Dynamsoft improves its barcode reading capabilities

Dynamsoft announced it has improved the speed and recognition accuracy of its barcode reader software development kit for dense QR codes used in applications like document management, personnel management, and ID cards.

By updating a database in place of physical assets, the barcodes are always current. So, this avoids the need to reprint physical assets like ID cards or business cards.

Performance for 1D barcode reading from still images has also been slightly improved. The 1D barcode symbol is the most widely used across a myriad of applications. They are often seen in grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores, on products people regularly purchase, and much more.

Dynamsoft Barcode Reader SDK v8.6 JS Edition also has other updates benefiting end users. The company has improved the performance of the boundary identification for DataMatrix codes.

Contactless card transactions will total US$2.5tn globally in 2021

The total value of contactless card transactions worldwide will reach US$2.5tn in 2021, up from US$1.7tn in 2020, Juniper Research predicts.

The researchers also forecast that card payments will retain “the majority share of overall contactless transaction values at 79% in 2021”.

The US will see transaction value growth of 136% between 2020 and 2021 and is anticipated to see further growth of almost 300% over the next five years, the researchers say.

UC San Diego Health Adopts SMART Health Card

UC San Diego Health is now offering a verifiable digital vaccine record to its patients who have or will receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

These secure online records, otherwise known as a SMART health card, can be accessed directly from the MyUCSDChart patient portal.

As an alternative to the paper card, the SMART Health Card cannot be lost or damaged. It is secure and protects the privacy of patient information.

Liverpool Football Club rolls out NFC ticketing

The English Premier League side has rolled out digital-only NFC ticketing for all home matches during the 2021-22 football season. It is currently letting season ticket holders test the service by purchasing and downloading a digital pass from the club website and checking it reads correctly at a stadium turnstile.

The new system also enables season ticket holders and club members to transfer a digital ticket for a home Premier League match or cup tie to a member of a family and friends group added to their supporter ID account should they not be able to attend a particular game.

Researchers unveil fabric-friendly NFC sensors

Scientists at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in the US have developed fabric-friendly NFC sensors that can be woven into the surface of everyday objects such as cushions and pillows.

The sensors can be deployed in a near-field beamforming system known as TextileSense that can track everyday objects made of conductive materials, like a human hand and be used for a variety of functions, such as finding lost objects and controlling devices through gesture recognition.

Using a data-driven approach to infer the locations of the objects, an experimental evaluation of TextileSense shows an average accuracy of 3.5cm in tracking the location of objects of interest within a few tens of centimetres of the furniture.

The researchers go on to describe how the system can be used to sense two classes of objects — tagged non-conductive objects, such as NFC-enabled credit cards and key fobs, whose identity and location can be obtained and untagged conductive objects, such as human hands and metallic objects, whose presence and location can be identified..

Smartphone screens effective sensors for soil or water contamination

The touchscreen technology used in smartphones and tablets could also be used as a powerful sensor, without the need for any modifications.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have demonstrated how a typical touchscreen could be used to identify common ionic contaminants in soil or drinking water by dropping liquid samples on the screen, the first time this has been achieved.

The researchers say their proof of concept could one day be expanded for a wide range of sensing applications, including for biosensing or medical diagnostics, right from the phone in your pocket.

Other teams have used the computational power of a smartphone for sensing applications, but these have relied on the camera or peripheral devices, or have required significant changes to be made to the screen.

ESP8266 Adds WiFi Logging To IKEA’s Air Quality Sensor

The IKEA VINDRIKTNING is a $12 USD sensor that uses colored LEDs to indicate the relative air quality in your home depending on how many particles it sucks up. Sören Beye tacked an ESP8266 to the board so it can broadcast sensor readings out over MQTT.

All you need to do if you want to perform this modification is solder a couple wires to convenient test pads on the VINDRIKTNING board, then flash the firmware (or write your own version), and you’re good to go.

Flying fire sensor could help track wildfires from a satellite

As wildfires currently hit western North America, a new airborne project team hopes to develop a space solution to stop conflagrations before they get out of control.

The project will fund spotter planes with infrared detectors — heat-seeking sensors to examine flame length and geometry to learn more about how fires spread. Meanwhile, machine learning algorithms — provided they are trained well on other hot spot" datasets — could spot new fires in the region within milliseconds, to send alerts.

New in-person payment feature will help un- and underbanked families cross the digital-analog payments divide

Pay Theory, a Cincinnati-based startup that provides payment solutions for school districts, childcare, and families, is to launch its cash payments tool to simplify the burden of making school-related payments for the roughly 30 percent of K–12 families in the US who are un- or underbanked.

The Pay Theory in-person cash payments function allows users to complete digital payment transactions in the analog world without having to have a credit card. When making a school-related payment online, users can select the "pay cash" option. They will then be issued a barcode that can be scanned by a cashier just like any other coupon. The bill can be paid in cash right along with groceries or a prescription pickup. Before walking out of the store, the payment will have been reconciled among all parties, including the school. The cash acceptance feature is available at some 65,000 stores across the US, with 95 percent of the population living within one mile of participating retailers.

Pay Theory's partners in developing its cash acceptance functionality include Abre.io, a leading K–12 administration platform provider; school forms and record management platform SC Strategic Solutions; ZippSlip, a tool that streamlines communications between families and educators; and family relationship management platform Actionaly.

With these partnerships, Pay Theory's cash acceptance tool will be accessible to nearly 25 percent of all US public schools.

Moscow Metro lets passengers top up their Troika transit card

Passengers travelling on Moscow Metro can now buy and top up a Troika transit card directly from within their mobile banking app.

Moscow Metro announced in January this year that it is to roll out Troika contactless ticketing across the Russian capital’s entire public transportation network by the end of 2021.

The service is presently only available to customers of Russia’s Sberbank.

Mobile wallets using NFC technology need new regulations, says Dutch market authority

Dutch market authority Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) is calling for new rules to control anticompetitive practices in NFC technology using mobile payments apps such as Apple Pay.

The ACM is seeking changes to the rules following an access investigation it recently conducted. The ACM issued a media release in which it stated its concerns regarding NFC technology mobile payments apps access and making a call for a change in regulations.

FEIG launches myAXXESS RFID access software

FEIG ELECTRONIC has launched myAXXESS, its innovative, secure, powerful and economical RFID access control solution for buildings and parking areas. The solution is free with FEIG reader hardware.

myAXXESS can be a standalone system or integrated into an existing RFID control point. The myAXXESS solution gives a sales boost to system integrators because they can now offer users a convenient, simple way to fully manage access at no additional cost.

Integrators can tap into FEIG advanced technology for applications that open electronic gates and barriers. Users access short-range applications with chip cards or key fobs. The user presents credentials a few inches from the reader and the system responds. Transponders for long-range identification can be located on the windshield, rearview mirror headlight of a vehicle.

Long-range RFID readers from FEIG are fast, so authorized users pass through the gate as quickly as the gate allows, without waiting extra time for the reader to grant access. Tags are non-proprietary, so customers can purchase inexpensive tags and brand for their business.

Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana Opens with RFID Uniform Management

InvoTech Systems announced the recent implementation of its Uniform System at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. InvoTech Systems is a provider of advanced Linen Management, Laundry and Uniform Systems that integrate the latest RFID technology to increase profitability for hotels, resorts, casino operators, sports arenas, convention centers and theme parks.

The newest Hard Rock Casino in Gary, Indiana opened their doors May 14th with InvoTech’s RFID Uniform System already in place to maximize cost-savings immediately. InvoTech has extensive experience in implementing systems for new properties.

The opening of the Hard Rock casino completes the first phase of construction at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana. The second phase of construction will build a 200-room hotel, which will open in 2022. The Gary casino is operated by Hard Rock International owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The InvoTech Uniform System is currently implemented in the Seminole Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos in Florida.

IMI (International Medical Industries, Inc.) Releases Tamper Evident Caps With Incorporated RFID

IMI (International Medical Industries) bolsters expertise in secure drug delivery products with the release of their Prep-Lock Tamper Evident Cap for IV Syringes with incorporated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.

IMI's Prep-Lock line of Tamper Evident Products helps ensure medication safety from pharmacy to patient.

Prep-Lock Tamper Evident Caps are an established method for providing safeguards to ensure medication safety and are utilized by 84% of the top outsource compounders in the US. RFID technology enables real-time scanning that optimizes inventory management, efficiency, and medication safety while creating quantifiable pharmaceutical supply chain benefits by providing item-level inventory visibility.

Every drug secured with a Tamper Evident Cap featuring RFID is trackable throughout its entire lifecycle. These two powerful technologies in combination enhance workflow efficiencies, eliminate time-consuming manual inventory control processes, provide assistance with growing regulatory demand, and supply a comprehensive strategy to prevent, detect, and resolve drug diversion events. In addition, Tamper Evident Caps with incorporated RFID technology offer a significant reduction in RFID implementation costs. IMI joined DoseID, a consortium of RFID proponents in 2020 with the goal of supporting the interoperability, quality, and performance of RFID tagged products. The DoseID RFID tag now incorporated in the Prep-Lock Tamper Evident Cap is certified by Auburn University RFID Lab's ARC Program to ensure the high standards set by the DoseID consortium are met and that those standards meet the needs of the healthcare industry.

Tamper Evident Caps With Incorporated RFID

IMI (International Medical Industries, Inc.) bolsters expertise in secure drug delivery products with the release of their Prep-Lock Tamper Evident Cap for IV Syringes with incorporated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.

RFID Technology presents an opportunity to augment the proven benefits of tamper-evident products. "RFID technology represents the future of inventory management and medication safety. This technology aligns perfectly with IMI's core business strategy of providing drug security solutions to healthcare institutions worldwide," says Bryan McGurn IMI Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing.

RFID technology enables real-time scanning that optimizes inventory management, efficiency, and medication safety while creating quantifiable pharmaceutical supply chain benefits by providing item-level inventory visibility. Every drug secured with a Tamper Evident Cap featuring RFID is trackable throughout its entire lifecycle.

Danish Firm Debuts World's Smallest Barcode Technology

Rel8, a specialist in track and trace, is announcing its North American launch of imZERT direct part marking (DPM) technology that creates barcodes as small as 1mm2. imZERT barcodes enhance traceability for end products reliant upon small, outsourced components, such as automobiles and electronics.

imZERT barcodes are scanned and decoded via smartphones equipped with commercially available barcode scanning development kits (SDKs), such as Code’s CortextDecoder SDK.

imZERT technology arranges nanostructures into barcodes using standard lithographic methods, then engraves them into the molds for elastomer and plastic components. More compact and crisp than those created by traditional laser engraving, imZERT DPM barcodes help manufacturers, suppliers, and sub-suppliers identify the source of faulty parts or tainted ingredients for product recalls. imZERT’s industrial track and trace method also benefits sectors where counterfeits can endanger end users, such as pharmaceuticals and electronics, or erode brand value and impact profits, such as fashion.

RFID to Find Stolen Bikes in British Columbia

A group of bikers and entrepreneurs have launched an RFID-based system to help consumers track and recover their bicycles if they are stolen.

The solution, known as the  Bikebac Tracker, is designed to return stolen bikes to their rightful owners if they are detected by RFID reader portals located in participating bike shops.

Participants each receive a tracker label, and if their missing bike turns up at a shop, the owner will receive a text or e-mail alert indicating that it has been detected. The system then directs them to local authorities with a case number, or to the bike store to retrieve their property.

Russian food delivery service launches QR code tattoos for restaurant access

Russian food delivery service Delivery Club has started offering Moscow residents temporary tattoos of QR codes, needed for entry into restaurants and bars.

Muscovites need to show a QR code that proves they have had a vaccine, a negative test or immunity to be able to sit inside at cafes or bars.

Russia is battling a surge in coronavirus cases that authorities have blamed on the more infectious Delta variant and a slow rate of vaccinations.

Global RFID market is projected to register a revenue of $21,361.9 million

According to a report published by Research Dive, the global RFID market is projected to register a revenue of $21,361.9 million at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period (2020-2027), increasing from $9,966.4 million in 2019.

The demand for RFID technology is rising in the manufacturing industries owing to its manifold benefits. With the help of this technology, products can be identified and effortlessly tracked in an inventory and track the production stage of a certain product. RFID technology also help to understand the lifecycle of the product. These are the factors enhancing the growth of the market during the forecast period.

The main factor hampering the growth of the market is the expensiveness of production process of the RFID tags and reader.

Saudis launch hajj smart card

Saudi authorities have created a new digital system for hajj pilgrims. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah’s so-called hajj smart card can be scanned at self-service devices at Muslim pilgrimage sites. The card stores personal information, identifies gathering points and departure times for holy site visits, dispatches notifications from

Pilgrims sometimes illegally enter Mecca. Authorities fined 52 people last week for allegedly attempting to enter the holy city without a permit, according to the Saudi Gazette news outlet.

Ray Ozzie’s cellular IoT startup Blues Wireless raises $22M

Blues Wireless, the IoT startup founded by former Microsoft exec Ray Ozzie, has raised $22 million from investors including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.

Blues is the latest venture from Ozzie, who invented the Lotus Notes group messaging platform in the 1980s. He later launched and sold two startups to Microsoft: Groove Networks in 2005, and Talko in 2015.

The goal is to make it easy to get almost anything online — from a refrigerator to a propane tank to HVAC systems — to enable remote management and monitoring.

Industrial Barcode Scanner Market will grow by USD 388.38 million

Set to grow by USD 388.38 million during 2021-2025, Technavio's latest market research report estimates the industrial barcode scanner market to register a CAGR of over 5%.

 With a focus on identifying dominant industry influencers, Technavio's reports present a detailed study by the way of synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. This report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Although the evolution of Industry 4.0, the rise in the adoption of wearable barcode scanners in the manufacturing industry, and the increased deployment of mobile workforce will offer immense growth opportunities, to leverage the current opportunities, market vendors must strengthen their foothold in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.

Waterloo installing RFID’s on garbage bins

After receiving multiple complaints of trash bins being picked up, misplaced, or stolen, the Waterloo Sanitation Department (Canada) is installing RFID tags on city garbage bins.

According to sanitation director Scott Brunson this will help with detecting stolen garbage bins.

"It will also give us a turn-by-turn analysis of how they run their routes and how much mileage or fuel they're using," Brunson said, "it's going to help us improve route efficiency and making sure the drivers are running the routes."

ST and Feig let manufacturers personalise whole pallets of NFC-enabled products

STMicroelectronics and Feig Electronic have introduced a new personalisation system that makes it possible for manufacturers to quickly and easily personalise large volumes of products equipped with dynamic NFC tags at a distance of up to one metre.

Users can program whole pallets of products equipped with Type 5 NFC tags without needing to remove them from either the pallet or their packaging.

Historically a laborious and time-consuming process that requires connecting each unit to a programmer, basic setting up can now take place at any one convenient point in the supply chain using this new contactless solution, ST says.

HID Global expands family of RFID asset-tracking tags

HID Global has announced two additions to its broad family of RFID asset-tracking tags.

The HID SlimFlex Ultra technical label is optimized for the strongest durability compared to other labels, and the HID Sealed Tamper Aura is designed to securely track and trace highly sensitive materials and digitally detects unauthorized access to sealed containers like boxes or crates.

The HID SlimFlex Ultra label’s special construction increases durability when mounted to non-metallic flat or slightly curved surfaces. It joins HID’s comprehensive family of High Frequency (HF) and Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RAIN RFID tags that withstand exposure to harsh elements, chemicals, and extreme temperature for waste management, food distribution applications, and other asset tracking applications. Custom colors are available, as well as 1D/2D barcode and laser-engraving options for special branding or other identification needs.

Baltimore using QR codes for vacant homes

Hundreds of QR codes have appeared on boarded-up homes throughout Baltimore over the past month, as part of a city effort to help residents seeking information on vacant properties, according to The Washington Post.

When scanned, a QR code on the signs directs residents to a preexisting Department of Housing and Community Development page, where they can search for ownership information and other records.

The signs also direct residents to call 410-396-0896 to access the information, or dial 311 if the property needs to be cleaned or secured.

Worldwide Environmental Sensor Industry is Expected to Reach $2.7 Billion by 2027

The global environmental sensor market size is estimated to grow from USD 1.4 billion in 2021 to USD 2.7 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 10.3%.

The market has a promising growth potential due to several factors, including the growing adoption of environmental sensors especially air quality and temperature sensors in consumer electronics and government and public utility verticals will drive the demand for this market in the near future.

The major factor restraining the growth of the environmental sensor market is that long-term monitoring of environmental data may lead to the short life span of sensors.

Environmental sensors are widely used to monitor environmental factors and maintain security and safety in various verticals including residential, commercials, enterprises, government and others. However, this requires long-term or continuous monitoring to retrieve data and generate safety alerts.

The market declined in 2020, mainly due to the impact of COVID-19. The supply chains were disrupted in 2020 due to the lockdown imposed by various governments and labor shortages in these industries due to travel restrictions, which would affect the environmental sensor market. Though the market has been impacted in 2020, it is expected to fully recover by 2021.

The temperature sensor is the largest segment of the environmental sensor market by type. There have been several technological advancements owing to COVID-19. Many players offer temperature sensors which is driving the market for environmental sensor market. Furthermore, the rising adoption of temperature sensors in portable devices, technological advancements in sensors resulting in miniature sensors, and increasing demand for residential & smart city projects are a few of the major driving factors for the growth of the market. Furthermore, the temperature is the most monitored parameter among most physical parameters in an industry. The cost of temperature sensors has been declining, and there is increasing development of new types of temperature sensors. This is expected to drive the market for temperature sensors during the forecast period.

Code Corporation Launches CodeQR, Secure Smartphone QR Code Reader

Code Corporation announced it has released CodeQR, a safe and secure smartphone QR code reader app that is free for download on the App Store or Google Play.

CodeQR is a free app to scan QR and UPC barcodes. The app stands apart from other barcode scanning apps by safeguarding data privacy and security. This is accomplished by not capturing, monitoring or transmitting any confidential information, unlike other similar apps on the market. Many of these apps not only send the scanned code and other information such as the user’s smartphone GPS coordinates to a centralized server, but also infect the user’s device with malicious malware.

CodeQR does not capture or record the data that is decoded from the barcode; therefore, it does not—and cannot—sell any of the data to 3rd parties. It also does not push any advertising to users and does not violate their privacy. The only data being collected from CodeQR is standard and anonymized app analytics related to the usage (such as frequency of use) and performance of the app which is used to improve product developments.

Smart Card In Healthcare Market Size To Reach $2.46 Billion By 2028

The global smart card in healthcare market size is expected to reach USD 2.46 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.

It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.4% from 2021 to 2028. Growing initiatives by market players and governments of various countries for the implementation of smart cards in the healthcare system are fueling market growth. Furthermore, compliance with smart cards with HIPAA as well as ARRA is expected to boost the market growth.

Similar to other markets, the market for smart card in healthcare has also been significantly affected by COVID-19. Some of the major impacts of COVID-19 on the market include supply chain disruptions, a decline in sales, and low demand. Companies such as Thales Group reported flat growth in their smart cards product segment. Therefore, the overall impact of COVID-19 on the market was neutral.

The flexibility provided by smart cards to securely add information to a patient healthcare card after its issuance is expected to boost the market growth. This factor delivers various benefits for healthcare applications. Patient prescriptions can be written to the card, providing up-to-date information when a patient is receiving medical care from multiple providers or in an emergency; patient record identification or multiple patient identification numbers can be saved to the smart card, enabling record exchange as well as helping with care coordination amongst multiple healthcare providers; and patient healthcare information can be saved to and updated on the card by certified healthcare providers, with updated information available for both the healthcare providers and patient to access.

Smart POS Terminals in Service Globally to Grow by 156% by 2026

A new study by Juniper Research has found that smart POS terminals globally in service, where analytics and loyalty can be integrated directly to the terminal, will increase from 13.7 million in 2021, to 35 million units in 2026. As digital payments accelerate and QR codes provide intense competition, particularly in North America, POS terminals need to offer more features than before. The report identified smart POS terminals as the future of POS terminals that should be considered by all vendors.

The research recommends POS manufacturers focus on high-value features, such as inventory management, loyalty scheme automation and store synchronisation, in order to maximise the appeal of their offerings in a highly competitive hardware market.

The new research, POS Terminals: Device Innovation, Competitive Landscape & Market Forecasts 2021-2026 Market Research, found that by 2026, 57% of all payments at POS by value will be contactless globally, compared to just under 25% in 2021. This growth, supported in large part by increasing contactless payment limits, represents a steep change in how consumers pay.
The research recommended that, as contactless enablement is now the default for POS manufacturers in their products, they need to focus on new capabilities, such as smart POS and greater device mobility within stores, to sustain current POS hardware shipment levels.

The research identified that soft POS, the ability to use NFC on mobile devices to accept contactless payments, will accelerate. Soft POS provides a cheaper route into card acceptance than ever for the smallest businesses, meaning that it is compelling for this particular niche.

Accordingly, the global number of smartphones being used for soft POS payments will increase from 3.2 million in 2021, to almost 24 million in 2026. However, the research emphasised that soft POS not being an immediately recognisable POS terminal will limit consumer confidence around security; restricting growth.

Global RFID Tags Market Size to Cross 19.68 Billion by 2027

Rising growth of E-commerce system and online retail sale, increasing penetration of IOT and rising growth of logistics and transportation sector are the significant factors driving the growth of the Global RFID Tags Market.

Global RFID Tags Market is valued at USD 10.23 Billion in 2020 and expected to reach USD 19.68 Billion by 2027 with a CAGR of 9.8% over the forecast period

The COVID 19 has shown a negative impact on the global RFID tags industry due to the lockdown condition in disturbance in the supply chain, the demand for retail products is reduced. During COVID-19 pandemic, numerous organizations have faced a slowdown in tasks because of the lockdown and limitations on working standards from governments. The fall interest for costly retail items worldwide because of lockdown measures, alongside supply network interruptions, is relied upon to have hindered the development of the RFID market. However, utilizing RFID innovation with industrial automation arrangements, organizations can restore quicker than what was anticipated in the coming years.

Rising growth of e-commerce system and online retail sale is one of the major factors driving the growth of global RFID tags market. For instance; according to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) 2020, the online retail sale of U.S. was $598.0 billion in 2019 and it is increased to $791.7 billion in 2020. Similarly the online retail sale is increased in countries like Australia, Canada, China, Korea etc. The RFID tags are used in mostly in online retail sector.

In addition, increasing penetration of IOT is another major driving factor for the growth of RFID tags market. For instance; according to Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) 2020, across the world, spending on software and hardware related to IOT is projected to grow rapidly from US$726 billion in 2019 to US$ 1.1 trillion in 2023. RFID technology as a key enabling technique of the internet of things (IoT0 sensing layer now finds applications in a wide spectrum of fields for data integration and management including human identification, logistics and retail, access control etc.

Gas Leak Detector Market to expand at a healthy CAGR of more than 5%

Global sales of gas leak detector systems are expected to grow 4.8% in 2021, with sales of over 6,690 thousand units. Persistence Market Research analysis projects the global gas leak detectors market to expand at a healthy CAGR of more than 5% over the forecast period of 2021-2031.

A critical factor driving the sales of gas leak detectors market size is increasing focus on risk management and prevention on the back of rapid industrialization. Other demand drivers include accurate detection and monitoring technologies in industrial settings and commercial spaces across various countries. While measures are laid to ensure personnel and property safety, gas leak detectors are regarded as viable candidates toward risk prevention.

Fixed gas leak detectors are poised for lucrative growth over the forecast period. They have been developed over the years to include ultrasonic detectors, and use at large hydrogen plants, continuous hydrogen production, and other industrial facilities.

The U.S. is positioned as the top nation in the global market, with the highest market value share. Demand in the U.S. will increase at over 4% CAGR over the next ten years. In 2021, the market in Japan grew by 3.9% year-on-year, bucking initial skepticism about how the market would perform during a global pandemic.

You can now use Google Pay balance for in-store NFC payments on Android

Rolling out this week, the Google Pay app now offers a virtual card for your account balance. This allows users to immediately use funds that are earned from rewards or sent by friends/family for in-store payments. This, of course, only works on Android smartphones that support NFC at stores that offer the payment option.

Before this change, Google Pay balance could only be used for sending funds to other people, buying items online or in Google products/Play Store, or transferring money out to your bank account.

Google says that this option is rolling out now in the United States and it will be available to all Android users soon.

Scanbuy's Latest Trend Report Reveals 94% Growth in QR Code Usage in Q1 2021

Scanbuy released its quarterly trend report that summarizes consumer engagement activity during Q1 2021. The trend report shows 136% growth in unique consumers engagement, demonstrating continued strong growth of QR codes and mobile consumers engagement.  

The report shows consumers worldwide are using their mobile devices to engage with brands more than ever. They are more familiar with QR codes now, and their expectations for fun experiences keep them engaging with codes. Within the United States, California, Texas, and New York are the top three most engaged states. Highlights from the Q1 2021 trend report include:

The most popular type of consumer engagement experience was, brand promotions, gamification, app download, and custom content

The top operating system was iOS with a 31.99% difference over Android users
Industries who saw the most engagements included food and beverage, media and entertainment, electronics, and retailers
Wednesday came in as the main scanning day of the week, and the most active scan times are between 1-2 pm and 6-7 pm.

Flinders University sleep experts test new mattress sensor

Flinders University sleep experts have started a new trial to help people with their individual sleep disorders by using an invisible sensor technology, REMi – developed by RMIT University for Melbourne-based R&D company Sleeptite.

Sensors on the surface of a mattress provide real-time insights into residents’ position, posture and sleep health status.

Flinders University project lead, Associate Professor Andrew Vakulin, said the research aimed to develop and validate sleep measurement metrics and algorithms using the REMi sensors, and to further enhance their capability to provide informative data.

Tamper-proof QR Code to be made mandatory for oxygen containers in India

Tamper-proof QR codes will soon be made mandatory in India for all high pressure cylinders and cryogenic containers used for storing and transport of medical oxygen for their quick identification and mobilisation.

The industries department (DPIIT) has proposed to amend the Gas Cylinder Rules by including the provision, which says, 'All the high pressure cylinders and cryogenic containers used for filling non-toxic, non-flammable gases and liquids shall have permanent and tamper proof marking in form of QR code at conspicuous place on cylinders.'

Phyn Smart Water Sensor can monitor for water leaks

The Phyn Smart Water Sensor won't stop a leak from happening, but it can alert you when one occurs. It's a low-cost option to help keep anxiety at bay.

The sensor needs a quick setup to connect it to your phone. Once it's ready, it sits and waits to spring into action—alerting you to unwanted water.

A leaky toilet, a distant basement sink, a backed-up shower drain or an old faucet are all perfect reasons to invest the $40 retail cost.

Vipps, MobilePay and Pivo to merge

Nordic mobile payment providers Vipps in Norway, MobilePay in Denmark and Pivo in Finland are to merge and will create a single digital wallet that consumers can use in all three countries, as well as for cross-border payments.

Serving 11 million users and over 330,000 shops and web shops, the new company will be one of the largest bank-owned mobile payment providers in Europe.

The merger is subject to approval from authorities, including the European Commission, with the go-ahead expected in the second half of 2021 or in early 2022.

Demand for Labels in Pharmaceuticals Forecast to Grow 4.4% Annually

Demand for labels in the pharmaceutical market is projected to expand 4.4% per year to $1.4 billion in 2025, outpacing nearly all other primary packaging markets.

The Drug Quality and Security Act of 2013 – to be phased in over a 10-year period – aims to prevent drug counterfeiting and diversion, supporting growth for larger labels featuring serialization codes.

High-value RFID tags, specialty inks, and other enhanced security features will benefit from increased safety measures.

In efforts to improve patient compliance and minimize drug misuse, an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies will furnish consumers with support materials such as warning and reminder stickers.

A move toward biologic drug formulations will also stimulate demand for pharmaceutical labels in both value and volume terms.

The largest share of demand for pharmaceutical labels will remain in standard pressure sensitive types. Growth for pressure sensitive labels will be enhanced by the incorporation of RFID tags and other authentication technologies such as covert markings, electronic codes, and color shifting inks.

Gartner Says Global Government IoT Revenue for Endpoint Electronics and Communications to Total $21 Billion in 2022

The worldwide government Internet of Things (IoT) endpoint electronics and communications market will total $21.3 billion in 2022, according to Gartner, Inc. This is a 22% increase from a forecasted total of $17.5 billion in 2021.
 
Globally, over 50% of governments endpoint and communications service spending will be on outdoor surveillance to improve public health and safety.

As 5G is well-suited to video applications due to its high data throughput, Gartner estimates that outdoor surveillance cameras will represent over 75% of the government’s global 5G connections through 2022.
 
In addition, Gartner estimates that 39% of global government endpoints will be shipped with a low-power wide-area (LPWA) interface in 2022, up from 26% in 2020.

SML Inlay Enables RFID Tracking of Single-Use Pharmaceuticals

SML has released its latest inlay for the pharmaceutical industry, designed for tracking single-dose drugs produced in disposable vials.

The new product GB32U9 is SML's smallest inlay to date, according to the company, and is engineered to transmit data effectively when applied to vials filled with liquid and made from plastic or glass packaging.

The company began building RFID tag products for the pharmaceutical industry for the past three years.

The passive UHF RFID inlay is available now, following approximately 18 months of engineering and testing.

Teledyne e2v announces low-cost, high-performance quad linear CMOS sensor family

Teledyne e2v introduces Tetra, a low-cost, high-performance quad linear CMOS sensor family. The Tetra sensors are ideal for food sorting, recycling, logistics, pick-and-place, document scanning, and other machine vision applications that require cost-effective mono, color, and multispectral imaging.

Tetra sensors are available in a 2k resolution with a 14 μm x 14 μm pixel size, or 4k resolution with a 7 μm x 7 μm pixel size at a max line rate of 128kHz aggregate. The mono models can be configured to output one, two, or four rows and the color models provide RGB and mono outputs. Using wafer level coated dichroic filters, the sensor also provides spectrally independent RGB and NIR outputs for multispectral imaging.

Based on a synchronized shutter design, Tetra provide low read noise and high dynamic range with true correlated double sampling (CDS). Each channel has its own exposure control, resulting in easy-to-perform white balancing.

The ceramic LCC package also offers high performance and high reliability over a wide range of operating temperatures. The sensor data ports have high signal integrity and simple interfacing for quick system integration.

Stockholm to add EMV white label card

Passengers travelling on metro, rail, bus, tram and boat services in Stockholm will soon be able to use an EMV white label card issued by the city’s Storstockholm Lokaltrafik (SL) transit authority.

SL is launching the world’s first proprietary EMV white label public transport card to enable closed loop transit ticketing payments for passengers who do not have or do not wish to use their bank card or mobile phone to pay their fares using the transit authority’s open loop contactless payment system.

The card taps into SL’s existing infrastructure. The first new EMV White Label cards will be rolled out after the summer.

Confidex Ferrowave Micro Delivers On-Metal RFID Tracking for Specialty Retail

Confidex Ltd. has released its new Ferrowave Micro on-metal label optimized for a category of products that have been challenging to track with RAIN RFID until now: specialty re-tail.

This new label provides similar read reliability and sensitivity to Confidex’s other products but is designed and sized specifically for use on retail items that were once too small for RFID tagging.

In retail storefronts, backrooms or warehouses, the Ferrowave Micro can be easily read by standard UHF RFID handheld readers, or by automated robots for inventory counts, bringing visibility to even the hardest to track specialty items.

Flaws in card-reader technology can wreak havoc with point-of-sale systems

A researcher has found a collection of bugs that allow him to hack ATMs in a new way: with a wave of his phone over a contactless credit card reader.

Now Joseph Rodriguez has built an Android app that allows his smartphone to mimic those credit card radio communications and exploit flaws in the NFC systems' firmware. With a wave of his phone, he can exploit a variety of bugs to crash point-of-sale devices, hack them to collect and transmit credit card data.

Rodriguez plans to share the technical details of the vulnerabilities in a webinar in the coming weeks, in part to push customers of the affected vendors to implement the patches that the companies have made available.