegie Mellon, Disney’s laboratory wing has discovered a low-latency way to process RFID signals, making it possible to use the tags to turn cheap objects into simple wireless interactive controls that don’t require battery power. The RapID (pronounced “rapid”) system could lead to all manner of inexpensively produced interactive toys. Such functionality could also be incorporated into smart books with relatively little expense.

RFID Drives Efficiency for Kia Vehicle Finishing and Shipment

U.K. logistics provider Paragon Automotive is employing a radio frequency identification solution to track Kia vehicles near the Port of Immingham, on England's east coast, as vehicles are painted or otherwise modified, stored and then shipped to retail locations. The system consists of Paragon's own management software, a combination of mobile and fixed RFID readers, and an EPC Gen 2 passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tag attached to each vehicle so that the company can track its location. Using RFID enables Paragon to meet the high-volume, fast-paced requirements of an automotive market that has been growing in the United Kingdom.

RR Donnelley and Smartrac Market RFID-Based Smart Packaging, Labeling Solutions

R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co., a  provider of communication services and innovator in printed electronics, and RFID pacesetter, Smartrac, have agreed to jointly market an innovative process for RAIN RFID implementation that will enable growth in the number of products connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) through smart packaging and related solutions.

Both companies will bring specific strengths to the collaboration. RR Donnelley will leverage its unique printed electronics capabilities including customized antenna design and printing, and its leadership in labels and packaging markets. Smartrac will contribute its extensive chip attach capacity, plus the data collection and processing capabilities of Smart Cosmos, the company’s IoT services and solutions platform.

By leveraging each other’s fields of expertise, the companies have developed a unique method for manufacturing RAIN inlays using two distinct components that do not need to be adhered together. This method expands upon current use cases and creates new opportunities for value-added products and services. For example, it provides brand owners a means to simplify their RFID compliance needs by making all product tags, labels and packaging RFID-ready and then enabling them on an as-needed basis. Additional use cases include inventory management, asset tracking, authentication, retail theft prevention, consumer engagement and others.

ScanSource POS and Barcode partners with Bluebird

Greenville-based ScanSource POS and Barcode, a business unit of ScanSource Inc. and global provider of automatic identification and data capture, and point-of-sale solutions, recently partnered with Korean-based Bluebird Inc., a global manufacturer of enterprise mobility, payment technology and rugged tablets. Bluebird offers an enterprise-level product line that provides a feature-rich experience for the end user, enhancing workforce automation, customer engagement and mobile payment processes, according to a release.

Innovators Find Internet of Things Paradise in Shenzhen

The IoT sector has found its center of gravity in a city far away from Silicon Valley, in the bustling, southern Chinese Special Economic Zone of Shenzhen.  The Tier 2 China city with a population of approximately 14 million is located 40km north of Hong Kong.  While the city has always had a special identity as an entrepreneurial manufacturing hub, more recently it has become the darling of IoT entrepreneurs from around the world. Perhaps one of the more notable examples of Shenzhen’s growing influence was when Zach Smith, the New York based founder of Makerbot and a 3D printing pioneer moved from New York to make Shenzhen his new home.

U.K Linen Service Cleans Up With RFID

Commercial laundry and textiles rental company Fishers Services has equipped its latest "super laundry" in Glasgow with RFID readers to interrogate tags attached to the linens it provides to its customers, as well as on all bags and roll cages that it uses to ship those linens, so that the firm can view when goods are received, laundered and shipped to customers. By using the RFID system, provided by UBI Solutions, the laundry company can not only better manage its inventory of linens to prevent losses, but also provide its customers with access to the data.

Who Needs Cash To Pay For Parking Anymore?

There aren’t many places left in India where you wouldn’t find a ‘Paytm accepted here’ sticker pasted on shop doors. The phenomenon is reaching far and wide. The largest wallet provider in India, Paytm has tapped another unclaimed market with its tie up with multiple parking-management companies. With this, consumers will now be able to offer cashless payments for parking as well.

Smart Card Alliance forms new IoT security council

With security and privacy on the top of the list of challenges that face the widespread adoption of IoT technologies, the Smart Card Alliance has announced that it would be forming a new Internet of Things Security Council to provide guidance and encourage the adoption of secure technologies that it believes could better address the needs of the IoT. The Smart Card Alliance is a not-for-profit association comprised of over 200 worldwide members across several industries. It invests in education in the areas of identification, payments, and other areas where smart card technology is commonly used.

Mobeam Surpasses 40 Million Barcode Beaming Transactions at Retail POS

Mobeam announced it has completed more than 40 million retail point-of-sale (POS) transactions, a milestone that showcases the growing demand for true mobile wallets that are uniquely able to process gift cards, loyalty cards, coupons and other barcoded data.

The company reported it is now processing more than 2 million transactions per month via apps from multiple retailers and grocery stores, as well as Mobeam's own popular Beep'nGo app. The transactions are processed throughout the U.S., Asia and Europe.

Mobeam's patented light-based beaming technology overcomes historical technical barriers and enables POS laser scanners to read barcodes on Android mobile devices. Popular and emerging "mobile payment" apps rely on NFC or other technologies that communicate with credit card payment terminals, but not with scanners. Mobeam enables true mobile wallets and not just NFC-based card payment substitutes, meaning payment apps can now carry loyalty cards, membership cards, gift cards, tickets, vouchers and coupons, providing them with universal POS access at retailers. Mobeam technology easily integrates with all existing mobile payment apps, thus completing their role as a comprehensive mobile wallet.

Mobeam currently operates on more than 375 million Samsung phones, and the company is in talks with other manufacturers to expand the technology to other market leading devices.

Payback to add NFC payments to mobile app

German loyalty program Payback is to launch a new app in May that will include loyalty points, coupons and NFC mobile payments. “The points via smartphone [function] should be possible at the big Payback partners in a pilot phase in June,” Handelsblatt reports. “The payment function will be based on a QR code and NFC technology. The amount due will be paid by direct debit.”

Payback to add NFC payments to mobile app

German loyalty program Payback is to launch a new app in May that will include loyalty points, coupons and NFC mobile payments. “The points via smartphone [function] should be possible at the big Payback partners in a pilot phase in June,” Handelsblatt reports. “The payment function will be based on a QR code and NFC technology. The amount due will be paid by direct debit.”

Air Canada Cargo deploys piece-level RFID tracking

CargoAware, a division of Franwell, Inc., the proven leader in radio frequency identification (RFID) track and trace technologies, announced today that Air Canada Cargo is moving forward with implementation of a large-scale RFID implementation that will track cargo and mail shipments across additional stations in its network. Initial implementation and solution validation was agreed to in September of 2015, with Montreal Canada and Frankfurt Germany being the first two stations installed, at that time. Boston is now on-line, with Chicago being installed. Franwell will be partnering with Jamison RFID, View Technologies and other strategic partners to provide the air cargo services provider with a complete, end-to-end RFID RTLS tracking solution.

Air Canada Cargo is Canada’s largest provider of air cargo services, and provides direct shipping to more than 150 cities in Canada, the US and around the world. The company will use the RFID solution, developed and implemented by Franwell, to track cargo at the piece level associated to a RFID-tagged ULD. Freight is tracked as it moves through the warehouse and to and from the tarmac using RAIN RFID (passive UHF) labels, providing real-time, hands-free shipment location updates.

New techniques make RFID tags 25 percent smaller

Engineering researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a suite of techniques that allow them to create passive radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that are 25 percent smaller -- and therefore less expensive. This is possible because the tags no longer need to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) in order for the tags to function effectively.

In passive RFID technology, a "reader" transmits a radio signal that is picked up by the RFID tag. The tag converts the AC of the radio signal into DC in order to power internal circuits. Those circuits control the signal that is bounced back to the reader. Passive RFID technology is used in everything from parking passes to merchandise and asset tracking. For example, passive RFID is the technology that tells a traffic barrier to lift when you wave a parking pass in front of the scanner.

Florida High School Students Use RFID To Detect Guns Entering Buildings

At the Scheck Hillel Community Day School in Miami, Fla., three high school freshmen were recently assigned a capstone project in their STEM class that challenged them to use technology to solve a real-life problem. Esther Benasayag, Albert Wolak and Abraham Woldenberg looked to the headlines for inspiration, and they immediately recognized the issue of the day — school shootings. In an effort to "save lives," as the students put it, they turned to radio frequency identification technology. Benasayag, Wolak and Woldenberg figured they could somehow use RFID to alert schools to guns that come through their doors. Woldenberg specifically remembered one ski trip he took where RFID chips were used in lift tickets.

42% of UK mobile users don’t trust NFC mobile payments

More than four in ten mobile users in the UK (42%) feel that NFC mobile payments are not secure, research from Ofcom reveals. “Mobile users are more likely to say that this activity is not at all secure (24%) than say it is completely secure (10%) — around one in five are unsure,” the communications regulator says. The findings also show that 15% of the 1,841 respondents have used their phone to make a contactless payment.

Kathrein Group Acquires NoFilis

Kathrein Group, a provider of telecommunication and RFID hardware, has acquired automatic identification software company NoFilis. Kathrein's RFID division—Kathrein RFID—already sells ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) readers and reader antennas to the automotive, industrial and logistics sectors, as well as other markets. During the months following the acquisition, which took place on May 1, Kathrein RFID and noFilis will each continue to sell their technology independently, while both companies will also provide full turnkey solutions consisting of Kathrein's hardware and noFilis' CrossTalk software.

It's an ​IoT world: The big shift to intelligent devices

'Internet of things' (IoT), or 'machine to machine' connectivity (m2m) as the cellular providers define it, is now reaching a widespread level of maturity. Internet of Things World conference has its biggest event of the year in Silicon Valley May 10-12 (the other edition is in Dublin Ireland in November). In many ways IoT is the vibrant new frontier of online innovation in the valley, with data flows from objects and devices starting to reach huge levels and projections of massive increases. Inevitably the big players in enterprise computing and mobile connectivity are watching like hawks to see where and how the space plays out and how they can dominate. Cisco is heavily committed already with their own  conference in Berlin while Microsoft has done a stellar job building out their Azure platform in anticipation of the coming tsunami of device data.

Checkpoint Systems Introduces New High-Speed, High-Quality RFID Tag and Label Production Capabilities

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. announced EVO, its new high-speed, high-quality production capabilities for RFID tags and labels. The company also announced Check-Net Mobile App, an order-tracking mobile app, and its expanded RFID printing capabilities in Asia.

Retailers are requiring high-quality, high-performance tags that are of heavier weight and often uniquely shaped, which makes them unable to be printed with conventional RFID thermal printers. Checkpoint’s new EVO printing capability is able to encode, verify and print variable data on high-quality, high-performance RFID labels at ten to fifteen times faster than conventional RFID thermal printers.

EVO printing is performed to the retailer’s exact specifications, and tags can be printed on both sides. EVO allows for printing of lower volumes of high-quality tags, reducing costs for retailers. As with all of Checkpoint’s innovative RFID production capabilities, EVO’s sophisticated encoding and verifying processes, tags are double checked for RFID Electronic Product Codes (EPC), and tag data is verified to be correct, unique and matching any barcode on the tag that supports Quality Assurance (QA) practices.

Fujitsu Delivers New Family of UHF RFID Tags for Flat Linens, Fashion Apparel and Accessories

Fujitsu Frontech North America Inc. is now shipping its new Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID tags for industrial garments and flat linens as well as its new Fashion tag for formal wear, high fashion apparel, garments, and accessories. The new Fujitsu WT-A522L and WT-A522LA Fashion tags, which are about the size of a typical shirt collar stay, are virtually imperceptible when installed in the sheerest of garments. For industrial applications, Fujitsu is introducing the new, ultra-rugged, WT-A533 tag for industrial linen processes.

Unlike most garment RFID tags, this new WT-A522L Fashion tag is made from transparent materials and is virtually invisible when sewn into clothing or accessories. From fine silks and lace to sheer gowns, the new Fashion tag provides Fashion Designers and Retailers protection against counterfeiting and fraud. Fashion apparel and formal wear rental enterprises will also benefit by providing precise tracking of rental garments and accessories at the item level, without having to unbox and individually read a bar code. The new Fujitsu Fashion tag is designed for permanent installation into fashion apparel, suits, formal wear, and jeans. Measuring only 55mm x 10mm x 0.3 mm, the WT-A522L tag can easily be sewn into hems, seams, or under manufacturers’ labels and is home wash, dry-clean, and ironing safe. Fujitsu will also offer the WT-A522LA with a strong adhesive for attachment to shoes, handbags, and accessories.

Childhood favorite Cracker Jack swaps toys for QR codes

The iconic baseball game snack Cracker Jack hopes to appeal to a younger audience by replacing its physical prizes with QR codes for augmented reality rewards. The QR codes require downloading the Blippar app, available for Android and iOS, in order to scan a prize sticker. Right now, scanning the Cracker Jack code will net you a virtual baseball field for your phone.

Delta will track baggage with RFID by the end of the year

Delta announced Friday it will be the first airline in the U.S. to deploy Radio Frequency Identification — or RFID — baggage tracking technology, for all 120 million bags it handles each year. Since the 1990s, airlines have tracked baggage with barcodes and hand scanning. Delta calls the switch to RFID "historic." Bill Lentsch, Delta's senior vice president of airport customer service and cargo operations, said this will entail a $50 million investment in RFID at 344 stations globally.

SML Group Announces RFID Tag Products Based on Alien Technology

Identification solution provider SML Group announced a strategic partnership with Alien Technology, enabling SML early access to the latest generation of Higgs-EC technology, as well as Alien's portfolio of fixed and handheld RFID reader solutions.

A proven leader in retail deployments, SML is a leading provider of complete RFID solutions including RFID tags and labels for the top fashion brands and retailers in the world. Incorporating the new Higgs technology allows SML to develop smaller labels and tags with expanded memory capacity, enabling additional information to be stored on the SML RFID label for enhanced loss prevention and brand protection.



SML has released its latest GB4HEC inlay using the Alien HEC chip. This new 42*16mm inlay offers high sensitivity for very fast read rate speeds, as well as a more robust memory that is capable of correcting any bit flip errors that may occur during semiconductor production.

China already has 85% of the world's RFID manufacturing capacity

China already has 85% of the world's RFID manufacturing capacity, being a major exporter of tags. In addition, the second generation National Identification Card project in China is the largest RFID order by value and China is delivering it by using Chinese-only resources almost exclusively. Thanks to strong support by the government, China has used RFID widely on applications ranging from library assets to train tickets, and as China becomes a leader in manufacturing in most segments - from cars to planes - it will fuel increasing demand for RFID in manufacturing and many other industries.

As RFID is increasingly being deployed around the world (IDTechEx expect that over 8.5 billion tags will be sold globally in 2015 versus 7 billion in 2014), suppliers are in the process of shaving off fractions of a cent from each inlay, particularly for passive UHF. That means picking up and moving manufacturing base to China in some cases. There have also been other, relatively new entrants that by strong investment (including acquisition) have gained a relatively high market share from nothing in a few years, examples being Arizon RFID and Shangyang, to name a few.

Without doubt there is rapid progress with RFID in China and this report uniquely provides quantitative data and analysis of RFID technology, market and players in the country. Our analysis is based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with RFID companies and solution providers in various RFID markets, giving detailed information and an unprecedented level of insight into China's RFID industry.

Gartner: Global IoT security spending to hit $348m in 2016

The rapid growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the tandem acceleration in malicious attacks on connected devices will drive worldwide expenditures on IoT security by 24% this year to $348 million. And that’s the good news; according to a new report that momentum is expected to accelerate significantly after 2020. An Information Week article reported Gartner’s latest predictions on the IoT security market in a new market report released this week entitled “Forecast: IoT Security, Worldwide, 2016”.

Will Drone Based RFID Readers ever Gain Traction?

Fixed RFID readers don't do a good job tracking inventory as it moves about the store. Handheld readers can do the job pretty well, but requires store personnel to go out on the store floor and take the inventory. To deliver the solution, ADASA is partnering a third-party company that has automatic navigation, collision avoidance and safe indoor flight technology, with the drones using the sonar technology to avoid collisions with people and objects. It does not appear from the ADASA web site that the company as yet has any deployment of this drone reader system.