Identiv Collaborates with NXP on NFC-Enabled Secure Sensing Tags for Product Integrity and Condition Monitoring

 

Identiv announced its portfolio of near field communication (NFC)-enabled status detection tags for advanced IoT security.

Identiv's range of NFC tags is among the first available with NXP NTAG Semiconductors 22x DNA chip devices, adding unique capabilities for advanced anti-counterfeiting, new-to-market tamper detection, and batteryless condition sensing.

Identiv's NFC tag designs based on NXP's new NTAG 22x DNA chip series enable a wide range of sensing solutions for customers in healthcare and pharma, retail, smart packaging, supply chain control (e.g., blockchain), and augmented user experiences. The portfolio secures everyday objects in mobile anti-counterfeit authentication applications and closed-loop systems, tamper proof medications, beverages, and consumables, and senses specific conditions such as moisture, pressure, or fill level powered by an NFC field, all without a battery.

The sensing tags with conductive and capacitive capabilities are ideal for status-aware applications enhancing quality assurance along the supply chain, verifying fill levels for refill orders or patient compliance, and wet/dry sensing for smart wound recovery or skin patches.

GS1 US Launches Cross-Industry RFID Discussion Group

GS1 US has established a cross-industry Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) discussion group that seeks to address best practices for implementing Electronic Product Code (EPC)–enabled RFID to support supply chain and inventory management imperatives. GS1 Standards, the most widely used supply chain standards in the world, provide a foundational data structure and systems interoperability to help drive use of the technology across various industries, including apparel/general merchandise, retail grocery, foodservice and healthcare.

The RFID discussion group kickoff meeting will take place March 24, 2022, and thereafter the group will convene on a quarterly basis. The initial meeting will feature the following speakers:

Matt Alexander, senior director, Merchandising Innovation, Walmart, will discuss the benefits of EPC–enabled RFID and challenges the technology addressed at Walmart.
Dr. Bill Hardgrave, provost and senior vice president, Auburn University, will examine the industrywide benefits of EPC–enabled RFID.

Mark Roberti, founder and editor, RFID Journal, will share observations about the state of RFID today and future opportunities.

The cross-industry RFID discussion group is open to GS1 US members participating in a GS1 US Industry Initiative (apparel/general merchandise, retail grocery, foodservice or healthcare) as well as members of the GS1 US Solution Partner Program.

Global Wearable Payment Devices Market to Top US$ 171 Bn by 2032

The wearable payment devices market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 29% during the forecast period 2022-2032, with an estimated market valuation of US$ 13.43 billion in 2022.

Wearable payment refers to payment transactions conducted using wearable devices that are connected with wireless technologies such as NFC and RFID. Wearable payment gadgets not only provide clients with a simple and contactless means of payment but also assure safety and cleanliness, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Smart Payment Association (SPA), paying for goods and services with a simple flick of the wrist is substantially faster and easier than by handing over cash, or even tapping in a pin number. Thus, wearable device manufacturers are integrating near-field communication (NFC) technology as a standard into most devices to offer superior convenience by eliminating the need to fumble with a wallet, purse, or phone.

Over the last few years, financial technology has transformed payment methods with global initiatives like bPay Loop and Android Wear 2.0 and integrating open-loop payments into wearables. Wearable technology is growing smarter and more versatile, thereby gaining momentum with rising consumer acceptance of new payment methods. Alongside, the opportunities for issuers have become more significant with recent advancements.

Besides, passive wearables like payment-enabled rings, bracelets, key fobs, fitness bands, stickers, cufflinks (and of course, phones) are rapidly picking up pace around the world. Novel designs for bracelets and cufflinks include payments technology, while wristbands and fabrics weave interactive sensors into jackets and pants.

Sensors Market in Oil And Gas Industry to Grow by USD 1.73 bn

The sensors market in oil and gas industry is likely to grow by USD 1.73 billion from 2021 to 2026. The growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 4.04% during this period.

The increase in LNG trade is one of the key factors driving the sensors market growth in the oil and gas industry. Various countries are trying to increase the share of natural gas in their energy mix, which is increasing the demand for LNG. Moreover, cross-border disputes and the geopolitical tension over pipelines have renewed the interest in LNG as a transport fuel.

On the supply side, investments in LNG infrastructure have been increasing in Australia, Qatar, Africa, Russia, and the US. Asia is leading the demand in LNG import markets owing to the growth in new LNG regasification facilities. Furthermore, China plans to increase its regasification facilities to add about 26 MTPA by 2023.

STMicroelectronics’ Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit Integrates Brains into Sensors to Launch Onlife Era

STMicroelectronics and a manufacturer of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), announced the launch of the Intelligent Sensor Processing Unit (ISPU) that combines a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) suited to run AI algorithms and MEMS sensor on the same silicon.

In addition to reducing size over system-in-package devices and cutting power by up to 80%, merging sensor and AI puts electronic decision-making in the application Edge. Here, it facilitates the Onlife Era where innovative products enabled by smart sensors are able to sense, process, and take actions, bringing the fusion of technology and the physical world.

ST’s ISPU provides substantial benefits in the four Ps: power consumption, packaging, performance, and price. The proprietary ultra-low-power DSP can be programmed in C, familiar to many engineers. It also allows quantized AI sensors to support full- to single-bit-precision neural networks. This ensures superior accuracy and efficiency in tasks such as activity recognition and anomaly detection by analyzing inertial data.

ST’s proprietary, C-language-programmable DSP is an enhanced 32-bit Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) machine. It is extensible (in the chip-design phase) for dedicated instructions and hardware components. The processor offers a full-precision floating-point unit, uses a fast four-stage pipeline, operates from 16-bit variable-length instructions, and includes a single-cycle 16-bit multiplier. Interrupt response is a spritely four cycles. ST’s sensors with ISPUs will be packaged in standard 3mm x 2.5mm x 0.83mm packages and will be pin compatible with their (ST) predecessors, allowing quick upgrades.

Combining the sensor and ISPU is also a big power saver; ST’s calculations show a 5-6x saving over System-in-Package approaches in sensor-fusion applications. They also show a 2-3x saving in RUN mode.

HFS Ranks Accenture the No. 1 IoT Service Provider for the Second Time in a Row

Accenture is the overall winner in the Top 10 Report 2021 for IoT services1 from industry analyst firm HFS Research. The recognition follows Accenture’s top position in the previous HFS ranking of IoT services providers, published in 2019.

For its 2021 report, HFS assessed 15 providers across four criteria groups for IoT services. Accenture holds the top spot in three of the four categories – execution, innovation, voice of the customer – and ranks second in the actionable digital transformation category, which HFS calls OneOfficeTM.2

According to HFS, Accenture is a “transformation partner with large delivery presence and acquisition-led growth strategy” for IoT services. The report recognizes Accenture’s Industry X service with its “cutting-edge IoT skills” and breadth of offerings, for example, smart connected product design and development and intelligent asset management.

The report states that the industrial IoT segment (IIoT) has gained the most traction among the three IoT segments (consumer IoT, industrial IoT and smart city), and manufacturing is the key IIoT vertical. Industry 4.0 is the key reason for the widespread adoption of IoT, as it is one of the building blocks for smart manufacturing.

Meal ordering app tracks reusable food containers using NFC

Customers ordering takeaway food from restaurants in Toronto in Canada can now collect their orders in a reusable food container embedded with an NFC tag. This helps to verify when borrowed containers are returned and from which account they were returned

The pilot service is available to customers who place an order with participating restaurants, including Mugi, The Ace and Café Tibet.

The service is currently only available for customers who collect their order in person.

floLIVE and Numondial team up to deliver global connectivity service

floLIVE, an IoT connectivity provider of advanced 5G network solutions and a full suite of global cellular connectivity services for IoT use cases, and Numondial, a provider of next generation telecom services as voice, SMS, IoT data communication, announced their collaboration, according to which floLIVE's global IoT connectivity service, floNET, will power Numondial's Baklava - a state-of-the-art xRM platform for simple, seamless Human to IoT interactions via standard communication channels.

This strategic collaboration enables Numondial to offer its customers a streamlined and easy to use platform integrated with their CRM, billing, and additional workflows. Additionally, Numondial's platform will have high availability and zero coverage gaps for IoT devices connected anywhere worldwide, with full compliance, and all via one SKU – a single SIM and connectivity vendor.

Numondial's key markets include Manufacturing, Logistics, Healthcare, Home Appliances, AgriTech, InsurTech, FinTech, and Utilities. With Numondial's Baklava platform, customers will be able to send a simple email or social media message to their IoT devices and watch them respond in real-time.

IoT malware attacks rose by 6% in 2021

IoT malware attacks continue to be a significant threat as the number of connected devices grows, according to SonicWall.

Threat researchers diligently tracked the dramatic rise in ransomware, recording an astounding 318.6 million more ransomware attacks than 2020, a 105% increase. Ransomware volume has risen 232% since 2019.

High-profile ransomware attacks impacted businesses, state and federal governments, schools, hospitals and even individuals. Attacks hit supply chains, causing widespread system downtime, economic loss and reputational damage. Following global trends, all industries faced large increases of ransomware volume, including government (+1,885%), healthcare (755%), education (152%) and retail (21%).

IoT malware volume rose 6% in 2021, totaling 60.1 million hits by year’s end. While this isn’t good news, it’s at least better than it has been: In 2019 and 2020, IoT malware volume rose 218% and 66%, respectively. With no corresponding slowdown in the proliferation of connected devices, this suggests that attack volumes may be leveling off.

Worldwide Thermal Printing Industry is Expected to Reach $48 Billion by 2026

The Global Thermal Printing Market is estimated to be USD 35.56 Bn in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 48.22 Bn by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 6.28%.

The Global Thermal Printing Market is driving due to the rising adoption of automatic identification, data capture, and wireless technologies to improve productivity.

The growing concerns related to anti-counterfeit and product safety drive the market's growth. Additionally, the increasing use of thermal printing as per on-demand printing applications fuels the market's growth. On the other hand, stringent printing rules and regulations and poor image quality of barcode labels restrict the market's growth.

The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology in printing solutions will create potential opportunities for the market to grow in the forecasted period. Furthermore, the growing usage of thermal printing solutions in various industries such as e-commerce, healthcare, and the supply chain industry deals with RFID, smart labels, tags, and Barcode thermal printers. Moreover, heat setting in thermal barcode solutions is a challenge that may negatively affect the market.

Impinj Joins DoseID Consortium to Advance RAIN RFID Use in Healthcare

Impinj, Inc. announced the company has joined the DoseID Consortium to expand its focus on RAIN radio-frequency identification (RAIN RFID) applications in healthcare, and to participate in developing standards for RAIN RFID healthcare use.

DoseID is a member-driven industry consortium with representatives from leading pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers and hospitals. Impinj shares DoseID’s mission and vision of facilitating industry-wide collaboration for RAIN RFID healthcare standards and use.

Solutions built by Impinj partners are designed to work within an existing healthcare setting, supporting compliance with procedures and regulations and making the work of caring for patients easier.

City of Jacksonville installs sensors to figure out source of smells

The city of Jacksonville has a new tool to help figure out what’s behind a terrible smell people have reported in parts of the city.

The first Envirosuite sensor was installed Thursday in Boone Park.

The city plans to install the devices in different neighborhoods.

There will be 13 of these sensors as part of this research and two weather stations because the wind direction is a part of the study.

Trend Report Reveals 35% Growth in QR Code Usage in Q4 2021

Scanbuy released its quarterly QR Code Trend Report. The trend report shows a 35% growth in unique consumers engagement from Q1 2021-Q4 2021, demonstrating continued strong growth of QR codes for connecting the physical to digital experiences.

The most popular type of consumer engagement experiences were brand promotions, product information, and app download.

52% of consumers scanning are IOS device users Retailers, food and beverage, media and entertainment and electronics continue to garner the most engagement.

The most scans were completed from 4-7PM GMT and Saturday was the most active scanning day of the week.  California, Texas, and New York were the three most engaged states.

Zebra Technologies Unveils New Portfolio of Integrated RFID Portals

Zebra Technologies Corporation has announced a new portfolio of easy-to-deploy, integrated RFID portals.

Zebra is introducing four new integrated solutions that make it easier and more convenient for businesses and specialized PartnerConnect partners to efficiently deploy RFID in the US and Canada.

The Zebra Transition RFID Portal is used primarily at dock doors to automate and improve the efficiency of previously manual data capture and product flow operations where human intervention and/or manual barcode scanning is required.

The Zebra Wall-Mount RFID Portal is fully enclosed and easily mounts near doorways, storage rooms, and hallways in offices and warehouses to help track a variety of assets such as IT devices, pharmaceutical items, and retail inventory.

The Zebra Fixed RFID Tunnel can monitor workflow, validate boxed products, and improve shipping accuracy.
Zebra’s Integrated RFID Table uses a fixed reader mounted within a custom-built table supporting sorting, packing, and compliance workflows, for example lab and specimen tracking in healthcare.

Smart card driving licenses planned for South Africa

South Africa’s Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has reiterated plans to introduce a smart card driving license format in the country from next year.

The license will also play the role of an identification document.

The licenses would be available only by October next year if things work out as planned. The current card will phase out over a five-year period.

NFC chips market share is estimated to increase by USD 2.20 billion

The Near Field Communication (NFC) Chips market share is estimated to increase by USD 2.20 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth is anticipated to accelerate at a CAGR of 12.53%. Factors such as increasing demand for smartphones is significantly driving the near field communication (NFC) chips market in this region.

As the number of vehicles on the road grows, so does the demand for smart parking solutions. This high car density on the road causes traffic congestion and makes it difficult to obtain parking spaces, resulting in a loss of productive man-hours. As a result, smart parking solutions are being implemented by both private and public traffic control operators and parking service providers.

During the projection period, NFC-enabled identification and payment solutions are likely to play a key role in smart parking. The demand for NFC readers and access control readers will grow as smart parking initiatives become more popular. The adoption of NFC chips will be accelerated as a result of this.

IEEE has updated its IEEE 1616 standard for motor vehicle event data recorders

 

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has updated its IEEE 1616 standard for motor vehicle event data recorders (MVEDRs) to incorporate an NFC protocol safeguarding access to information held on such a device.

The updated IEEE standard seeks to maintain privacy, prevent tampering, avoid odometer fraud, limit data access and enhance safety for these devices.

IEEE 1616 is one of a suite of standards relating to transportation and the mobility industry to provide neutral, open, interoperable and globally applicable solutions to various mobility domains.

Nitches' Verification Technology Mobile App Enters Testing Phase Ahead of Schedule

Nitches Inc announced regression testing of the mobile app for its Owner Verification System (OVS) has begun ahead of schedule. Testers will use different devices to comprehensively test the app, ensuring it achieves optimal performance and user satisfaction. The OVS mobile app is targeted for completion in March of this year.

Nitches developed the OVS and advanced mobile app to prove the authenticity of its exclusive clothing items from capsule collections developed with top celebrities and influencers. Athleisure collections with Nick Cooper, vocal coach from American Idol, and John Lewis, the BadAss Vegan, will soon be available for sale. The app operates on both iOS and Android devices.

Nitches also designed application programming interfaces (APIs) for the web store, including product listings, order creation, user creation, one-time password (OTP) verification, non-fungible token (NFT) transfers and more. The company is collaborating with NFT artists to create integrated digital designs of its luxury streetwear items that can be transferred to buyers.

Nitches OVS features 10 easy steps to validate authenticity of products purchased and obtain NFTs for use in the metaverse. Nitches' sews a unique QR code into every item it manufactures. Buyers can download the OVS app on their mobile devices and scan these codes to register their products. After OTP passwords are verified via phone or email, buyers can claim perks, such as embedded NFTs, that can be digitally transferred to buyers' wallets through the OVS mobile app.

Avery Dennison Smartrac launches ultra-small RFID inlay

Avery Dennison Smartrac has launched its AD Minidose U9 RAIN RFID inlay for pharmaceutical applications, unlocking critical RFID value for healthcare, pharmacies, and laboratory asset management.

AD Minidose U9 is one of the smallest products on the market to receive ARC certification (Spec S) from Auburn University’s RFID Lab, and to be approved for use by the DoseID industry consortium.

AD Minidose U9 builds on the success of the Minidose U8 inlay launched in 2021, and performs in the standard UHF RFID frequency band between 860MHz-960MHz, with a small form factor of 22x12mm.

SoFi Stadium and Tappit Introduce Mobile Wallet Feature in SoFi Stadium App

Tappit, a global payment and data ecosystem for sports, events, stadiums, and venues, and SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, a near 300-acre sports and entertainment destination, announced a 10-year partnership.

The partnership will introduce fans to a convenient and fast way for mobile payments, as well as incentive-based opportunities, which could include discounts and giveaways, with the addition of the SoFi Stadium Wallet feature to the stadium's app.

Tappit's white-label technology will increase SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park visitors' ability to make purchases using only their cell phones, adding additional contactless and cashless payment options.

By scanning a simple QR code while in the SoFi Stadium Wallet, fans can easily pay for their food, drinks, and merchandise quickly and efficiently - without the need for cards. The data and insights around fan behavior and consumption that can only be delivered through Tappit's real-time data suite will give SoFi Stadium unprecedented opportunities to understand their venue, their visitors and how to ensure the experience is truly state-of-the-art. Most importantly, Tappit's solution makes it possible to connect all data points across Hollywood Park's 300 acres, giving the site a 360-view of the fan's consumer journey.

Touch&Heat pilots electric radiators with NFC controls

 

Households in Germany, France and the UK are trialling NFC-enabled electric radiators that let users configure the daily heat settings on individual appliances.

The radiators have been developed by the Touch&Heat project in order to enable consumers to reduce their energy consumption and become more energy efficient by making it easier to configure energy-saving features.

Touch&Heat is a collaboration between French NFC technology provider IoTize, French electronic thermostatic control provider Cotherm and German heating appliance manufacturer Lucht LHZ, and aims to 'accelerate the development, testing and deployment of new NFC heating products'.

Macy’s Cranking up RFID Use

Macy’s has cranked up its use of RFID technology to protect its assets as reports of high-profile retail thefts are increasing.

When retailers use RFID tags on their merchandise, they can access real-time information on where and when products are being stolen.

Macy’s started using RFID in 2013, collecting data when the chip goes through smart exits equipped with sensors.

Worldwide Distributed Control System Industry is Expected to Reach $23.2 Billion by 2026

 

The DCS market is projected to reach USD 23.2 billion by 2026 from an estimated USD 17.5 billion in 2021, in order to meet the increasing demand from power sector.

It provides benefits such as a Distributed control systems have networking capabilities that are useful for business management, and the ability of these systems to process a large number of I/O points simultaneously has led to the growth of the DCS market.

The software segment by component is expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2026.

Based on the component of DCS systems, the software component is estimated to be the fastest-growing market from 2019 to 2026. The software segment includes IT applications such as advanced process control systems, controller integration with DCS, technology libraries, telecontrol software, connectivity solutions, parameter control, and materials management systems, process optimization and process safety solutions, and advanced software and virtualization solutions. It offers a common platform for devices to connect and operate. Upgrades to existing software, increased use of distributed control systems in cloud computing technologies, and upcoming technologies such as IoT are the major drivers of the software segment of the DCS market. The software solutions are cost-effective and can be replaced and upgraded easily.

Real-Time Location System Market Size to hit USD 86.04 Billion to 2028

According to Brandessence Market Research, The Real-Time Location System Market size reached USD 20.58 Billion in 2021. The Real-Time Location System Market is growing at robust CAGR of 22.67%, and reach size of USD 86.04 Billion by end of Forecast 2028.

Increasing popularity of ultra-wideband technology-based RTLS solution, rise in need for asset tracking and the proliferation of smartphones surge in adoption of business analytics solutions are some of the major factors driving the growth of the Global Real-Time Location System Industry.

The real-time location system also known as a real-time tracking system, its function is to automatically track & identify the geographical location of any object or people in real-time. Major applications of real-time location systems are found in buildings and other contained areas. Some anther applications in the sectors include; the healthcare sector, manufacturing firm, and personal safety. These systems are useful to save time which is wasted due to search for items, assets, parcels, tools & fixtures around the user's facility that's why they are more useful for users.

USD 219.90 Bn growth in Sensor Market

The global sensor market size is expected to grow by USD 219.90 billion between 2021 and 2026. The market is anticipated to witness a year-over-year growth of 18.97% in 2022.

However, the growth momentum in the market is expected to decelerate at a CAGR of 16.81% during the forecast period. The report offers competitive intelligence about market leaders, key industry opportunities, trends and threats, information on marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales, and supply functions.

By end-user, the electronics industry is exhibiting high demand for sensors. The growing global demand for smartphones, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, televisions, and other household appliances is driving the growth of the electronics segment. In addition, the incorporation of additional features such as gyroscopes, accelerometers, gesture recognition, biometrics, and motion detection in consumer electronics is fostering the growth of the segment.

In terms of geography, North America is generating maximum revenue in the market. The region currently holds 39% of the global market share. Factors such as increasing technological advancement, adoption of artificial intelligence in the manufacturing sector, and the adoption of automotive standards in the US and Canada are driving the growth of the sensors market in North America. In addition, the rapid growth of the consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, and healthcare sectors and the adoption of IoT in these industries are contributing to the growth of the regional market.

GS1 US rolls out test kit for retailer 2D barcode transition

 

GS1 US has released a Barcode Capabilities Test Kit to help retailers gauge their readiness to shift from linear Universal Product Codes (UPCs) to data-rich 2D barcodes on product packaging by 2027.

The program is part of a migration plan for phasing out UPCs and implementing 2D barcodes, dubbed Sunrise 2027 — A New Dimension in Barcodes, that will steer brands through labeling transitions and help ensure the reliability of 2D barcode scanning.

While the UPC barcode has provided price lookup functionality for decades, the standard isn’t up to the task in the digital age, with rising demand for more product information transparency, traceability and authentication, according to GS1 US.

RFID market to grow from USD 4018.6 million in 2020 to USD 6874.9 million by 2027

The global Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) market size is expected to grow from USD 4018.6 million in 2020 to USD 6874.9 million by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% during 2021-2027, according to a new report.

The United States Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) market was valued at USD million in 2020 and is projected to reach USD million by 2027, at a CAGR of % during the forecast period.

The Research has surveyed the Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and industry experts on this industry, involving the sales, revenue, demand, price change, product type, recent development and plan, industry trends, drivers, challenges, obstacles, and potential risks.

COVID-19 vaccine records now available using QR codes in Nevada

A new tool by the state gives Nevadans digital access to their COVID-19 vaccination records through QR codes.

SMART Health QR Code uses data stored in Nevada WebIZ, the statewide immunization information system.

According to a FAQ sheet from the state, the SMART Health Card QR Code will be visible at the bottom of the COVID-19 Vaccination Record.

CIH Bank selects Dejamobile for NFC mobile payments

 

Morocco-based CIH Bank has launched CIH Pay, a mobile payments service that allows customers to digitize their bank card on their smartphone and use it to make in-store contactless payments.

The bank is using Dejamobile’s ReadyToTap Payment platform to launch the first NFC mobile payment service of its kind in Africa.

Dejamobile’s solution combines a tokenization hub with a white-label mobile wallet and payment SDK, enabling CIH Bank to offer a secure mobile payment service that includes a complete strong authentication module.

Royal Mail adds barcodes to stamps

Royal Mail has added special barcodes to stamps, making it possible for people to watch videos, read messages and view other information from senders.

The move follows a successful trial, with the aim of connecting a letter with the digital world.

Customers can scan the barcodes while using the Royal Mail app and will eventually be able to watch videos, information about services, or even birthday messages and other greetings from senders.

Global medical specimen tracking system market size anticipated to reach USD 1.77 billion by 2030

The global medical specimen tracking system market size is anticipated to reach USD 1.77 billion by 2030

The market is expected to grow at a lucrative CAGR of 10.3% from 2022 to 2030. The key factors driving the market growth include the technological advancements by market players and increasing product adoption for reducing errors in patient diagnosis. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the adoption of specimen tracking solutions was less.

However, due to the pandemic, the demand for these systems skyrocketed, which positively influenced the market growth. Most market players, such as Labcorp Drug Development, Agilent Technologies, and Thermo Fisher Scientific, experienced positive growth from 2019 to 2020 in their segment-specific revenues as well as annual revenues.

For instance, Labcorp Drug Development experienced 21% growth and Thermo Fisher Scientific experienced 26.1% growth from 2019 to 2020. On the other hand, Zebra Technologies Corp. experienced a decline of 3.6% in its Asset, Intelligence, & Tracking segment's revenue and a 0.8% decline in its annual revenue from 2019 to 2020.

Therefore, the overall market was not negatively impacted due to the pandemic. Using barcoding and tracking systems for specimen testing decreases the incidence of errors. According to GA International, the adoption of a medical specimen tracking system reduced the number of errors from 11 to 14 slides out of 10,000 to 0-1 out of 10,000 in the Department of Pathology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio.

The study also demonstrated that a 62% reduction in case misidentification was reported in Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. These factors are anticipated to increase the product adoption, thereby boosting the market growth. Many companies specializing in medical specimen tracking systems hold a significant share of the market.

BotenaGo leak exposes more IoT devices

The authors of the BotenaGo malware that left millions of IoT devices exposed have published its source code on GitHub, making it easily accessible to any malicious hacker or malware developer.

The backdoor vulnerability gives attackers access to 33 exploits capable of forcing entry into various network routers and firewalls. It can be used as a stand-alone exploit kit or as a launching pad for other malware attacks.

Hackers can download and tweak the source code to launch modified IoT incursions or choose to leave the code unchanged to quickly mount criminal campaigns.

Impulsify Reports 235% Increase in Self-Service Kiosk Deployments for Grab-and-Go Markets

Impulsify reports a 235% increase in deployments of their ShopPoP: Self-Service Kiosk in 2021. The hotel retail software company attributes the significant gain in self-service technology to the labor crisis in hospitality that has many hoteliers seeking ways to reduce traffic at the front desk.

With the grab-and-go retail revenue of hotels showing a 40% rise from 2020 to 2021, as measured by Impulsify POS retail solutions, the demand for packaged food and beverage has become a consequential burden for front desk teams. Many hoteliers have turned to Impulsify to add a self-service kiosk to the store to alleviate the need for guests to stand and wait in the check in line to purchase water, snacks, and quick meals from the store.

ShopPoP was launched in 2017 as an upgrade to Impulsify's award-winning front desk POS solution, ImpulsePoint: Retail Management Solution. The SaaS software solution automates inventory, retail transactions, and product performance tracking. For two years, the self-service kiosk was a quick, yet highly beneficial, fix for busy airport hotels and high occupancy hotels to offload some of the traffic a successful retail store creates in a hotel lobby.

Flexible Low Light Barcode Reader

Ziath has announced Cyclops, a camera-based linear and 2D barcode reader for its popular DataPaq Mirage, Cube and Express rack readers.
 
Cyclops is designed to accurately read linear or 2D codes printed on the edge of tube racks. This enables laboratories to use racks without an integral ‘97th code’ or orientation barcode on the underside, a useful capability as not all rack manufacturers provide these features.

The Cyclops also illuminates the side of your barcoded rack during read, ensuring an accurate rack read under all lighting conditions.
 
Beneficially the Cyclops is also able to read barcodes on racks of different size, and with variations in the location of the printed code on larger racks without requiring any adjustment, thereby saving you time and eliminating reading errors.

3D-printed with scannable barcodes that you can’t see

 

A team of scientists from MIT and Facebook has have developed an object tagging system that’s invisible to the naked eye.

They plan to present their model, called InfraredTags, at the 2022 ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in April.

InfraredTags uses infrared light-based barcodes and QR codes that are embedded permanently into the bodies of 3D printed objects. A corresponding phone attachment with infrared cameras can be used to detect the code.

Smart Grid Sensor Market is set to increase at a CAGR of 13% from 2022-2025

According to the smart grid sensor industry analysis by Persistence Market Research, demand registered in the market is set to increase at a healthy CAGR of 13% from 2022-2025.

The report also forecasts that the global smart grid sensor market will surpass a valuation of US$ 380 Mn by the end of 2022. Adoption of smart grid sensors has been increasing due to rising integration of Internet of Thing (IoT) technology with smart grids.

mart grids are next generation energy systems that reduce costs and energy consumption through data maintenance and usage. IoT-enabled smart grid technology includes wireless devices such as radio modules, sensors, routers, and gateways. These devices provide the communication and connectivity that helps empower consumers to take better energy-usage decisions.

Smart grid IoT technology majorly used in automation processes and it improves efficiency. It uses IoT technologies and environmental data in renewable energy sources that helps maximize the use of green sources of energy and optimize power production.

One of the IoT applications in smart grids is the Lumin energy management platform. The company offers IoT-based applications in smart grids that help reduce emissions, drive cost savings, and facilitate the easier adoption of green energy at the same time.

Adidas rolls out contactless in-store shopping in the Philippines

Customers using an Adidas store in Manila in the Philippines can now select products, request different sizes and styles to try on and pay for their purchases directly from their smartphone.

The sports retailer has added support for the ‘Bring it to me’ feature on the Adidas app at its store in the capital’s Glorietta shopping centre.

The service “uses in-store geolocation tracking to provide an uninterrupted browsing experience,” Adidas says.

Smart Card Material Market to Hit USD 1,837.78 Mn by 2028

 

Significant Growth in Telecommunications and Healthcare Sectors will help to escalate Smart Card Material Market Growth, according to new research.

Smart cards are extensively used in the telecommunication industry. The majorly used smart card in telecommunication industry is subscriber identity module (SIM) or universal integrated circuit card (UICC).

These smart cards are manufactured mostly from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) materials. The Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) is a new generation of SIM technology used for new wireless network standards.

The advancement in the smart card technology for usage in telecommunication has surged form past few years which has resulted in consumption of smart cards in telecommunication industry. As per the information provided by ‘Secure Technology Alliance’- association of digital security industry, the SIM and UICC cards are mostly consumed smart cards products both in terms of volume and value. Thus, the material required to develop these smart cards are also having robust demand and is driving the smart card materials market.

The growing demand of health care industry is also the major factor in boosting the smart card materials market. Healthcare organizations across the globe are implementing smart heath cards consisting wide variety of features and applications. The acceptance of smart card technology in healthcare industry for data security, protecting the patient’s personal health information so that only authorized person such as doctors and other medical staff can access it are the key factors for increasing demand of smart cards in healthcare industry.

American manufacturer of oil, additives and lubricants announces the addition of smart packaging to all product labels

Lucas Oil Products announced the rollout of customer-centric QR codes across the entire lineup of Racing, Everyday Car Care, Motorcycle, Marine and Industrial products.

Lucas Oil's new QR code smart packaging provides a simple and effective improvement to the customer experience, allowing the company to offer customers instant access to relevant product details.

Founded in 1989 by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas, Lucas Oil Products offers a diversified range of innovative engine oil, gear oil and additive products refined by years of specialized research, development and testing. In total, Lucas Oil boasts more than 300 premium products, representing the largest variety of shelf products of any oil company in the United States with a distribution network across 48 different countries.

One in two in-person Mastercard transactions worldwide are contactless

One in two in-person transactions authorised through Mastercard’s payment processing services worldwide during Q4 2021 were contactless, up from one in three in the period prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

'We’re making great progress in expanding contactless acceptance by turning the world’s billions of active smartphones into potential acceptance devices, enabling people to buy and sell whenever, wherever they want,' Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach says.

In May 2021 Mastercard reported 1bn additional contactless transactions in Q1 2021 compared with the same period of 2020.

Telco's service arm picks up Aqura Technologies and Alliance Automation

 

Telstra Purple announced on Monday it was set to acquire both Aqura Technologies and Alliance Automation.

Following the acquisitions, Telstra Purple will be able to offer professional and managed services capabilities to deliver industrial-grade wireless and fixed networks in remote and underground operations (Aqura Technologies), while expanding the potential for digital transformation services, industrial automation capabilities, digital twins, smart spaces, and operational technology cyber security (Alliance Automation), the company said in a statement.

Aqura Technologies has over 90 staff in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne.

NFC contactless payment is now widely available on Huawei smartphones

NFC contactless payment is now widely available on Huawei smartphones, including the Huawei P50 Series.

The company has partnered with Curve - the financial super app which combines all of your debit, credit and loyalty cards into one, easy-to-use smart card - to launch Curve Pay so Huawei customers can pay by phone through one digital wallet.

The release of the Huawei P50 series will be the latest smartphone to benefit from Curve and Curve Pay, the feature that uses NFC technology to enable contactless smartphone payments. In addition to the P50 series, Curve Pay, will also work with the recently launched Nova 9, and other HMS Smartphones across Europe.

In addition to these features, Huawei customers will also be able to access fair exchange rates with no hidden fees, allowing them to travel with confidence when it comes to their money.