The 5 Best RFID-Blocking Passport Wallets

If you worry about identity theft while traveling, RFID-blocking wallets can help you relax and enjoy your trip. The best RFID-blocking passport wallets will prevent any thief with an RFID-reader from discreetly swiping your personal information. The technology is basically the same in any wallet you find, so you don't need to worry so much about researching the RFID system itself. However, there's a lot of variation among other details like material, storage space, and style.

Electronic Components Firm Releases NFC-enabled Wireless Charging System for Cars

Electronic components company ROHM is marketing its new wireless charging device, known as Qi+NFC, that employs Near Field Communication (NFC) reader integrated circuits (ICs) from STMicroelectronics (ST). The technology is built into its Qi-compliant automotive wireless charging reference design, the company reports, in order to prevent damage to NFC cards. The evaluation board expects the solution to be ready this month, with commercial release of its new wireless charging IC slated for April. "So the new system, including our devices, will be [commercially] available by summer 2019," says Kiyotaka Umemoto, the manager of ROHM's Automotive Marketing Strategy Division.

Scan QR codes to get food safety record of restaurants in Dubai

Want to check the adherence to safety and hygiene standards of a restaurant or food outlet you're visiting in Dubai? No problem. A new QR Code system will allow you to choose food based on hygiene and safety in Dubai-based food outlets. The system was launched by the Dubai Municipality on Sunday. Under this system, Dubai's Food Safety Department will issue smartphone-readable codes to food outlets through its "Food Watch" digital platform.

Robots track moving objects using RFID tags to home in on targets

A novel system developed at MIT uses RFID tags to help robots home in on moving objects with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The system could enable greater collaboration and precision by robots working on packaging and assembly, and by swarms of drones carrying out search-and-rescue missions. In a paper being presented at the USENIX Symposium on Networked Systems Design and Implementation, the researchers show that robots using the system can locate tagged objects within 7.5 milliseconds, on average, and with an error of less than a centimeter.

Increasing Use of Barcode Scanners in the Healthcare SectoriIs Fuelling the Growth of the Barcode Scanner Market

The advent of barcode technology has greatly reduced the hassles of tracking supply and commodity sale records for retailers across the globe. Over the years, the technology has been consistently improved and made more efficient. Currently, barcode solutions are being used across various domains owing to their exponential capabilities in systematically recording information such as product count, date of manufacturing, date on which the product was supplied to the retailer and selling price. Moreover, the emergence of e-commerce and intra-regional markets that offer specialised services to a wide range of sectors has further expanded its application base. Future Market Insights (FMI) in its latest report titled "Barcode Scanner Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2017–2027" reveals that use of barcode technology is rapidly rising in both retail and manufacturing industries.

Barcode scanners have become one of the best solutions for recording product information without making any major manual effort. The technological advantages and cutting-edge features of barcode scanners are also making them popular in the healthcare industry. Barcode technology can help rectify medication errors, medical practitioners and physicians can easily get information about medicines as well as their manufacturing dates.

The report further cites that the 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.


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The 5 Best RFID-Blocking Wallets For Women

One of the best ways to prevent identity theft while you're traveling is with an RFID-blocking wallet. Before you make a purchase, however, consider what qualities you want it to have. The best RFID-blocking wallets for women will keep you protected while offering features compatible with your personal travel style. The RFID technology will be similar in whatever wallet you choose, so you don't need to spend too much time evaluating that feature. Instead, look at things like materials and construction to make sure it's compatible with your preferences.

Xiaomi, OPPO, LG, and Alcatel have released less phones with NFC in the past 4 years

NFC or Near Field Communication is an amazingly useful technology that you’ll find on many mid-range and high-end smartphones. Using NFC, you can tap on other accessories like headphones to connect with them over Bluetooth. The recent edition of Mobile Overview Report by ScientiaMobile illustrates that four of the biggest smartphone manufacturers in the world have been lopping off NFC from their devices. These brands include Xiaomi, OPPO, LG, and Alcatel. Based on the available data, LG now offers NFC on slightly more than half of its devices, Xiaomi on only 9% of the models, Alcatel on 12%, and OPPO on merely 3% of its smartphones.

Imager-based barcode readers with decoding capabilities

Banner Engineering announced the ABR Series imager-based barcode readers for solving a range of challenging track and trace applications. ABR Series barcode readers use advanced algorithms to decode a full library of 1D and 2D barcodes, including direct part marking (DPM), damaged, distorted, and overprinted codes. Their all-in-one design combines imager, lens, and lighting in one compact device that can be used in many industrial environments.

Connected chip maker Impinj posts record revenue for 2nd straight quarter

Impinj, the Seattle maker of high-tech tags for connecting billions of items to the internet, finished 2018 strong, posting its second consecutive record quarter for revenue. However, two good quarters didn’t totally make up for the company’s slow start to 2018, and Impinj reported a revenue decline for the full year and more than doubled its losses from 2017. “I’m proud of our team’s execution in fourth quarter 2018 and feel we have strong momentum heading into 2019,” Impinj CEO Chris Diorio said in a statement. “We delivered our second consecutive quarter of record revenue and record systems sales. We also shipped our 30 billionth endpoint IC, marking another step in our journey to connect every item in our everyday world.”

Grocer Kroger launches QR code-based payment service

Grocery chain Kroger Co. rolled out a first-party mobile payments solution as it continues to rebuff third-party solutions like Apple's Apple Pay. Dubbed Kroger Pay, the app-based solution generates single use QR codes on a customer's device, which are subsequently scanned by a Kroger cashier upon checkout. The service allows users to associate any major credit or debit card with the digital wallet.

Four Naval Ship Yards Deploying Forklift-Based RFID System

The U.S. Navy is preparing to leverage the forklifts that travel around its shipyards to enable an RFID- and GPS-based solution to track containers at four U.S. piers. The system will enable the Navy to collect data regarding where loaded or empty containers are located, by reading passive UHF RFID tags on containers via RFID interrogators, in conjunction with GPS, mounted on forklifts moving around the yard. With the system, provided by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) using technology from Venture Research, the Navy can more easily view the locations of its goods, as well as better manage the storage and movement of those products accordingly.

Barcode Scanning System Delivers Realtime Room Status Reporting

Robotic launches the MaidSafe Barcode Scanning system that provides real time information regarding the status of room cleanliness with availability with a pocket size panic button for cleaning and room staff. Described as being easy to use, the device requires virtually no training to use. After the housekeeper scans a discrete bar code label on the room door or entranceway, the MaidSafe device automatically transmits the data to the hotel’s Property Management System (PMS) and booking systems via a mobile communication network, with a permanent "virtual dedicated line" that ensures constant connectivity. To verify the scan was successfully transmitted, the device can provide user feedback by LED, vibration, and/or sound, and gives the housekeeper the OK to safely enter the room.

Japan moves closer to a reality of unmanned stores after successful RFID trial

The Japanese government has taken its first steps to creating unmanned stores to address the labour and supply chain challenges in the country’s retail industry. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has announced it will build on the successful pilot of a project which saw three convenience stores adding RFID tags to products to improve item-level inventory monitoring. The long-term ambition of the initiative is to enable stores to be entirely unstaffed, with RFID enabling customers to pay for their basket of goods automatically on leaving the store.

How I Hacked Hospital RFID

A flaw in my local hospital security meant I could open doors I was not supposed to: My father was ill in our local general hospital. This was bad enough but all the stress of someone being in a UK hospital is compounded by the nightmare which is NHS parking. Despite having been purpose-built on a huge site, the hospital in question doesn’t have enough parking. The planners thinking being that by reducing parking people are encouraged to walk. Just as well no-one who goes to a hospital is infirm, or needs to get there urgently.

State-of-the-art UHF RFID tech simplifies logistics projects

At this year’s LogiMAT trade fair, February 19 to 21, in Stuttgart, Germany, the Harting Technology Group will be at the AIM joint stand (Hall 4, Stand D05) demonstrating how effective it is to automate the flow of goods with state-of-the-art UHF RFID technology. The GateToGo is a mobile data entry portal (gate) that can be set up quickly. It can be used to run proof of concepts for logistics applications without programming effort. Harting shows how easy it can be to start a project — the ideal introduction for system integrators in new projects.

Universal RFID reader with built-in antennas is only 80×80×30mm

The TWN4 Palon Panel from Elatec is a multi-standard RFID reader that covers all common RFID technologies in the frequency ranges 125/134.2 kHz as well as 13.56 MHz. Because the reader supports NFC and BLE, mobile phones can also be used for secure identification. The IP65-protected housing with invisible mounting can be individually configured using five programmable RGB LEDs. A variety of interfaces are available for the flexible integration into the application, such as USB, RS232, RS485, Wiegand, and clock/data

ModeSens Brings Online Convenience to In-Store Shopping Experience with Barcode Scanning Tool

Digital fashion startup ModeSens announced the launch of a barcode scanning feature to simplify the in-store shopping process. Available in-app for both Android and iOS, the new tool uses aggregated product information for must-have luxury items to save customers time and money.

While the ModeSens platform has catered to online luxury shoppers since its creation in 2015, their newest feature brings more convenience to customers visiting brick-and-mortar stores. According to 2018 research from Salesforce and Publicis.Sapient, 71 percent of shoppers report using their mobile devices while browsing in-store; the barcode scanner is aimed at providing those shoppers with the information they're looking for in a fraction of the time.

ModeSens' barcode search function, allows shoppers to pick up any item with a vendor barcode and scan it for instant access to detailed product comparisons across all of ModeSens' partner stores. Within seconds, customers can review prices, promotions and alternate sizes and colors from other retailers selling their desired item.

A virtual one-stop shop for today's information-hungry consumer, ModeSens is the premier shopping assistant for designer fashion and accessories. The online platform pulls luxury product details from nearly 200 global merchants and 12,000 luxury brands in order to streamline the shopping experience. ModeSens members, who pay no fee to use the website or mobile app, can ensure they're finding the exact product they want at the best price available. By working with trusted retail partners in the U.S., Europe and beyond, ModeSens offers a secure and efficient experience to its users.

The barcode scanning tool adds to a growing list of new features from ModeSens: In 2018, the shopping platform released a browser extension to give online shoppers instant access to product information details at the touch of a button. ModeSens also created an alert tool, which members can customize to receive updates on price drops, back in stock, new arrivals and more.

RFID can ensure safe, efficient mobility

Over a period of time, we are increasingly recognising the importance of Radio Frequency Identification Detection (RFID) in all spheres of activities, in general, and transportation & communication technology, in particular. The use of RFID demonstrates huge potential in terms of its ability to enable solutions within applications in the transport sector. Through this technology, data is transmitted from a micro silicon chip at a very fast speed even without the need of a line of sight, as required by barcodes. It is an established data-carrying and automatic identification technology used throughout the industry.

IBM Pilots Blockchain and IoT Sensor Solution To Track Sustainable Groundwater Usage In California

Tech giant IBM continues to collaborate with a number of leading organizations to solve complex business challenges through its blockchain network. Announced today, IBM Research is partnering with The Freshwater Trust (TFT), a nonprofit working to protect and restore freshwater ecosystems, and SweetSense Inc., a provider of low-cost satellite connected sensors, to pilot blockchain and IoT technologies for monitoring groundwater usage in one of the largest and at risk aquifers in North America. The University of Colorado at Boulder will provide additional research support for this project, which is also being jointly funded by the Water Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

US consumers to pass on mobile payments?

The window of opportunity in the US for mobile payment providers like Apple Pay and Google Pay is closing fast. Despite high levels of support from retailers, only 14 percent of US respondents currently use OEM-Pay (payment services provided by smartphone vendors) for instore purchases, according to a new survey from Juniper Research. The survey covered over 1,000 smartphone users across the US and the UK.

Future growth is likely to be threatened by increasing deployments of contactless cards in the US, with Chase becoming the latest major bank to announce contactless Visa rollouts.

“Time is running out for OEM-Pay providers to establish a dominant position in the US,” remarked research author James Moar. “Many of mobile payment’s benefits, like increased transaction speed, are not exclusive to smartphones, and our survey shows that the majority of users who have not adopted OEM-Pay are more interested in services like contactless cards than mobile-based payments.”

Pennsylvania school district issuing smart cards from ScholarChip

Pennsylvania’s Easton Area School District is set to expand its ScholarChip smart-card entry system to include campus visitors. The visitor management element joins area high school students who have been using the smart cards since the beginning of the school year. As reported by Lehigh Valley Live, Easton Area High School students were issued smart cards at the start of the year and have been using them at school entrances to log their attendance and departures from campus.

Global ID Barcode Readers In Factory Automation Market - Industry Trends and Forecast to 2025

Global ID Barcode Readers In Factory Automation Market is expected to reach USD 3,029.34 million by 2025 and is projected to register a healthy CAGR in the forecast period 2018 to 2025. The new market report contains data for historic years 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.

The major factors contributing to the growth of the market includes factors such as growing need for data accuracy and data storage, increasing adoption of barcodes in various industries. On the other hand, high installation costs of barcode reader in factory automation are hampering the market growth.

Belgian banks roll out mobile payments app that supports both NFC and QR codes

A mobile payments app that supports contactless payment via NFC and both static and dynamic QR codes has been launched in Belgium. Payconiq by Bancontact enables debit card holders to make payments in store and online and transfer money direct to their contacts using a single app, regardless of the type of smartphone they use. The app has launched following the merger of peer-to-peer payments service Payconiq and Bancontact, Belgium’s national debit card network operator.

Marrying RFID and IIoT for Shelf Life Success

RFID technology may not be new, but how food and beverage manufacturers can use it alongside their IIoT efforts is gaining momentum. As part of a larger IIoT strategy, the producers of perishable items can collect data from RFID scans and process it into actionable insights. Examples of such insights include creating warehouse temperature alerts or tracking inventory's whereabouts. Advanced data science also makes it possible for your IIoT initiatives to help predict tasks or other predictive maintenance issues.

PragmatIC Launches ConnectIC Family of RFID ICS

PragmatIC, a provider of low cost flexible electronics, has announced the first products in their ConnectIC family, the PR1101 and PR1102 flexible integrated circuits (FlexICs), designed for use in closed HF RFID systems. The ConnectIC family will be pivotal in the acceleration of the smart packaging market, the company claims. Developed using PragmatIC’s platform of patented technologies, ConnectICs deliver connectivity solutions at the lowest cost point in the market. These revolutionary FlexICs are ultra-thin and flexible; suitable for embedding into a wide range of substrates, including paper and plastic; and reduce the complexity of inlays by using single layer antennas, delivering a further step down in cost to brand owners and retailers.

Comba Telecom providing face biometrics technology for venue access control at MWC19

Comba Telecom announced it will be deploying its ScanViS ID facial recognition solution to expedite venue access at the 2019 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The biometric technology will help the GSMA promote frictionless venue access, enhance security, and personalize the experience for around 107,000 attendees at this year’s show. The facial recognition solution will be running through the whole event registration process from pre-event registration to on-site check-in during the show and will facilitate the registration process by allowing attendees to register and upload their photo on the organiser’s website before the event. After onsite passport/ID checking, attendees will be identified by the ScanViS ID system and can move through the event access lanes without having to show a badge or ID.

Chinese banks fight tech giants for share of mobile payments market

China UnionPay has reported an increase in the number of Chinese consumers using their bank accounts to make mobile payments. The rise follows an offensive by Chinese banks to counteract the rise of mobile payments made on the payment services of technology platforms such as Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu. Technology firms’ share of retail payments surged to almost 50% in 2017. It was just 5% in 2012, reports Shine.

RFID Spreads Benefits Throughout the Supply Chain

Speed and understanding are the promises of RFID in warehouses and DCs. Inventory accuracy is typically so high that warehouses can’t improve much, but they can improve in the speed of process activities and understanding of each process step and each shipment: speed of inbound receiving RFID-enabled product, speed of conducting cycle counts, and speed of outbound processing. The other promise is understanding how an organization can better understand error rates, conduct root-cause analysis, and challenge chargeback rates using RFID scan data.

Swiss ‘Smart Card’ Crypto Wallet Tangem Gets $15 Million From Japan’s SBI Group

Switzerland-based Cryptocurrency ‘smart card’ wallet manufacturer Tangem has secured $15 million in funding from Japanese finance giant SBI Group, the company confirmed in a press release, Tangem, which began issuing its first wallets in June 2018, aims to increase cryptocurrency adoption by making assets spendable in a manner similar to conventional smart cards often used in transport and loyalty settings. Ticketing and loyalty will now form two of the target industries Tangem hopes to leverage to spread crypto smart cards, according to Tangem’s press release. The company also said it is eyeing initial coin offering (ICO) token distribution, identity and anti-counterfeiting.

Incorporating RFID into Healthcare

The global radio frequency identification (RFID) market for healthcare is expected to soar to a market worth of nearly $4.9 billion by 2022, according to Grand View Research. Behind the explosive growth: the value and efficiency RFID technology promises to bring to healthcare organizations and the added level of security and safety it promises to bring to patients. RFID represents a broad category encompassing many types of smart labels. According to Marsha Frydrychowski, who leads marketing efforts for label manufacturer Resource Label Group, the technology offers “potentially limitless applications for driving accuracy and value for the healthcare industry. As hospitals, labs and entire supply chains adopt RFID technologies, they become smarter.

‘RFID-only’ proposal in Skyway still under review

The Skyway Operations and Maintenance Corporation (SOMCO), operator of the Skyway system, clarified that the plan to designate as “RFID-only” the Elevated Section of the Skyway — Dona Soledad and Dr A. Santos Exits — is still being reviewed and will only be implemented upon approval by the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB). The plan is expected to result in faster and more efficient throughput at elevated toll plazas, which in turn will mean less congestion at on-ramps and roads leading to the elevated Skyway.

Cambodian, Thai central banks sign deal on QR code scheme

The National Bank of Cambodia and the Bank of Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in a QR code payment system that uses both Cambodian riel and Thai baht. The MoU was signed by NBC governor Chea Chanto and Veerathai Santiprabhob, the governor of the Bank of Thailand. “The MoU aims to support the collaboration on developing interoperability of standard QR code for efficient and secured domestic and cross-border payment transactions as well as to promote usage of local currencies and financial innovation in both countries,” the statement said.

Authorities begin to barcode stray cattle in UP

Grappling with the menace of stray cattle, officials across Uttar Pradesh have started to barcode abandoned animals and create a database on the directives of the state government. India Today visited a government-run shelter in Jankipuram area of Lucknow where officials put barcodes on stray cattle. Chief veterinary officer Dr Tej Singh Yadav said, "Putting a barcode means assigning a unique identity to animals. We are punching a label with identification number in the ear of animal. This is helping us in creating a database so that we can keep them in different shelters according to the availability of space. Proper arrangements for feeding and taking care of animals can be done effectively."

Getting by with a little help from RFID

How do you keep track of the literally tens of millions of items—belts, neckties, wallets, and the like—flowing through your distribution facilities each year? That was the question faced by Randa Logistics, the fulfillment arm of Illinois-based Randa Accessories, which describes itself as the world's largest men's accessories company. Like many businesses, Randa Logistics was sometimes challenged with determining precisely where products were located inside its facilities and how much inventory was on hand at any given moment. The problem became particularly acute during peak seasons, as volume and activity ramped up.

Dollar General Pilots Mobile Checkout App

Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based Dollar General is the latest food retailer and first dollar-store chain to move into mobile checkout with a new app. DG Go, according to its description on the Google Play store, is a shopping app that lets users scan and pay for products they select directly from their phone, allowing them to skip the checkout line altogether. It's available for both Android and iOS devices.

Octopus lets Hong Kong commuters use NFC to link their transit card to their mobile phone

Octopus Cards Limited (OCL) has launched a series of enhancements to the Octopus App to provide simple, easy-to-use and customer-centric services that cater for evolving customer needs. These include a re-designed Octopus App user interface with enhanced features, enabling customers to manage their daily expenses easily by checking their past three months' spending records in their Octopus. To empower O! ePay users when shopping online, OCL will also launch a virtual prepaid card.

The new Octopus App user interface not only features much easier and clearer navigation providing a brand-new mobile experience, a registered user can also check the past three months' spending records of his/her Octopus via the O! ePay account – a service which also applies to iOS users and should be particularly welcomed by them as they can now instantly access their recent Octopus spending records anywhere any time without the need of an NFC device.

Moreover, customers can check their monthly public transport expenses under the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme, which the Government will launch in January 2019 and can collect the subsidy via the Octopus App*.

RFID means never losing sight of your bags again

Baggage handlers have been caught recklessly treating passengers’ luggage at airports worldwide, one of the reasons suitcases often appear a little the worse for wear after flights. RFID chips have been embedded into luggage tags for some China Eastern Airlines flights, the first domestic airline to allow passengers to follow the progress of their luggage by smart phone. The practice was launched on domestic flights between the Hongqiao airport and Wuhan in central Hubei Province on Monday. It will be expanded to other flights soon, according to the airline.

Are the Smart Card Innovators Still Leading the Way?

France has long been the pioneer of smart card technology: from the patenting of the first microchip, to the pivotal 1976 launch of ‘la carte à puce’ – the smart card. Consequently, French banks were the first to launch the chip-based card in 1988 and, by 1993, all bank cards issued in the country were chip-based – four years ahead of the UK’s first smart card pilot programme. While a lot has changed since then, with the introduction of EMV and the continued adoption of the technology around the globe, the nation has maintained its position at the forefront of payments. Ahead of this month’s Paris Fintech Forum, can we expect the nation to take the lead again with the latest payment card innovation, the biometric contactless card?

Mobile Wallet Market to Surpass $250bn by 2024

The mobile wallet market is expected to grow from over USD 100 billion in 2017 to USD 250 billion by 2024, according to a 2019 Global Market Insights, Inc. report. The industry growth is propelled by attractive discounts and cashback offers by mobile wallet providers.

Mobile wallet providers are enticing the customers' by offering various attractive discounts and cashback offers. These cashback offers promote repeated purchases among customers which presents mutual benefits for customers and mobile wallet providers. Cashback offers also reduces the customer acquisition cost by preventing companies from spending large amounts on marketing their product. 

Changing customer behavior is fostering the growth of the mobile wallet market. Digital disruption & generational shifts are causing fundamental transformations in customer behavior that are influencing customer expectations from banking solutions. These customers, particularly the younger generation (aged between 15 to 34) are hyper-connected, digitally savvy, and more accustomed to the digital experiences provided by online retailers. The millennials prefer to partner with banking establishments that provide meaningful, contextual, and personal engagement with their customers. This is promoting the use of mobile wallets among users.

The open wallet market will grow at a CAGR of over 15% over the forecast timespan. Rising investments by the financial players in mobile wallets are driving the growth of the mobile wallet market. Technology players and device manufacturers mostly offer semi-open mobile wallets that do not permit cash withdrawal or redemption and are applicable at select locations. Financial institutions are investing in open mobile wallets as these permit cash withdrawal & redemption and allows users to purchase products & services at various locations through a centralized mobile wallet. This is promoting the development of open wallets among traditional banks to gain an edge over its competitors.

DBS unveils red packets with QR code

DBS Bank yesterday launched the world's first loadable QR Ang Bao. Using the DBS PayLah! app, customers scan a Quick Response code on a DBS QR Ang Bao to load a cash value of up to $999. The recipients can then scan the QR code with their DBS PayLah! app to receive the money instantly. The red packets can be used by anyone with a local bank account, as long as they are a DBS PayLah! user.