Worldwide 2D Barcode Reader Industry is Expected to Reach $10.7 Billion by 2027

The Global 2D Barcode Reader Market size is expected to reach $10.7 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 6.6% CAGR during the forecast period.

With the increasing penetration of the internet, digital shopping is becoming more convenient and gained popularity among consumers worldwide. The introduction of wireless technology has strengthened the shift to digital shopping.

The barcode scanners are also integrated with high-speed, wireless networks that can possibly help in reducing long waiting times in retail stores. Thus, combining bar code scanners with automated billing systems is making the shopping process transparent, faster, and efficient and at the same time, it enhances the satisfaction of the consumers. These abovementioned factors are encouraging businesses to opt 2D barcode-based systems which are driving the growth of the market.

The market for 2D barcode readers is expected to grow in the forecast period. It is due to the growing use of 2D barcodes across numerous industries, the 2D barcode can access more information like price, image, quantity, or web addresses. The 2D barcode reader is able to scan both 1D and 2D barcodes. 2D barcode readers are helping those businesses which want to make a substantial impact on their customers. Since the ability of the 2D barcode readers to scan accurately and quickly is high, it speeds up the various transaction processes like billing & other operations and thus, improves customer experiences. A 2D barcode reader has the capacity to read barcodes from both directions. It can read on-screen or printed, upside down, and even sideways.

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected various industries in different ways. The sensor, control, and automation industry of several countries have been negatively affected by this pandemic across the world. The capital investments in the automation sector are lethargic during the pandemic and expected to put on hold in the coming few months and years. Though, the current halt in industrial manufacturing and production is expected to be a wake-up call for the manufacturing sector to minimize its dependency on human labor. The advantages of robotics and automation are expected to be helpful in greater adoption in the post-pandemic period. Post pandemic, the IoT, industrial automation, and digitalization will be increasingly more relevant for Tier 1 manufacturers.

Smart Card Market revenue to hit $75 Bn by 2027

Global Market Insights Inc. has recently added a new report on the smart card market which estimates the market valuation for smart card will cross US$ 75 billion by 2027.

The rising residential and non-residential construction across the globe is set to spur industry growth. Additionally, emerging applications of dry mix mortar in the commercial and infrastructural sectors due to its cost-effectiveness and excellent workability are expected to offer new growth opportunities to the industry.

There is a growing adoption of dual-interfaced smart cards with highly secure dual interfaces and larger memory requirements than a standard card. They are embedded with a single chip that can be accessed either through an embedded antenna or contact pads. These smart cards enhance security, reduce frauds, and enable secure access to the card's chip with either contactless or contact smart card interfaces. Players focusing on innovating their smart card portfolio will boost the market growth.

For instance, in February 2019, Gemalto N.V. announced the integration of fingerprint technology to optimize the performance of its dual interface payment cards. This move helped the company to offer biometric EMV payment cards to bank customers for safe & secure payment transactions.

The expanding retail industry will propel the demand for advanced payment acceptance techniques as retailers focus on enhancing customer satisfaction. Small retailers still are increasingly adopting card readers to ensure customer convenience. Large malls and supermarkets are using integrated systems that enable them to accept a wide range of payment options while also focusing on loyalty programs to ensure customer retention. Retailers are increasingly adopting smart card readers that help them to ensure fast transactions. For instance, in May 2020, Shopify’s tap and chip card that features contactless or tap payments for credit and debit cards was launched in Canada. This enables Canadian retailers to offer customers more options to pay by accepting contactless Interac Flash payments, Mastercard, American Express, Visa, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.

SML Enterprise RFID Software Division announces over 5,000 retail stores have deployed its Clarity software

SML RFID has announced that its cloud-based item-level RFID software application suite, Clarity, is now deployed in more than 5,000 stores in 34 countries, with more than 60,000 users using its RFID handheld application.

During last year’s pandemic SML deployed its software in over 1,000 stores and managed over 1.5 billion unique RFID tags, processing over 25 billion RFID events. In addition, SML reports that retailers using Clarity have improved their in-store inventory accuracy from <70% to >95%, which has added over $1 billion in profit while simultaneously reducing over $1 billion in inventory over the last six years.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused global industries to struggle, but few industries were impacted as heavily as retail. In what became a case of adapting to survive, many retailers leveraged new technologies to streamline in-store processes, improve customer experiences and create efficient and cost-effective solutions during the sector’s most challenging time.

Clarity is being used by retailers of all sizes from 100 stores to retailers with 1,000s of stores. These retailers are serving several retail segments today, including Apparel, Footwear, Home Goods, Sporting Goods, Cosmetics, and Electronics. Further to this, SML is working with customers in Quick Serve Restaurants, Food Supply Chain, Pharmaceuticals, and Agriculture.

Global Healthcare Barcode Reader Market to Reach $640.7 Million by 2028: Allied Market Research

According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global healthcare barcode reader market generated $260.9 million in 2019, and is expected to reach $640.7 million by 2028, witnessing a CAGR of 12.7% from 2021 to 2028. The report offers an extensive analysis of changing market trends, key segments, top investment pockets, value chain, competitive landscape, and regional scenario.

Increase in demand for wireless healthcare barcode readers, increased patient safety, and reduction in human errors drive the global healthcare barcode reader market. However, the line of sight barcode scanning devices restrain the market. Moreover, the development of advanced technologies is expected to present an array of opportunities in the future.

Based on product type, the fixed segment held the highest market share in 2019, accounting for around three-fourths of the global healthcare barcode reader market, and is expected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. However, the mobile segment is projected to witness the largest CAGR of 13.7% from 2021 to 2028.

Based on region, Asia-Pacific contributed to the highest market share in 2019, accounting for more than one-third of the total share, and is expected to continue its dominance in terms of revenue by 2028. However, Europe is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 13.6% during the forecast period. The other provinces studied in the report include North America and LAMEA.

Three in ten UK consumers now use mobile phones and wearables for payments

Some 17.3 million people or nearly a third of adult consumers in the UK used their smartphone or smart watch to make mobile payments in stores by the end of 2020, a significant increase of 7.4 million people compared with 2019, according to UK Finance.

The London-based trade group’s 2021 Payment Markets Report also shows that the number of contactless payments made in the UK increased by 12% to a total of 9.6bn and accounted for more than a quarter (27%) of all transactions made in 2020.

In the past four years contactless payments have jumped from being just 7% of all payments to 27%.
83% of people in the UK now use contactless, with no age group or region falling below 75% usage.

Wyze unveils water leak and climate sensors for its Home Monitoring system

Users of Wyze’s Home Monitoring kit are about to get a couple of new optional accessories: a leak sensor that can detect moisture under sinks, dishwashers, and other leak-prone areas, and a temperature- and humidity-tracking climate sensor.

Measuring 1.9 x 1.9 x 0.9 inches (WxDXH), the Wyze Sense Leak Sensor has a 500-foot range, while its coin-size CR2450 battery should provide up to 18 months of battery life.

While both the Sense Leak Sensor and the Sense Climate Sensor require the Home Monitoring Kit, they’ll work without a subscription to Wyze’s $60-a-year professional monitoring service (a year’s worth of which comes free with the Home Monitoring package).

Plastic Logic Display Boosts OneWave’s Smart Card Cybersecurity

Plastic Logic, a manufacturer of flexible, glass-free electrophoretic displays (EPDs), is enabling OneWave to produce a universal connected smartcard with built-in user authentication that enhances cybersecurity.

OneWave, started in 2016 in western France, has developed the connected smartcard incorporating Plastic Logic’s flexible display that can be configured with a dedicated smartphone app. The OneWave enables remote purchasing of transit tickets, access to services, password authentication and also aims to process payments.

Founded in 2000, the company is supported by major investors including the Rusnano Corporation and the E INK Corporation, underlining its market and technology leadership position. Plastic Logic’s glass-free, flexible displays have been integrated into a wide range of applications including digital signage, electronic shelf labels (ESLs), smart cards, mobile devices, electronic badges and smart wearables.

Visa Launches its First U.S. Tap to Phone Pilot in Washington D.C.

After piloting in more than thirty countries, Visa announced its first Tap to Phone pilot in the United States. Visa is touching down in Washington, D.C., one of the U.S. cities with the highest percentage of Black-owned small businesses (SMBs) to launch Tap to Phone and deliver resources and education via Visa Street Teams as part of Visa’s goal to digitally-enable 50 million SMBs.

Washington, D.C. is the first stop on Visa’s six-city SMB revitalization initiative, which also includes Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and Miami.

Visa’s Tap to Phone technology turns sellers’ Android based phones into point-of-sale acceptance devices, providing an on-ramp to the digital economy with the ease of downloading an app.

In partnership with the minority-owned, mobile smartphone technology and solution provider, ZmBIZI, the first U.S. pilot program will provide ZmBIZI’s Z1 devices with Tap to Phone capabilities to 50 Black-owned SMBs in Washington D.C.

Industrial Sensor Market revenue to cross USD 30 Bn by 2027

 

According to latest report Industrial Sensor Market by Product (Level Sensor, Temperature Sensor, Flow Sensor, Position Sensor, Pressure Sensor, Force Sensor, Image Sensor, Gas Sensor), Application (Energy & Power, Oil & Gas, Mining, Chemical, Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical), Regional Outlook, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2027”, by Global Market Insights Inc., the market valuation of industrial sensors will cross $30 billion by 2027.

The increasing adoption of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology across the manufacturing sector will drive the market growth. This technology increases the acceptance of various automation equipment such as human machine interface and programmable logic controllers on assembly and production lines. This automation equipment is extensively incorporating industrial sensors to detect, measure, and analyze various parameters such as force, pressure, and position, among others. Adding to this, favorable government initiatives supporting industrial automation in the food & beverage manufacturing, fueling the market expansion.

The force sensor segment accounted for 8% of the industrial sensor market share in 2020 led by the increasing usage of force sensors to measure various physical parameters such as mass, torque, and weight of an object in the industrial sector. The force sensors have high capabilities to monitor the load and prevent industrial machinery from overloading. The manufacturers of force sensors are continuously innovating their products to increase the adoption of these sensors in various industrial applications.

The mining application segment in the industrial sensor market held 7% of revenue share in 2020 and is projected to witness 8% growth rate by 2027 on account of the increasing demand for various industrial sensors in mining & exploration activities. For instance, the industrial gas sensors are used to monitor the safety parameters for toxic & flammable gases under harsh mining conditions. Furthermore, the implementation of IoT into sensors will help mining companies to extract real-time & exact data about the temperature, pressure, and gases in the mines. The proliferation of mining & excavation activities across Asia Pacific economies such as China and India will further support the industrial sensor manufacturers.

Identiv Joins DoseID Consortium to Develop and Strengthen Industry Standards for RFID in Healthcare

Identiv joined the DoseID Consortium to strengthen its focus on radio frequency identification (RFID) applications in healthcare and participate in the development of industry standards for RFID use. DoseID connects industry participants from across the healthcare continuum to ensure RFID quality, performance, and interoperability for drug products and medical equipment.

Identiv joins the consortium of leading healthcare companies sharing the mission and vision of DoseID to facilitate industry-wide collaboration for RFID healthcare standards.

Identiv RFID devices can be used in a wide range of healthcare applications, representing a significant growth opportunity for the company. Identiv offers several healthcare-focused RFID-based solutions providing secure authentication, anti-counterfeiting, transfer of patient information, temperature sensing, and monitoring and patient compliance. These solutions are currently available in the market. Identiv’s additional pipeline of healthcare applications in progress utilizes its proprietary IP, including sensor-enabled RFID devices, its patented “device on metal” solution, and a range of sustainable, eco-friendly devices.

The Medical Alert System Global Market is Expected to Reach $10.9 Billion

IDEX Biometrics ASA, a provider of advanced fingerprint identification and authentication solutions, is accouncing that China Construction Bank (CCB), one of the world’s largest banks and a leader in the development of China’s Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) infrastructure, has expanded certain digital renminbi trials to include the issuance of smart cards that are secured by IDEX Biometrics fingerprint sensors and biometric software.

These smart cards will serve as digital 'hard wallets' for participants in CCB’s DCEP pilots, which to date have involved the deployment of “soft wallets” in the form of mobile phone applications.  DCEP is an encrypted, digital version of the renminbi, China’s national currency, and represents legal tender administered by the People’s Bank of China, the nation’s central bank.

A digital renminbi hard wallet resembles a conventional dual-interface smart card, with secure processing, encrypted memory, and near-field communication capabilities in the secure element. The card’s stored value is further secured with advanced fingerprint recognition and authentication provided by IDEX Biometrics. This enhanced level of integrated, dedicated security gives sponsoring organizations such as CCB the confidence to allow higher transaction limits and higher stored balances on card-based “hard wallets” than allowed on vulnerable phone-based 'soft wallets'. Users are afforded both ease of use and a high level of protection.

Virgin Hotels lets guests check in with mobile ID

Guests staying at Virgin Hotels in four US cities can now verify their identity, check in and receive a mobile room key via an app on their iOS or Android device before arriving at their hotel.

Guests first need to join the hotel chain’s The Know loyalty scheme. Membership also enables them to use the Virgin Hotels Lucy mobile app to access an expanded range of contactless in-room controls.

Virgin Hotels has made the updated app available for loyalty scheme members staying in its Nashville, Dallas, Chicago and Las Vegas accommodation and will add the service at a new hotel in New Orleans 'coming this summer'.

ST launches affordable NFC transceiver

STMicroelectronics has introduced an NFC transceiver  'at a highly competitive price'.

The ST25R3918 enables use cases such as accessory identification for a wide range of applications including power tools and personal healthcare devices, ST says.

End customers can use their phones to interact easily with applications that utilise the ST25R3918, including using a simple tap to start apps on the phone.

The new transceiver is part of the chip maker’s ST25 NFC Reader+Tag product line.

Professional Services Firm to Work with the RAIN Alliance to Advance RAIN UHF RFID Technology Globally

Virtual, Inc. announced the addition of RAIN Alliance to its expanding roster of high technology consortia and standards groups.

The RAIN Alliance is a global alliance with over 150 members to promote the universal adoption of ultra-high frequency, radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) technology.

According to a global research study conducted by the RAIN Alliance in collaboration with VDC Research, the market for all UHF RFID products will grow from $2.2 billion in 2019 to $5.1 billion by 2024.

BBVA launches biometric credit card in Mexico

 

Customers of BBVA Mexico can now apply for a ‘blank’ biometric credit card that enables them to authenticate payments with their fingerprint.

It has a fingerprint reader, which when you bring the card to the point of sale terminal, you put your thumb on the reader and, without having to enter the PIN when making the payment, authenticates purchases in the safest way.

BBVA Mexico is initially making the Smart Key card available to patrimonial and private banking clients, but says that it aims to give all clients access to the means of payment of the future.

M700 inlays feature Impinj chipsets

BSN, part of the Chinese company Baoshen Group, has announced the launch of its M700 radio frequency identification inlays.

These inlays incorporate Impinj's M730 and M750 chipsets and are designed to increase the sensitivity and read range of RFID labels.

Available in three sizes—50 millimeters by 30 millimeters (2 inches by 1.2 inches), 70 millimeters by 14 millimeters (2.8 inches by 0.6 inch), and 42 millimeters by 16 millimeters (1.7 inches by 0.6 inch)—the new inlays offer sensitivity ratings of up to -24 dBm, the company reports.

Global mobile health and fitness sensor market expected to reach an estimated $7.7 billion by 2026

The future of the global mobile health and fitness sensor market looks promising with opportunities in the consumer electronics, healthcare, and other industries, according to new research.

The global mobile health and fitness sensor market is expected to reach an estimated $7.7 billion by 2026 with a CAGR of 17.2% from 2020 to 2026.

The major growth drivers for this market are increasing adoption of digital technologies in the healthcare sector and the growth of wearable devices.

Construction workers gain contactless access to site with their faces

Workers on a construction site on Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus in Scotland can now verify their identity and gain access to the site using only their face.

Robertson Construction Central East has installed a face recognition entry system that also checks each worker’s temperature.

The facial matching process is completed in less than 0.2 seconds for efficient worker throughput.

Facebook Messenger adds custom QR codes for Facebook Pay transactions

Facebook is making it easier to send money in Messenger. The app now supports Venmo-like QR codes and personalized links for person-to-person payments with Facebook Pay.

Users can access their QR code and link in Messenger’s settings in order to request a payment.
Facebook notes the features work even if you aren’t already Facebook friends, which should make it easier to send or request payments to strangers.

Datamars Textile ID can identify and trace laundry/textiles all along their life cycle

Textile ID from Datamars is an AI-based technology to unlock the full potential of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems.

Technological challenges prevent making the most out of RFID systems. The constraint of stray reads—false positive tags detected accidentally by the reader—and difficulties in correctly assigning readings to moving items are two limitations.

Datamars has applied machine learning techniques to the RFID technology. Machine learning is a branch of artificial intelligence that provides systems the ability to learn and improve automatically through experience and without being explicitly programmed. It examines the provided “training” datasets to find common patterns and build a model to make decisions.

Huawei phones introduce NFC contactless payments via Stocard

Huawei has announced a partnership with Germany-based mobile wallet Stocard to enable NFC payments in Europe. Huawei mobile users in UK, Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands can now make smartphone payments without needing to carry physical cards.

Additional discounts, coupons and flyers will be available through the app, with a chance to claim money off of everything from airline tickets, to gift cards from participating retailers; retailers include IKEA, Tchibo MediaMarkt, Douglas, and others.

Smartphone Sensors Industry is Expected to Grow at a CAGR of 6.2% Between 2021 to 2027

The global smartphone sensors market is growing at a significant CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period (2021-2027). Smartphone sensors are the electronic element that enables smartphones to work intelligently. Smartphones and devices have various types of sensors such as gyroscope, light sensor, proximity sensor, and biometric sensor such as fingerprint sensor, face recognition, iris scan, and magnetometer among others.

Sensing technology is getting advanced over the years and every sector has various requirements of smartphone sensor that is driving the growth of the market. Rising smartphone users across the globe are one of the major reasons for the growth of the smartphone sensors market. Further, smartphone sensors are getting advanced according to the users that are pushing the market upwards.

The rising demand for IoT-based technology, rising demand for sensors in the development of smart cities is surging the growth of the smartphone sensors market. The higher competition among the smartphone manufacturers to gain higher market share is motivating them to increase their R&D expenditure on the advancement of sensors in smartphones to make them compact and efficient. Additionally, the key smartphone manufactures are constantly making attempts to improve the overall user experience to topple each other.

Based on the geography, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. North America is growing at a very significant pace owing to increasing sales of high-end smartphones in this region. Apart from that, rising awareness amongst consumers regarding smartphone hardware and sensors, increasing per capita income, and technological advancement and adoption in this region are the major motivating factors in the growth of the global smartphone sensors market during the forecast period.

Panasonic Corp., Samsung Group, Sony Corp., STMicroelectronics International N.V., AMS AG, Broadcom Ltd., Dyna Image, Epson Europe Electronics GmbH, and Omron Inc. among others are the key players operating in the global smartphone sensor market. To survive in the market, these players adopt different marketing strategies such as a merger, acquisitions, product launch, and geographical expansion so on. For instance, in 2020, Honor a Chinese smartphone-making company has launched its new product in China with a temperature sensor. The products are named Honor Play 4 pro. The infrared temperature sensor features of the smartphone will allow people to measure the temperature of the body or the object. The smartphone can measure the temperature between -20 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius.

Washington Metro lets Android users add SmarTrip transit cards to Google Pay

Passengers with an Android NFC phone can make tap-and-go fare payments on public transportation services in the Washington DC area by adding a SmarTrip transit card to Google Pay.

In addition to Metrorail and Metrobus services in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, users can pay their fares on regional bus services operated by ART, Dash, Fairfax Connector, Cue, Ride On, TheBus, Circulator, Loudoun County Transit and OmniRide.

Android users can also now download the SmarTrip app, enabling them to top up their transit card or opt for an auto reload function, purchase travel passes and plan their journeys.

Know Labs Announces Results from Pre-Clinical Study Validating Bio-RFID Platform Technology

Know Labs announced successful results from an independent pre-clinical study validating the company’s Bio-RFID platform technology.

Know Labs is developing a novel medical device using the Bio-RFID technology that it expects will be the world’s first non-invasive continuous glucose monitor, making finger sticks and micro-needle monitoring devices obsolete and changing care for the world’s 1.5 billion people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The successful test of the Bio-RFID technology is an important step toward submission of a diagnostic medical device for FDA approval.

The purpose of the independent pre-clinical research was to confirm that Know Labs’ Bio-RFID technology is able to precisely and non-invasively measure and identify a variety of analytes in vitro by detecting their unique radio frequency spectral responses.

The next phase of testing for the Bio-RFID technology will involve clinical human studies measuring blood glucose non-invasively in the body. Data collected from these studies will be included in materials presented to the FDA in a pre-submission meeting. Subsequent clinical trials will be conducted and submitted in the company’s application to the FDA. Know Labs will provide updates on its regulatory strategy and timeline in the coming months.

Element adds AWS integration for industrial sensor data

 

Element announced an API integration between its Element Unify software and AWS IoT SiteWise.

The API integration will make it possible for customers to centralize plant data model integration and metadata management in a single contextual service, streamlining the capabilities and making them more accessible to AWS customers, Element CEO Andy Bane told VentureBeat.

While companies in various sectors are increasingly using sensors, Element’s technology is geared toward industrial enterprises, such as those involved in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, power generation, power transmission distribution, and other critical infrastructure. Specialty chemical company Evonik, for example, is trying to optimize capital expenditures and achieve better on-stream time and equipment uptime using the software.

New spec that improves mobile payments quality and speeds up transit ticketing transaction times

EMVCo has issued a new specification bulletin that makes it mandatory for contactless payment terminal suppliers to make use of IQ demodulation techniques in order to receive EMVCo certification.

IQ demodulation improves the contactless payments user experience by providing both more reliable data transmission, which improves transaction speeds, and by offering greater flexibility in terms of where a card or device needs to be positioned in order to be read by a payment terminal, the standards body says.

All EMV-compliant terminals will be required to apply IQ demodulation techniques to receive EMVCo certification. Many terminals have this functionality today but have neither activated nor tested it within the payment environment.

Internet Of Things In Retail Market To Reach $182.04 Billion By 2028

The global internet of things in retail market size is expected to reach USD 182.04 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 26.0% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.

The growth can be attributed to the adoption of connected technologies by retailers against e-commerce sites. The reducing cost of hardware and IoT sensors, demand for a seamless shopping experience, and growing acceptance of smart payment are the factors expected to further fuel the growth of the internet of things (IoT) in retail market.

Beacons are gaining significant traction owing to their high adoption by retailers to increase customer engagement, thereby increasing loyalty and sales. As a result, the beacons segment is projected to register a strong growth rate over the forecast period

The growing demand for Payment as a Service (PaaS) and cloud-based solutions for POS terminals is expected to provide high growth opportunities for managed services.

Planon acquires IoT platform provider Axonize

With the acquisition of Axonize, Planon is taking a step further in realizing its ambition of enabling connected buildings at scale. Additionally, the acquisition will help to further strengthen its market leading position in smart building systems.

Axonize’s IoT solution enables simple and fast connectivity by enabling no-code connection capabilities. This allows for high volumes of devices to be connected quickly, providing the scalability required for customers to deploy their IoT use-cases effectively and with increased speed.

Axonize's fully integrated Internet of Things (IoT) Platform will play a critical role in Planon's 360-degree building digitization strategy which includes: asset monitoring, analyzing end-user needs, establishing occupational patterns, and enhancing the ecological footprint of assets and buildings. Axonize complements Planon's 'Open Platform' approach by providing out-of-the-box connections with smart devices and data sources across a plethora of vendors. Moreover, the acquisition supports the strategic partnership with Schneider Electric, and our joint ambitions for the future.

Sixth Wave, ACAMP Partner to Develop RFID-Enabled Virus-Detection Products

Sixth Wave Innovations (SIXW) has signed an agreement with the Alberta Center for Advanced Micro/Nanotechnology Products (ACAMP) to integrate radio frequency-based technology with the company's Accelerated Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (AMIPs) virus-detection technology.

ACAMP is a not-for-profit organization that develops specialized technologies for customers. Its clients have access to the center's equipment, facilities and expertise, as well as its network of members that support and develop advanced technologies and manufacturing.

The AMIPs platform utilizes synthetic polymers to detect viruses, such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. The integration of RFID, according to SIXW, will allow the diagnostic devices to be paired with a smartphone or an RFID reader in order to simplify results analysis, record keeping and reporting.

QR Code check-in compulsory in Victoria at workplaces

It will soon be compulsory to use a QR Code to check-in at workplaces across Victoria (Australia) after a big portion of the COVID-19 outbreak occurred in an office environment.

Previously it has only been mandatory for customer facing services, but through this outbreak the government has seen a number of cases occur in office settings.

Under the lockdown, Service Victoria QR code check-ins were made mandatory statewide in retail settings including supermarkets.

Global RFID in Healthcare Market to Reach $9.1 Billion by 2026

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for RFID in Healthcare estimated at US$4.2 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$9.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 13.8% over the analysis period, according to a new report.

Tags, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 15.4% CAGR and reach US$5.4 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Readers segment is readjusted to a revised 11.7% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

RFID tags, also called RFID transponders, are tiny RF identification devices. Growth in the segment will be especially driven by the growing adoption of low cost tags. Passive RFID tags have managed to dominate the RFID tags market, particularly due to their cost-effectiveness over active tags.

The RFID in Healthcare market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.3 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$2 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 17.5% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 10.6% and 12.7% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 12.3% CAGR. The deployment rate of RFID technology in the pharmaceuticals and healthcare sector is high in North America region.

Australia has abandoned the COVIDSafe app in favour of QR

The COVIDSafe app was pretty popular upon its release in Australia, with around 70% of surveyed Australians saying they supported the idea.

However, actual uptake was never high. By May last year, only 44% of those surveyed had actually downloaded it.

Many on social media are now saying they’ve all but abandoned COVIDSafe in favour of the QR code check-ins done via, for example, the Victorian government app or the Service NSW app.

Sparkasse trials digital receipts for NFC smartphone users

Consumers in the Cologne-Bonn area of Germany will soon be able to receive digital receipts on their NFC smartphone for in-store purchases at merchants.

Sparkasse’s bill.place app will be available for NFC-enabled Android and iOS devices, allowing users to automatically receive and store a digital receipt in the app whenever they make a payment at a participating merchant using their smartphone or their Sparkasse debit card.

Registered customers receive their receipts after payment with their Sparkasse card (debit card) or their NFC-enabled smartphone — there is no need to print the receipt.

Kerlink, Cloud Energy to build IoT solutions for rural Vietnam

Kerlink is teaming up with Vietnamese IoT startup Cloud Energy in building new solutions to meet demand for IoT services in rural areas around Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC).

The two companies recently developed and deployed a fully wireless LoRaWAN network to monitor and manage a 900 kWp solar-power installation on a mushroom farm 80 km from the city.

To date, more than 140,000 Kerlink installations have been rolled out with over 350 clients in 70 countries. Based in France, the company has subsidiaries in the US, Singapore, India and Japan.

LG Pay is shutting down later this year

Following LG Mobile's shutdown on July 31st, owners of the company's smartphones have another calendar date to make a note of.

From November 1st, LG's widely unused contactless payments system is also shutting down, according to emails currently being sent to customers.

LG Pay debuted in the US with the G8 ThinQ, though it never reached the sort of widespread use that Samsung (or even Google) enjoyed.

RFID and Barcode Printer Market worth $5.3 billion by 2026

According to the new market research report RFID and Barcode Printer Market with COVID-19 Impact Analysis by Printer Type, Format Type (Industrial Printers, Desktop Printers, Mobile Printers), Printing Technology, Printing Resolution, Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026, published by MarketsandMarkets, the market size for RFID and Barcode Printer was valued at USD 3.9 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 5.3 billion by 2026. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period.

Increasing installation of RFID and barcode systems in manufacturing units to improve productivity to tackle the impact of COVID-19, growing use of RFID and barcode printers in flourishing global e-commerce industry, surging need for improvement in inventory management, and rising demand for mobile printers based on wireless technologies are the key driving factors for the RFID and barcode printer market.

The barcode printers segment accounted for a larger size of the RFID and barcode printer market than the RFID printers segment. Barcode printers are extensively used in small, medium, and large businesses to label and subsequently track the products being shipped. This is one of the key factors fueling the growth of the barcode printers segment of the market. These printers are frequently used in high printing requirement applications, including retail. The manufacturing and industrial segment accounted for the largest size of the barcode printer market in 2020. Barcode printers are widely used in manufacturing industrial applications, as they benefit every stage of the manufacturing process, right from distribution and logistics to inventory tracking and product shipping. In 2020, North America accounted for the largest share of the barcode printer market, and this trend is expected to continue during the forecast period.

Microsoft acquires IoT security provider ReFirm Labs

Microsoft announced that it has acquired ReFirm Labs, a US-based provider of IoT security solutions, for an undisclosed amount.

The company is known for developing new methods for detecting security flaws in IoT devices, and its Binwalk (formerly Centrifuge) platform has become a popular tool for extracting firmware.

Binwalk has been used to analyze thousands of device types for firmware security issues, uncovering unpatched common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs), insecure secrets, and a multitude of other security problems in plugin IoT devices and embedded firmware. ReFirm’s firmware analysis technology will advance Microsoft’s existing capabilities to help secure IoT and OT devices via Azure Defender for IoT which was recently enhanced with technology from our acquisition of CyberX. Together, we will provide device builders and customers the ability to both discover, protect, and assess device risk both at the firmware and network level and then patch devices with an easy-to-use cloud-based solution as is explained in this video.

CTA lets Android users tap and pay for transit fares in Chicago

 

Passengers on public transportation services in Chicago can now use an Android NFC smartphone to make tap-and-go fare payments by uploading the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) virtual Ventra transit card to Google Pay.

Once they have added a new Ventra card or transferred an existing one to Google Pay, users can pay for their journeys by tapping readers at CTA railway stations and on CTA and Pace suburban buses.

After adding their card to Google Pay, there is no need for riders to unlock their phone; they can simply ‘wake up’ their phone to tap.

Healthcare Automatic Identification And Data Capture Market Size Worth $62.0 Billion By 2028

The global healthcare automatic identification and data capture market size is expected to reach USD 62.0 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.3% from 2021 to 2028, according to new research by Grand View Research.

The growth is attributed majorly due to the increasing focus of pharmaceutical companies on optimizing the supply chain. For instance, in October 2020, Sandoz launched its first RFID-tagged critical injectable medicines in the U.S.

The biometric emerged as the largest revenue-generating segment of the healthcare AIDC market in 2020. Increasing adoption of RFID technology for AIDC services in the healthcare industry is estimated to drive market

The hardware segment dominated the market in 2020 owing to the growing installation of RFID systems. The rising requirement for hardware-based components in the AIDC devices such as printers, scanners, readers, cards, and other such systems is expected to drive the market.

Impinj Says NXP Infringes Patents on Rain RFID Technology

Impinj expanded its patent-infringement battle with NXP over integrated circuits using radio frequency identification tags that are increasingly used by businesses to wirelessly connect products to the Internet, Bloomberg reports.

The dispute is over technology used in RAIN RFID, a standard used for things like tracking baggage at airports, managing inventory at stores and automating supply chain management. Impinj makes the Monza chips that competes with NXP’s UCODE.

The case also includes a patent-infringement lawsuit Impinj filed last year in California and one filed by NXP that’s now pendingin Washington state

Recycling Startup Ambercycle Uses QR Codes To Tell Clothes' Backstory

Ambercycle, a Los Angeles garment recycling startup, is turning those itchy white care labels inside your t-shirt into online portals detailing where and how your clothes were made.

The company started printing mini QR codes on the tags of their recycled clothes sewn downtown.

The push comes as more consumers expect clothing brands to expose how and where their apparel is made. Partner Avery Dennison pitches the tags as a way for companies to transparently display that data and stay in touch with customers online.

Demand for Contactless Smart Card Materials to Remarkably Expand

The market for smart card materials is expected to see tremendous potential in the coming years with the influx of various chip-based technologies given the increasing requirement to curb security risks across the financial and banking sectors.

Smart cards are witnessing higher demand in the form of payment cards such as debit and credit cards, as well as electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards which are used in the allotment of government benefits. They are configured for access control across government & educational institutions and are employed for patient identification and detailing in hospitals.

he demand for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) smart card materials is anticipated to rise substantially as they can be regarded as the commonly used components in the card bodies. On account of lower prices, they are preferred in both contact and contactless cards. However, these materials offer depleting resistance to heat, UV, and bending stress, which results in the lost quality finish over time. They are also believed to exhibit a shorter life expectancy in comparison to other materials with the gradual peeling of the lamination and finishing layers.

Meanwhile, the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) smart card materials will also see significant penetration on account of their higher resistance to heat and chemicals. As these materials possess optimum print quality-making attributes, they are suitable for graphics-heavy card applications like branded access cards and ID cards used in universities and high-end organizations.

The smart card materials market is currently being fueled by the prominence of the latest trends and developments made by the industry conglomerates. Given below is a gist of the trends that would potentially augment the smart card materials market strata in the years to come:

Novel sensor discovered that helps bacteria detect and respond to formaldehyde

Bacteria called methylotrophs can use methane and methanol as fuel; in doing so, they produce large amounts of formaldehyde during growth, but until recently no one knew how they detected and responded to this toxic compound. Publishing on 26th May, 2021 in the Open Access journal PLOS Biology, Christopher Marx of the University of Idaho and colleagues describe their discovery of a novel formaldehyde sensor in the bacterium Methylorubrum extorquens, and other methylotrophs.

Some may remember the pungent smell of this toxic chemical from high school dissections of formaldehyde-preserved animals. From bacteria to humans, all organisms produce at least a little formaldehyde as a byproduct of their normal metabolic processes. Methylotrophs, however, make substantially higher amounts of formaldehyde while breaking down certain one-carbon compounds, like methane and methanol, which they use as a source of both carbon and energy.

Marx and his team found the new formaldehyde sensor by growing a methylotroph on increasingly higher formaldehyde concentrations. They sequenced the genomes of bacteria that had evolved to tolerate excess formaldehyde and saw mutations in a previously unknown gene they named efgA, for "enhanced formaldehyde growth." They found that this gene occurs almost exclusively in the genomes of methylotrophs, and that the EfgA protein the gene encodes can detect formaldehyde and quickly stop bacterial growth when levels of the toxic chemical get too high. The researchers also demonstrated that inserting the efgA gene into a non-methylotroph bacterium, E. coli, allowed it to survive at higher-than-normal formaldehyde levels.

Previously, scientists had identified enzymes in all domains of life that detoxify formaldehyde. But this is the first protein sensor described in methylotrophs that can detect formaldehyde and halt growth to prevent cell damage, all without involving detoxifying enzymes. The new discovery may have applications in biotechnology; bacteria engineered to withstand high formaldehyde concentrations with the efgA gene could potentially produce pharmaceuticals and other valuable compounds while growing on methanol, a readily available industrial material.

Vubiq Networks Models Technology Claims of its Breakthrough RFID Hyperimaging Patents

Vubiq Networks announced that it has successfully modeled its patented millimeter wave radio frequency identification (RFID) technology incorporating polarization and phase detection.

Utilizing industry-standard 3D radar computer simulation and MATLAB algorithm implementation supplied by Ansys and MathWorks, the company has been able to validate the technology claims of its extensive RFID synthetic aperture radar (SAR) hyperimaging patent portfolio.

The breakthrough represents the first and only patented millimeter wave RFID hyperimaging technology to utilize polarimetric frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar. The company’s innovative data encoding technology exploits the natural physics of antennas at a tremendously small scale. The result is a chipless RFID data tag that approaches the cost of printing a bar code, but with the ability to contain hundreds of data bits in the size of a postage stamp.