QR codes to help cops scan trouble

Women in India would be able to soon tell the police about their cabs and autorickshaws by merely scanning a quick response (QR) code displayed on stickers in all public transport vehicles. Delhi Police is developing an app for this. Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has formed a team of officers under special commissioner (modernisation and women safety) Sanjay Baniwal to complete the project in a time-bound manner.

The death of the IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is dead. Events such as CES this year proved it very well, and this idea will continue throughout the rest of 2017. There’s nothing really connected between smart factories and home automation, or between smart city infrastructure and connected medical devices. The fact that they are all connected does not group them into a single market. People connect their phones and PCs, but are they being treated as IoT devices?

Australian banks brand non-NFC alternatives to Apple Pay ‘unrealistic’

Relying on Android or alternatives to NFC for successful mobile payment services in a country with one of the world’s largest iPhone market shares and high contactless card use is “unrealistic”, the group of Australian banks seeking access to the iPhone’s NFC functionality say in their latest submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank and Westpac Bank began their campaign to encourage Apple to open access to the NFC technology within its handsets in July 2016.

Councils are rolling out wheelie bins bugged with RFID chips

Your rubbish could be spying on you. As well as guarding your grime it might be disclosing your dirty habits. Your wheelie could be revealing all. Residents in Sydney's inner west were surprised this month when the local council began replacing municipal bins, many of which in perfect working order. They were even more surprised when it was revealed there was a hidden addition to their shiny new bin. Sydney's Inner West council has begun rolling out 35,000 new wheelie bins. Just under the rim in the new bins, away from prying eyes, is a small circular device - a Radio Frequency Identification Device, or RFID, tag.

RFID Will Deliver Drink Orders On the Go

Logistics technology and services startup Shotput has partnered with a global beverage company to pilot a solution that delivers product quickly to consumers wherever they are, by using refrigerated containers dispersed in heavy-demand areas, equipped with radio frequency identification technology. The beverage company, which plans to pilot this technology during the next few months, has asked to remain unnamed. The system, says Praful Mathur, Shotput's roboticist and co-founder, is intended to challenge the existing model of product supply chains, by enabling a more Amazon Prime-type of service for food, beverages or other consumer goods.

Paytm adds insurance to mobile wallet

Indian mobile wallet provider Paytm has added an insurance feature to its service that covers users for fraudulent transactions of up to Rs 20,000 (US$306) due to loss of device or unauthorised access to the service. All Paytm users with balance in their wallets would be automatically covered under this scheme at no additional cost and the lost money would be refunded to their Paytm Wallets.

New platform protects industrial IoT devices

Internet of Things devices are the latest threat vector that businesses have to deal with, introducing a potential extra weakness into corporate networks and leading experts to warn of increased risk. To help guard against the threat, Mocana Corporation is introducing a new security platform designed to protect IoT devices and associated device-to-cloud communications. It's also announcing capabilities that allow industrial manufacturers to make use of the newest hardware-based security technologies, automate digital certificate management to harden devices and effectively scale their IoT deployments.

Thinfilm’s tiny printed NFC labels enable brands to connect with consumers via smart packaging

Norwegian tech firm Thinfilm figured out a way to print tiny electronics chips on plastic surfaces, creating tiny smart labels to put on the Internet of Things, or smart and connected everyday objects. While others are making extremely powerful chips, Thinfilm is instead going wide: It is adding a little bit of intelligence to a lot of things. Consider what Thinfilm is doing with Hopsy, a website that sells beer from 60 local micro breweries in the San Francisco Bay Area. Thinfilm puts a smart label on the beer bottle. The consumer taps an NFC smartphone on the label, and it takes you to a video that describes the beer in a video.

Balluff Introduces Highly Anticipated BIS VU-320 RFID Reader

Expanding on the success of the BIS V RFID platform, Balluff recently began fulfilling orders in North America and Europe on the highly anticipated BIS VU-320 UHF reader. The BIS V multichannel processor can now accept readers in the Low(LF), High(HF), and Ultrahigh(UHF) Frequencies. In addition, all three frequencies can operate simultaneously. In a case where there may be a mixed environment of tag frequencies, the BIS V system simplifies the RFID architecture.

Like all other Balluff RFID readers, the VU-320, is built to withstand tough manufacturing environments with its IP67 rating. Four highly-visible LEDs simplify the trouble shooting process, eliminating the need to access a webserver or PLC to determine if a tag is being read or if the antenna is sending a signal. Because the VU-320 is a part of the BIS V portfolio, it can communicate via Profibus, Profinet, Ethernet IP, CC-Link or Ethercat. A full line of mounting accessories and cables is available, as well.

New Harvard Medical School Study Identifies RFID Technology to have the Potential to Substantially Improve Patient Safety by Reducing RSI Errors

The ORLocate system by Haldor Advanced Technologies (“Haldor”), a developer of radio frequency identification (RFID) enabled medical products and technologies, has been identified as the only RFID based system currently available in the market for the counting and tracking of both surgical instruments and sponges.

The objective of the study was to identify the impact of RFID technology on reducing RSI errors and improving patient safety and it was conducted by leading researchers from some of the predominant healthcare and patient safety organizations in the U.S., including: the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care &,the Center for Patient Safety, both at Brigham and Women's Hospital; and Harvard Medical School; and the Bouvé College of Health Sciences, School of Nursing at the Northeastern University.

The study was published on February 22nd, 2017 in the renowned Journal of Patient Safety and among their findings, the researchers state that the use of RFID resulted in rapid detection of RSI through body tissue with high accuracy rates and reduced risk of counting errors and improved workflow. Furthermore, when comparing barcode and RF technologies to RFID technology, the study found that barcode scanners cannot serve as a solution for detecting RSI inside the patient because they are unable to read through skin, and that RF technology is similar to that within a metal detector device in that it can only detect the presence of an RF chip, but does not provide specific identification of tagged items, , nor can it detect multiple items at the same time, contrary to RFID technology that provides both.

Osram Concludes Partnership with beaconsmind AG on Einstone Solution

Osram reports that it has concluded its collaboration and partnership with beaconsmind AG, the first iBeacon full-service provider based in Switzerland. iBeacon gives in-store retailers and fashion brands an immediate end-to-end solution for integrating location-based services (LBS). The solution package uses LED lighting equipped with an iBeacon visual light communications chip that makes LED fixtures act like location beacons. Each luminaire transmits data about its particular location within the store. Then, an Einstone app on customer smartphones translates digital photos of the LED lighting above into data about where the customer is located within the store.

iBeacon vs Eddystone – which is the better one for your business?

The emergence of futuristic technologies is blurring the fine lines between the real and the digital worlds. This is even more apparent in the business arena, where technology is being increasingly deployed to enhance customer interaction. One such revolutionizing concept that is creating waves recently is the Beacon Technology. In simple words, Beacons are low-power transmitters that are equipped with Bluetooth Low Energy. These devices are strategically placed in such a way that when a customer approaches them, they will receive appropriate notifications and messages. With this, the businesses can take benefit of the approaching shoppers, offer attractive notifications that may contain discounts or coupons. to convert them into customers.

Barcode app to give product information

A smart barcode scanner application for mobile devices that enables consumers to find out information in real time about products they want to buy will debut in Thailand this July. The mobile app, called GS1 SmartBar app, was developed by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) with the Digital Economy and Society Ministry providing financial support, said Pravith Chotiprayanakul,

IIoT growing faster than consumer IoT in China

The expectation is that China’s internet services and industrial applications will grow hand in hand to create diversified applications. The following data is derived from results of a survey conducted during 2016 China Industry Internet Conference held in Shenzhen last June. With a survey base of 350 participants, it partly reflects the overall development trend of China's IoT. Is your company implementing or considering the strategic deployment of industrial 4.0, IIoT, or IoT?

Research underway on the impact of IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) will soon become critical to helping New Zealand raise its productivity and prosperity, NZTech chief executive Graeme Muller says. Much of the current hype around IoT has been derived from consumer IoT such as fitness trackers and intelligent fridges. The real value to be had from the Internet of Things is in enterprise and government applications. A collaborative national research project is underway to better understand the potential benefits (and risks) of IoT for the New Zealand economy. The project, being managed by NZTech, brings together major tech users, tech firms, the government, academia and industry groups such as TUANZ and InternetNZ, all who have an interest in the potential impact of IoT for New Zealand.

Industry bodies align to standardize on-device NFC service management

ETSI, GlobalPlatform and the NFC Forum have detailed a standardized approach to implementing and managing NFC services across all technologies and platforms, according to a press release.
The shared work initiative explains how to ensure that NFC services successfully coexist within a device and operate as intended. The organizations said that the standardized approach clarifies how the ecosystem details the expected behavior of multiple NFC services hosted in the same device and simplifies the end-user experience.

Live Beacon is ‘no coding required’

We’ve heard quite a lot about iBeacons over the years, but to date they don’t seem to have made much of an impact. We’ve seen adoption from a small number of high-profile brands, such as Condé Nast, Disney, Hudson’s Bay Company and SXSW, but it’s rare to see much sign of iBeacon presence even in major shopping centers in large cities. There are, though, a few companies aiming to allow even the smallest business, or non-profit, to begin using the technology. We looked at the Beaconic system some 18 months ago, and I’ve been playing with Live Beacon, a system which may be more appealing for reasons I’ll get to shortly …

IOT Vendor Teams Up to Expand RTOS Support for MIPS CPU

Internet of things vender Green Hills Software and tech company Imagination Technologies have expanded Green Hills tools support for MIPS CPUs, Green Hills says. The support would also be available to the Green Hills Integrity real time operating system for the MIPS 16400 CPU. "This latest development builds on the already broad compiler and tool support we offer for MIPS architectures and cores," says Tim Reed, VP of Advanced Products for Green Hills Software. "The combination of Integrity with the MIPS I6400 provides a compelling value proposition. We're delighted to support joint customers in implementing the most reliable and secure MIPS-based solutions."

NCR Adds Digimarc Barcode to Its New Advanced RealScan 79e All-Imaging Scanner

Digimarc Corporation announced that NCR Corporation, a global leader in omni-channel solutions, has enabled Digimarc Barcode support to its new high performance NCR RealScan 79e all-imaging bi-optic scanner for easier and more efficient retail checkout.

The RealScan 79e scanner—with six-sided scanning capability—delivers the largest imaging scan zone in its class, and is an effective retail solution for both cashier-assisted and self-checkout lanes. Digimarc Barcode integration means cashiers and consumers do not need to fumble with a product in search of a UPC barcode, vastly improving throughput at checkout, and making the experience faster and easier. This efficiency helps improve customer satisfaction and boost retail ROI via more items scanned per minute.

Digimarc Barcode imperceptibly repeats throughout an entire product package, and is readable from a variety of angles and distances. It contains the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) found in traditional UPC barcodes and can be incorporated into virtually any form of media, including audio and print materials. Along with front-end efficiency, Digimarc Barcode offers benefits all along the value chain, such as improved supply-chain management and in-store customer engagement via smartphones.

RFID meters to track water leakage online

In a move to boost revenues, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is rolling out a mega plan of fixing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) water meters. It might be a costly affair, but the cash-strapped Water Board says it was forced to propose RFID meters as it wants to plug thousands of gallons of water lost due to leakages. As per a pilot project, the Water Board has selected three sections, including Jubilee Hills in Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Division-VI, Red Hills in O&M Division-IV and Gachibowli in O&M Division-XV for the project.

Three reasons why U.S. airlines are not losing your luggage as often

There are few quicker ways to ruin a vacation than for your luggage to end up in a different city than you are. Through a combination of new technologies that allow bags to be tracked in nearly real-time and a renewed focus on the basics of handling luggage, airlines last year reported the lowest rate of mishandled bags — those lost, damaged or delayed — since the Department of Transportation began keeping track in 1987. Delta Air Lines made headlines last year when it was the first U.S. carrier to roll out radio frequency identification, or RFID, technology for bag tracking at airports around the country.

Sweden becomes first Nordic country to get Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay has launched in beta across Sweden, the first Nordic country to see the mobile payment service rolled out, with support from debit and credit card providers Mastercard, Mastercard SAS, Visa, Eurocard, and banks Nordea and SEB. Other supporting financial institutions joining “shortly” include Handelsbanken, ICA Banken, Re:member, Swedbank and Ticket Rikskuponger. The beta version is the “first version” of Samsung Pay being introduced in the country, Samsung says, and the company will “continue to develop and add services and compatible cards” as it continues to roll out.

UK sees 250% rise in NFC mobile payments in stores

The number of mobile transactions as a percentage of all in-store transactions has grown by 247% in the UK over the last year, analysis of transaction data and a consumer survey conducted by payments processor Worldpay has found. Workers paying for lunch on the go and payments for drinks in bars are the main drivers of the increase in transaction volume. Worldpay“Lunchtime ‘Meal Deal’ hotspots, including supermarkets and grocery stores accounted for 54% of all mobile tap and pay transactions processed by Worldpay in 2016,” the company says. “Pubs, bars and restaurants made up 20% of the total.”

Surviving the IoT Cyberattack Pandemic

The Internet of Things is turning into a security nightmare." So wrote Thomas Ricker, a respected systems engineer and deputy editor of the The Verge, in describing the enormous distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that disabled wide swaths of the Internet in late September 2016. This is no hyperbole. Mr. Ricker's statement succinctly describes the current state of Internet of Things devices' vulnerability to cyberattack and hacking. According to a leading report by Malwarebytes Labs, there were nearly 1 billion malware detections and incidents, affecting nearly 100 million devices in more than 200 countries, during the June to November 2016 period alone. The United States is the top country for ransomware detections, as Americans are targeted because of their wide accessibility to technology and their ability to pay the ransom

'First-gen internet is 'not fit for purpose' for IoT'

Axel Schwenke

The internet as it currently stands is "not fit for purpose" to engage the connectivity of things and machines, according to Cisco ANZ CTO Kevin Bloch, as mobility requirements will be subverted by the Internet of Things (IoT) and a complete re-engineering will need to take place. "As we move to more machines being connected than humans, the first generation of the internet is not fit for purpose for the second generation, which is going to be calibrated far more by the Internet of Things," Bloch told ZDNet. Calling 4G, 4.5G, and 5G "the same damn thing", he said humans will still want the same kind of connectivity, albeit faster, cheaper, and with more data -- but on the other hand, IoT requires the exact opposite of current mobile technology connectivity in every way.

RFID meters to track water leakage online

In a move to boost revenues, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is rolling out a mega plan of fixing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) water meters. It might be a costly affair, but the cash-strapped Water Board says it was forced to propose RFID meters as it wants to plug thousands of gallons of water lost due to leakages. As per a pilot project, the Water Board has selected three sections, including Jubilee Hills in Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Division-VI, Red Hills in O&M Division-IV and Gachibowli in O&M Division-XV for the project.

Increasing Adoption of 2D Barcodes is Driving the Global Barcode Scanner Market

According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global barcode scanner market is projected to grow to USD 6.3 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of more than 4% over the forecast period.

Handheld barcode scanners are utilized to make optimal resource utilization through asset tracking and inventory management. These portable barcode scanners are lightweight and compact, which makes them suitable to cover large areas in places like warehouses. Also, the handheld portable barcode scanners are very affordable, which has led to their wide-scale adoption by global retailing giants such as Wal-Mart Stores, Carrefour, Metro, and Tesco. These factors will drive the demand for handheld barcode scanners and increase the overall barcode scanning market during the forecast period.

Advanced Dynamic NFC/RFID Tag ICs from STMicroelectronics Combine Long-Range Contactless Communication with Fast Transfer Mode

The new advanced ST25DV dynamic-tag ICs are the latest addition to the ST25 NFC/RFID product family that come with a rich featured contactless RF interface and I2C bus. The dual-interface enables untethered interaction between an NFC-capable smartphone or an RFID reader and the host microcontroller located inside near-by equipment, such as smart meters, IoT devices, professional, or consumer products.

The ST25DV ICs support data exchange with extended communication range enabling “in the box programming” of electronic equipment at the point of production, as well as Fast Transfer Mode operation for software updates in the field with the help of any NFC-enabled mobile device. The ST25DV dynamic tags are compatible with any existing ISO 15693 RFID infrastructure, with no additional investment required.

The ST25DV series supports the NFC Type 5 and ISO 15693 RFID specifications, delivering the strongest features of each. It includes native NFC NDEF message support, and ISO 15693 long-range RF connectivity with Fast Transfer mode enabled by a large 256-Byte buffer. It also features the market’s highest EEPROM density of 64Kbits with multiple 64-bit passwords to offer enhanced data-protection capabilities.


The devices are tailored for industrial applications, with high write-cycle endurance of one million cycles at 25°C and 40-years data retention. They operate over a wide I2C supply-voltage range of 1.8V-5.5V, and consume minimal energy in all modes including the sub-1µA standby mode allowing use in power-conscious or battery-operated devices. They can also offer energy-harvesting capabilities that make them the ideal solution for zero-power applications.
 
 

Microscan upgrades free online barcode generator

Microscan, a manufacturer of barcode, machine vision, verification, and lighting equipment, has released an upgraded version of its barcode generator. The barcode generator is a free online tool enabling users to create, save, and email custom barcodes. Twenty-eight different barcode types, from linear to stacked to 2D symbologies, are now available. While not intended as a professional barcode application tool, the barcode generator is an informative resource that allows users to see and understand different symbology features

GAO RFID Announces the Release of Its Industry-Changing Smart Checkout System for Cabinets

GAO RFID is excited to introduce an integrated business solution for tracking the checkout and return of important assets from within a cabinet. GAO now offers a Smart Checkout Cabinet that is a self-service system designed for businesses that require employees and contractors to borrow assets in order to complete their day-to-day tasks. Assets such as portable tools, safety items, technology devices, and keys can be inventoried, checked out, and tracked automatically in real-time using RFID technology that works with any cabinets fitted with an electronic strike. The result is automation and insight: employees and contractors check out and return items, while the system’s flexible reporting features provide managers visibility on asset use.

This intelligently integrated solution optimizes the management and monitoring of important assets by improving speed and functionality of the tracking process. Compared to other traditional approaches for tracking checkout and return of assets, the Smart Checkout offers an automated solution that reduces the risk of loss and theft while assigning accountability for their use. The system offers a simple workflow: just check out, return, and reconcile. Item removal and return is automatically recognized by the cabinet, and the system summarizes the items borrowed, assigns them to the user, and records the transaction in the database.

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK v5.0 Optimized to Cover Specific Barcode Decoding Scenarios

Dynamsoft is releasing its new Barcode Reader software development kit (SDK), upgraded with new capabilities that help application developers apply barcode scanning and decoding performance features specific to optimizing their application or scenario. Such new features include a new deblur algorithm, multi-thread processing, the ability to specify capture devices, and more.

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK version 5.0 now includes a deblur algorithm for 1D barcodes that is particularly useful for scanning linear barcodes from out-of-focus, blurred images. This can greatly help improve the decoding accuracy for linear barcodes. Also in the new SDK, developers can specify the capture device used to scan barcode images. This can include a scanner, camera or fax machine. When set, the SDK can then apply an appropriate image processing technique specific to the images captured from that device. For example, when scanned documents are black and white or gray, salt-and-pepper noise is particularly common in such images. Dynamsoft’s Barcode Reader SDK v5.0 lets developers define and optimize barcode processing to such specific scenarios, depending on what’s likely in workflows they need to support.

Dynamsoft's Barcode Reader 5.0 SDK is provided with rich code samples. It is backed by technical support channels that include an online knowledge base, email, chat, phone and more. It will be available for purchase and download from the Dynamsoft website starting March 7, 2017. 

NXP's NFC tech lets you unlock cars with a phone

Chipmaker NXP announced that five automakers will implement its Near Field Communication technology into door handles, letting drivers use phones and other devices to access their cars. NXP's NCx3320 NFC chip fits inside a typical car door handle, meets automotive requirements to tolerate very high and very low temperatures, and includes a low power mode so it can operate even when a car's battery lacks the juice to start the engine.

Globalstar-enabled SafeFleet Telematics to Track Vehicles and Protect Staff selected by two EU Peacekeeping Forces

Globalstar Europe Satellite Services Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Globalstar Inc. announced that two EU peacekeeping organisations have deployed the SafeFleet Telematics fleet management solution, incorporating Globalstar’s SmartOne device.

The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) both chose SafeFleet Telematics to track and manage fleets, monitor driver behaviour, and safeguard personnel and civilian passengers in Georgia and Kosovo respectively.
Both organisations have responsibility for maintaining law and order, as well as carrying out judiciary, policing duties and border patrol in their regions.

They both sought a fleet tracking and monitoring platform to replace incumbent technology that was deemed inadequate. There was a rigorous tender process for each of the two deployments, all hotly contested by regional competitors and leading European providers proposing technologies including radio, GSM and SIM-based solutions. Only SafeFleet Telematics was able to deliver the required high level of functionality, reach and reliability, and at the right price.

The phased deployment at the two organisations is now complete with SafeFleet Telematics installed in vehicles used for logistics and transport, including armoured vehicles and all-terrain pathfinder vehicles. The more recent deployment, for EULEX, incorporated over 530 Globalstar SmartOne B Line Power devices.

SafeFleet Telematics also includes an RFID-based identification system to ensure each driver is authorised and in possession of the required licence. Its one-touch panic button enables the driver to alert security teams and to summon support in an emergency. It also allows customers to monitor fuel consumption and other engine metrics to optimise vehicle performance and manage maintenance scheduling.

Michelin adds RFID tags in tires to provide fleets with cost-saving data

Michelin is adding radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to all of its truck tires in an effort to help companies save on fleet maintenance costs, as reported by Fleet Owner. The company began installing these RFID tags in July 2016 and says they are now in 98% of new commercial products. The embedded chips are built into the tire's sidewall or can be purchased as exterior patches. Using an RFID reader, fleet managers can track the life of a tire and all of the service it has received.

SparkFun Simultaneous RFID Tag Reader

City Launches IoT Lab for Technology Innovation

The city of Fishers, Indiana, together with ClearObject as anchor tenant and consulting partner Indiana University, is opening a laboratory facility dedicated to research and development of Internet of Things-based technology. The IoT solutions may include any system with sensor-based data, including Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi, RFID, ZigBee and cellular transmissions. The new laboratory, known as IoT Lab-Fishers, is part of what the city calls Launch Fishers, aimed at bringing opportunities and business solutions to the city.

Smart cards will keep UAE pupils safe on buses, experts say

Smart card technology will keep schoolchildren safe and better secure residents’ bank details and personal documents. Abdulla Al Junaibi, chief executive of IOT Labs, said the chip technology would be able to help ensure that children were in their classrooms and on school buses. "It has a high security standard and it can be used as a bank card, student ID, military card and for attendance," said Mr Al Junaibi, whose company is part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.

Barcode Scanner Microscope Analyzes Complex Medical Problems

An advanced microscope that uses barcode laser scanner technology can film moving blood cells and neurons in living animals. Engineers at The Australian National University (ANU) built the microscope using technology similar to retail barcode scanners and office laser printers. Lead researcher Steve Lee, a biomedical optics engineer, said the invention was much more powerful than similar microscopes available commercially.

In barcode scanners, a laser beam bounces off a spinning polygon mirror, allowing it to scan across a sample very quickly. A barcode scanner registers a sequence of patterns to identify a product. A polygon mirror usually has around 10 mirror facets. The ANU researchers used a more powerful laser beam as the light source and up to 36 mirror facets to scan the laser beam across the biological sample in a few thousandths of a second.

The company behind the RFID tags at Guns N' Roses in Singapore speak out

One of the more prominent complaints against the recent Guns N' Roses show in Singapore revolved around their use of RFID technology. It was chosen to make it easier for concertgoers to purchase food and beverages on site, but it turned out to be a hassle, and in concert organizer Ross Knudson's words, its system "slowed it down and became unmanageable." The company that worked with LAMC Productions to implement the system at Changi Exhibition Centre, Sandpiper Digital Payments Asia, has spoken out in a detailed press release, defending itself against allegations of its inefficiency.

Using RFID to create customer loyalty

The benefits of loyalty programs are well documented in the professional carwashing industry, including in the pages of Professional Carwashing & Detailing. These programs help provide predictable income for the business and assurance in customer purchasing and service. Today’s customers, especially younger generations, prefer paying a monthly rate for a service or product they use frequently, such as carwashing. However, just as technology can lift a loyalty program up, it can also provide its share of setbacks when not implemented properly. We recently spoke with two experts in the field of creating loyalty programs for new carwashes and seamlessly implementing RFID technology.

Sir Adam Amsterdam Installs dormakaba Saflok RFID Electronic Door Locks

dormakaba Group, provider of Saflok and Ilco RFID and mobile access security solutions, announced the Sir Adam Amsterdam hotel in The Netherlands, implemented its Saflok Quantum RFID electronic door lock system. Sir Adam is located in the first eight floors of Amsterdam’s landmark A’DAM Toren tower overlooking the historic city center. dormakaba is a leading company in the global market for access and security solutions. 

All dormakaba RFID locks manufactured today are compatible with BLE, IOS and Android mobile technology. dormakaba Mobile Access enables guests to open their hotel doors equipped with BLE electronic locks using their mobile phone or device, including the Apple Watch, as a flexible alternative to a classic RFID keycard.

RFID tags to keep track of ordnance factories’ ammunition

In a first-ever exercise, ammunition produced in all ordnance factories will get radio frequency identification (RFID) tags containing details of the make, batch and manufacturing date and time.  This project will improve "traceability" of the ammunitions kept across the depots and for better mobilisation of such items in case of need. The ordnance factory is carrying out the project following discussions with the Army. This will entail an investment of Rs 400 crore with the process expected to start by end of this year, said sources in the ordnance factory board.

STMicroelectronics announces new NFC devices for contactless payments

STMicroelectronics has announced availability of its latest-generation NFC devices for contactless payments and data exchange. The new devices include the ST21NFCD NFC controller featuring the market-proven booster technology ST has recently acquired, and two new members in the ST54 System-in-Package (SiP) family that integrate the Company’s latest Secure Element technology.

The ST21NFCD chip features active load modulation for faster, smoother transactions over longer distances, delivering better user experiences in mobiles, wearables, or IoT devices. It supports card emulation, reader/writer and peer-to-peer communication modes, and contains eFlash to permit full firmware update. It supports the NFC Forum’s NCI 2.0 specification, which simplifies software development for interacting with NFC tags and supports batching and autonomous exchanges to minimize communication overheads. The IC also meets NFC Forum type 1-5 tag specifications, ISO/IEC 18092 NFC Interface and Protocol (NFCIP), and payment standards including EMVCo latest revisions. It is pre-certified in accordance with the Global Certification Forum (GCF) and PTCRB1 for integration in mobile devices, and can enable handsets to read MIFARE ClassicTM encrypted tags.

Built-in power management and battery-voltage monitoring minimize any impact on runtime in a host-system such as a smartphone. The extremely high RF sensitivity, which allows the use of miniaturized antennas; the option to use an external clock source instead of a crystal; and the high output power of the chip that makes the DC/DC booster optional, each help save bill of materials and board footprint.

Cisco Sees RFID Maturity at the IoT's Core

Brazil is developing a plan for the Internet of Things. In December 2016, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) presented a public call for the IoT, aimed at receiving proposals to obtain non-refundable financial support for public policies covering the Internet of Things—a topic that has officially entered the strategic agenda of the Brazilian government. This topic is of interest to several international corporations, such as Cisco, which focuses on the investments that the Internet of Things can bring to the information technology (IT) sector

IoT progress has been slow but optimism remains

More than half business leaders around the globe believe their organization's progress with the Internet of Things has not happened as fast as they expected, according to a new survey. Nevertheless, they still largely believe IoT will have a tremendous impact in the future. As many as 24 percent of those surveyed said they "strongly agree" their progress has not happened as quickly as expected, according to the Internet of Things Business Index 2017, an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by ARM and IBM. Another 33 percent said they somewhat agree. Twenty-seven percent said they neither agree nor disagree, while just 10 percent said they somewhat disagree, and 2 percent strongly disagree.

This solar-powered smart wallet features RFID-blocking