Ofo to launch NFC-enabled smart locks

China’s leading bike-sharing startup ofo is coming up with a new solution to unlock their bikes—near-field Communication (NFC) locks. Ofo announced today that their new NFC-enabled locks have been put into mass production (in Chinese) and will be placed on the streets most likely in October. With the first electronic locks that support NFC, users can pay for and unlock a bicycle within seconds simply by bringing their smartphones near the bikes. This means that ofo riders will no longer have to solely rely on QR codes which are insecure and easy targets for scammers.

Drones relay RFID signals for inventory control

MIT researchers have now developed a system that enables small, safe, aerial drones to read RFID tags from tens of meters away while identifying the tags’ locations with an average error of about 19 centimeters. The researchers envision that the system could be used in large warehouses for both continuous monitoring, to prevent inventory mismatches, and location of individual items, so that employees can rapidly and reliably meet customer requests.

Beijing opens whole subway system to mobile phones

(Foto: WiNG)

From now on, all Beijing subway lines will support NFC-enabled mobile phone entrance. The passengers no longer need to use public transport cards or tickets, and can just swipe their phone to enter the subway, Chinese media Beijing Youth Daily is reporting. Smartphones installed with NFC (near-field wireless communication) module can support the public transport smart card function. When you use it, it’s just like how you swipe your transport card to the reader. In addition, users don’t have to pay a deposit to use this service.

New Systems Uses Robots and RFID Readers to Perform Continuous Cycle Counting

Despite decades of bar code scanning, wireless radio frequency terminals, and Warehouse Management Systems, some - perhaps many - companies still have a hard time keeping track of inventory in distribution centers. SCDigest suspects many of these companies simply do not deploy all of the three technologies cited above, which have driven 99%+ inventory accuracy for thousands of companies over the years. Others may have the technologies, but haven't implemented them well or lack the process discipline to achieve the near perfect inventory accuracy levels.

Thinfilm & Charming Trim partner for smart NFC hang tags

Thin Film Electronics ASA has partnered with Charming Trim & Packaging, Inc, a leading provider of trim and packaging solutions to the garment industry to incorporate Thinfilm's NFC SpeedTap and OpenSense technologies in Charming's apparel hang tags. The NFC technology empowers brands to engage directly with shoppers and customers through the simple tap of a smartphone. Full integration with Thinfilm's CNECT Brand Analytics SaaS platform enables streamlined tag configuration, campaign creation and management and analytics reporting.

How RFID Technology Can Help Drug Safety

Nearly 40% of ambulatory care providers surveyed in the first half of 2016 failed compliance inspections for safe storage of medications, according to a report by the Joint Commission.¹ Improper drug storage ranked third in the top five most challenging requirements affecting ambulatory care. Hospitals are solving the proper storage problem and other challenges by installing radiofrequency identification (RFID)-enabled refrigerators and storage units. A small RFID tag on each medication is associated with the drug’s information, such as name, manufacturer, lot number and expiration date. Once that information is logged into the hospital’s relational database, critical medications can be tracked automatically throughout the facility.

Here's what to make of the PayPal mobile payments rumor

There’s a rumor making its way around the internet that PayPal plans to launch a stand-alone, NFC-based in-store payment app early next year, according to Payment Week. It’s seemingly based on a line in the press release announcing PayPal’s new partnership with Bank of America about an upcoming NFC mobile wallet experience. The app could serve as a companion to PayPal’s existing mobile app. PayPal has been leaning into mobile. In Q2, PayPal saw $36 billion in mobile payment volume, worth just over a third of its total payment volume (TPV).

Youtap Launches Mobile Money QR Code Solution

Youtap, a global provider of contactless mobile payments and financial services software, has launched a QR code solution and smartphone apps for mobile money services in Africa and Asia.

Youtap’s solution enables customer-initiated or merchant-initiated QR code payments for smartphones and smart point-of-sale devices. The solution conforms to the BharatQR industry standard developed by Bharat, Mastercard and Visa. Youtap’s apps can be white-labelled and branded with the logo and colours of the mobile money service.

The new solution gives any merchant or small business owner with a smartphone the potential to download Youtap’s Merchant App, self-register, and start accepting mobile money payments. Likewise, any subscriber with a smartphone can download the Youtap Pay App and start making payments. Merchants who do not own a smartphone could be provided a printed QR code to accept mobile money.

Youtap’s QR code solution enables a full range of mobile money transactions, including cash-in and cash-out transactions, airtime top-ups, bill payments and in-store payments.
QR codes can also be used to give back change when a customer uses cash.

Barcode Quality: Ignore It at Your Peril

The barcode is ubiquitous to the point of invisibility for the average consumer, but drug makers and packagers cannot afford to take it for granted. A poorly printed barcode can wreak havoc in the pharmaceutical supply chain, interrupting product supply and hampering drug makers’ business performance. Barcode quality is more important than ever as anti-counterfeiting regulations, including the U.S. Drug Supply Chain & Security Act, will require application of a serial number and unique two-dimensional (2D) barcode (the GS1 DataMatrix) on every saleable prescription drug container (e.g., bottle, carton) to be sold.

New RFID reader makes equine identification oh so easy

An ambitious fundraising project is under way in Iceland to raise $40,000 to bring a pocket-sized, smart-phone compatible RFID animal tag reader to the market. Icelandic startup Anitar has launched a Kickstarter crowd funding project to fund the first production run of its sleek, easy to use, pocket-sized RFID (Radio-frequency identification) tag reader. The concept grew from Larusson’s own experience of catching someone else’s horse by mistake. The owner of the horse was not amused.

Mobile payment usage ‘remains low’, US debit card study finds

“Combined, Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay account for only about one quarter of 1% of US debit transactions,” the annual Debit Issuer Study from debit and ATM network Pulse has found, while the country’s move to EMV chip cards has cut debit card fraud loss rates but “fraud continues to challenge issuers.” Pulse logo“Enrollment of debit cards into Apple Pay increased 80% in 2016,” Pulse found, “with Apple Pay remaining the most popular mobile wallet of the big three ‘Pays’, which include Android Pay and Samsung Pay.”

Scott Filipiak: The hidden meanings of trees and barcodes

While gazing at the tall white columns of aspen tree trunks after moving to Utah, graphic designer and marketing expert Scott Filipiak saw barcodes. The morphing of aspens into UPC codes appears amusing and static but under the surface lie questions, anxiety and movement. The artist inspires us to question the objects of our deep-seated fears and wonder how destructive they might ultimately be.
In addition to the paintings that feature trees, others portray images of chainsaws and hatchets — instruments of progress or weapons of destruction depending upon the viewer's perspective.

NFC mobile payments ‘shake off the novelty tag’ in the UK

British consumers used their mobile phones to spend more than £370m (US$477m) in stores equipped with contactless payments terminals during the first half of 2017, an increase of 336% on the amount spent during the first half of 2016, transaction data analysis conducted by payments processor Worldpay has found. The overall share of transactions conducted using an NFC mobile phone has almost doubled during the first half of the year, from 1.18% at the end of 2016 to 2.04% in June 2017, Worldpay says.

Barcode system eliminates drum mix-ups during LSR molding

Elmet GmbH, an Austrian operating system supplier for the injection molding of two-component liquid silicone rubbers (LSR), has introduced a standardized barcode system for drum labeling and recognition as an integral part of its TOP 5000 P dosing systems.

LSR is a two-component reactive chemical. The two components, A and B, are usually shipped in separate drum containers that are, however, very similar in appearance. Mix-ups can have serious consequences. The new identification system, developed jointly with Wacker Chemie AG, now virtually eliminates the possibility confusing the drums when replacing these, said Elmet.

RFID system being tested out at toll plazas; to be implemented by January

By the end of January next year, traffic flow at toll plazas could potentially be smoother with the introduction of a radio frequency identification (RFID) system and a multi-free flow lane. The RFID-based system, a barcode scanner which scans a “tag” through electromagnetic waves with a frequency between 850 and 950MHz, will be introduced starting Jan 28. The system is able to reach a range of 27m with a 10 millisecond response time. An online portal reported that Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) director-general Datuk Ismail Md Salleh said the RFID tag will be more up-to-date than the current system.

Microscan: Handheld portable barcode verifier

The new LVS-9585 verifies the readability, quality, and data integrity of 1D and 2D printed labels and direct part marks to internationally accepted standards including GS1, ISO 15415/15416, ISO/IEC 29158 TR, and MIL-STD-130N. Microscan’s GS1 certification provides the assurance that the LVS-95XX-series verifiers can help users comply with the U.S. FDA’s Unique Device Identification (UDI) requirements for medical device labels. 1D and 2D direct part marks are created using methods such as laser etching, chemical etching, and dot peen marking on a variety of surfaces including metals, plastics, ceramics, and composite materials.

Atlas RFID Solutions unveils new wearable technology

Birmingham-based Atlas RFID Solutions is making the move into wearable technology. The company has developed a wearable device that incorporates a ring-style barcode reader.This device allows users to scan one or two-dimensional barcodes and read RFID tags while maintaining use of both hands. Through a series of tests, the ring barcode reader has been Jovix certified and is ready to be used on Atlas’s existing and future sites. Jovix is a material readiness application developed by RFID Solutions, specifically capable for the capital asset market.
 

POA reduces cost of RFID transponders

The Indian POA reduced the cost of the Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) vehicle transponders from $20 to $10 to encourage more residents to utilize this technology as the POA works towards equipping all three community entrances with this feature for increased security and expedited entry. The reduction is for a limited time only and expires at the end of the year. Residents with transponders may use the RFID lanes at the main and east gates. The north gate is not yet equipped with the RFID technology.

Improving RFID system reliability

RFID technology does not require any contact to detect objects with electronic information tags, speeding up a variety of processes in production, logistics and retail. In cases that require high levels of object identification accuracy, a high-performance antenna is needed that is capable of capturing the information stored on the RFID transponders at any time. Fraunhofer IIS has developed a Multibeam Antenna for such challenging scanning scenarios. Thanks to its nine directional beams the antenna provides high levels of accuracy when capturing data from transponders within its flexible read range. At the same time, it optimises the reliability of RFID systems.

Nepal-bound container cargo to have RFID tags

Nepal-bound cargo will have radio frequency identification (RFID) tags as a pilot project to prevent their tampering and diversion midway. With Visakhapatnam being declared the second gateway port after Kolkata for the Himalayan State for export import cargo, Asian Development Bank-funded RFID project is being executed to make it operational from Visakhapatnam shortly after its launch in Kolkata next month, Commissioner of Customs D.K. Srinivas told The Hindu on Monday.

Singapore becomes IoT-ready as networks are rolled out

Very soon the humble electricity meter in your house will be having its own telecom network through which it will be able to connect to a back office and give details about your electricity usage. And your water meter may not be far behind. Both will help you save money by giving you smart information on usage. These are just two of the thousands of different services that are part of the Smart Nation journey and have become closer to reality with Singapore's telecom infrastructure developing the smarts needed for the IoT (Internet of Things) revolution, where millions of devices will connect to the network and capture real-time data.

Wisconsin Company’s Use of RFID Microchip Implants Raises Questions of Health, Privacy

A company in Wisconsin announced that around 50 of their employees will be implanting RFID chips into their hands for workplace-related tasks. But employees and experts alike are questioning, both for safety and privacy.

Amidst growing speculation that AI will take over jobs, companies are attempting to integrate a variety of technology into their workflow at every organizational level. From the factory floor to the boardroom, workplaces are taking advantage of things like AI and RFID technology to transition industries.

Mitek adds NFC capability to mobile verification product

Mitek, a provider of mobile capture and identity verification software product, has announced the addition of NFC capability to its Mobile Verify product, according to a press release. By adding NFC, Mobile Verify can now read the biometric data embedded on RFID chips, delivering definitive authentication assurance simply by touching the document to the smartphone. Almost 1 billion ePassports with embedded RFID chips have been issued to date and 3.6 billion people are expected to use RFID chip-enabled ID cards by 2021.

Facens Improves Its Smart Campus via RFID, Internet of Things

Brazil's Sorocaba Engineering School (Facens) is improving its Smart Campus Program, the mission of which is to create an ecosystem of leadership formation capable of collaboratively solving the emerging problems of society, as well as generating products and services of high added value. The initiative employs a variety of technologies, including radio frequency identification (RFID) and Internet of Things (IoT), to achieve its goals. The Smart Campus project is intended to support the formation of what Farcens calls a "citizen engineer," through the solution of real-world problems. The initiative adopts several aspects of the Smart Cities concept, with a focus on education, energy, industry and business, environment, mobility and safety, health and quality of life, information technologies and communication (ICT), and urbanization.

Geronimo snaps up NFC firm

Just two years after launching in Australia mobile CX company Geronimo, led by Amobee's former MD Matt Hunt, has acquired Tapit Media; a global tech platform enabling Near Field Communications (NFC) for marketing. Hunt says NFC technology is a major growth area in mobile marketing and the deal brings proprietary technology, data and IP to the Geronimo tech stack. It also sees founder of Tapit Jamie Conyngham join the Geronimo management team as the CEO of the Tapit business.

DENSO Introduces New AT31Q 1-D and 2-D Barcode Scanner

DENSO ADC, the Americas sales arm of DENSO Wave Incorporated, inventor of the QR Code, announced a new AT31Q handheld 1-D and 2-D barcode scanner featuring both close-range as well as distance scanning. When used at close range, the operator-friendly device allows users to simultaneously scan and view codes, speeding up work and increasing accuracy.

The lightweight yet ruggedly built AT31Q weighs only 4.4 ounces, reducing operator fatigue. Both a buzzer and alert light confirm successful scans.

The AT31Q can read codes displayed on mobile devices, such as mobile coupons and mobile membership cards. The high-performance scan engine of the device reads even dirty, damaged and poorly printed codes.

The AT31Q is designed so the user can quickly pick it up from its rest position, and features an ergonomically shaped grip and trigger that reduce strain during long work sessions. The trigger has a detent that clicks to let the user know by feel when it has been pulled.

Three user-selectable modes allow single-scan reading of concatenated QR Codes or barcodes with up to three rows, as well as reading of an individually targeted code even when multiple codes are in the reading area.

Patent for adding Optical Bar Code Elements to an iPad Smart Cover

On March 28, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that revealed that the iPad's Smart Cover could over time add a few sophisticated features. In August 2012 Apple revealed a mind boggling set of new possible features for the Smart Cover that ranged from inductive charging to built-in solar panels and the use of a flexible display to name a few of innovations being explored

Global healthcare RFID market is anticipated to reach $4.1 billion

The growth in RFID in healthcare market over the period 2017-2021 is expected to be primarily supplemented by factors such as increasing need of patient monitoring due to increasing geriatric population, advancement of product development and increasing support by government for adoption of RFID technology. Furthermore, the future of RFID in healthcare market is expected to be favorable on account of impelling demand due to research and development activities being carried out in companies, expanding internet connectivity along with rising rate of mobile adoption.

At present RFID tags and RFID readers leading the components segment in RFID in healthcare. It is expected that RFID tags as well as RFID readers will going to be the forerunner in the forecast period as well. This is generally due to increase in the demand for advanced technology in healthcare across the globe and continuous declining prices of RFID tags. Within application, currently inventory management is showing the largest share in the total revenue of RFID in healthcare. Similar pattern is expected to be maintained in the forecast period as well. The major reason behind this is due to the loss incurred by hospitals in terms of surgical assets misplacement. Moreover, it is expected that in future, number of patients is going to increase who ultimately needs proper medication and care.

The market is dominated by North America and Europe however, Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest rate in the forecast period. The dominance of North American region is attributed to the increasing adoption of RFID based products due to features such as low power consumption and high efficiency. Within Asia-Pacific region, the rapid growth is on account of the support from Government in terms of tax exemptions, huge investment in R&D, rising spending on healthcare sector, along with support from private entities for the installation of RFID based technology in healthcare.

Furthermore, players in RFID in healthcare market have also invested considerably towards R&D for advancement of this market. Market Players such as IMPINJ and Tagsys RFID Group are expected to invest in millions in RFID technology in order to expand their market share. Other leading players such as Dolphin RFID Pvt. Ltd., and ThingMagic, Inc. have also set up separate divisions for R&D in RFID in healthcare to innovate their product offerings and compete with other leading players in the market.

Over the years, most of the well-known players are showing their interest in RFID technology in healthcare market. Players like GAO RFID, IMPINJ, CAEN RFID, STid RFID and Smartrac N.V., among others are investing in RFID technology in healthcare market to a large extent in order to improvise on their products as well as to capture a major market share. Investments into developing economies like India, China and Japan, among others and monitoring of consumables are the major handful of opportunities that RFID technology in healthcare market is lined up with in the coming future. Developed economies including U.S., Germany, France, and U.K., among others have initiated the process of incorporating RFID technology into their healthcare segment. Moreover, with the growing awareness towards health in developing economies (Asia-Pacific), various technological advancements have already been initiated in the healthcare which is further going to increase the demand for RFID technology in the healthcare sector.

IoT Network to Launch on New Silk Road

ThingPark China, Xi'an Beilin District Science and Technology Bureau, and Shaanxi Radio and Television Network Group, announce the signing of a landmark agreement to launch an IoT network on the 'New Silk Road.' The initiative will form part of President Xi's $100 billion Belt and Road programme, which aims to create a modern day version of the ancient Silk Road, driving commerce, connectivity and cooperation between nations.By leveraging strong scientific and technological strength and rich human resource of Beilin District, the first stage will be the launch of a test network spanning 23 square kilometers in the District, Xi'an, the historic starting point of the Silk Road. The network will initially be used for environmental monitoring, unlocking the potential for huge social and economic benefits for the region.

Venmo rolls out QR codes for user profiles in its mobile app

Venmo today quietly rolled out a feature designed to make it easier to find friends within its mobile payments app, so you can add them to your connections list or get paid yourself. The feature, found under the new menu option “Scan Code,” is available now in both the iOS and Android version of the Venmo app. When tapped, it launches a new interface that allows you to either use the phone’s camera to scan a friend’s code or view your own, unique Venmo code. Your Venmo code itself is a simple QR code that links to your profile in the app.

Cloud platform for IoT device developers scores €750K seed funding

Wia, an Irish startup that offers a cloud platform to enable developers to turn various sensor-based hardware into fully fledged Internet of Things (IoT) devices, has raised €750,000 in seed funding. The rather modest round is led by Suir Valley Ventures, with participation from Enterprise Ireland. Launched in 2015, the Wia platform attempts to take care of a lot of the heavy lifting required to put the cloud-based infrastructure in place (and keep it running) in order to make dumb devices smart and put the ‘Internet’ into IoT. Specifically, it claims to let developers convert any type of sensing device into a “secure, smart and useful application” in a matter of minutes, saving a ton of time and many lines of code.

'More than 60 Percent of Manufacturers to Use RTLS, RFID or Bar-Code Tracking By 2022'

Industrial Internet of Things technology use—including radio frequency identification or real-time location-based systems (RTLS)—is expected to grow beyond the halfway point throughout the next five years, according to a study conducted by technology company Zebra Technologies. The manufacturing survey was intended to forecast connected-factory deployments during that span of time. Approximately 64 percent of manufacturers participating in the study said they expect to be connected via RTLS, RFID or bar codes by 2022—up 20 percent from the 43 percent currently using technology in this way.

The classic wallet gets a redesign, complete with RFID-blocking features

Meet DJIN: The patent-pending wallet that is unlike every bulky and uncomfortable wallet you’ve had in the past. Designed for efficiency, the wallet affords you easy access to your belongings but is built with minimal materials. The feel is light and the space is just big enough to fit everything you need – up to ten cards and twenty bills, plus change. You can access the entire wallet quickly and with ease, since you're able to see everything in the palm of your hand. If you tilt the wallet forwards, other items such as keys, coins, and even USB drives will slide to the front. There’s also a mini drawer for valuables.  

Hyundai Mobis Develops NFC Tech Enabling Smartphones to Open and Start Car

A mobile phone-integrated smart key was developed via Korean technology. Competition to develop automotive and ICT convergence technologies for the future car market is further intensifying. Hyundai Mobis announced on August 2 that the company developed an integrated system that uses smartphone as a smart key for vehicles by installing applications on smart phones supporting near field communication (NFC) technology. Hyundai Mobis is the only company that has completed the development of smart keys using NFC technology among Korean auto parts makers. Hyundai Mobis aims to mass-produce the product in 2019.

B.O.S. Launches an RFID System for Tracking Inventory in a Produce Packing House

B.O.S. Better Online Solutions Ltd. announced that its RFID and Mobile Division has launched an RFID-based system for tracking inventory in a produce packing house. The RFID system enables automatic tracking of fruit pallets from the sorting machine through the various cold storage rooms and until the truck loading. It continuously shows the location of the pallets in the various stations in the packing house and interfaces with the ERP of the packing house. The system was designed using BOS' experience and knowledge of the working processes in a packing house, and is comprised of RFID readers, RFID tags, the BOS tailor-made software, and an interface with the ERP of SAP, Priority and SBO.

Microchip implants do come with risks

A new level of convenience is one of the biggest draws for those installing implantable RFID implants, and the number of people experimenting with the devices is growing. One manufacturer of the chips, Dangerous Things, told CNBC last year that it had sold more than 10,000 of them, along with the kits needed to install them under the skin. But as they become more widespread, concerns are growing about what the trend might mean for personal privacy and security. Williams, a systems engineer at software firm Mozilla, is one of a growing number of so-called “biohackers” who are choosing to augment their bodies with technology. In Williams’ case, he chose to implant a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip into his hand out of curiosity.

Payably Partners with CardConnect

Payably, a FinTech platform offering one of the only mobile payments solutions to integrate data with QuickBooks Online in real time, announced its partnership with CardConnect,

Payably will integrate CardConnect’s payment processing technology with its already-existing mobile payments platform. This strategic partnership allows Payably to streamline its merchant services offering by simplifying and speeding up each aspect of the mobile payments process – the initial onboarding (registration and approval), processing payments, and receiving payments. Additionally, this partnership provides Payably with the flexibility to offer competitive card processing rates and increases the level of data security integrated into the platform.

Payably provides small business owners with a platform to accept and process mobile payments, but its core business model is focused on its SaaS-based technology platform that operates on the back end to automatically connect payment transactions with merchants’ accounting platforms and generate business analytics in real time. It eliminates the need for manual data entry in bookkeeping and prevents duplicate entries without requiring business owners to take any additional steps – once the payment is received, the information appears in QuickBooks Online without lag time. Additionally, Payably automatically collects this data to produce up-to-the minute reports on transactional data.

UK retailers call for higher contactless transaction limit

More than half of UK retailers that accept contactless payments would like to see the spending limit raised above the current £30 (US$40) cap, with 37% opting for £50 (US$66) and one in five hoping to see a £100 (US$132) ceiling, research released by Barclaycard ahead of the tenth anniversary of the launch of contactless payments in the UK reveals. Two in five retailers now either only accept card payments or plan to become completely cash-free in the next five years, the research found.

Bon-Ton expands tech push with Zebra RFID system

Bon-Ton seems to be on a mission to bring its operations into the 21st Century. Earlier this month, the company embraced the curated outfit concept, and now it’s embracing RFID. In neither case is it breaking new ground that other retailers haven’t. Plenty have been offering curated collections of products as a way of personalizing customer experience and giving customers a speedier path to purchase. There are also plenty who are pushing RFID into stores, and some, like Macy's and Target, that are doing it on a much larger scale (1,600 stores in Target’s case.)

Beware the FCC's New Authorization, Marketing and Importation Rules

During its July 2017 Open Meeting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve a Report and Order (R&O) containing new rules that impact how RF equipment, manufacturers, vendors, importers and distributors may conduct their businesses. These rules affect RFID equipment suppliers, which are subject to virtually all the new regulations. Prior to finalizing the new rules, the FCC emphasized their importance to the RF equipment industry, stating that the rules overhaul consists of a "wide range of equipment approval issues of a technical, legal, and practical nature, impacting a diverse set of stakeholders, each of whom will need to closely analyze and consider the potential impact of the rule changes."

Autofocus Barcode Reader

Microscan has introduced MicroHAWK Ultra-High Density (UHD) Autofocus barcode readers. These devices can read and decode tiny, difficult-to-read codes including Data Matrix symbols as small as 2 mil, and include a true Autofocus system that automatically selects the optimal settings.
Microscan’s UHD optics are fully-integrated within the MicroHAWK’s imaging system and have been custom-designed to decode tiny symbols at a distance of 40 to 150 mm.

When enabling true Autofocus in continuous read or presentation mode, the MicroHAWK reader will automatically search for symbols, refocusing after every five no-read results. While in continuous read, triggered, or presentation modes, users can use spot focus to click anywhere within the live view captured by the MicroHAWK reader to auto-set the focal distance for specific symbol locations.

Keep Track of Your Returnable Assets with RFID

Returnable and reusable containers offer high quality, sustainable material handling solutions which offer cost and operational efficiency. These ideal containers protect and transport a wide range of goods including agricultural crops and consumer products. A challenge is presented in knowing where they are and making plans to have them returned. Adding RFID tracking is an excellent solution. The system is made up of three components: RFID tags, a reader, and a software program. The tags are in label form and are placed on each container. Once each tag is attached, all the containers can be palletized and tracked as they move throughout the supply chain. With RFID, human errors are eliminated with the reader's ability to automatically scan the container and log the information.

Ray-Ban showcases RFID-enabled Smart Table

Ray-Ban has showed off an RFID-enabled smart eyewear table that allows a consumer to place a pair of Ray-Ban glasses on the surface and see product information for that item on a touch screen, according to a Retail Info Systems report. The Ray-Ban Smart Table, which the brand developed with Float Hybrid, works with glasses that are equipped with an RFID chip that triggers personalized content when brought to the table. The Smart Table was showcased at the recent Vision Expo East trade show in New York City, where event visitors also could use touch screen displays on the Smart Table to learn more about the different Ray-Ban campaigns and new product launches.

RFID Market to reach $11.2 Billion in 2017

Based on the new report "RFID Forecasts, Players and Opportunities 2017-2027" , IDTechEx Research finds that in 2017, the total RFID market will be worth $11.2 billion, up from $10.52 billion in 2016 and $9.95 billion in 2015. This includes tags, readers and software/services for RFID labels, cards, fobs and other form factors, for passive and active RFID. In retail, RFID continues to be rolled-out for apparel tagging predominately - that application alone will demand 8.7 Billion RFID labels in 2017 - which still has plenty of room for growth since this is less than 20% penetration of the total addressable market for apparel in 2017.

RFID Microchip Implants – What Could Go Wrong?

Wisconsin-based Three Square Market announced that it wants to inject RFID microchip implants into half of its employees.  The company says this is a voluntary procedure and would make workers jobs more convenient. The technology behind this is actually not new.  We have been using these type of implants, the size of a grain of rice, in our pets and animals for identification since the late 1990’s.

The biggest issue is that of privacy.  Imagine you’re running late for work.  You arrive, make your way to your desk, sit down and start.  Normally there is a chance you might get caught and a lot of employers use time cards or computer login data to do this. These things are still in your control and you have the option of not using them.

Scottish Hospital Expanding Hybrid Active and Passive RFID System

Scotland's National Health Service (NHS) Forth Valley Hospital is expanding a hybrid RFID system, which enables its main Forth Valley Royal facility to manage its medical devices, to two of its other community hospitals. The solution already includes 14,000 passive RFID tags on assets, along with 4,000 active RFID tags on the highest-valued of those items. Those assets with active tags attached can be tracked in real time as they move around the facility, while the passive tags on all assets items them to be located via mobile readers.

Barcode Printers Market is Expected to Reach Beyond USD 3.8 Billion Worldwide by 2024

The global Barcode Printers Market value is projected to grow beyond USD 3.8 billion by 2024. Barcode printers are specialty printers which facilitate the printing tags or barcode labels that are openly printed on or connected to physical objects. They are usually used to tag cartons or retail objects with European Article Numbers (EANs) or Universal Product Codes (UPCs) prior to shipment. They also find usage in printing barcodes on wristbands for individual recognition in hospitals or events.

Key products are industrial printers, desktop printers, and mobile printers. Mobile printers are mainly used by organizations sales employees for tickets, printing receipts, and labels, irrespective of the place and name. Desktop printers can be used for printing low to mid-volume labels, wristbands, receipts, and barcode. Industrial printers can also be used for high volume purpose counting order labeling and warehouse labeling. They are intended to function 24/7 in callous environments for mission critical operations.


North America and EMEA are anticipated to lead the barcode printers market in the coming years owing to improved demand from the U.S. and Western European nations. Key market players in the barcode printers market include Toshiba Tec, Zebra Technologies, Honeywell Scanning & Mobility, Avery Dennison, and SATO Holdings Corporation.