When Every Millisecond Matters in IoT

It’s a dreary, cozy Saturday morning and you’re enjoying a nice cup of coffee. You look outside as the rain runs down your window. What you don’t see is that hundreds of miles away, under the ocean floor, a rupturing fault is sending out its first wave, a quick-moving, non-harmful “P-wave.” It’s detected by a sensor managed by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). But the slower, more dangerous “S-waves” are next up. However, the data has already been transmitted to the USGS where the location and size of the impending earthquake are determined. The data transmission beats the quake.

NEXT Biometrics and WizCard Partner to Develop New Smart Card Tech

NEXT Biometrics is teaming up with Taiwan-based WizCard to develop biometric smart card technologies, the companies have announced. The partnership will leverage each company’s respective strengths. NEXT Biometrics is, of course, a renowned fingerprint sensor specialist; while WizCard offers Build-In Module design services for smart card makers, distinguishing itself with display technologies for payment cards and other card solutions. The latter can facilitate the use of One-Time Passwords and dynamic CVVs, which, together with NEXT’s fingerprint recognition technology, can deliver card solutions supporting a high level of security.

“Dynamic Barcode” System Set to Roll Out Despite Consumer Concerns

A new dynamic barcode mobile-only ticketing system is raising questions of consumer freedom and discrimination as it is prepped for a trial in at least three venues using Ticketmaster as their ticketing provider. Outlined on a Ticketmaster website page touting “The Newest Way to Use Your Mobile Ticket,” the new system features a barcode that changes in 15 second intervals. This is designed to remove the ability of any consumer to transfer their ticket through any system that isn’t Ticketmaster.

Android Q beta brings Wi-Fi sharing with QR codes

Pixel users got first dibs on Android Q Beta 1, the next version of Google's mobile operating system. As Pixel users continue to dive into the software, Easter eggs are coming to light. The latest include QR codes for easier Wi-Fi sharing and the Notification Bell, so you can stay on top of alerts. The QR code feature eliminates the need to rattle off a lengthy password if your friend wants to log on to your Wi-Fi. Instead, you open Network & Wi-Fi and then tap Wi-Fi. From there, you choose your network.

How to Create QR Code for WhatsApp

QR codes for WhatsApp can come handy when sharing your number with new people whether you run a business account, a support group, or other communities. Starting a chat with a new contact on WhatsApp isn’t a user-friendly task. You have to save the contact on your phone first, then open it using WhatsApp and only after that, you can start chatting. You can leapfrog all those steps by creating QR codes for your WhatsApp profile.

Safaricom, Alibaba Unit Agree Mobile-Payments Partnership

Safaricom Plc, Kenya’s biggest mobile operator, agreed a partnership with a unit of Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. that will facilitate electronic payments. The deal extends Safaricom customers’ ability to use its mobile-money service, known as M-Pesa, outside Kenya as the company looks to establish the system as a global platform. The firm has existing agreements with payments companies Western Union Co. and Paypal Holdings Inc.

What the Transition to Smart Cards Can Teach the US Healthcare Industry

Given the copious amounts of sensitive data coursing through the US healthcare system, strong information security remains a high-stakes requirement for all players in the industry. Among the most obvious problem areas, healthcare information security currently suffers from the inherent weakness of using passwords to guard information access. Passwords remain an easy attack vector because humans pick easy-to-remember — and therefore hackable — words or phrases. However, hope is on the horizon. Technology vendors and organizations are collaborating toward making a password-less future. But meanwhile, industries that store and share personally identifiable information can activate multifactor authentication (MFA) to buttress password protection.

Xiaomi expands its Mi Pay mobile payments service to India

Alongside the new Redmi Go, Xiaomi officially introduced its Mi Pay payment service to the Indian market. Back in 2016, Xioami launched Mi Pay in China and followed that up by launching a beta trial in India. Testing is finally complete now and Indian users get full access to Mi Pay. The platform is built on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in collaboration with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and ICICI Bank and supports over 120 banks.

The strange reason Aldi products come with more than one barcode revealed

We all know supermarket products come with a barcode - but haven't you ever spotted something strange about Aldi's? The supermarket giant, which opened its first store in the UK right in Birmingham, has a secret. The retailer gives all its products a barcode - but usually, MORE than just one. For instance, toilet rolls boast not one but four barcodes. Using multiple barcodes means that whichever way the assistant holds the product the scanner will register it.

Vermont lodge installs dormakaba BLE-enabled RFID locks

The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vt., has installed dormakaba’s Saflok Quantum Bluetooth Low-Energy-enabled radio frequency ID electronic door locks. “Saflok’s Quantum electronic locks work very well for Lodge at Spruce Peak,” said Dan Rich, director of engineering at the hotel, in a statement. “It is a very secure system, and the convenience and reliability of dormakaba’s BLE-enabled RFID system is perfect for our guests. We use dormakaba’s RFID locks on entry doors, guestrooms, garage doors and other perimeter access points.”

WaterField Unveils the Stratto Bifold Leather Wallet with RFID

WaterField Designs announces the Stratto, a slim, full-grain leather bifold wallet with convenient hidden slots for contactless cards so users can conveniently tap-and-go while cards remain safely inside. The Stratto is the third wallet unveiled by WaterField as part of its Wallet Month celebration, the culmination of a two-month crowdsourced design project for which the company harnessed the wisdom of over 2,000 customers to create new wallet designs. Every week in March, WaterField will unveil two additional new wallets, each handcrafted in WaterField’s San Francisco sewing studio.

The new Stratto Wallet is a classic leather bifold handmade from sumptuous full-grain leather. The slim wallet is ultra-soft to the touch and conveys a traditional elegance. The Stratto holds about eight to ten cards in two interior pockets and a stash of unfolded bills. Behind the cash compartment lie two hidden slots designed for users’ contactless cards. With work ID, metro or other such cards in place, users can use the Stratto to tap-and-go while leaving these cards securely inside. The classic bifold is available with or without RFID blocking and fits comfortably into a front-pants or jacket pocket.

Mumbai Metro launches 2-in-1 travel smart card

The Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.'s Mumbai Metro One launched a 2-in-1 travel card in collaboration with TMW Fintech Pvt. Ltd. and the Federal Bank, an official said here. The smart card, to be powered by MasterCard, will enable commuters to enjoy a hassle-free travel by Mumbai Metro besides availing of hybrid banking services. The TMW Metro Card can be used as a Metro Smart Card to travel and reload as and when required, and also at any MasterCard location as a prepaid bank card after activation.

Japan Aims To Automate All Convenience Stores By 2025 With A New RFID Technology

Japan is one of the countries that are facing a serious shrinkage of population. There were 125 million people as of 2000, and the number is expect to go down to 88 million in 2065, due to a declining birth rate. The Japanese government began to deal with the labor force crisis that would affect the retail sector especially hard. In 2017, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) launched a project to promote automation in retail industry with Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.

RFID and the future of retail

From the early days of RFID being used to sort blue jeans to sophisticated systems allowing consumers to connect with the brand, RFID has come a long way. RFID is appearing throughout the retail world. For example, Mammut Sports Group AG recently announced that it is embedding Smartrac Circus Flex NFC tags into some of its products. This will allow consumers to receive digital content through Mammut Connect, Mammut’s smartphone app. “Customers are digital, mobile and social. They communicate with brands, actively contribute and give feedback with much more concrete demands than just a few years ago. This is why Mammut is building an ecosystem,” said Oliver Pabst, CEO Mammut Sports Group AG.

Chipotle teams with Venmo to launch mobile rewards program

Chipotle partners with Venmo on ChipotleRewardMe.com to launch loyalty program by giving away free money

"Similar to how we build restaurants where people live and work, we want to have a presence in all of the places our customers spend time digitally," said Curt Garner, chief technology officer at Chipotle. "Chipotle Rewards is another access point for consumers; a way for guests to engage with our promise of real ingredients prepared fresh daily and a way for us to say thank you for joining our mission of cultivating a better world."

Chipotle is one of the most mentioned brands on Venmo, a payment app for splitting and sharing payments with Venmo friends in the app's social feed. For a chance to receive anywhere between $1 and $500, consumers submit the phone number associated with their Venmo account at ChipotleRewardMe.com.

Within 24 hours, recipients of the payouts will be alerted of the payment in the Venmo app with a payment note from Chipotle along with a custom Chipotle pepper emoji, which is the first of its kind in the restaurant industry on the platform.

RFID Module Brings Autonomy to Reader Installations

Technology company JADAK has released a new UHF RFID reader module aimed at enabling the rapid deployment of RFID solutions without requiring RFID expertise on the part of systems integrators or users. The company's ThingMagic EL6e smart module comes with an option for a built-in antenna or an antenna port for an externally mounted antenna, as well as a built-in processor that allows it to be programmed and managed as a standalone solution, thereby eliminating the need for the software integration required for the majority of RFID deployments.

Berntsen International Receives US Patent for UHF RFID Technology

Madison, Wisconsin–Berntsen International Inc. has received a US patent for the company’s Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID technology that is the centerpiece of its connected infrastructure locating and asset management solutions. “We’re excited about this advance in our evolution of UHF RFID marking products for underground utility management,” said Mike Klonsinski, president of Berntsen, a global leader in next-generation survey monuments and marking products.

UHF RFID, the global standard for product tracking in retail and manufacturing, has had slower adoption for underground utility marking products because of its perceived challenges of “reading” through subsurface environments.  Berntsen’s newly-patented underground marker optimizes the design to boost UHF RFID performance through mediums such as soil or concrete beyond the capabilities of RFID-enabled products on the market today.

PragmatIC and German ally form RFID partnership

Cambridge-based PragmatIC, a pioneer in ultra-low cost flexible electronics, and German powerhouse Mühlbauer, a proven technology supplier of RFID and smart label production and personalisation solutions, have agreed a strategic partnership. The companies have been working together since 2018 and Mühlbauer has qualified assembly of PragmatIC’s unique flexible integrated circuits (FlexICs) with its market leading production system. This partnership aims to deliver a dramatic reduction in the cost of RFID solutions which will accelerate the adoption of RFID in mass market products such as FMCGs (fast moving consumer goods).

Global Barcode Label Printer Market to Touch the Valuation of US$ 2570 Mn by the End of 2025

The global Barcode Label Printer market is valued at 1960 million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach 2570 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 3.5% during 2019-2025.

Barcode label printers are used for printing barcodes and product labels. These printers are slightly different from traditional printers as these printers use various types of consumables to achieve a barcode print image. Barcode printers are specialty printers which enable the printing of barcode labels or tags that can be directly printed on or attached to physical objects.

On the basis of region, Barcode Label Printer is more popular in Asia than America, particularly in China. APAC is the largest market segment of Barcode Label Printer, followed by Europe with a consumption market share nearly 25.47% in 2017.

How RFID can reduce mishandling rates and enable greater data sharing

IATA and RAIN RFID Alliance are working together to help airlines and airports use RAIN RFID technology to track and trace bags. In 2018, IATA updated the RFID standard “Recommended Practice 1740c – Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Specifications for Interline Baggage” to reflect the latest developments in technology. The type of RFID that is used extensively in the aviation industry is passive Class 1 Gen 2 Ultra High Frequency (UHF), otherwise known or marketed as RAIN RFID. This type of RFID produces a very low energy signal when tracking bags throughout airport processes – without interfering with any aircraft systems. Additionally, the tag is ‘passive’ until it is ‘interrogated’ by a reader.

Sam’s Club to test new Scan & Go system that uses computer vision instead of barcodes

In October, Walmart-owned Sam’s Club opened a test store in Dallas where it planned to trial new technology, including mobile checkout, an Amazon Go-like camera system, in-store navigation, electronic shelf labels and more. This morning, the retailer announced it will now begin testing a revamped Scan & Go service as well, which leverages computer vision and machine learning to make mobile scanning easier and faster. The current Scan & Go system, launched two years ago, requires Sam’s Club shoppers to locate the barcode on the item they’re buying and scan it using the Sam’s Club mobile app.

Debit card with built-in fingerprint reader begins trial in the UK

British bank NatWest is trialling the use of a new NFC payment card with a built-in fingerprint scanner. The trial, which will include 200 customers when it begins in mid-April, will allow its participants to make NFC payments (called “contactless” in the UK) without needing to input a PIN or offer a signature. The standard £30 limit for contactless payments will not apply when the fingerprint is used. Currently, anyone can make a contactless payment in the UK by tapping their card on the terminal to make a payment. As a result of this lack of security, a £30 limit is applied to such payments.

NXP adds support for FeliCa to NFC phones

NXP is adding support for FeliCa, the Japanese variant of NFC, to its NFC chipsets, beginning with a new PN81 series. The move will enable Japanese consumers to access global NFC applications “while worldwide travellers can securely perform FeliCa payment and ticketing services with their devices”. The PN81 series “supports and integrates FeliCa, EMVCo, mobile transit Mifare in a single solution to allow smartphones and other mobile devices to conveniently bridge mobile payments in Japan and across borders, and feature mobile ticketing, access control, and loyalty programs,” NXP says.

Do you need an ‘RFID-blocking’ vest?

Android to add support for NFC passports and driving licences

Google is to introduce an IdentityCredential API that will enable Android users to securely store identity documents such as driving licences and, ultimately, passports on their NFC mobile phone. The new code, which was spotted by XDA Developers this week, is a work in progress and looks set to be introduced in a future version of Android. “Passports are also very much in scope for this work,” Google’s Shawn Willden explains in a reply to a comment to the XDA Developers post.

RFID Technology Companies Team for Product Development

Technology startup SensThys has joined with wireless communication technology manufacturer Microelectronics Technology Inc. (MTI) to create a series of new products, under the SensThys brand, that incorporate hardware and engineering from both companies. The SensThys reader devices will include modules from MTI and will be manufactured at MTI's factories. The companies plan to release the first products during this year's RFID Journal LIVE! conference and exhibition, to be held on Apr. 2-4 at Arizona's Phoenix Convention Center. MTI and SensThys have declined to describe the products in specifics, but claim they will outperform existing RFID readers and antennas, and will include wireless and sensor technologies beyond UHF RFID.

Book your cycle on app, use QR code and ride off in Delhi

In central and south Delhi, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation operationalised an application-based bicycle sharing system in areas under its jurisdiction. The bike service, launched in association with Planet Green Bikes, will cover 25 key locations, including Delhi University, New Delhi Railway Station, Chandni Chowk and ITO intersection. A corporation official said that people have to download an app called Planet Green Bikes to avail the service.

Russia’s Mir domestic payments system adds support for NFC payments

National Payment Card System (NSPK), operator of Russia’s Mir domestic payments network, has begun rolling out support for Android NFC mobile payments. The new Mir Pay service uses tokenization and is supported on NFC phones running Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above. Eight of the more than 160 banks that issue Mir cards have signed up to take part in the initial rollout — Russian Agricultural Bank, Russian National Commercial Bank, Center-invest Bank, SMP Bank, Bank Russia, UBRD, Credit Bank of Moscow and Promsvyazbank.

NFC Forum hopes NMT wireless spec will replace QR codes in Asia

QR codes have remained popular in Asia, where the square grids have long enabled smartphone camera users to instantly load websites tied to ads and product packages. Now that QR codes are also being used to facilitate financial transactions in China and Japan, the NFC Forum (via NFC World) has come up with a faster and more secure alternative. Rather than having users and retailers rely upon printed, visual grids, the NFC Money Transfer (NMT) system uses the wireless near-field communication chips inside devices to facilitate transactions.

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs launches QR code for document attestation

In an effort to improve consular services, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday announced a shift from the manual attestation system to digital attestation of documents. According to a statement, it will initially launch digital QR Code system at the headquarters with effect from March 5, 2019. The QR Code System will also be introduced subsequently at camp offices.

Leonardo Testing RFID Tags To Monitor AW189 Components

Leonardo and Gulf Helicopters of Qatar are testing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags on the latter’s fleet of AW189 super-medium, twin-engine helicopters. Approximately 60 major components of Gulf Helicopters' AW189 fleet will be RFID tagged, allowing automatic downloading of data when the aircraft returns from a mission via dedicated smart tag readers. The pilot project is planned to be completed by mid-2019.

QR code pet license helps to reunite lost pets with owners in Alaska

Anchorage pet licenses now come with digital quick response codes. The Anchorage Animal Care and Control Center in Alaska now offers pet owners a QR code pet license. Essentially, Anchorage pet licenses are now available with a unique quick response code, which helps pet owners to reunite with their lost pets at a faster rate.

Technology to prevent baby-lifting in Tamil Nadu government hospitals

In October 2016, a newborn was stolen from a Government hospital in Salem. The same year, a similar incident took place at a Government hospital in Trichy. A young couple at a Government hospital in Vijayawada too found that their baby was missing one morning in July 2016. Baby-lifting has been prevalent in our Government hospitals for years. With sprawling buildings, and hundreds of people walking in and out every day, these hospitals have struggled with the crime, despite CCTV cameras installed. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology may just be the perfect and cost-effective solution to this.

Despite convenience of QR code donations, most worshippers still prefer to offer cash

As Japanese businesses slowly move toward adopting cashless payments, some temples and shrines are beginning to follow suit for donations. Yet worshippers are divided by the move by religious institutions, with some still shunning the method, saying they feel it will bring them worse luck. Kaigen Temple in Fukuchiyama, Kyoto Prefecture, last year started to use the smartphone service PayPay to receive offerings. The temple later received a lot of attention after it introduced what it called a “cloud visit” in the busy year-end period.

AU10TIX Announces Barcode Reading Without Barcode Reader

AU10TIX removes the dependence on ID barcode-reading via App and SDK, which enables lighter Apps and SDKs and enables effective remediation of existing ID image records. AU10TIX Direct-From-Image barcode reading is much more quality variation resistant that conventional barcode readers, that enabling higher success rates with sub-optimal image qualities.

AU10TIX ID authentication and onboarding automation for AML/KYC-regulated markets is the only fully operational 2nd generation platform on the market today. 2nd generation technology differs from standard 1st by offering 100% manual-work-free onboarding and AML/KYC initiation. Key capabilities include forensic-level forgery, counterfeiting and collateral risk forensics; up to +300% higher conversion rates of borderline quality images; data-rich, rapid-response reporting. AU10TIX solution also includes modularly deep-convolution biometric face matching with liveness detection, and KYC verification and screening services.

"Anyone operating in markets where ID documents have barcodes on them understands the importance of this immediately," says Ron Atzmon, Managing Director of AU10TIX: "Barcode reading off ID documents is basic requirement in markets where this feature is part of ID layouts. It is easy to do at the "front end" where you have an app or SDK that acts as barcode reader. But it is a whole different story when the quality of image capturing is not optimal, and when historical images are already on record and need remediation. This means two things: One, higher barcode reading success rates; Two: Apps and SDKs can be lighter, requiring less system resources on the customer end."

New York MTA begins testing mobile wallet-based ticketing

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has started final testing of a new contactless ticketing system which it announced in 2017. MTA employees will be the first to be able to use a contactless bank card or a wallet, such as Apple Pay, on their smartphone to pay for their travel. The system will roll out to the general public from May, reports News12, and the existing swipe-based MetroCard will be phased out by 2023.

PayPal Testing NFC Mobile Payments For iPhone, Android In Sweden

PayPal is testing mobile payments using NFC (Near Field Communications) stickers in Stockholm, allowing users to pay for goods at two stores using Apple’s iPhone and Android-based smartphones. Payments using phones come in many guises, and PayPal isn’t betting on just one technology at this point. “We are experimenting with a lot things, in order to deploy next year with several retailers,” said Olivier Binet, innovation business development manager at PayPal.

Over 15 Billion RAIN RFID Tag Chips Sold in 2018

The RAIN RFID Alliance announced today that 15.4 billion RAIN RFID tag chips were sold in 2018. This is 23 percent growth over 2017, and the RAIN RFID market is on track to over 20 billion tag chips sold annually for 2020 and beyond. Tag chip forecast discussions began after the RAIN RFID Alliance was founded in 2014, and the industry has been expecting to achieve annual sales of over 20 billion tag chips by 2020. 

RAIN Alliance collects volume data from the leading RAIN tag chip manufacturers, all of which are members of the Alliance. RAIN Alliance members, including Alien Technologies, Axzon Inc., EM Microelectronic, Impinj, Inc., and NXP Semiconductors, sold 15.4 billion tag chips in 2018.

QR codes may become mandatory on drug packs

All medicine packs in India will have to carry a unique quick response code (QR) come April. The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is likely to issue an order to this effect within a few weeks, sources said. The idea for QR coding medicines is two-pronged, said an official from DoP. “Firstly, the intention is to pass on the benefit of fair pricing to the consumer, and secondly, it is to track drugs so that the threat of fake medicines can be eliminated,” the official said.

North American RFID Market Forecast to Be Worth $13.5B by 2023

The North American market for radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies will grow from nearly $7.2 billion in 2018 to $13.5 billion by 2023, according to a market report by BCC Research, based here.

The RFID market in North America is projected to be increasing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% for the period of 2018-2023. The U.S. RFID technologies market will grow from nearly $5.3 billion in 2018 to $9.6 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 12.7%. In Canada, the market is forecast to grow from $1.2 billion in 2018 to $2.6 billion by 2023 with a CAGR of 16.1%.

Ways to Use QR Codes in Chinese Tourism Marketing

Travel brands will often include a QR code at the end of their WeChat posts. These QR codes could link to a website or mini-program, so that the reader could easily access more information about the destination or business. Why a QR code instead of a simple link to a website? Actually, external links cannot be included in WeChat articles published by subscription accounts, so a QR code is a great workaround if you do want to send readers to a website. But many travel brands’ QR codes at the end of a WeChat article tend to open that brand’s WeChat account instead.

IoT for a new intelligence age

The future of IoT has the potential to be limitless. Advances to the industrial internet will be accelerated through increased network agility, integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and the capacity to deploy, automate, orchestrate and secure diverse use cases at hyperscale. The potential is not just in enabling billions of devices simultaneously but leveraging the huge volumes of actionable data which can automate diverse business processes. As networks and IoT platforms evolve to overcome these challenges, through increased capacity and AI, service providers will edge furthermore into IT and web scale markets – opening entire new streams of revenue.

An exciting wave of future IoT applications will emerge, brought to life through intuitive human to machine interactivity. Human 4.0 will allow humans to interact in real time over great distances – both with each other and with machines – and have similar sensory experiences to those that they experience locally. This will enable new opportunities within remote learning, surgery and repair. Immersive mixed reality applications have the potential to become the next platform after mobile – realized through 3D audio and haptic sensations and becoming our main interface to the real world. Bringing future IoT to life will require close synergy between the IoT- and network platforms. This continues to be a key focus area of Ericsson research.

Banco de Mexico to pilot national mobile payments service

The administration of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador recently announced measures aimed at making financial services more affordable in a nation where more than half the population is unbanked. It is planning a digital payments system run and built by the central bank that will allow Mexicans to make and receive payments through their smartphones free of charge. A pilot roll-out for the platform, known as CoDi, is expected by March.  “In the future, it will no longer be necessary to have a bank in the sense of a traditional, established bank,” said Arturo Herrera, Mexico’s deputy finance minister. “Mobile phones will become banks.”