RFID Redefines Convenience for Dispensed Beverages

Convenience stores’ first foray into automated payment can be found in an unlikely place: a cup. In a crowded market that has retailers vying for every foodservice dollar, evolving the definition of “convenience” with changing technology is critical. How can a retailer make each visit even faster and more efficient for its guests? The next level of convenience transforms the fountain or coffee cup itself into the technology by leveraging radio frequency identification (RFID). The aim: to speed up the payment process so that stopping in for a drink can be as fast as fill, tap and go.

Men's Clothing Store Brings RFID Intelligence to Fitting Room

Casual men's apparel brand UNTUCKit is piloting an RFID-based solution at its store on New York City's Fifth Avenue that tracks when sample shirts are tried on. The system also monitors when the sizing fits and how that compares against purchase information. The system, known as the VISION retail platform, consists of RFID tags, readers and software provided by SATO Global Solutions, a subsidiary of SATO Holdings, as well as overhead traffic counters from RetailNext, paired with UNTUCKit's point-of-sale (POS) software. The pilot, which launched this week, may lead to a full deployment of RFID technology across all of the company's 25 stores and the additional 20 locations slated for 2018 in the United States, as well as in Toronto and London.

Monitor Golf Pace-Of-Play Using On-Pin’s Verifeye RFID Chips

The unwritten rules of golf assume a great deal of trust — especially between golfer and course owner. Golfers need to be able to recognize when they’re playing slowly and react accordingly. Often, there’s not a sufficient enough way for course owners to police this. That’s why On-Pin Golf Systems has launched Verifeye. Verifeye is a turnkey, cloud-based system that gives the owner, an entire picture of ongoing issues at the course. The premier feature of Verifeye is being able to track every golfer on the course. This is done through bag-tagged RFID chips which produce data to be collected at discreet reading stations on the course. Everything is sent to a summarized dashboard where each group can be analyzed based on pace-of-play.

Scandit Launches Browser-Based Barcode Scanner

Scandit has launched Barcode Scanner SDK for the Web, providing capabilities previously available only in mobile apps to mobile and desktop web browsers. Consumers, retailers and business partners can utilize the camera on their smartphones, tablets or PCs to scan retail or industrial barcodes, as well as QR and other 2D codes, directly into a browser. The functionality complements mobile apps for a variety of scan-based activities.

ABN Amro pulls out of Dutch banks’ mobile payment venture

ABN AMRO and payment service Payconiq have decided to end their talks to explore potential for collaboration. Since April 2016, ABN AMRO has been a party to a joint initiative of Dutch banks to set up and launch Payconic as a new payment service for Dutch consumers and shops.

In the meantime, ABN AMRO has made strategic choices of its own that impact the way the bank aims to serve its clients’ interests. For example, ABN AMRO is further expanding the functionality of its popular payment request app, “Tikkie”, to retail and business clients. ABN AMRO and Payconiq amicably agreed to end their collaboration talks. ABN AMRO wishes Payconiq every success in the future.

Hybrid RFID Tag Links Worker Safety to Access Control

U.K.-based technology firm Extronics has enhanced one of its active RFID tag models to make it a hybrid safety and access-control device for an oil and gas company in Southeast Asia. The tag is one of ten varieties of active RFID tags offered by Extronics, whose next-generation tag will automatically come with both passive high-frequency (HF) RFID functionality and active Wi-Fi transmission. The enhanced tag, to be released earlier this year, is based on Extronics' iTAG100 (an Aeroscout technology-based tag) using active Wi-Fi transmissions, and has a built-in passive RFID tag for access control; it also includes space to store a photo ID.

IoT Aims to Track Free-Ranging Reindeer in Finland

Reindeer herders, under the guidance of the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association (Paliskuntain yhdistys, or FRHA) are testing an Internet of Things (IoT)-based solution to monitor the location and well-being of their reindeer herds, and some individual animals, as they roam the tundra and forests of northern Finland this winter. The herders are using the technology, provided by Digita, with low-range wide-area network (LoRaWAN) and GPS-enabled trackers on some reindeer, and Actility software to manage the location data and trigger alerts if a herd is determined to be at risk, such as if they suddenly start running, run long distances or even cease moving entirely. Mapping software company Mapitare Oy is providing high-resolution maps for use offline on mobile devices.

ANZ reports surge in mobile wallet transaction volumes

Spending with mobile wallets is likely to become as much a part of Christmas as ugly jumpers and awkward small talk with relatives. ANZ data show a significant rise in the volume of mobile wallet transactions in December 2017, up 140 per cent on the previous corresponding period. The number of mobile wallet transactions as a proportion of total card based spending more than doubled in the period. In December ANZ customers favoured their smartphones and wearables for 4.5 per cent of all transactions, compared with 2 per cent for the same time last year.

A new Chinese IoT platform claims to enable IoT product development in just one day

At CES, a large but largely unknown Chinese company — Tuya Smart — touted an upgraded version of its IoT platform that it claims can help companies develop IoT versions of their products in a little as a single day. Just as bold, the company claims its platform — which it describes in its search description as “the world’s leading IoT platform” — can help companies bring smart versions of those devices — such as lighting sockets, switches and lamps — to production in just 15 days.

Barcode scanner for liquid handling systems

Ziath will be showcasing its new, cost-effective 2D barcode rack scanner, the DataPaq Mirage, at SLAS2018 (3­-7 February 2018, San Diego, California). This innovative camera-based scanner has a low-profile design enabling it to be easily integrated with robotic liquid handling systems, as well as other laboratory automation solutions. As a result, the DataPaq Mirage allows the benefits of a more sophisticated camera-based 2D barcode rack scanner to be brought to automation workflows for the same price as an old flatbed scanner. Despite the compact nature, its powerful camera system means the depth of image focusing is not compromised, ensuring that a variety of 2D-barcoded tubes can be quickly and reliably scanned.

The Super RFID Revolution in Blockchain

Walton (WTC) Chain is the combination of blockchain with the Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Scientist Charlie Walton invented the RFID technology in the 20th century. The project has been named after Walton. Walton Chain makes use of Walton identification, which simply means Wisdom Alters Label, Trade, Organization, and Network to track a product in each steep of its manufacturing and distribution. The item’s information or data is stored safe on an immutable blockchain. No matter the process involved, accuracy is ensured by the technology. Walton (WTC) started the concept of the Value Internet of Things because it wanted to make clear the description of the proprietary RFID chips that is combined with the blockchain technology. Blockchains store things on chain making use of the RFID tags.

Testing RFID IoT devices for enterprise deployment

Legacy manual and barcode systems are still in widespread use, but many organizations are turning to the internet of things, specifically RFID tags, to streamline asset tracking in the data center. It's important to test these devices before deploying, and this article addresses typical testing considerations for this type of device deployed in a networked environment, ranging from data center asset tracking, inventory management and warehouse operations to scientific labs and medical facilities.

Paramedics trialing patient barcode tracking after Bourke Street rampage

A mass casualty tracking system to help reduce confusion is being trialled in Sydney in the wake of the Bourke Street tragedy. Paramedics could soon have access to a smartphone app that will track the location of patients from the scene to hospital after difficulties emerged in dealing with the Bourke Street aftermath. Emergency services were confronted with an unprecedented amount of victims spread over a large area when Dimitrious Gargasoulas allegedly drove a car into pedestrians on Bourke Street in January last year, killing six people and injuring dozens more.

Key kiosks at Amarillo United Supermarkets now make RFID keycards

Three self-serve kiosks now located in United Supermarkets in Amarillo will allow shoppers to make copies and create cloud-storage for RFID-based keycards as well as traditional brass and automotive keys. Every Amarillo-based KeyMe smart kiosk has been updated to facilitate making copies of RFID cards. Data can be copied onto a variety of designs and formats including keycard, fob and stickers that can be placed on smartphones.

5 RFID-Proof Wallets and Passport Cases

Do you need an RFID wallet or passport case? A lot of people aren’t convinced just yet. RFID-blocking prevents scammers from stealing your credit card/personal information by using wireless scanners to hijack the signals given off by RFID chips. The only catch? The vast majority of credit cards in the US don’t use RFID yet, and your passport’s front and back covers block RFID anyway. Nevertheless, better safe than sorry. You don’t want to the that one person who gets scammed this way and it becomes a whole thing and then everyone panic-buys aluminum foil to wrap all their gadgets in, do you? Most wallet/case manufacturers build in RFID protections anyway these days, whether it’s fully necessary or not. And, let’s face it, you could use an upgrade on your trifold black leather wallet you bought in 2006 that’s bursting with the business cards of people you’ll never meet again.

Monitoring vital body signs using RFID tags

No visit to the doctor is complete without the blood-pressure cuff that half pinches off your arm or a cold stethoscope on your chest. But what if your vital body signs could be collected without physical contact while you are in the waiting room or comfortably in your own home? The engineers from Cornell University (US) have developed a method to collect blood pressure, heart rate and respiration rate with the aid of cheap RFID tags. The tags measure the mechanical movements by sending radio waves that are reflected by the body and internal organs. These are subsequently detected and collected by an electronic reader that is located elsewhere in the room.

Impinj Ships 25 Billionth RAIN RFI­­­­­D Endpoint IC Delivering Digital Life for Everyday Items

Impinj, Inc announced it shipped its 25 billionth Monza endpoint IC, including 7.1 billion in 2017 alone. Impinj has shipped more endpoint ICs than all other RAIN RFID suppliers combined.

Impinj’s vision is to deliver digital life to everyday items such as retail apparel, medical supplies, luggage, automobile parts and more, extending the reach of the Internet by a factor of 1,000. Impinj connects these everyday items using RAIN RFID, a battery-free radio technology ideally suited to identifying, locating and authenticating everyday items.

Impinj’s Monza endpoint ICs attach-to and uniquely identify their host items, connecting those items to business and consumer applications – enabling businesses to analyze and use data about those items to improve efficiencies, increase sales and delight customers.

South Africa's The House of Busby Slashes Inventory Labor via RFID

The House of Busby, a retailer in South Africa, has deployed an RFID-based solution at one of its Johannesburg stores to increase the visibility of its inventory and reduce the amount of time personnel previously spent counting stock. The solution, provided by Milestone Integrated Systems, employs EPC ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID technology from Keonn, including readers and its AdvanCloud software, to manage the collected read data. The store using the technology is located in Johannesburg's Sandton City shopping mall. Since the system's deployment, the company reports that it has reduced the number of labor hours required to count inventory at a single, full store from 120 man-hours to fewer than 30 minutes.

Thinfilm Announces Organizational Changes

Thin Film Electronics ASA ('Thinfilm') announced several organizational changes that further accelerate the Company's growth in the NFC mobile marketing solutions space.

Tauseef Bashir has been promoted to Chief Sales Officer for Thinfilm and now leads all go-to-market activities globally for the organization. He joined Thinfilm in July of 2016 as EVP Global Sales. Prior to Thinfilm, Bashir served as Chief Sales Officer for Amazon.com, where he led the global go-to-market strategy for commercialization of the Amazon Speech Cloud Platform and Alexa Software.

Kevin Dodson has been hired as VP Channel Solutions, and reports directly to Tauseef Bashir. Kevin Dodson oversees the management of convertor/packaging firms, digital agencies, and other channel partners. He is a veteran strategy, business development, and product management executive with more than 20 years of experience working for early-stage Internet technology companies. Most recently, he was VP of Strategy and Partnerships for Beckon, a data management and analytics SaaS platform for enterprise marketers.

Thinfilm launched a Global Digital Strategy practice to formalize processes and establish best practices related to customer data within the Thinfilm CNECT(TM) cloud-based platform. Key focus areas include data collection and management, performance benchmarking, campaign execution, omni-channel measurement, and customer analytics/reporting.

Thinfilm also opened a sales office in Germany to further support the Company's growth strategy, address increasing market interest, and expand its reach in the EMEA region.

State to require RFID tags for cattle

The Washington State Department of Agriculture recently published a proposal that would mandate the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in female cows and bulls over 18 months of age, a proposal that is both opposed and supported in the state. In the first step of the rules process, WSDA published a notice in the state register on Dec. 20 that would require any individual who owns a cow throughout the state to use the radio frequency tags. The regulation would also apply to bison. By proposing the regulation through rules, the agency does not need to gain legislative approval but must hold a series of public hearings. The notice said the tags are needed to continue to build the state’s Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system, as well as prepare for eventual RFID requirements from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Activa-ID Launches 'IoT Place' Project

Activa-ID, a subsidiary of Saint Paul Labels, has launched what it calls the IoT Place project. IoT Place, the company indicates, is intended to encourage the use of new technologies for the Internet of Things (IoT), automation and interactivity in Brazil. According to Luciana Cabrini, Activa-ID's CEO, "IoT Place is an innovative and audacious project that brings new equipment to Brazil and builds new customized environments with RFID [radio frequency identification], M2M [machine-to-machine], IIOT [Industrial Internet of Things], IoT, Industry 4.0 and NFC [Near Field Communication], among other innovative technologies. "

Delhi May Use QR Codes to Track Autos, Cabs

With an aim to boost passenger safety, the Delhi Transport department is working on a QR code based system to keep a tab on the autorickshaws and cabs plying on city roads. The department would set up a control room at its headquarters in Civil Lines so that autorickshaws and cabs could be tracked while ferrying passengers, a senior official of transport department said. QR code stickers on cabs and autorickshaws would enable the passengers to have the details of the driver which they could also share with others through their smartphones.

Hyderabad will be the city of Internet of Things

Already one of the top Information Technology (IT) exports centers in the country, Hyderabad, backed by its strong logistics and favourable topographical advantages, is poised to emerge as the hub of Internet allied fields, thanks to a policy initiative to boost the sector which is estimated to be the future of the world and India. Named after the sectors, the IMAGE policy 2016 will also have a tower by the same name in the next three years here. The global digital landscape has been at the receiving end of a major transition on the technical, social and economic fronts, thanks to IoTs, commonly addressed as IoT. The advent of IoT has led to direct advancements in development of consumer products, automobiles, industry components and sensors, to name a few, a preface of the policy says.

Flexible system-on-chip for internet-of-things

As the ecosystem of everyday objects embedded with technology to connect, communicate and transfer information continues to expand, scientists are challenged to find ways to enable even more physical objects to become 'smarter' and connected. Leveraging the U.S. silicon manufacturing industry's expertise in rigid electronics and novel efforts in high-performance electronics 3D printing, a collaborative effort between the Air Force Research Laboratory and American Semiconductor has resulted in a new flexible silicon-on-polymer chip that combines the best of the old and new to augment new networked realities.

SenRa and Skysens Announce Partnership for IoT Solutions in India

SenRa, a pan India Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) provider for long range-based (LoRa-based) Internet of Things (IoT) applications, and Skysens, a LPWAN technology provider, have announced their partnership to bring low-cost, and long-range solutions to India.

The collaboration between the two companies will provide needed solutions in a growing IoT market in India and will provide more efficient and environmentally friendly offerings. This LoRa ecosystem partnership brings a combined knowledge of LoRaWAN technology, to include network services, connectivity, and end-device expertise.

New advancement to speed up border crossing between Windsor and Detroit

A new technology that will enhance the experience for cross-border travelers is now available at the Canadian port of entry at the Ambassador Bridge. The Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) is adding Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to traveller lanes at select ports of entry across the nation. The technology is able to read travel documents embedded within RFID chips on personal documents such as enhanced driver’s licences and NEXUS cards.

UnionPay to promote QR code-based Mobile QuickPass outside mainland China

Recently UnionPay and commercial banks in Mainland China jointly launched Mobile QuickPass, the unified APP for China's banking industry. UnionPay International is accelerating the promotion of UnionPay QR code payment in markets outside Mainland China to create more using channels of the Mobile QuickPass APP, and is building a model area in Southeast Asia. The company partnered with AsiaMalls Management to launch UnionPay QR code payment at six large-scale malls under the latter. Meanwhile, UnionPay International and BOC Singapore will jointly launch BOCSG E-wallet APP within this year, with which customers will be able to enjoy QR code payment after adding UnionPay credit cards to the APP.

Global IoT security market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 35% during 2017-2022

According to "Global IoT Security Market By Type, By Solution, By End Use Application, By Region, Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2012 – 2022", Global IoT security market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 35% during 2017-2022, on account of increasing number of connected devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) landscape and growing awareness among governments and enterprises regarding cyberattacks. Surging adoption of IoT security solutions in the IoT industry, which includes smart homes & connected devices, smart city & business, smart vehicles, etc., is projected to boost demand for IoT security, globally through 2022. Some of the major players operating in the global IoT security market include Symantec Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., International Business Machines Corporation, RSA Security LLC, Fortinet, Inc., Palo Alto Networks, Inc., PTC Inc., Infineon Technologies AG, Gemalto NV, AT&T Inc., TrustWave Holdings, Inc., DigiCert, Inc., Bitdefender, LLC, Karamba Security, Darktrace Ltd., CENTRI Technology Inc., CyberX, Inc., Mocana Corporation, Trend Micro, Inc., etc.

China to Pump Up Security of ‘Scan-and-Pay’

Bill paying via smartphones is booming in China, with consumers paying for everything from a hospital stay to a single egg. But the central bank sees risks in the lack of uniform business and technical standards for the barcode technology. On Wednesday, it stepped in. "Due to the lack of uniform business and technical standards, there are still potential risks in the bar code generation mechanism and transmission process, as well as risks in payment security," the central bank said.

RFID Tags Used to Covertly Collect Vital Signs

A new study claims that microchip radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags could be used to gather blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration data. Researchers at Cornell University (Cornell; Ithaca, NY, USA) have developed small RFID tags that emit radio waves that bounce off the body and internal organs, and are then detected by an electronic reader that gathers the mechanical motion data from a location elsewhere in the room, using near-field coherent sensing (NCS). The RFID tags are powered by electromagnetic energy supplied by the central reader; since each tag has a unique ID code, up to 200 people can be monitored simultaneously using just one central reader.

Paper Company Brings Intelligence to Packaging

European paper, pulp and packaging manufacturing company Stora Enso has begun offering an RFID-based product for packaging connectivity that it calls its Intelligent Packaging solution. The company is providing both Near Field Communication (NFC) and ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tags, readers and cloud-based software, to manage read data for tracking products as they move through the supply chain or when they are handled by retailers or consumers.
 

Should banks consider their own payments apps?

There are now more than 4,000 issuers who work within the Apple Pay Wallet and, as TechCrunch mentions, Apple Pay is now at more than 50 percent of all retail locations in the U.S., including 67 of the top 100 US retailers. The ability to compete in such an environment is hard for all but the largest of institutions to be able to remotely have a chance to support. The fact that Apple Pay and Android Pay rely on the phone's built-in NFC hardware also means there are no issues surrounding acceptance to worry about. If a merchant is equipped to take a contactless payment, it should be able to accept a mobile payment using these wallets.

Global Printer Manufacturer Adopts RFID for Color Laser Printing

Global printing solutions company Lexmark International has released two models of UHF RFID-enabled color laser printers designed to enable customers to quickly encode and print RFID labels. The system addresses a growing need for affordable and convenient RFID label printing, says John Linton, Lexmark's retail and manufacturing industry director, which its customers have sought in recent years. The company not only sells its CS725R and CX725R color RFID printers, but also, upon request, partners with companies to provide solutions for end-to-end RFID systems.

Protect your IoT devices

The Internet of Things is a big, juicy target for criminals. Up to a million devices were hijacked to create the Mirai botnet which was used to extort companies and bring a university computer system in New Jersey to its knees. Paras Jha, a former Rutgers University student, pleaded guilty with two other men who admitted they wrote the Mirai code. When Jha discovered federal investigators were closing in, he released the Mirai source code to the world to cover his tracks. The code is still circulating online and causing damage, according to Brian Krebs, of KrebsOnSecurity.com.

New Generation of Factor 1 Inductive Sensors from Balluff

Balluff is releasing a new line of M18 Factor 1 inductive sensors for use in the automotive tier supplier market. This portfolio provides extended detection ranges to enhance survivability of sensors in part loading applications, and is available with optional long and short housing form factors. With the addition of these new Factor 1 sensors, Balluff expands its broad product line of problem solving sensor solutions designed for harsh welding applications. This is extremely valuable to tier suppliers as the trend toward automotive light-weighting has increased the use of new metal varieties, aluminum structures and multi-metal assemblies.

"The new M18 Factor 1 sensors provide more flexibility in welding applications where longer sensing ranges are needed or when a customer is working with non-ferrous materials," says Shawn Day, Product Marketing Manager for Object Detection, "and a common application includes mig welding where ferrous or non-ferrous material is used." The new M18 Factor 1 sensors are available with weld spatter resistant coatings and weld-field immune circuitry for maximum protection in hostile welding environments.

QR codes to aid barrier door operation on train platforms

In a world-first, QR codes are being used in the operation of platform safety barriers at train stations — a development aimed at accelerating the installation of barriers and slashing the hefty cost. The new system also has the advantage of being able to handle trains with different door placements. Safety barriers to prevent people from falling onto the tracks are being installed on station platforms ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Tokyo metropolitan government launched a practical demonstration of the new system on the municipal Toei Subway lines last month.

Thais eager on QR code cost use

Close to a quarter of Thais are aware of QR code as a payment method — the highest in Southeast Asia — and almost half would like to use it on a regular basis, according to a study commissioned by Visa. Visa is working with five issuers to make QR code payments available for Visa credit cardholders early next year, according to a company spokesperson. Visa recently obtained a domestic network licence from the Bank of Thailand, allowing the company to fully participate in Thailand’s domestic debit market and enabling consumers the options to use their Visa debit cards for standardised QR code payments.

Smart card gets smarter: MMRDA plans all-purpose card

Not only for using various modes of public transport in the city, the single transport smart card being prepared by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) can also be used for making cashless payments during shopping. The Authority has said that the smart card will also allow commuters use it as credit card or debit card along with using it for travelling in suburban local trains, metro, monorail, buses, auto and taxis along with paying toll. Sanjay Khandare, Additional Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, said, "We have appointed a consultant and are in the final stages of preparing a bid document for integrated ticketing system which will also allow commuters use it for shopping as credit or debit card along with using it for paying toll and travelling on various modes of transport."

How to Scan a QR Code Using the Camera on the iPhone or the iPad

China is tracking kitchen knives with QR codes

In China’s tightly controlled Xinjiang region, home to the mostly Muslim Uighur ethnic group, commonplace purchases from knives to gasoline are strictly controlled with ID checks amid a growing high-tech surveillance push, the Wall Street Journal reports this week. A knife shop owner in the midwestern city of Aksu told the Journal he had to spend thousands of dollars on a machine that turns every “customer’s ID card number, photo, ethnicity and address,” encodes the data as a QR code and lasers it into the blades of even the kitchen knives they buy.

How the end of Net Neutrality will affect IoT

Few things enable the mere existence of the IoT more than a free and open web; collaboration and interconnectivity are perhaps the foremost defining traits of the IoT, and both are threatened by net neutrality’s forthcoming demise. Internet service providers play a vital role in the IoT’s development, and have a massive impact on the legislative world that regulates its existence. The innovative culture that fostered so much of the IoT’s early growth could soon come to an end, however, as these tech companies tighten their grip on the information highways that enable the internet to exist in its current form.

Barcode Scanner Market Sluggish CAGR of 6.9% from 2017 to 2027

A new report further cites that the global barcode 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.

In 2017 and beyond, laser-based scanner is expected to remain as the prime technology. Laser scanners are widely used in regions with established manufacturing and retail sectors such as Western Europe and North America. By the 2017-end, laser scanners are estimated to accounts for 32.3% revenue share of the market and will continue to be the most preferred barcode reader technology throughout the assessment period.

However, camera-based reader is anticipated to see the fast adoption as these scanners are innovative and configured with advanced 2D imaging technology. Based on product type, portable/handheld scanners are expected to remain top choices of barcode scanners amongst consumers over the forecast period.

Owing to characteristics such as faster print speed and versatility, demand for portable/handheld barcode scanners is rapidly increasing in various parts of the world. Use of barcode scanners in the retail and commercial sector continues to be the highest and is expected account for a major chunk of revenue over the forecast period. Meanwhile, the healthcare industry is swiftly adopting the barcode technology as well.

Amongst regions, markets in Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) and North America are expected to exhibit high growth potentials. In APEJ, China and India are projected to achieve impressive growth of their barcode scanner market. By 2017-end, the region is projected to account for a revenue share of 29.5%, which is expected to increase to 33.8% towards the end of the forecast period. Market players are targeting APEJ as their key sales region.

Payments Landscape in Denmark: Opportunities and Risks

Contactless payments are gradually growing in Denmark. The first contactless Dankort was launched in Denmark in 2015. By the end of 2016, more than half of all issued Dankort cards had a contactless feature, and contactless payments accounted for more than 15% of all Dankort payments according to the central bank. Payment providers need to educate consumers on the benefits and advantages of contactless payments, stressing the technology's ease of use and convenience compared to PIN-based cards.

Dankort is the national debit card scheme, accounting for more than 75% of total debit card transaction value in 2017. Dankort operates under a zero interchange fee model, and has dominated the market since its introduction in 1983. Mastercard and Visa are also strengthening their presence in the country. To facilitate international payments using Dankort cards, banks offer the Visa/Dankort co-badged card, which is used as a Dankort card in Denmark and as an international Visa card outside the country.

UAVs required to carry radio frequency identification

The Tapei government is to require certain uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to be equipped with a radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment following an amendment to the Civil Aviation Act. The purpose of registering the drones is to know who their owners are, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chung Chia-pin said, adding that owners would be punished if they contravene the act. The legislature’s Transportation Committee ruled that drone owners can only operate their devices after they acquire licenses from the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA).