Belgium gets mobile ID platform

Four Belgian banks and three mobile network operators have unveiled a mobile ID platform that will let consumers use a single digital identity to access a range of services such as requesting government documents and confirming online transactions using the SIM card on their mobile phone and a unique five-digit code. The service is to be made compatible with all SIM cards across the country in the coming months.

Gatwick Airport installs 2,000 BLE beacons for augmented reality wayfinding

Some 2,000 Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons have been installed across London’s Gatwick Airport to provide an indoor navigation system and an augmented reality wayfinding service so that passengers can be shown directions in the camera view of their mobile device. The beacon system is also open to retailers and other third parties, allowing them to detect the proximity of consumers and send relevant offers or promotional messages to their smartphones if the passenger has chosen to receive them.

Cellum helps Telenor Hungary with NFC mobile payments

Telenor Hungary has announced the launch of new tap-and-pay functionality in its Telenor Wallet application, according to a press release. Telenor said in the announcement that its wallet is the first telco-offered converged wallet with fifteen remote and proximity payment functions in one app. The company launched the wallet in late 2014 with Masterpass integration, according to the announcement. The wallet also features an in-app marketplace for food delivery, entertainment ticketing and purchasing Telenor accessories.

HD Barcode and IriTech reveal embed iris data in 2D bar code

HD Barcode and biometrics firm IriTech have unveiled a new ID card solution that can embed biometric iris data in a proprietary 2D barcode. Called HD IrisCheck , the HD Barcode that is created can only be authenticated with a secure code generator which remains with the customer. This ensures those with the ability to read HD Barcodes may not create or alter code data. The system is linked to a USB enabled mobile reader called the IriShield scanner, for scanning and matching an individual’s iris to the data contained in the HD Barcode.

Success strategies for apparel retailers

Proving the authenticity of products has been a challenge to building consumer confidence for any brand. The rise of counterfeiting and illegal cloning have been a threat to retailers worldwide. Knowing what arrives in your distribution centre or store and then knowing what leaves should, in theory, give you an accurate inventory. However, boxes and crates are often misplaced & shopper behaviour leads to items turning up all over the store, making real-time location tracking a tedious task. Unlike a regular Walmart or Target store where each product has multiple sizes and variations, Luxury products are limited edition and often custom made; each misplaced product could potentially equate to loss in sale, customers and opportunities.

Global Barcode Scanner Market to Soar at a CAGR of 7.6%

The advent of barcode technology has greatly reduced the hassles of tracking supply and commodity sale records for retailers across the globe. Over the years, the technology has been consistently improved and made more efficient. Currently, barcode solutions are being used across various domains owing to their exponential capabilities in systematically recording information such as product count, date of manufacturing, date on which the product was supplied to the retailer and selling price. Moreover, the emergence of e-commerce and intra-regional markets that offer specialised services to a wide range of sectors has further expanded its application base.

Future Market Insights (FMI) in its latest report titled "Barcode Scanner Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017-2027" reveals that use of barcode technology is rapidly rising in both retail and manufacturing industries. Barcode scanners have become one of the best solutions for recording product information without making any major manual effort. The technological advantages and cutting-edge features of barcode scanners are also making them popular in the healthcare industry. Barcode technology can help rectify medication errors, medical practitioners and physicians can easily get information about medicines as well as their manufacturing dates.

The report further cites that the globalbarcode scanners market will expand at a CAGR of 7.6% over the forecast period (2017-2027) and account for US$ 10.8 Bn by 2027-end. During the same duration, the market is also expected to reflect a CAGR of 6.4% in terms of volume, reaching 38.7 Mn units over 2027-end. Around 20.7 Mn units of barcode scanners are expected to be sold by the end of 2017.

Retailer, Tobacco Brand Each Track Shelf Availability via RFID

A tobacco company and a Canadian convenience store chain are beta-testing ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification-based smart-shelf technology to track the stock of goods on store shelves. The Smart Shelf system, provided by NeWave Sensor Solutions, enables the convenience stores to track when cartons are removed from shelves and, therefore, need to be replenished, or when the number of cartons removed at once is suspicious. By using the technology, the tobacco company and the retailer can each view how products are selling, as well as when stock levels are low, without placing an RFID tag on every product.

WA to trial RFID tracking of wool bales

Western Australia’s wool clip has been selected to trial the commercial viability of using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to track wool bales. About 40 per cent of WA’s clip will have ultra-high frequency bale tags - that can be read from more than two metres and can withstand dumping - as part of a six-month trial next year which aims to verify Australian Wool Exchange’s e-Bale technology. The Operational Proof of Concept (OPC) will begin early 2018 and will track 150,000 bales, from farm up to point of shipping, prior to commercialisation of the technology.

RFID for Sheep and Goats

There are many reasons to identify sheep and goats, including record keeping, proof of ownership, registration and traceability. There are numerous options to do this: ear tags (of many kinds), paint brands or marks, ear notches, neck chains and collars, and tattoos. RFID is becoming an increasingly popular method. RFID stands for radio frequency identification. It involves the use of radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object — or animal. The technology has been around for more than 50 years. Its roots trace to World War II when radio waves were used to identify friendly aircraft.

GAO warns of security flaws in IoT, medical devices

While most of the U.S. healthcare system was left untouched by the WannaCry ransomware attack that rocked the U.K National Health Service, it highlighted the major vulnerabilities in outdated hospital systems: medical devices. A recent Government Accountability Office IoT technology assessment reiterated similar flaws. Both private and public sectors are inconsistent in IoT adoption, which leaves steadily growing technology highly susceptible to attack. In just 2016 alone, hundreds of thousands of poor-secured IoT devices were hacked and leveraged to disrupt major portions of the internet.

Thinfilm Introduces IoT-CNECT Box to Provide Consumer Brands with Quick-Start Solution for NFC Mobile Marketing

Thin Film Electronics ASA ("Thinfilm") announced the launch of its IoT-CNECT Box. An affordable, turnkey NFC mobile marketing solution "in a box," it provides brands and digital agencies with a quick and easy way to create, implement, and test 'intelligent packaging' programs that facilitate direct brand-to-consumer connections through the tap of a smartphone. Thinfilm is initially accepting pre-orders for the IoT-CNECT Box, with product shipments expected to begin in June.

Contents of the IoT-CNECT Box include 1) Thinfilm's SpeedTap and OpenSense NFC tags in adhesive-label format 2) smart ElastiTag hangtags from Bedford Industries, 3) a quick-start guide, 4) an overview of innovative use cases, and 5) detailed information on Thinfilm's powerful cloud-based software platform, CNECT. Customers also receive a complimentary copy of NFC Mobile Marketing for Dummies, a useful educational and planning guide recently released by Thinfilm in conjunction with publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Customers that purchase the IoT-CNECT Box gain instant access to Thinfilm's CNECT partner portal, a multi-tenant software platform that seamlessly integrates with the NFC tags to enable remote tag management, custom content delivery, consumer activity tracking, and detailed analytics and reporting. By leveraging this end-to-end, turnkey solution to quickly create proof-of-concept campaigns, companies can easily begin to test and build unique mobile marketing programs that drive consumer engagement and influence purchasing decisions.

NFC vehicle keys let Mercedes drivers go keyless

Gemalto’s Trusted Services Hub is letting Mercedes drivers use mobile phones to control cars via new NFC vehicle keys. Carmaker Daimler AG’s new smartphone-based digital vehicle key will work with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class range, giving drivers the freedom to lock and unlock as well as start their vehicles using a smartphone. Gemalto enables the secure over-the-air deployment of the digital NFC vehicle keys to the secure element on any phone that supports the NFC-based solution.

Is The 'RFID Retail Revolution' Finally Here? A Macy's Case Study

Macy’s set plans last year to expand its use of RFID to track every item across its fleet of stores and fulfillment centers by the end of 2018. “We are already halfway to this goal of tagging 100% of products,” he said. So far, Macy’s has noticed “a big impact” on sales and profitability across several product categories from RFID, Connell said, but will not disclose actual figures until a full year has passed since its implementation. But according to a presentation by Melanie Nuce, vice president of apparel and general merchandise for standards organization GS1 US1 at the Internet of Retail conference last fall, after Macy’s expanded RFID to its fashion departments, the retailer’s sales volume surged more than 200%, she said then.

Google's new cloud service shows increasing demand for the IoT

Google has launched a new cloud-based service called IoT Core that enables its enterprise customers to manage their IoT devices, as well as collect and analyze the data those devices produce. IoT Core has access to all its data processing, analytics, and machine learning capabilities of Google's cloud and supports devices equipped with Intel, ARM, and Marvel processors. It's worth noting, however, that companies must manage IoT Core themselves, without assistance from Google. The service is currently available in preview mode with no stated release date.

L&L, Avery Dennison to host RFID webinar

Labels & Labeling, in partnership with Avery Dennison, is to host a webinar looking at the basics of RFID on June 13. The ‘RFID Basics’ webinar, the first in a series of three events looking at the role of RFID in the labeling industry, will provide an introduction to the fundamentals of the technology and detail the differences between the various types of RFID tags available – active, passive and battery-assisted –, as well as different frequencies, how they behave and other critical aspects of RFID technology. The webinar will include a brief overview of the EPC global network, the future of ISO standards, ETSI reader regulations and the latest standardization efforts worldwide.

Why securing NFC mobile payments requires a comprehensive approach

Obtaining Mastercard and Visa security compliance and keeping in line with the payment ecosystem’s best practices will help to “reinforce” host card emulation (HCE) security levels and minimise the success rates of hacking attempts, says HCE and tokenization provider Antelop Solutions. Moving from chip-based physical card security to software-based digitised card security means that the risks associated with mobile payments should not be underestimated, the company writes in a white paper now available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre.

Tyco Retail Solutions recognized for innovative RFID Fitting Room solution

Tyco Retail Solutions has been recognized for its innovative RFID Fitting Room , providing retailers with real-time, item-level detail on inventory in the fitting room -- the highest sales conversion area of the store. Retail Business Technology Expo (RBTE) 2017, Europe's largest retail solutions event, shortlisted Tyco's solution for the Innovation Trail Awards during the show in London from May 8-9.

The Tyco Retail RFID Fitting Room is a combined solution of Tyco's RAIN RFID hardware, firmware and software products. Designed to deliver maximum business value to retailers, the primary focus is on driving fitting room sales conversion and the optimum shopping experience. Tyco's RFID Fitting Room, powered by Tyco's Beam Steerable RFID Antenna and multi-purpose RFID reader, provides retailers with visibility to item-level inventory in the fitting room, with additional insight into the stockroom and sales floor inventory to better service the customer, enhance the shopping experience and ultimately increase sales. Additional benefits are gained with loss prevention and store operational efficiencies as well.

The Tyco Retail RFID Fitting Room delivers real-time inventory insight in an unobtrusive way to best assist sales associates with customers, monitor the area to combat shrink, enable in-fitting-room merchandising and promotional opportunities, and generate fitting room merchandise activity and sales conversion statistics beneficial for analytical product performance reporting.

CardFlight Announces New Series of EMV and NFC Mobile Card Readers for Merchants of All Types

CardFlight, a mobile point of sale (POS) provider, is launching the Swift B200 and Swift B250, a new series of mobile cards readers utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity to enable merchants nationwide to accept secure EMV and NFC contactless payments on Android and iOS devices. 

CardFlight will also be one of the first mobile payment solution providers to support Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method (CDCVM), a new standard in contactless payments.

The Swift B200 will allow merchants to accept EMV chip card and magnetic stripe payments by connecting via Bluetooth Low Energy to a smartphone or a tablet device running CardFlight's SwipeSimple mobile point-of-sale software or utilizing CardFlight's Software Development Kit. The Swift B250 card reader similarly supports EMV and magnetic stripe, with the added benefit of allowing merchants to accept NFC contactless payments and mobile wallets such as Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay.  The SwipeSimple platform enables merchant service providers, banks, independent sales organizations and other financial institutions to offer a great EMV-enabled mobile point-of-sale solution to their merchants.  Key features of the new Swift series of readers include:

Multisensor RFID tags read 10 meters out

Employing multiple sensors in a single tag, the PCT100 and PCT200 passive RFID tags from Powercast provide a read range of 10 meters (32 feet), along with an RF operating range of -17 dBm to +20 dBm. According to the manufacturer, the tags have more than 10 times the operational power of standard passive RFID tags. The PCT100 enables battery-free wireless sensing and reads data within seconds. The PCT200 adds a battery with the ability to recharge using any standard RFID reader’s field.

What is NFC? Everything you need to know

Have you ever wondered what makes tap-and-go services like Apple Pay, Android Pay and Amiibo work? As much as it seems like pure magic, it isn't. Simply put, it's a method of wireless data transfer called NFC (Near field communication) that detects and then enables technology in close proximity to communicate without the need for an internet connection. It's easy, fast and works automagically The tech involved is deceptively simple: evolved from radio frequency identification (RFID) tech, an NFC chip operates as one part of a wireless link. Once it's activated by another chip, small amounts of data between the two devices can be transferred when held a few centimeters from each other.

Global RFID Market Projected to be Worth USD 15.84 Billion by 2021

According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global RFID market is projected to grow to USD 15.84 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of nearly 9% over the forecast period.

This research report titled ‘Global RFID Market 2017-2021’ provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This market research report also includes up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions.

Middleware is currently the fastest-growing product in the RFID market, with analysts projecting it to showcase a CAGR of over 11% through 2021. RFID middleware is used in the accurate recording and analysis of internal databases and integrating it with ERP, CRM, WMS, and track and trace applications.

The growth of the segment is expected to originate from the increasing number of vendors offering middleware solutions and the entry of global players such Google (Alphabet) and Microsoft in the software RFID solutions segment. Also, the increase in demand for customized solutions for small and medium-sized businesses is also expected to impact the market segment.

Global Cold Chain RFID Market to Witness 29.1% CAGR During 2016 – 2022

The global cold chain RFID market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29.1% during 2016-2022. Among the various products, the tags segment accounted for largest share in the global cold chain RFID market in 2015.

The software and services product segment is expected to witness a considerable growth during the forecast period. The growing demand for real time temperature monitoring in cold chain logistic is expected to boost the growth of the global cold chain RFID market during the forecast period.

The RFID technology in cold chain is used for tracing and tracking contents, location expiration, and manufacture dates. The data gathered by RFID can be transmitted to the authorities. The food and beverages segment accounted for the largest market share in the global cold chain RFID market in 2015. The pharmaceutical and biomedical segment is expected to witness growth at the fastest rate during the forecast period, owing to the increasing demand of RFID in pharmaceuticals cold chain supply from developing countries, such as India and China. The growing global fisheries import and export is laying ample opportunities for the growth of the cold chain RFID market. The stringent government mandates for food safety has led to the requirement of specific humidity, temperature, and light requirements while handling food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals products. The producers, transporters, distributors, and warehouse operators are now forced to keep the entire supply chain details for these products. The stringent regulations in developed countries has also forced the major pharmaceuticals, food and beverages exporter countries in Asia-Pacific to follow the mandates, as it is applicable for the entire supply chain. This is driving the growth of the cold chain RFID market in Asia-Pacific.

AWEX to trial RFID tracking of wool bale next year

Western Australia’s wool clip has been selected to trial the commercial viability of using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to track wool bales. About 40 per cent of WA’s clip will have ultra-high frequency bale tags – that can be read from more than two metres and can withstand dumping – as part of a six-month trial next year which aims to verify Australian Wool Exchange’s e-Bale technology.

Will Micron’s Latest Product Lead to IoT Riches?

The booming Internet of Things (IoT) market will pose one major challenge as more devices connect and communicate with each other: Security. Future Market Insights pins the size of the IoT security market at $17 billion in 2020, up from just $7.8 billion in 2014 as device makers add embedded security solutions in their devices to maintain data integrity.

Micron Technology doesn't want to miss this gravy train, so it has joined forces with Microsoft to launch a new product to address cybersecurity challenges in IoT devices and sensors. The jointly developed security technology deploys Micron's flash memory that's integrated into the IoT device at the hardware level, and then uses Microsoft's Azure service to send data safely to the cloud. Micron is using its proprietary Authenta technology to power this solution, which allows system developers to use existing flash memory sockets in IoT devices to bolster security features without the need for any additional hardware that eliminates any extra costs.

Alien Technology Solution Simplifying RFID Infrastructure Installation, Operations and Maintenance

Alien Technology announced the ALR-F800-X with Emissary, that dramatically simplifies RFID reader infrastructure, installation, operations and maintenance.

"Alien is introducing a revolutionary approach to solving the challenges of cost and complexity associated with installing, configuring and managing a network of RFID readers -- including the activities and workflows associated with them," Pat Ervin, President, Alien Technology. "The ALR-F800-X with Emissary will be the first in a range of Alien products supporting the reduction of RFID infrastructure costs and complexities. These products are all about enabling customers to focus on their data and not on managing the readers."

licenses. Each ALR-F800-X supports four additional readers (for five readers in total), and no additional Edge Server is required (the ALR-F800-X performs this function). The ALR-F800-X with Emissary is designed to be low fuss and simple to use.

5 Best Barcode and QR code scanner Android apps on the Play Store

In the past, barcode reading devices were only used by selected few and fewer people who had easy access to the details linked to a particular barcode or QR code. Not anymore. Today anyone who has an Android smartphone with a camera can make use of it. Now Barcode and QR code scanning apps do a whole range of things from identifying a product, contact, comparing products, to making a custom QR code for yourself to share with social circles.

Walmart To Rival Amazon Dash With New IoT Platform

A Walmart patent application for IoT is one of the novel 'in' things on the scene. The system is reminiscent of Amazon Dash — the connected buttons offered by Amazon that let users quickly re-order products. Launched over two years ago, Amazon Dash buttons now cover over 300 products. However, as we’ll describe below, Walmart’s system would require even less effort than Amazon’s. This patent application, titled “Retail subscription in internet of things environment,” describes adding IoT tags to products based on Bluetooth, radio frequency, infrared, NFC, or other technology. The tag would monitor product usage, and automatically order refills/replacements when needed.

Scan these new QR-style Spotify Codes to instantly play a song

Spotify has taken a tip from Snapchat with its new feature for sharing music via scannable images. The new Spotify Codes feature creates a unique barcode and album cover image for every song, artist and playlist. Scan these Spotify Codes with the new camera in the Spotify app’s search bar to instantly play that music. Spotify Codes could make it easier for friends to share music with each other and artists to promote their work. After receiving a tip from reader Moshe Isaacian, we reached out to Spotify for info, and the company said it will share more details on Monday.

RFID and Barcode Printer Market Worth 4.81 Billion USD by 2022

According to the new market research report, "RFID and Barcode Printer Market by Type (Industrial, Desktop, Mobile), Technology (Thermal Transfer, Direct Thermal, Inkjet), Resolution (Below 300 dpi, 301-600), Connectivity, Industry (Manufacturing, Retail, Healthcare) - Global Forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets(TM), the market is expected to be valued at USD 4.81 Billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.7% between 2017 and 2022.

Industrial printers held the largest size of the RFID and barcode printer market in 2016. Industrial RFID and barcode printers are used for applications such as cross docking, inventory management, lab sample tracking, receiving/shipping, reverse logistics, work-in-process tracking, compliance labeling, information labels, medical record labeling, order labeling, and prescription labeling. Industrial printers are expected to dominate this market during the forecast period due to the increasing demand in developing countries and the need for extracting all information of a particular asset. Due to the growth of the manufacturing industry, the demand for these printers is increasing. 

What's important to apply RFID technology correctly in applications

Not much draws the attention of industrial people better than discussing the Internet of Things (IoT), machine-to-machine (M2M) and other wireless-technology acronyms such as LoRa (long-range, low-power wireless), 6LoWPAN (Internet Protocol, version 6, low-power wireless personal area network) or BLE (Bluetooth low-energy). However, to improve the resilience of an industrial process, increase your competitiveness or create new services by digitalizing products, the process to be changed, improved or created should be well understood. The technology comes afterward. Nevertheless, to make the difference between what could be a pure dream or an off-the-shelf solution, it's worth discussing how the technology works, what the ongoing and upcoming capabilities are and how other stakeholders will implement it.

NFC Mobile Marketing For Dummies Book Now Available

Thin Film Electronics ASA, in conjunction with publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc., announced the release of a new book titled NFC Mobile Marketing For Dummies. “The book is an easy to read guide for consumer brands and digital agencies that want to get started in mobile marketing using NFC (near field communication) as a centerpiece technology,” a statement provided to MMW reads. Investors and others may download the e-book version of NFC Mobile Marketing For Dummies here.

RFID Is the Solution for Omnichannel Sales

During a presentation at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show regarding retail information systems (RIS), radio frequency identification technology was highlighted in several major retail reports and events for 2017. RFID is considered a technology that can support omnichannel sales strategies, allowing companies to mix online and physical sales without losing control of product movement, and it can take important indicators from such transactions. U.S. giant Macy's, for example, has announced that it plans to have all of its products tagged with RFID sensors by the end of 2017, following the market trend (see Macy's to RFID-Tag 100 Percent of Items). RFID adoption can change the retail industry worldwide.

Linux Foundation EdgeX Foundry to Enable Edge Computing for IoT

The Linux Foundation has launched the EdgeX Foundry, a new project aimed to build an open framework for IoT computing and an ecosystem of interoperable components. The EdgeX Foundry aims to foster the model of edge computing, where enabled devices will not send their data back to the cloud for processing but rely on local gateway devices for computing and analytics. The main advantages of this approach are reduced latency and network traffic, and improved security. This is considered of special value for industrial applications, such as power generation, smart traffic lights, etc. where a cloud component is not strictly required; or, for more general applications where data from a number of devices is collected locally before sending it to the cloud.

Apple invention uses RFID tags, Apple Watch to track food nutrition

As Apple wades further into health industry waters with products like Apple Watch, the company recently was granted a patent for technology that would allow food vendors to embed nutritional information in device-readable RFID tags. The solution presents a unique and partially automated solution to calorie counting, one of the more laborious aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.Granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple's U.S. Patent No. 9,640,088 for "Electronic tag transmissions of custom-order nutritional information" describes a method of encoding RFID tags with details regarding one or more food items. The tags then transmit nutritional variables, such as caloric value, fat content, sugar content and more, to a waiting NFC-capable device like iPhone or Apple Watch.

New KYOCERA Ceramic RFID Package with Embedded Antenna Increases Read Range Up to 2X

Kyocera Corporation announced that it has developed an ultra-small ceramic package utilizing a proprietary multilayer structure with a built-in RFID 1 antenna that can increase the read range up to 2X as compared with conventional packages of the same size. Starting mass production in May 2017, the product will be available worldwide in three sizes (from 6x3x1.7mm to 15x5x1.7mm), with an annual sales target of JPY 3 billion by 2020.

Kyocera’s proprietary technologies cultivated over many years in advanced ceramic materials and multilayer structures ensure a compact package with outstanding performance. The new ceramic package with a RFID antenna will help meet rising demand for RFID tags to support Internet of Things (IoT) applications.


The packages are available in six base configurations — three different sizes for both the UHF and HF (for ultra-short-distance communication) bands. To meet diverse customer demands, Kyocera offers built-in IC chip arrangement and device assembly, providing RFID tags as finished products, in addition to providing ceramic packages and customized designs upon request.

QR codes come into use for wedding cash gifts in China

The application range of QR codes just keeps getting wider in China. For Chinese people, giving cash gifts in red envelopes to newly-weds is a centuries-long tradition. But it appears the practice is about to get subverted as QR codes are being brought into the picture. As QR codes, which are square-shaped versions of bar codes and stand for Quick Response Code, have become a part of everyday life for hundreds of millions of Chinese people, a wedding party has devised a new interesting application for the codes.

Railways to track wagons, coaches with RFID tags

The Indian Railways will use radio-frequency identification tags (RFID) for tracking of wagons, coaches and locomotives to ensure effective and transparent functioning. Leveraging information technology in a big way, the public transporter has issued instructions for equipping all wagons with RFID tags to begin with. There are about 2.25 lakh wagons, 50,000 coaches and 9,000 locomotives in the railways. Railways have sanctioned Rs 57 crore for the first phase of rollout of the system.

Barcodes on workers helping construction projects stay on schedule

How would you feel if you had to wear a barcode to track you when you are at work? A D.C. startup company is banking on that technology to help construction projects stay on schedule. But is this an invasion of privacy or an innovative tool that helps companies save time and money? For some, it may seem a lot like Big Brother – always watching. “Well, that is what people say, but the reality is that the value of the data quickly overwhelms any fear of the data being used improperly,” said Eyrus managing director Rusty Meadows.

RFID maker Impinj tops earnings expectations again

Impinj has exceeded Wall Street expectations in each of its four quarters as a public company, after posting another strong quarter to start 2017. The Seattle-based maker of radio frequency identification tags posted non-GAAP earnings of one cent per share on $31.7 million in revenue, an increase of 47 percent over this time last year. Analysts surveyed in advance by Yahoo Finance expected Impinj to post losses of a penny per share on $30.7 in revenue.

Hospitals slow to meet barcode standard

The right medication can be a lifesaver. Unfortunately, more than half of all patients admitted to the hospital suffer a medication error1. The wrong medication, wrong patient, harmful interactions with food or other drugs, allergies, and poor communication are among the hazards involved in the process of administering medications in the hospital. Given the complexity of the environment and potential hazards involved, technology aimed at preventing medication errors is not only helpful, but in many cases lifesaving.

The annual Leapfrog Hospital Survey is the only source of publicly reported data on hospitals’ effective use of two key technologies known to reduce medication errors: Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), which studies suggest can reduce errors by up to 93%, and Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), shown to reduce errors by up to 88%. This report examines U.S. hospital performance in preventing medication errors in hospitals as measured on the 2016 Leapfrog Hospital Survey.

BCMA systems are electronic scanning systems that intercept medication errors at the point of administration. A nurse scans a bar code on a patient’s wristband to confirm he or she is the right patient, then scans a similar bar code on the prescribed medication to verify the remaining four of what’s known as the “Five Rights of Medication Administration”: right drug, dose, time, and route. In one study, when nurses used a BCMA solution as directed, the error rate in administering medications was reduced by up to 93%

A closer look at the Internet of Things 2.0

One of the key characteristics of the IoT 2.0 will be common standards. The IoT umbrella is vast, and the many industries it covers – from factories and automotive through to building automation and networking – each have their own protocols, interfaces and hardware. “The real paradigm shift in IoT has been the availability of development boards at a fraction of the cost of old proprietary solutions,” says Thibaut Rouffineau, Head of Devices Marketing, IoT, Phone, PC at Canonical. He thinks that in the light of falling hardware and development costs, many companies are re-evaluating their tech choices. “They’re moving away from proprietary non-interoperable solutions and towards more open ecosystems and software.”

CartoPac Unveils Barcode Scanner Solution for Gas Utility Pipeline Mapping

CartoPac International Inc., an enterprise mobile software and services company, has introduced a fully integrated barcode scanning solution for gas utility companies. The solution integrates with the CartoPac Software Suite and enables utilities to quickly and accurately comply with regulations related to the traceability of their as-built natural gas distribution assets. CartoPac will demonstrate the gas utility barcode solution in booth 1307 at the American Gas Association’s Operations Conference being held May 2-5, 2017, in Kissimmee, Florida.

How Fast is Retail Adopting RFID?

If recent news and information about the apparel business and omnichannel retailing are any indication, universal RFID adoption is an industry fait accompli. Except when it isn’t. Not yet, anyway. Statistics from retail reporters, industry groups and retailers themselves share RFID usage numbers ranging from 50 percent to 96 percent. In actuality, these numbers are inaccurate, exceedingly optimistic, and obscure the actual realistic pace of RFID adoption, which is far slower and more methodical. While the aim among retailers to integrate RFID technology into their operations rates is near 100 percent, actual deployment of full RFID systems still hovers in the single digits.

Global chipless RFID market to grow at a CAGR of 29.33%

A new research study says global chipless RFID market is to grow at a CAGR of 29.33% during the period 2016-2020. RFID tags without a silicon microchip are called chipless RFIDs. This technology is embedded in products or goods to help track and replenish inventory, and retrieve information on products when required. Chipless RFIDs are easy and cheap to manufacture compared to conventional RFIDs. The majority of the RFID market is dominated by passive tags, which do not require batteries.

Telenor unveils free IoT pilot

Telenor has unveiled an experimental pilot service called Telenor Start IoT, for researchers and young companies wanting to explore the Internet of Things (IoT) in Norway. The Norwegian telecom operator is setting up a physical low-power wide-area (LPWA) experimental network and a backend system and will be giving development kits to startups, students, and developers. This offering will be free for testing and experimentation for five years.

Genetec Announces Distribution Partnership with Access Control Reader Manufacturer STid

Genetec Inc. (“Genetec”), a provider of open architecture security and public safety solutions today announced it has added STid, a French developer of RFID door controllers to its growing ecosystem of supported access control partners. Through this agreement, the STid Architect series of ergonomic and highly secure RFID readers, which is supported by the Genetec Synergis access control system in Genetec Security Center—will be available through Genetec and its certified global network of resellers.

Thanks to the Genetec open-architecture strategy, Synergis end-users now have even more choice for their access control management with the addition of the STid Architect series of ergonomic and highly secure RFID readers. By easing complex ordering processes and reader configurations, Genetec customers can choose the modular, vandal-proof, and highly configurable access control hardware from STid—with a simplified ordering, installation and maintenance process.

The STid Architect series offers secure end-to-end control of an organization's access control data, from reader to controller, using stringent encryption and authentication methods. With STid readers, customers can manage their own secret keys to read Desfire EV1 cards. The STid readers are available with a standard Wiegand interface or with a secured communication channel that mitigates the risk associated with credentials tapping or man-in-the-middle attacks. This is particularly interesting for compliance reasons in instances where keys cannot be stored on the reader itself.

Siemens Firmware Connects RFID to MindSphere Cloud-based IoT Operating System

Siemens, with its new V3 firmware release, has announced that its Simatic RF600 RFID system now supports the OPC UA open interface. The new firmware allows devices to be connected to the MindSphere cloud-based open Internet of Things operating system—for instance, via the Ruggedcom RX1400 industrial IoT gateway with MindConnect or with the MindConnect Nano cloud gateway.  Simatic RF600 acts as a link between the real and digital world, the company reports. Its platform-independent interface enables communication with products and software that support OPC UA.