Hong Kong jeweler Chow Tai Fook taps RFID to gain customer insights

The Hong Kong-listed jeweler Chow Tai Fook has adopted RFID technology to capture data on customers’ preference and shopping behaviors during the sales process in its stores to help create an engaging shopping experience for customers. The technology is also used in the logistics and stocktaking processes, enabling faster and convenient stocktaking as well as efficient logistics management for the jeweler.

A connected hearing aid is an Internet of Things device I can get behind

Manufacturer Oticon bills it as the "world’s first Internet of Things hearing aid." The device connects to a user's smartphone and can be controlled through Oticon’s companion app. Because it's compatible with IFTTT, the app can push through notifications when a smart lock is unlocked, a smart doorbell rings, or a smart smoke alarm goes off. It's a simple addition to a decades-old product, but for once, connecting a device to the internet actually improves its functions. So I say, yes, good use for Internet of Things. Good job, world.

Mother-infant RFID tagging to check lifting of newborns in hospitals

Come July, it will not be a cakewalk for child-lifters on the prowl in government hospitals, who slip away with newborns under the very nose of security guards. Whenever the news of a missing infant breaks out, apart from agony to the parents, it is a huge embarrassment for the hospital that fails to provide safety on its premises. The Andhra Pradesh Health, Medical and Family Welfare department, in a novel initiative, has decided to use technology aided security measures for the safety of the newborns in government hospitals. In a first for any government hospital in the country, Guntur General Hospital will put synchronised Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Tags on the mother and new born as a security measure.

Zebra unveils new 2D Barcode Scanners

Zebra Technologies Corporation, that give enterprises real-time visibility into their operations, announced the launch of two new two-dimensional (2D) scanners in India. The 3600 Series is Zebra’s new line of 12 ultra-rugged scanners, offering prolonged durability, enhanced scan performance, and unparalleled manageability in demanding industrial environments. The DS4308-XD, purpose built for electronics manufacturing, captures a variety of barcodes and marks emblazoned on circuit boards and other electronic components, delivering advanced scanning technology to track every component on the production line.

The implications of large IoT ecosystems

The Internet of Things genie is out of the bottle and growing at an accelerating pace. According to Gartner, 6.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide in 2016, up 30 percent from 2015. This number will soar to more than 20 billion by 2020. Others present even higher estimates. The opportunities in improved utility, energy-saving, efficiency and safety lying in the data gathered by such immense numbers of connected sensors and smart devices are huge and without precedent.

The many amazing uses of RFID technology

Radio-frequency identification – that’s RFID to you and me – isn’t something we see around us every day. But RFID tags are pretty much everywhere. They’re in our credit cards, our pets, and even in us. There are literally billions of RFID tags in use around the world. And if you believe some scaremongering reports, thousands of people have an RFID tag planted inside them too. RFID use is certainly growing, and it’s making our world a more connected place. But if you can’t see RFID tags, how do you know how they’re being used? Here’s a rundown of some of the more interesting uses of RFID.

RFID Journal to Hold RFID in Retail and Apparel Event in New York City

RFID Journal announced today that it will hold its second annual RFID in Retail and Apparel executive conference on Oct. 6 at New York City's Helen Mills Theater. This exclusive, invitation-only event for retailers and brand owners will feature case studies presented by end users already utilizing radio frequency identification, as well as technology companies showcasing their latest products.

The conference sessions will cover the four foundational use cases for RFID in retail: inventory accuracy, out-of-stocks, product location and loss detection. In addition, presenters will discuss second-order use cases, including enhancing the customer experience, cycle-counting strategies, conversion and loss prevention. The presentations will help attendees determine the best approach for their needs, learn best practices from early adopters, find the right technology partners and move forward with deployment.

Dr. Bill Hardgrave, the dean of Auburn University's Harbert College of Business and the founder of the University of Arkansas' RFID Research Center, will discuss the key components of omnichannel retail and how each component is integral to having a successful, sustainable initiative. Dr. Hardgrave is one of the world's most recognized RFID researchers.

The Klifit connected backpack comes with RFID chips

This year has already yielded a backpack for gadget nerds and a connected backpack with a cute badge. Now we’re getting another idea for a backpack, and this one sells itself on the idea that nothing you need will ever be left at home again — not your keys, exam paper, laptop, or charging cable. That is, unless you forget to clip an RFID chip to those items. The Klifit backpack comes with multiple chips that you can stick to whatever you need to have with you every day, and then the backpack’s companion Android and iOS app will check to ensure they’re inside the bag and let you know if they're not through Bluetooth push notifications.

Toronto Expands RFID-Enabled Bike-Sharing Program

In April 2016, the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) announced that it had selected Montreal-based bike-sharing solutions company PBSC Urban Solutions as the new supplier for its Bike Share Toronto network. This year, the TPA will purchase 1,000 new RFID-enabled bicycles and 120 new stations from PBSC. This acquisition more than doubles the number of bikes in TPA's bicycle-sharing program. Meanwhile, Chicago's Divvy program, which has comprised 476 PBSC stations and 4,760 PBSC bikes since 2013, has begun expanding its network by adding 99 stations and 1,000 bikes.

Levi Strauss' "wonderful world" of RFID

It's safe to say that there's one thing San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. does know a lot about: RFID technology. In recognition of its pioneering efforts in implementing the auto-identification technology, the iconic clothing manufacturer recently won the 2016 Apparel and General Merchandise Operational Excellence Award presented by GS1 US, the standards organization that is responsible for the electronic product codes (EPC) and standards used with RFID. The award is based on a vote of the 130 member companies in the organization's Apparel and General Merchandise Initiative.

Exciting Times for NFC Mobile Payments in China

China represents over half a billion smart phone owners and users, which indicates strong growth for NFC, according to a new report compiled by Timetric’s Cards and Payments Intelligence Center. Growth in contactless mobile payments (m-payments) is expected to increase in China, as retailers and mobile operators are persistent in promoting contactless technology as part of their efforts to up customer experience sustain their Chinese customers, according to the report. Apple, Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi have all launched NFC mobile payment solutions in 2016, in association with China UnionPay.

Not all Windows 10 Mobile phones may work with NFC Tap to Pay

NFC Tap to Pay is reportedly coming to Windows 10 Mobile with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. However, not all Windows 10 Mobile phones may work with the new feature. Fueling a Windows Central report is the fact that only certain credit and debit card companies support the certification standards for the Host Card Emulation (HCE) feature which is perhaps used in the Microsoft Wallet 2.o and the NFC Tap to Pay feature.

Bus drivers, conductors in Goa to use RFID cards

The Kadamba transport corporation limited (KTCL) based in Goa will soon be introducing the system of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) systems for its drivers and conductors. KTCL's drivers and conductors will thus be swiping cards instead of manually logging in their daily entries. This intelligent transportation system will also enable to collect, process, and transmit traffic data to the corporation.

New technology for tickets is being trialled by operators across the UK

The iconic orange train tickets could soon be a thing of the past as rail operators embrace new technology. Arriva Trains has already introduced new barcode tickets in a pilot scheme on board some of its local services in Wales and they will soon be rolled out across the network. Similar mobile ticketing was also being trialled by rail operators in the north west and north east last year, according to the Departmen of Transport.

Thousands turned away at EDC over bogus wristbands

For most festival-goers at Electric Daisy Carnival, a simple tap of their wristband and the RFID chip attached to it at the festival gates granted access to a world of music, lights and dancing. But for some who bought their ticket from a scalper or other private seller, the night ended with a beep and red flash on the machine. After visiting a help tent, they learned their wristband was invalid. Many were from previous EDCs, or were wristbands that falsely reported as lost or stolen and later resold. However, the electronic chip inside the “lost” bracelet is instantaneously deactivated, rendering it invalid.

Mobile Payment Transaction Market: Payments Through NFC Will Grow by 59% in 2016

Mobile payment transaction volume will grow by a massive 42% to reach 26,923.7 Mn in 2016, up from 18,969.8 Mn in 2015. In terms of value, this will represent nearly US$ 768.78 Bn, up from US$ 549.91 Bn in 2015. 

Mobile payments will continue to be strong in APEJ and Africa, as unlike US and Europe, a majority of consumers don't own a credit card, and are making a direct shift from cash to mobile payments. Growth will be particularly robust in China, where the entry of Apple and Samsung earlier this year has led to a renewed interest, sprucing up the already fiercely-competitive landscape.

While strong adoption in China will continue to boost the mobile payment market in Asia Pacific, making it the leading market globally in terms of volume, Africa will maintain its numero uno position in terms of value. The tremendous success of M-Pesa in Kenya has influenced consumers and businesses in other African countries to adopt mobile money, leading to a rapid increase in the Africa mobile payment market. Africa currently accounts for nearly 32% revenue share of the global mobile money market, with a subscriber base of over 100 million. Outside of Asia Pacific and Africa, the U.S. and Western Europe remain the other lucrative regions for mobile payment transaction market globally.

While mobile payment transactions will continue to grow, existing challenges, such as slow adoption of smartphone compatible POS systems by retailers will continue to impede growth. "While a 42% volume growth looks staggering, there's more to what meets the eye. Apart from a few countries, consumers haven't fully embraced mobile payments, in spite of its relatively better security features. However, given the enormous advantages mobile money offers over traditional payment options, it won't be long before mobile payments become as ubiquitous as credit cards", FMI said in its report.

By technology, SMS and WAP/WEB will continue to account for most of the transactions conducted worldwide. Mobile payments conducted through SMS will witness a year-on-year growth rate of over 28% and total US$ 385 Bn in revenues. Payments made through NFC, widely touted as the technology of the future, will witness the highest y-o-y growth rate, increasing at over 59% in 2016.

Money transfer and merchandise purchases account for over 90% revenue share of the global mobile payment transaction market on the basis of end-use 'purpose'. Mobile payments made for merchandise purchases will be worth US$ 323.73 Bn in 2016, up from US$ 228.32 Bn in 2015. Money transfer, the largest end-use purpose in the mobile payment transaction market, will grow by over 38% to surpass US$ 381 Bn in revenues.

Messaging Apps Are Making QR Codes a Thing Again

They’re ugly to look at and unpleasant to use. QR codes (short for “quick response”), the square, scannable, black and white barcodes, proliferated with the rise of smartphone cameras as a way to bridge the physical and digital worlds. If you see one in the wild, just scan it with your smartphone camera, and your phone will load whatever information its creator wants to share. QR codes have cropped up on concert posters (scan to buy tickets!), magazines (scan to watch a video!), and tea bags (scan for nutritional info?).

Trailiner Automatically Manages Trucks, Trailers in Its Yard

Trailiner, a U.S refrigerated goods carrier, recently announced that it is employing radio frequency identification to prevent loading and transportation errors, while saving the cost of manning its yard gate 24 hours a day. The RFID system, provided by QuikQ, lets Trailiner manage yard access and prevent trailer loading and transportation errors using the same QuikQ RFID tags that its drivers utilize to refuel their trucks at stations owned by Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, an Oklahoma-based company that operates a chain of more than 370 truck stops and convenience stores located in 40 states.

Invengo Finalizes Acquisition of Tagsys RFID Textile Services and Legacy Tag Business

Invengo, the Global RFID Technology Provider, announced the finalization of acquisition of the textile services and legacy RFID Tag Business from French company Tagsys RFID 

Through this acquisition, Invengo extends its global footprint and product development capabilities in high value-added markets providing outstanding growth potential such as textile professional rental services, healthcare and medical tracking solutions, as well as manufacturing and logistics segments. All new services will be managed from Invengo's new Textile & Custom Application Services business unit based in France.

The Textile Services business Invengo has acquired from Tagsys features industry-leading RFID tags (e.g. LinTRAK, MuTRAK) and stations (e.g. u-Door, e-Way) and an innovative, fully integrated and scalable linen inventory visibility and management IoT platform called ACUITY, specifically designed to provide digital analytics and services to laundry groups and their clients. Tagsys' legacy RFID tag business also acquired by Invengo includes an array of unique tags and designs used in specialized applications such as airline baggage handling, document and asset management, pharmaceutical and healthcare applications. 

How do barcodes work?

These days you likely never give a second thought to the black and white lines and numbers on the labels of virtually all the goods we ever buy. We are of course speaking about the unassuming barcode, a piece of modern numerical witchcraft that allows a computer to tell the difference between a lemon and a lime. So let's break it down to understand exactly what everything means and why the barcode is a foundation of modern shopping.

Bus smart card set for end of summer

A multi operatpr bus ticketing system could be rolled out in Dundee as early as late summer. Plans are in place to offer bus users around Dundee the chance to buy one smart card that can be used on both Xplore Dundee and Stagecoach services. The operators involved have also confirmed that the project is expected to be extended to railways, ferries and subways around the country in the near future.

Pokémon Sun and Moon includes QR code feature

Among the new and returning features in Pokémon Sun and Moon, the latest Nintendo 3DS games in the monster-catching franchise, is the ability to scan QR codes with the handheld's camera. The QR scanner function will give players a very different method of registering Pokémon in their Pokédexes. The games' website details how the new feature will work: QR codes contain information about Pokémon which, when scanned, then gets added to the Pokédex. Trainers still have their work cut out for them, though — if the QR code scanned belongs to a Pokémon they haven't yet caught, they'll be provided with the monster's habitat so that they can scout it out.

Company Fetches Canine Shoppers With RFID

Bark & Co., a provider of toys, treats, services and events for dogs and their owners, is testing an RFID-enabled popup store this week in New York City. Dubbed BarkShop Live, the store uses RFID technology designed to take shopping decisions out of the hands of dog owners and put them into the paws of their canine friends.

Trailiner Automatically Manages Trucks, Trailers in Its Yard

Trailiner, a U.S refrigerated goods carrier, recently announced that it is employing radio frequency identification to prevent loading and transportation errors, while saving the cost of manning its yard gate 24 hours a day. The RFID system, provided by QuikQ, lets Trailiner manage yard access and prevent trailer loading and transportation errors using the same QuikQ RFID tags that its drivers utilize to refuel their trucks at stations owned by Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, an Oklahoma-based company that operates a chain of more than 370 truck stops and convenience stores located in 40 states.

Fingerprint Cards touch sensor in MeReal’s biometric smart card

MeReal Biometrics unveiled its biometric smart card with Fingerprint Cards (FPC) touch sensor FPC1011 at the recent RISE tech conference in Hong Kong, According to a statement by the company, FPC’s key product advantages include low power consumption, fast response time and industry leading 3D image quality, features FPC says may be even more important in the smartcard segment.

PDC's Smart Band RFID Wristband System Enhances the Guest Experience at Great Wolf Lodge in California

PDC announced today the installation of its Smart Band RFID Wristband System at Great Wolf Lodge® Southern California, the brand's newest property located in Garden Grove, for electronic access control and cashless payments. The indoor waterpark resort is the latest of nine Great Wolf Lodge resorts to introduce PDC's RFID wristband technology.

Designed to streamline guest transactions, Smart Band replaces traditional forms of payment and access credentials that are usually carried in a wallet, purse, or pocket. Upon check in, Great Wolf Lodge guests are issued a non-transferable, waterproof PDC Smart Band, with a securely sealed RFID chip inside that safely collects and transfers data when scanned by a reader in the park. Each chip is programmed with a unique alpha-numeric code that is assigned to a guest portfolio, so the bands are impossible to duplicate.

For hotel room access, Smart Band's contactless interface provides significant advantages over standard magnetic stripe key card door locks, which can collect dirt and debris that impact performance. Since Smart Band is safely fastened around the wrist; guests no longer hassle with forgotten, lost, or misplaced key cards.

7 reasons for RFID in luxury retailing

The time for adoption of item-level RFID (radio-frequency identification) is finally here. Item-level RFID differentiates itself from container- or case-level RFID in that the RFID tag identifies each unit of an item uniquely, as opposed to identifying a case or pallet of a number of packed units. Notwithstanding how long after its inception retailers have resisted adopting and implementing item-level RFID (henceforth RFID), luxury apparel and accessories continue to be the optimal categories in which to implement this not-so-new technology.

HDFC Bank to launch mobile payments in India

India’s HDFC Bank is to launch a mobile payment service that will support NFC, host card emulation (HCE) and QR code based payments in order to compete with other mobile payment services that are expected to roll out in the country, including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Android Pay.

Barcoo barcode scanner and price comparison app back in the Windows Store

Barcoo is a barcode scanning app which lets you scan barcodes embedded on products and gather much more information about the product, including items such as nutritional information, and deals, coupons and price comparisons. The company had a Windows Phone app in 2013, but subsequently withdrew it from the store. Now they are back with a Universal Windows App which some new features.

Businesses Make Clever Use of RFID Tags to Engage with Customers

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series has long equipped runners with radio-frequency identification tags to track their location and accurately measure their start and finish times. For the most recent series of runs, sports marketing agency rEvolution came up with a twist on that RFID use. Evolution let family and friends write words of encouragement and then displayed those messages electronically on a large LED display along the race course. The notes were beamed to the display when each runner’s tag signaled the the runner was passing.

Bing Updated With Image Search And Barcode Scanner

The app for that other search engine from a certain software company has been updated with some legitimately cool features. One is image search, which Google still doesn't have on mobile despite it being a desktop feature, while the other is QR code scanning, which Google Search on Android can't do, either (this despite the fact that Now On Tap can now scan images for text using the camera).

RFID in the healthcare market is expected to witness significant growth

RFID in the healthcare market is expected to witness significant growth and reach over USD 3.89 billion over the next seven years owing to major factors such as growing utilization in patient & product tracking.

Technological advancements including the development of new products namely TexTrace RFID tag and Smart Face Technology are expected to fuel demand. Furthermore, improving efficiency of inventory accuracy and supply chain is expected to result in an increase in adoption level of the product in healthcare during the next seven years

According to the information published by the National Institutes of Health in 2013, approximately 98,000 deaths occur in hospitals due to medical faults each year. Increasing requirement of efficient medical devices worldwide is expected to impel the development of the product in healthcare market from 2015 to 2022

Increasing demand for these systems in automated pharmaceutical distribution, point of care solutions and electronic medical records is expected to spur demand. This can be attributed to benefits relating to patient-centric applications that employ passive RFID in stationery mobiles and devices.

Development and use of improved technological solutions such as multi-resonator based chip-less RFID tags are expected to have a positive impact on the growth over the forecast period. Continuous research and development initiatives by non-profit organizations including Health Industry Business Communications Council (HIBCC) is a major driving factor for growth.

Visa Creates An NFC Mobile Payment Ring For Olympic Athletes

The concept of smart rings have been around for a long time, and at one point it was even speculated that Apple could adopt such technology (although nothing has come to fruition yet). That being said, it looks like the technology could soon become mainstream, thanks to Visa who has launched their own NFC mobile payments ring. Unfortunately this ring will only be given to Olympic athletes competing at the Rio Olympic games and who are part of Team Visa.

Chennai port to use RFID for container movement

Chennai port is India’s first major port to have a paperless container movement using Radio Frequency Identification Device to enable container trailers enter port without any manual intervention. The RFID tag will have all relevant details that were hitherto carried in paper form. Najib Shah, Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs, launched the facility today at the DP World container terminal inside Chennai port.

Reporter Shows The ‘Convenience’ Of An RFID Microchip Implant

For years believed to be yet another crazy conspiracy theory, human microchips are now making their way onto the market. The implanted Radio Frequency Identification chip, more commonly known as the RFID chip — thought of by many as the Mark of the Beast — is here, fully functional and ready for use. An RFID chip is a tiny microchip, usually smaller than a grain of rice, which can hold around 2000 bites of data and can be inserted directly into your body.

RFID technology company Impinj files for $60M initial public offering

Impinj, the Seattle-based RFID technology company, plans to raise up to $60 million in an initial public offering, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In financial statements filed in conjunction with the IPO, the company reports $78.5 million in revenue for 2015, with net income of $900,000. That’s up from revenue of $63.8 million in 2014, on a profit of $297,000. In the first quarter of this year, the company posted revenue of $21.6 million, and a loss of $2.3 million.

Nevis Technologies Surpasses 100,000 Smart Card Milestone for the Glasgow Subway

Nevis Technologies announced that it has issued more than 100,000 Bramble smartcards to travellers of the Glasgow Subway, which are designed to securely store tickets and travel data for pay-as-you-go journeys. A joint venture between Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Scotland’s largest regional transport partnership, and Ecebs, a leader in smart technology for transportation recently acquired by Rambus, Nevis Technologies was formed to deliver secure, integrated smart ticketing to Scotland.

The Bramble smartcard is designed for use across multiple transportation systems and is compliant with the UK interoperable open standard known as ITSO. It replaces paper tickets and tokens to enable public transportation systems to offer convenience and ease-of-travel to their passengers. The smart ticketing system includes a back office Host Operating or Processor System (HOPS) delivered by Ecebs, card management system (CMS) and Bramble smartcards.

Indonesia wants all child sex offenders to be tracked using RFID microchips

The Indonesian government is keen to enforce a new law that will require all rapists and child sex offenders to be implanted with radio frequency identification (RFID) microchips that will track them 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the rest of their lives after they are released from prison. Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Mohamad Nasir told Indonesian TV channel Berita Satu that the government is interested in using RFID microchips to track offenders, but it is still waiting for the House of Representatives to vote on bringing into law a new Regulation on Sexual Violence against Children.

A quarter of Brits will make NFC mobile payments in the next year

One in four British consumers intend to use their mobile phone to make NFC-based mobile payments in the next 12 months, according to research from MasterCard. One in 20 are already making NFC mobile payments once a week or more. Now with more mobile handsets enabled for contactless payments, reservations are beginning to disappear and, in fact, as many as 13% of British consumers have no reservations at all,” the payment network says.

DOD Sees Tiny RFID Chip as a Way to Verify Electronics

Northrop Grumman is heading a four-year project for the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) to devise a tiny radio frequency identification chip that could prevent the counterfeiting of electronic parts that end up in avionics or circuit boards for other devices. The goal, explains Scott Suko, a Northrop Grumman consulting engineer, is to develop a near-field high-frequency (HF) RFID dielet. The resulting chip—which would measure only 100 microns by 100 microns (0.004 inch by 0.004 inch) in length and width, including an onboard antenna and temperature sensor—would be embedded in integrated circuits or circuit boards.

Barcode Beaming Powers Loyalty and Membership Card Support in Samsung Pay Release

Mobeam has announced that its technology has been incorporated into Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Samsung Pay mobile payment service. Mobeam technology has been used in Samsung Pay for a number of months for the redemption of gift cards that are barcode based. With the latest Samsung Pay update, Mobeam’s beaming technology has been further implemented within Samsung Pay to power the transmission of any barcoded loyalty or membership card at retail POS laser scanners.

RFID Tracks Surgical Tools, Assets at Ixtapaluca Hospital

Development and Operation of Hospital Infrastructure of Ixtapaluca (DOIHI), an organization that manages assets and tools at the Regional Specialty Hospital of Ixtapaluca (HRAEI), in Mexico, is preparing to use passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tags to track 11,000 surgical instruments, in order to ensure that none are misplaced before, during or after surgery. The deployment will follow a pilot involving the RFID-tagging of 500 tools. The RFID solution was provided by Mexican systems integrator HTK. The technology is also being used to track medical equipment, furnishings and other assets.

Significant Demand for RFID Applications From APAC Countries Will Boom Prospects for the Global RFID Market Until 2020

According to the latest research study released by Technavio, the global radio frequency identification (RFID) market is expected to record a CAGR of 11% until 2020.

Manufacturing industries are focusing on increasing their investments in integrating advanced technologies in order to improve efficiency. Manufacturing processes often involve operations in harsh environmental conditions (high temperature, the presence of chemicals or other fluids, and humidity) in which traditional barcodes are not suitable. In such conditions, RFID systems are utilized at different phases of manufacturing to increase efficiency and reliability. Many countries such as India, the UK, and the US are encouraging start-ups, which has increased competition among vendors and this trend will likely persist over the next four years.

Increasing adoption of electronic identity cards and RFID tags located in smart cards is the major driver for this segment. To increase the penetration of smart card technology in developing countries, governments of many countries have deployed smart card systems for driving licenses, metro cards, e-passports, public distribution systems, voter IDs, and other IDs. RFID, inscribed in smart cards, store customer details that can be easily retrieved at any point of time. Governments of countries such as China and the UK have mandated the use of smart cards for citizen identification purposes.

In addition, the use of RFID in banks provide an additional layer of security for bank and customer data, thereby reducing the chances of the information getting lost or stolen. An RFID embedded bank card can also be used for transactions without actually swiping the card or even without entering the PIN. Convenience offered by RFID systems is thus likely to drive its application in the financial services sector.

Vehicle movement tracking and cargo tracking in planes and ships are some key applications of RFID systems in logistics. RFID tags are also preferred in the railroad industry for tagging locomotives. VR Group and VR Transit, the largest logistics providers in Finland, have adopted RFID for rail freight wagons and passenger cars. In the railway budget of 2015-2016, the government of India proposed using RFID technology in their locomotives, wagons, and coaches for tracking. RFID systems also help track and retrieve stolen cars. These developments are key to the growth of this segment and will likely encourage many new entrants to expand in this market over the forecast period.

NOV debuts RFID, asset management improvements

National Oilwell Varco (NOV) introduced an advancement in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and asset management software for the oil and gas industry. NOV’s latest generation RFID tag, TracTagTM, has been field-proven to withstand extreme drilling conditions when installed on drillstring components. The tag is currently the only RFID technology in the industry that can survive extreme downhole temperatures of -40°C to +200°C (-58°F to +400°F) and up to 1550 Bar (22’500 PSI) of pressure. NOV has been a leader in using RFID for asset management on existing surface-based products and services; however, the technology behind TracTag has overcome the challenges associated with harsh downhole well conditions and can now be incorporated into NOV downhole products.