Blurred Out QR Code Was Key To $1,000 Bounty

Two code enthusiasts earned themselves $1,000 by deciphering a QR code from a TV broadcast despite It being blurred out. Clement Storck and Michel Sassano were able to reconstruct the code, which represented a Bitcoin private key. It was part of a competition that turned out to be considerably more difficult than designed. Robert Ver, a big advocate of cryptocurrencies, discussed the topic on a French TV news show. As something of a promotional stunt. He had intended the QR code to appear in full and simply make it a race among viewers to scan the code and use the key. Instead the TV broadcasters blurred out the image, which appears to be because of French broadcasting laws that ban prize giveaways on news shows.

Linux-based RFID portal designed for complex data fusion

Italian RFID technology producer Datalogic has unveiled a high-end RFID portal reader designed for real-time inventory management in warehouse, automatic gate, and retail environments. The Linux-driven DLR-PR001 is essentially an IoT gateway for RFID and other inputs. It’s especially suited for “complex AutoID scenarios where data can be collected and fed directly to the reader from multiple sources such as smart card readers, bar code readers, GPS and other in-field sensors,” says the company.

Security flaw in LG IoT software left home appliances vulnerable

LG has updated its software after security researchers spotted a flaw that allowed them to gain control of devices like refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, and even access the live feed from a robot vacuum cleaner. The vulnerability, dubbed HomeHack, potentially affects millions of LG SmartThinQ home appliances. It was uncovered by researchers at Check Point, who found that the mobile app and cloud application associated with the IoT devices allowed them to remotely gain control of the connected appliances. The researchers uncovered a flaw in the mobile app and authentication process and the way in which it interacts with the LG infrastructure between apps and the devices.

Global RFID Blood Monitoring Systems Market To grow at a CAGR of +15% by 2022

RFIDs are gradually replacing the use of 1D and 2D barcodes. Barcodes work only when the scanner is placed directly in front of the label and also do not offer durability. Whereas, RFID uses radio waves to communicate and does not require proper orientation of label and scanner. RFID tags are only required to be within the reading range of the reader, which will drive the efficiency of logistics in various applications including blood transfusions.

Barcode is a read-only label where the data can never be changed after it is printed. However, in RFID tags, the data can be rewritten or modified as required. Moreover, RFID tags are durable and reusable, and RFID technology is more secure as the information can be encrypted. These advantages of RFID over barcode scanners will be one of the major factors that will have a positive impact on the demand for this market in the coming years. There is a growing need to reduce medical wastage and to improve the efficiencies of manual blood monitoring systems that normally faces several challenges such as medical errors and slow speed in process. RFID technology enables transforming the supply chain automation and visibility and also helps shippers to track assets and shipments in real time. Replacing manual scans, RFID helps blood banks to save considerable time in all processes from processing to storage.

QuikQ Launches New Fuel Card Program

QuikQ will offer fuel-card services that will be accepted at Love’s Travel Stops, TravelCenters of America and Pilot Flying J truck stops, entering the fray against long-established card providers Comdata and Wex. The fuel card will be called SmartQ with radio frequency identification, or RFID, a mobile app, and Q-checks, cash advances and payroll cards, all features that will put it on equal footing with the competition.

Bytemark Chosen for MARTA's Mobile Ticketing

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is currently working with Bytemark to develop a mobile ticketing solution. Once launched, the app will offer people across Metro Atlanta an enhanced traveling experience using Bytemark’s technology on their smartphones. Using validators from hardware supplier, Kapsch, the visual and barcode-based tickets will allow MARTA to deliver an even better quality and affordable transit service to the people of Atlanta.

NetsPay mobile wallet available for download

Singapore e-payment stalwart Nets has launched its mobile wallet app – paving the way for millions of ATM card users to make Nets payments with just their phones. Observers say the move by the e-payment provider is a step towards the setting up of the unified cashless payment system Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke of at the National Day Rally. His remarks on Aug 20 fired the starting gun for a race in which e-payment firms battle to be the one to unite fragmented platforms and reach all strata of society, including hawkers and heartland shops, where cash is king.

NFC tags on skincare cartons offer a win-win

A company with a philosophy of “blending modern science with traditional wisdom,” according to its CEO Lukasz Rychlicki, 100-plus-year-old, family-owned skincare company Alba1913 of Suchy Las, Poland, has added electronic Near Field Communication tags to its product cartons. Alba1913 approached NFC supplier Talkin’ Things in early 2015 to explore how the technology could be used both for its own, as well as its customers’ benefit. “Our idea was to understand where, how often, and by how many users products are scanned,” says Rychlicki. “In addition, we envisioned the opportunity to set expiry date alerts and for our customers to access additional content through our mobile app.”

Olympians now face implanted chips

Polish national postal service Poczta Polska (Polish Post) has piloted a radio frequency identification-based solution from ProxiGroup to improve the efficiency of its distribution center. The two-week pilot, which ended last month, tracked 1,000 parcels via ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tags attached to them as they moved through zones within its Kielce facility. The pilot found that parcels could be tracked in real time, eliminating the need for bar-code scanning.

Industrial IoT meets the iPhone and iPad in new GE/Apple deal

Is a smartphone a thing? The question isn’t as silly as it may sound, at least in the context of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the recent partnership between Apple and General Electric. According to Apple, the deal calls for the two companies to “deliver powerful industrial apps designed to bring predictive data and analytics from Predix, GE’s industrial IoT platform, to iPhone and iPad.” The focus is a new Predix SDK for iOS — due out later in October — designed to let developers build IoT apps that run on iPhones and iPads.

Ultra-Small RFID Tag Outfits Medical Wearables

Murata Americas’ latest version of its ultra-small RAIN RFID Tag with integrated antenna – the LXMSJZNCMF-198 measures 1.25 mm x 1.25 mm x 0.55 mm and is capable of withstanding over-molding and embedded processes. Providing tracking and tracing capabilities to support product authentication and brand protection, the component’s size makes it suitable for use in eyewear, watches, wearables, and healthcare applications like test tube sample identification.

Globe in talks with Jollibee, McDonald’s for cashless payments

Ayala-led Globe Telecom is talking with Jollibee and McDonald’s for a partnership where using Quick Response (QR) codes would be the norm in paying for food orders. Globe president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu said nothing has been signed yet, but talks are ongoing and that they wanted to use e-payments and QR codes in “every single outlet” that Jollibee and McDonald’s has. Globe is not just only targeting large food establishments, but also other retail companies and sari-sari stores. Cu said the company is aiming to include every person in the plan.

Docsvault Introduces Barcode Reader For Intelligent Data Capturing And Indexing

Easy Data Access introduces an advanced indexing system, "Barcode Reader add-on" that simplifies batch scanning and indexing. Companies everywhere are now scanning paper documents to digitize and organize them. However, manually processing and indexing documents is very time consuming and inefficient. EDA’s document management software, Docsvault has enhanced their indexing capability by introducing Barcode Reader Add-on. This new Barcode Reader Add-on is integrated with their inbuilt scanning module. It can read barcodes on documents when scanning for indexing and naming scanned documents.

QR code currency unveiled as Russia boosts anti-counterfeit measures for its cash

The Central Bank of Russia and the National Mint Goznak have unveiled QR code currency bills on both their 200 ruble and 2,000 ruble bills. The front of each of those banknotes now feature a quick response code that can be scanned using a smartphone and barcode reader app. The QR codes aren’t the only new additions to the designs on the Russian currency. The notes have undergone a completely new designs and will entirely replace the old bills over time. The older designs will be gradually worked back out of circulation.

ZKAccess LR-UHF-12 Proximity Card Reader launched

ZKAccess, a manufacturer of RFID and biometric readers, introduces the LR-UHF-12, an outdoor IP66-rated long-range 125kHz proximity card reader designed specifically for ZKAccess cards and stickers. With its 40 feet read-range, LR-UHF-12 provides users convenient RFID authentication for many applications including door access, vehicular gate access and any application in which the user no longer needs to have their RFID credential held in close range to the RFID reader.

Microchip implants have some up in arms

One vending machine company in Wisconsin took the plunge last summer to allow some of its employees to have microchips embedded in their bodies for convenience and identification.
But the move apparently hasn't started a trend of copycat actions among businesses or industries nationwide. However, some states, including Pennsylvania, have either passed laws or are considering legislation, prompted primarily by privacy concerns, that would prohibit employers from requiring employees to have subdermal microchip implants.

Hands-free MRT fare gates to be tested at some stations

A hands-free payment system will be tested at selected MRT stations next year, which will allow commuters to breeze through fare gates - without the need to use travel cards to tap in or out. Instead, fares will be paid automatically via a commuter's mobile device using Bluetooth technology, or with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) card. These devices or cards can be kept in a bag or pocket, and do not need to be put in close contact with a reader. A prototype of this hands-free fare gate was among several innovations displayed yesterday at the Future of Transport showcase held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands

NFC Forum certifies NFC tag chips from STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announced the certification of its ST25 Near Field Communication (NFC) tags by the NFC Forum, a key industry and standardization body.

ST’s NFC Forum type 4 Tag IC (ST25TA), the type 5 Dynamic Tag IC (ST25DV), and type 5 Tag IC (ST25TV) are among the industry’s first devices that have successfully passed the certification program, announced by the NFC Forum on September 20. The program assures performance and interoperability of NFC components to ensure “consistent, compelling, and connected user experiences,” according to the industry group.

Previously available only for handsets, tablets, and other NFC Universal devices, the NFC Forum Certification program now provides conformance testing for tags and readers to speed adoption and lower costs. Users — both commercial and consumer — will benefit from features such as direct access to websites, wireless pairing, pre-formatted emails or text messages, data logging, or even firmware updates.

Three Simple Ways to Use Barcode Scanning to Track Work-in-Process

BellHawk Systems Corporation, is pleased to announce the availability of a new white paper "Three Simple Ways to Use Barcode Scanning to Track Work-in-Process".

Operations managers in manufacturing and other industrial organizations are increasingly finding that tracking work-in-progress using paper forms and Excel spreadsheets, or using manual data entry into an ERP system, no longer meets their need to ensure that customer orders get out on time. Instead, because of short customer order delivery deadlines, they need to keep track of many different jobs for semi-custom products, in real-time, as they flow through multiple work centers.

At the same time, operations managers want to reduce their overhead cost by eliminating the need for manual keyboard data entry as well as eliminating the need for expediters and customer support people to make sure customer orders get out on time. They also want to use systems that are low cost and simple for their people to use.

Barcode scanning is an ideal way to solve this problem. But, even here, there are trade-offs in which methods to use, depending on the data to be collected.

HKT looks to expand Tap & Go beyond Hong Kong

PCCW Global, the international division of Hong Kong’s largest operator HKT, is working with China-based Zhuhai Da Hengqin Science and Technology Development (DHQ Tech) to expand the operator’s Tap & Go mobile contactless payment service to Macau and Zhuhai. HKT said in a statement the two companies are exploring the technological and regulatory viability of promoting multi-currency Tap & Go mobile payment in the Greater Bay Area, which covers Guangdong province, including Zhuhai, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.

Scanco Announces Sage Mobility For Barcode

Scanco Software announced Sage Mobility For Barcode. The 2018 release of Sage 100 and Sage 100c now includes a significant redesign to its existing Sage Bar Code Module. Under its new name, Sage Mobility for Barcode, users can now add a portfolio of iOS and Android apps to help manage the supply chain.

This new module, which is the latest in a long line of Scanco Software integrations into Sage 100, allows Sage Distribution and Manufacturing companies to streamline supply chain operations with the addition of real-time communication with mobile devices from directly within Sage 100. Sage Mobility For Barcode will now provide the gateway for all things mobile, allowing all users to take advantage of adding mobile apps to their current processes.

Sage will enable access to the Mobility Module to all Sage 100 and 100c customers using the 2018 version. Mobility can be added directly from within Sage 100 and installs in minutes. Users can start with the included apps for physical counts, and mobile sales and scale to full warehouse management, Work Order Automation, Sage 100c Manufacturing Automation, and Field Service all designed around and fully integrated with Sage Mobility for Barcode.

Over 5,000 Wells Fargo ATMs now support card-free access via Apple Pay and other mobile wallets

(Foto Ken Teegardin)

Wells Fargo’s ATMs are getting an upgrade. The bank announced that more than 40 percent – or over 5,000 of its ATMs – will now allow customers to perform transactions without having to pull out their bank card. Instead, users can take advantage of NFC – aka the “tap and pay” technology that powers mobile wallet systems like Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay, as well as Wells Fargo’s own Wallet for Android app. The bank had previously announced its plans to allow contactless ATM transactions earlier this year, but it initially rolled out one-time access code technology to allow for ATM access without a physical bank card.

Eagle Landing does its best to address Parking Deck Issues

The Eagle Landing parking deck has recently been experiencing a variety of technical difficulties, leading to frustrated students. According to residents of Eagle Landing, there have been issues with the gate on the third level not opening, and potentially keeping students from being able to access the proper parking level. Students expressed concern over this issue since they are faced with the possibility of parking fines and even towing if they do not park in the correct spot. Students noted from their experiences, that it appears one of the main issues with the parking gate is the RFID reader. Tags using RFID, or radio frequency identification, are given to students using the Eagle Landing parking deck. These tags are used to open the gates at the entrance, which have been broken, to the parking deck and to open gates on the third floor.

MTA tests mobile ticketing in bid to phase out MetroCard

The MTA has launched a new payment pilot program that may see the MetroCard go the way of the subway token. The agency has installed barcode readers at two lower Manhattan stations, allowing some riders to enter the station using prepaid trips ID’d by a barcode on their smartphones. Right now, the barcode readers are installed at the Bowling Green and Wall Street stops near the MTA headquarters on Stone Street, which makes sense considering that the pilot program is only open to MTA employees at this time. The program is an extension of a mobile ticketing app used to ride the Long Island Rail Road and Metro--North.

RFID-Enabled Vending Machine Brings Automation, Security to Library Disk Loans

When Franklin County's Coyle Free Library, in Chambersburg, Pa., opens the doors of its renovated facility next month, it will feature two high-frequency (HF) RFID-enabled vending machines to check out or rent DVDs and CDs to patrons as part of a full solution to automate circulation and security. The RFID technology deployment is intended to reduce some of the more mundane tasks of employees so that they can spend more time helping patrons, says Denice M. Bigham, Coyle Free Library's director and the Franklin County Library System's director of library services.

Radley Provides End-to-End RFID Solution

Radley Corporation, a global developer of MES and WMS software provides companies in the manufacturing industry with a comprehensive platform of RFID services, software solutions, hardware and supplies.
 
Radley's end-to-end solution provides hardware, middleware and services for a one-stop source for RFID implementation. Hardware offerings include fixed and handheld readers, portals, printers, tags, inserts and labels specifically selected for the customer's environment and process specifications.

Radley's software captures data throughout an organization's processes, whether utilizing traditional bar codes, machine integration or the use of RFID. Their customers have access to real-time data across the supply chain that can be integrated into an ERP or business system(s).  Radley's configurable and scalable solutions are designed to work with each customer's unique processes.

With the latest enhancements to tag, antennae and reader hardware, RFID has emerged as a realistic investment to improve operations and reduce costs. In recent years RFID has been used more and more to improve manufacturing and logistics processes. And when integrated to a company's ERP or Business System, has proven to enhance data accuracy and overall productivity.

Safaricom expands availability of M-Pesa NFC product

Safaricom has announced the availability of M-Pesa 1Tap in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and Nyeri after what the company calls a successful four-month trial, according to a press release. M-Pesa 1Tap is supposed to be faster way to pay with M-Pesa that involves contactless technology using a card, wristband or sticker.Consumers enter a PIN to confirm a transaction. "As a trusted, easy and convenient cashless payment solution for more than 70,000 businesses in Kenya, Lipa Na M-Pesa is ready to advance to become a more seamless solution," Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, said in the release.

Flonase gets NFC-enabled 'smart' shelves in Canadian retailers

GlaxoSmithKline recently introduced “smart” shelves for its Flonase allergy medication. Consumers in Canada can use a smartphone with a near-field communications (NFC) chip to tap a Flonase shelf in stores and get more information about the product, according to a press release. Thin Film Electronics developed the high-tech shelves that contain special tags to give consumers an interactive experience while they're making a purchasing decision in a store.

RFID-Coded Weld Tools

Herrmann Ultrasonics introduces two features to ensure more safety when changing welding tools with-in the production process. Firstly an RFID reader has been integrated into the tooling which guarantees that the right tool is in-stalled for the production. Not only is it built into the sonotrode but also into the fixture. The ultrasonic welding system automatically associates the correct parameter setting for parts to be welded with the in-stalled tooling. Medical device manufacturers will benefit from this new feature as it adds immense production security.

Making a case for bar-coded currency notes

Does it make economic sense to switch to bar-coded currency? One multi-disciplinary research group certainly thinks so. The group’s study has made out a case for bar coding of currency to address a host of issues, ranging from fake notes to black money and financial crimes. Though this is not the first research group to have mooted the idea, the group’s suggestion coincides with the Reserve Bank of India’s pilot launch of plastic (polymer) ₹10 notes which have higher durability in select cities some time ago.

Global RFID Equipment Market Will Reach USD 25.40 billion by 2022

According to a new report, global RFID Equipment Market was valued at around USD 8.66 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach approximately USD 25.40 billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of slightly above 19.60% between 2017 and 2022.

Several governments have made animal tagging mandatory in order to track and monitor the animals using their unique Animal Identification Number (AIN). However, high installation cost and maintenance cost of RFIDs are expected to be the factors restraining the growth of this market.

Device inoperability away from the hostile environment is a major challenge for the market. In coming years, the wide use of RFIDs in public transportation, healthcare, animal tracking is expected to provide major potential opportunities for RFID equipment manufacturers.

Three Simple Ways to Use Barcode Scanning to Track Work-in-Process

BellHawk Systems Corporation announced a new white paper "Three Simple Ways to Use Barcode Scanning to Track Work-in-Process". Operations managers in manufacturing and other industrial organizations are increasingly finding that tracking work-in-progress using paper forms and Excel spreadsheets, or using manual data entry into an ERP system, no longer meets their need to ensure that customer orders get out on time. Instead, because of short customer order delivery deadlines, they need to keep track of many different jobs for semi-custom products, in real-time, as they flow through multiple work centers.

At the same time, operations managers want to reduce their overhead cost by eliminating the need for manual keyboard data entry as well as eliminating the need for expediters and customer support people to make sure customer orders get out on time. They also want to use systems that are low cost and simple for their people to use.

Barcode scanning is an ideal way to solve this problem. But, even here, there are trade-offs in which methods to use, depending on the data to be collected.

This white paper is written by Dr. Peter Green, who is the CTO of BellHawk Systems Corporation. BellHawk Systems provides real-time work-in-process and materials tracking systems for a wide variety of manufacturing, repair and other industrial organizations as well as materials traceability systems for food processors.

How RFID Technology is Evolving in the Waste and Recycling Industry

Currently, RFID technology aids the waste and recycling industry in the tracking, work order management and repairs of waste containers, in addition to service verification and route management of waste vehicles, according to Jim Pickett, vice president of sales for Toter LLC, based in Statesville, N.C. He says there has been recent growth in the use of RFID tags to both manage carts as municipal assets and track collection service in real time. Recycling carts are commonly RFID tagged to monitor participation levels by route, street and individual homes. RFID technology allows automated asset tracking (scanning) of real-time service verification from when the cart is delivered to a home and then throughout the complete life of the cart.

Transparency in RFID Tagging May be the Next Big Thing in Supply Chain Management

Apparel vendors have traditionally had few resources with which to confirm RFID ticketing compliance, but that will soon change. While nominated service bureaus can supply tags that operate with nearly 100 percent reliability, there has been no overarching system to ensure they will remain that way throughout the supply chain. Things can happen to damage the tags during handling and shipment and during the application process. Tags can also be attached to the wrong items. And these are just a few examples of RFID ticketing failure. 'To successfully use RFID for inventory accuracy, you must first ensure that each product has a properly encoded RFID tag attached to it,' according to retail and RFID specialist John-Pierre Kamel of RFIDsherpas, a consulting practice focused exclusively on the retail sector. 'This is critical. And there can be financial consequences beyond your own internal supply chain if you get this wrong.'

Is Retail Approaching the Tipping Point for RFID?

It's been clear for the past few years that retail apparel will be the first market to adopt radio frequency identification technology on a large scale. Apparel is RF-friendly, and each item comes in a variety of colors and sizes, making it difficult to manage inventory effectively. The big question has been when the sector will reach the tipping point. The answer: when virtually all apparel manufacturers tag all of the items they produce, and all retailers start using the tags to better manage their inventory and enable their omnichannel strategy.

The Era Of Integrated IoT Has Arrived In The Enterprise

Vodafone published their fifth annual IoT Barometer Report with the goal of providing insights into global business sentiment and plans regarding investment and innovation for the Internet of Things. The Barometer is an annual study that into how enterprises are using IoT technologies. Analysys Mason, Circle Research, and Vodafone IoT collaborated on the study. A total of 1,278 qualified respondents from 13 countries including the U.S., Brazil, Ireland, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Africa, China, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand participated in the survey. Industries represented include retail, manufacturing, energy and utilities, healthcare, transport and logistics, automotive, consumer electronics, and the public sector. For additional details on the methodology, please see pages 34 and 35 of the report.

Thinfilm launches NFC Scanner app for iPhones

Thinfilm Electronics ASA, a provider of NFC mobile marketing and smart product products, has debuted its new NFC scanner app for iPhone users, according to a press release. With the release of iOS 11, Apple has extended the iPhone's NFC capabilities beyond Apple Pay so that the devices are able to launch digital experiences from supported NFC tags. Consumers can download Thinfilm's NFC scanner app to iPhone 7 and later models, directly from Apple's App Store, by searching for 'Thinfilm.

Antelop to add Visa token support to white label NFC mobile wallet platform

Antelop Solutions has signed up for the Visa Ready Tokenization program as an HCE Token Requestor Token Service Provider (TR-TSP) and plans to become Visa Ready certified, enabling it to connect its HCE NFC software-as-a-service mobile payments platform to Visa Token Service. Antelop, founded by former senior consultants and technical product managers at Visa, launched its Visa- and Mastercard-compatible SaaS solution in June 2017. The company’s technology is used by French bank Crédit Mutuel Arkéa to power the NFC payments service it launched in February this year.

Alliance Rubber Stretches Limit of RFID and NFC Applications

Rubber band company Alliance Rubber Co. reports that it may be on the verge of releasing the first substantial innovation in rubber bands in decades—and it could benefit the radio frequency identification industry. Researchers at Alliance Rubber are developing and testing graphene-infused rubber that could provide a new, versatile material that could accommodate RFID or Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies. The company says it is testing whether applying graphene to rubber could enable the use of rubber bands to block RFID signals, or to enable them—in the latter case, making a simple rubber band a digital source of information for a product or asset that could be accessed via radio transmissions, or by bar-code scan or simply by changing color. The company has partnered with the University of Sussex to study the use of graphene in rubber, and plans to develop intelligent rubber products during the coming months or years.

Ceitec Delivers 300,000 RFID Chips for Vehicular Tagging

Ceitec S.A. has announced the sale of 300,000 passive (non-battery-powered) RFID chips for the production of car tags by Q-Free, a Norwegian company that develops intelligent transport systems. The chip will be used, for example, in tags for tolls, parking lots, airports and petrol stations. In total, Ceitec, a public semiconductor company linked to Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC), has already sold one million units of the chip, homologated in record time.

How barcodes can help fight food fraud

While it’s well-known by professionals in the food industry, many consumers are surprised to find out that food ranks in the top five most valuable counterfeit markets. Fake food is such a problem worldwide that the growth of the global anti-counterfeiting market will outpace the overall market segment growth of the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries by roughly two to three times in the next five years, according to the Brand Protection and Product Traceability Market Research Report from PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Within the layered approach to brand protection are overt technologies — barcodes, holograms, watermarks, embossing and etching — and covert technologies — taggants, UV, infrared and fluorescent inks, Smart technology and radio frequency identification (RFID).

Impinj Introduces Monza R6-A RAIN RFID Tag Chip for European Retail Industry

Impinj Inc. announced the introduction of the Monza R6-A tag chip. Impinj Monza chips attach to items and enable RAIN RFID connectivity devices to determine the item's identity, location, and authenticity. In production now, the Monza R6-A chip delivers enhanced privacy protection, industry-leading performance and environmental sustainability.

Designed for the European retail market, the Monza R6-A tag chip helps retailers implement “Privacy by Design” principles to protect consumer privacy. Monza R6-A chips enhance privacy protection in RAIN RFID deployments with short-range mode and tag deactivation via “kill” capability. When an authorized RAIN RFID reader activates Monza R6-A’s short-range mode, the chip’s read range is reduced by a factor of 10, preventing the tag from responding to any reader unless the reader is right next to the tag. Short-range mode allows retailers to protect consumer privacy while still providing post-sale customer service, such as returns without a receipt. Retailers can further enhance consumer privacy with Monza R6-A chips’ kill capability, which allows a reader to irreversibly deactivate, or kill, the chip after item purchase.

Like the Impinj Monza R6, the new R6-A chip provides industry-leading performance. Retailers also benefit from Impinj’s patented AutoTune technology, which improves readability in conditions like densely stacked items, and the Impinj Integra™ diagnostics suite, which verifies tag data reliability anywhere in the supply chain.

The Monza R6-A chip also employs Impinj’s patented Enduro chip-to-antenna connectivity. This improves the chip-to-antenna connection and performance over the life of the tag, creating a chip well-suited for use in environmentally friendly “green” tags made from paper and aluminum. Enduro technology uses primarily copper, which means Monza R6-A itself has a much smaller carbon footprint than chips that use gold.  For every billion chips produced, Monza R6-A reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 110 metric tons compared to gold-bumped chips.

Malaysia: RFID-based toll collection to be fully operational by 2020

The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based electronic toll collection system is set to be fully operational by 2020. “Currently, over 8,000 law enforcement agency vehicles are helping test the system,” minister Fadillah said at launch of the Tun Razak Link (TRL), Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) Phase 2, at the Sentul Tambahan toll plaza. Fadillah said it was likely the system would eventually replace the existing collection methods, adding the matter was being discussed between the ministry and Touch ’n Go.