JustKitchen to pilot smart lockers for contactless food delivery

Employees at Panasonic Taiwan’s head office in New Taipei City will soon be able to order and pay for meals online and collect them from on-premises contactless smart lockers by scanning a unique QR code.

Smart lockers are an effective solution as they are secure, modular, temperature-controlled and designed to hold packaged food items for an extended period of time, if necessary, until a customer retrieves their order,” JustKitchen says.

Each locker also includes a smart screen, which enables a user to access their locker by scanning a QR code, as well as a manual keypad for a secondary alternative in order to access the locker.

Growth Opportunities Driven by Innovation Culture, Resulting in Increased IoT Adoption

The market landscape is expanding, with successful satellite launches and services being operational by new participants.

The planned constellation size for IoT applications is between 2 and 600 satellites, including subsequent phases of the constellation. These constellations are driving down connectivity costs, thus lowering the cost of end-to-end solutions.

The key applications that satellite operators are focusing on include maritime, agriculture, mass transport, governance, and aviation. Market drivers include the increased adoption of smart technologies, increased adoption of predictive analytics for predictive maintenance, low cost and miniaturization of sensors, long battery life, and adoption of dynamic and robust business models.

IoT Community Announces Inmarsat as a Platinum-level Corporate Member in its Elite IoT Ecosystem

The IoT CommunityTM (Internet of Things Community), the world’s largest community of CXOs and IoT professionals and practitioners, announces that Inmarsat has joined its elite IoT ecosystem as a platinum-level corporate member. Inmarsat's Del Ashley, Senior Director for Innovation is also appointed to the IoT Community Advisory Board.

Inmarsat provides global satellite IoT connectivity through its ELERA L-band network, enabling the collection of millions of data points over land, sea and air. Inmarsat’s ELERA IoT platform is the most versatile platform for satellite IoT, supporting the connectivity needs of businesses from across the IoT ecosystem.

Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise satcoms markets, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe.

Janam Launches Self-Credentialing Kiosk

Janam Technologies, a provider of rugged mobile computers and contactless access solutions, introduced the newest addition to its Guardian family of access management hardware solutions. Offering the same industry-leading power and performance as Janam's GT1 mobile entry pedestal, the new GT1 self-credentialing kiosk is available in tabletop and wall-mounted formats and designed to deliver best-in-class experiences to hospitals, retail establishments, restaurants, office buildings, hotels, schools, arenas and virtually any organization that wants to verify the credentials of patrons, customers, staff and guests.

GT1 is an easy-to-use, self-service kiosk that enables businesses to interact with people in the enterprise in more meaningful ways. With unmatched ability to swiftly and accurately read barcodes and QR codes on both paper credentials and smartphone screens, as well as NFC tickets and passes in digital wallets, GT1 effortlessly moves individuals through the identification process and eliminates the challenges often associated with employee, guest and vendor check-in, healthcare credentials verification, retail loyalty programs, age verification, ticketing, boarding and registration.

Socket Mobile's CaptureSDK is Fully Compatible with iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4

 

Socket Mobile says that its CaptureSDK and entire line of barcode scanners and NFC reader/writers have been fully tested and have achieved full compatibility with iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. This also includes full compatibility with the latest version, iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.

iOS 15/iPadOS 15 compatibility across the entire Socket Mobile product line ensures that Apple iPhone and iPad users can maximize the utility of both their Socket Mobile device and their Bluetooth-paired Apple device.

Socket ensures their devices stay up to date and compatible with the latest Apple updates, and even with the latest addition of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, Socket users can be assured that their tools will continue to adapt and perform.

MBTA to add contactless ticketing and digital transit card

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the US is to expand its fare payments system to enable passengers to pay for their journeys with a contactless credit card, mobile wallet or a digital version of their CharlieCard transit card.

If approved by the full [MBTA] board, changes would be implemented on bus and subway first, followed by changes to [the] commuter rail service about a year later,

The move comes as part of the MBTA’s fare transformation project that is due to be completed by 2024.

The public can submit their comments to the MBTA on the proposed changes to its fare-collection system until March 31.

A healthy outlook for the Global RFID in Healthcare Market

The global market for RFID in Healthcare estimated at US$5.3 Billion in the year 2022, 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.

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.

Balluff Photoelectric R81K Series Delivers Reliable Detection Up to 20 m

Balluff’s new BOS R81K series photoelectric sensors deliver reliable detection in a wide range of industrial applications.

These sensors are available in retroreflective, diffuse, diffuse with background suppression and through-beam versions, each with PNP and NPN options.

The bright LED red light-beam in the retroreflective, diffuse and background suppression versions enables sensing ranges up to 3 m and gives accurate results even in dirty and dusty industrial atmosphere. The through-beam version uses infrared light and delivers a sensing range up to an impressive 20 m.

With an 18mm threaded bullnose housing style, each sensor provides an easy mounting option in addition to the mounting holes on the sensor body. They are quick and easy to connect with either a 2-meter cable-out or an M12 connector. And the ABS housings are well suited to tough industrial areas. Adjustment is quickly carried out by means of a top-mounted potentiometer.

Asia Pacific Channel Partners Select BlackBerry Jarvis to Secure IoT Software

BlackBerry Limited announced 13 channel partners (Distributors & Value Added Integrators) that will offer BlackBerry Jarvis 2.0 to companies that build secure, mission-critical systems in APAC.

Whether in transportation, medical equipment or on the factory floor – BlackBerry Jarvis is key for industries that must adhere to strict regulations while managing complex supply chains and the escalating risk of security attacks on cyber and physical systems.

BlackBerry Jarvis is a binary software composition analysis (SCA) and security testing tool, designed to detect and list open-source software and software licenses within embedded systems, as well as cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exposures. It performs a thorough scan of the software binary and produces a software bill of materials (SBOM), offering deep actionable insights in a fraction of the time it takes for security professionals to manually perform these tasks. Embedded software developers use BlackBerry Jarvis to demonstrate compliance to specific security standards and harden their systems to make them more resilient. Regulators can also use the tool to enforce compliance, verifying security claims by manufacturers and suppliers.

The BlackBerry Jarvis partners include UPS Technology (Korea), KMS Technology Inc. (Korea), RT Solutions Inc. (Korea), Strategic Innovation Business Group, Macnica, Inc. (Japan), Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd. (Japan), ISB Corporation (Japan), Nexty Electronics Corporation (Japan), SC Automotive Engineering Co., Ltd. (Japan), Gopalam Embedded Systems Pte Ltd (India), AdvanTrak Technologies Private Limited (India), Thunder Software Technology Co., Ltd. (China), Mcloudware Technology Co., Limited (Taiwan), and Nanjing Leading R&D Information Technology Limited (China).

Android 13 DP2 with new built-in QR code reader

Walmart partners with Auburn University RFID Lab

Walmart is enlisting the Auburn University RFID Lab in its inventory control efforts. The company in the process of a small sticker that features an electronic product code (EPC), instead of only a traditional barcode.

This will allow an employee to use a RFID scanner by walking along an aisle and waving a scan gun up and down the shelves.

Walmart recently partnered with the lab and is already in the process of distributing training videos to most of its product vendors.

BlueIOT to Deploy Advanced Real-Time Locating System in Indonesian Hospital

BlueIOT is preparing to deploy an advanced Real-Time Locating System (RTLS) in an Indonesian hospital with a total area of over 8,000 square meters this Spring 2022.

Hospital staff are excited to see how the system records and analyzes the timestamp of the major steps of an operation, locates and tracks the location of staff and patients, and monitors the service condition of medical equipment.

BlueIOT's locating system brings its accuracy level down to 0.1m, which is 10 times higher than traditional Bluetooth technology. With patented locating gateways, its locating system is compatible with all tags that are Bluetooth 4.0 or above and supports the high-precision locating service for both internet-of-things (IoT) tags and location-based services (LBS) phones. The system also stands out for its features of high capacity, low energy, low cost and small size.

Since 2020, the Company has mass-produced Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) AoA locating products especially produced for indoor application scenarios including healthcare, logistics & warehouse, manufacturing, smart retail, smart buildings, among others, and has become the second largest provider in this respect. As a Bluetooth SIG and AIA Industry member, BlueIOT has also won numerous awards in the field of digital economy and Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT).

Currently, there remains a multitude of RTLS projects waiting to be implemented worldwide.

DATASCAN launches complete RFID solutions in the Retail Market

Contract Datascan, LP and Frequentiel have entered a strategic partnership to bring comprehensive RFID solutions to retailers in North America and Northern Europe.

The agreement brings together the world’s premier physical inventory self-scan provider and Europe’s leading RFID provider.

DATASCAN has proudly served the retail industry with their counting solutions for over 50 years.

Frequentiel’s RFID solution, OCTO+, has enabled leading European retailers to track, count and analyze inventory management throughout the retail supply chain for over 14 years.

Connected Mining Market worth $23.6 billion by 2027

The Connected Mining Market size is to grow from USD 12.7 billion in 2022 to USD 23.6 billion by 2027, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 13.3% during the forecast period. The presence of various key players in the ecosystem has led to competitive and diverse market. Mining 4.0 initiatives in industries is paving the way for connecting mining market. Increasing adoption of IoT to accelerate the use of digital solutions to develop connected mines is driving the market.

The connected solutions refer to the deployment of IoT solutions in the mining industry. These solutions are primarily aimed at achieving the convergence of machines and intelligent data to achieve the operational efficiency targets set by energy companies. connected solutions in mining sector also improvise analytics-based decision-making by diminishing the threats and vulnerabilities of the market using efficient tools and techniques. Moreover, connected mining solutions have enabled energy companies to control assets from anywhere to monitor their asset performance. 

Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest market size in the global Connected Mining Market during the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, China, India, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and the Philippines are expected to drive the market with China as the most potential player in smart mining initiatives. India can be considered to be the next high potential preference for the major global Connected Mining Market vendors as the country has increasing demand for minerals. New investments will drive the Indian market, following the country's ambitious target of adding USD 210 billion from the mining and mineral sectors to the country's GDP by 2050.

NTT and Schneider Electric Join Forces to Power IoT Environments with Private Wireless Network Trials

NTT Ltd. announced its collaboration with Schneider Electric to deliver Private 5G (P5G) – an on-premise private network solution and digitization enabling platform that can dramatically advance digital solutions in the manufacturing environment.

In early 2022, the P5G platform will be piloted at Schneider’s Lexington Smart Factory, the first of Schneider Electric’s U.S. plants to become a Smart Factory showcase site leveraging IoT connectivity, Edge analytics, and predictive analytics to drive energy efficiency and further sustainability goals.

The P5G will power key use-cases that solve challenges around equipment availability, machine performance, and product quality. For example, the companies will integrate ‘machine vision’ capabilities (industrial cameras with specialized optics) into existing factory and warehouse automation systems, that identify faults as well as wear and tear for incident root cause in near real-time.

Through co-innovation, the solution will provide a model for operational integrity management that scales across a broad footprint of global factory environments to power Industry 4.0, enabling Network Edge platforms.

Sensor makes transparent objects visible to robots

A new 3D measurement technique, developed by researchers at Fraunhofer IOF can detect objects with reflective or light-absorbing surfaces spatially and reliably for the first time. 

For this purpose, the system combines infrared laser projection and thermography: After locally heating up the object to be measured, two thermal imaging cameras determine the resulting temperature distribution on the object’s surface. 

Contrary to conventionally used sensors, the newly developed system does not require additional measurement aids or special, temporarily applied markings, for example in the form of (spray) paint.

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With its great flexibility and unprecedented versatility in the properties of the objects to be scanned, “Glass360Dgree” opens up completely new possibilities in the automation of industrial processes as well as in product design.

NFC chip market is expected to reach US$ 17,827. 0 million by 2028

 

The NFC chip market is expected to reach US$ 17,827. 0 million by 2028 from US$ 8,714. 4 million in 2021; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6. 7% from 2021 to 2028.

The overall market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), the Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America.

The emergence of special interest groups (SIGs) has fueled the development of future-proof new creative solutions based on NFC technology.Further, the growing need for NFC chips for NFC payments is boosting the worldwide NFC chip market in the future The global near-field communication (NFC) tags market is growing due to the rising popularity of smartphones, increasing popularity of wearable technology, and the focus shifts to providing better consumer experiences.

However, its limited operational range and security concerns hampered the market’s expansion. On the other hand, rising technological improvements in NFC will create further opportunities for the market.

Global fingerprint sensor market is expected to grow from $4.03 billion in 2021 to $4.85 billion

The global fingerprint sensor market is expected to grow from $4.03 billion in 2021 to $4.85 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3%.

The growth is mainly due to the companies resuming their operations and adapting to the new normal while recovering from the COVID-19 impact, which had earlier led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of commercial activities that resulted in operational challenges.

The market is expected to reach $9.18 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 17.3%.

Asia Pacific was the largest region in the fingerprint sensor market in 2021. The regions covered in this report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.

Paerpay raises $3M seed round to grow their contactless payment platform

Paerpay, a contactless payment solution for restaurants, announced that it has closed $3 million in seed funding led by MassMutual through the MM Catalyst Fund (MMCF). They were also joined by Elevate Capital, MassVentures, Techstars, The Fund, Gaingels, and Chingona Ventures.This funding round brings the company's total funding to just over $4.2 million.

Founded by Derek Canton, Paerpay was originally created as an in-person dining payment app to help diners pay for their meals more quickly and easily, particularly when splitting the tab amongst a group. As a result of the pandemic, Canton quickly pivoted the business to focus on contactless payments in 2020, which became critical as the continued digitalization of the restaurant industry accelerated.

Today, Paerpay offers restaurants a contactless payment option that does not require changing their hardware or credit card processor. Restaurant customers don't need to download an app. Leveraging its QR Code and text message-driven payment system, restaurants can promote social distancing while increasing payment security and improving efficiency. Paerpay helps operators adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of payment, including cryptocurrency, digital wallets, and other modern payment methods.

A Soft Thumb-Sized Vision-Based Touch Sensor

A team from the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany have developed a novel thumb-shaped touch sensor capable of resolving the force of a contact, as well as its direction, over the whole surface of the structure.

Intended for dexterous manipulation systems, the system is constructed from easily sourced components, so should scale up to a larger assemblies without breaking the bank. The first step is to place a soft and compliant outer skin over a rigid metallic skeleton, which is then illuminated internally using structured light techniques. From there, machine learning can be used to estimate the shear and normal force components of the contact with the skin, over the entire surface, by observing how the internal envelope distorts the structured illumination.

Smart Sensors Market worth $104.5 billion by 2027

According to the new research report, the "Smart Sensors Market with Covid-19 impact by Type (Temperature & Humidity Sensors, Pressure Sensor, Touch Sensor, Motion & Occupancy Sensors, Water Sensor, Image Sensor), Technology, End-user Industry and Region - Global Forecast to 2027", published by MarketsandMarkets, the global Smart Sensors Market is expected to grow from USD 45.8 billion in 2022 to USD 104.5 billion by 2027; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.9% during 2022–2027.

Key factors fueling this markets growth include surging demand for smart sensors in IoT-based devices and consumer electronics; increasing use of smart sensors in revolutionizing industries; high demand for smart sensors by automobile manufacturers to deliver enhanced safety and comfort; and accelerating use of wireless technology to monitor and control security devices equipped with smart sensors. Surge in demand for smart sensor-enabled wearable devices; ongoing support by governments across the world to promote construction of green buildings; and predictive maintenance to offer lucrative opportunities to market players create a strong demand for smart sensors for efficient industrial operations in the midst of COVID-19.

The market for smart pressure sensors accounted for the largest size in 2021. The market for pressure sensors is largely driven by the increasing concerns regarding safety, comfort levels, and reduction in automobile emissions. The regulatory mandates requiring the installation of onboard diagnostics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the use of pressure sensors in autonomous cars would present several growth opportunities to players operating in the pressure sensors market.

Also, Pressure sensors are used in consumer electronics such as smart TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, and kitchen appliances and in healthcare devices such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, inhalers and ventilators, invasive and noninvasive blood pressure monitors, and fetal heart rate monitors, which would lead to increased demand for these sensors during the forecast period.

SIL2 certified IR industrial sensor for CO2, CH4 and hydrocarbon monitoring

The IRNET PRO is a highly versatile infrared (IR) sensor from N.E.T. that is widely used in a host of industrial applications across the globe.

In freezing Arctic conditions or in the hottest and most aggressive industrial locations, or in clean-rooms or hospitals, the IRNET has proven to be a reliable and precise sensor wherever and wherever it is deployed.

N.E.T’s IR sensors operate on microprocessor-based signal processing offering users a linearised and temperature-compensated output in both digital and analogue formats. This provides manufactures a perfect choice, even if they are new to IR technology.

Internet of Things Market size to increase by USD 695.38 billion

The global internet of things market size is expected to increase by USD 695.38 billion between 2020 and 2025. The market witnessed year-over-year growth of 18.97% in 2021. However, the growth momentum is expected to decelerate at a CAGR of 13.77% during the forecast period.

The market is driven by technological developments across industries. In addition, the exponential growth of internet-connected and operated devices will further propel the growth of the global IoT market. However, factors such as the lack of awareness of efficient management of IoT initiatives and investments, increasing cybersecurity threats, and the high cost of implementation of IoT will hamper the market growth.

The market is segmented by industrial, retail, healthcare, ICT, and others. The demand and adoption of IoT technologies are significant among industrial end-users. Industrial operators are increasingly adopting IoT solutions to ensure a smooth transition of their manufacturing operations. These solutions are also enabling industrial operators to control and maintain all the equipment remotely. Such factors are fostering the growth of the industrial end-user segment.

 About 34% of the market's overall growth is expected to originate from APAC. The modernization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in countries such as China, India, and the Philippines is increasing the adoption of IoT technologies. Besides, many governments in APAC countries are undertaking various initiatives to develop smart cities and deliver better public services. Many such factors are driving the growth of the IoT market in APAC. China is the key market for IoT in APAC.

Diabetes patients to get NFC insulin pens

Diabetes patients in the UK will soon be able to receive smart insulin pens that enable them to self-administer insulin, record dosing information for each injection and communicate data to a smartphone, tablet or other compatible device using NFC.

The UK National Health Service (NHS) is to make the pens available on prescription so patients will no longer need to manually track each individual injection and record the amount of insulin given in each dose.

You can bring your pen to the clinic, or if you have a smartphone, tablet, or another device that supports NFC, you can easily transfer your insulin dosing information from your pen to your device.

NFC technology is paving the path to new ways of charging small, battery-operated devices

A webinar on Tuesday 15 March will explain to device makers and developers how to enable NFC wireless charging in IoT devices, and examine the design requirements.

This technology allows end users to cut down on cables and to charge their device on the go. Consumers can use their smartphone as a back up to charge NFC-enabled IoT devices, like smart watches, fitness trackers, or wireless earbuds.

Existing products that already embed NFC technology can easily enable wireless charging. This helps device makers streamline the design of existing products and save BOM costs, as a single NFC antenna can manage communications and charging.

This one-hour webinar with live Q&A provides you with an introduction to NFC technology and NFC charging. You will learn how to integrate this technology into connected objects so you can bring your customers more innovation, and more convenience.

Advancing IoT Open Standards, EMQ Becomes OASIS Open's Newest Foundational Sponsor

ASIS Open, the international open source and standards consortium, announced that EMQ, an open-source Internet of Things data infrastructure software provider, is its newest Foundational Sponsor.

EMQ joins IBM at the Foundational Sponsor level, supporting the mission of OASIS at the highest level.

The provider of open source software for IoT, EMQ, joined OASIS in 2020 to help advance the OASIS standard for the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) Protocol, the most commonly used messaging protocol for IoT.

EMQ's support is critical in advancing the development and adoption of open standards and helps enable OASIS to fulfill its mission.

Avery Dennison buys TexTrace

Avery Dennison Smartrac has acquired TexTrace, an integrated RFID products company.

Founded in Switzerland, TexTrace licensed its technology to apparel service bureaus, including Avery Dennison, which provides the inductive coupling antenna used for the integrated labels.

The acquisition was announced in February, 2022. The technology works with dual-frequency tags that incorporate NFC or HF RFID at 13.56 Mhz.

How Semiconductor Shortage Affects RFID Industry

COVID-19 is a double sword. COVID pushes businesses to adopt technologies quicker to improve production as well as management efficiency, in order to survive. COVID-19, on the other hand, catalyzes an ongoing issue – the semiconductor shortage – that has had a substantial influence on a wide variety of businesses in recent years, including the RFID industry.

Impinj, one of the leading UHF chip suppliers, stated in its Q3 2021 earnings call that semiconductor crisis has resulted in cost increases across the entire supply chain, from wafers to components, assembly, packaging, and shipping, and that the cost increases are too large for them to absorb at this time, and that they have no choice but to pass on the costs to their customers in order to maintain their margin model.

Despite the price hike, the business claims that demand for chips is still high - demand for endpoint ICs for UHF RFID tags exceeded shipments by more than 50% in Q3 alone. According to the company, both 200 mm and 300 mm wafers are in short supply for endpoint ICs, and the Demand will continue to outstrip supply, through 2022.

When these companies' situations and responses to the crisis are examined, we can see that the crisis is far from over.

For example, GlobalWafers stated in an interview elsewhere that the company won't be able to meet the wafer demand until 2024. The CEO, Doris Hsu, said "We have clear order visibility for 2023 and it should be okay into 2024. We do not see any signs of things slowing down in 2023 or 2024." This is because the worldwide expansion is moving at a snail's pace. Over the next two years, the company plans to invest US$800 million in boosting production efficiency at its 12-inch fabs, including those in the United States, in order to increase production capacity. Last year, the business attempted to buy German wafer supplier Siltronic for $4.98 billion USD, but the deal fell through, and the funds will now be utilized to expand production. The firm announced in February 2022 that "the new manufacturing lines are planned to ramp up in H2 2023 and to be expanded on a quarterly basis."

Apptricity Announces Complete Inventory Integration into Shopify

 

Apptricity announced a partnership with Shopify to help merchants streamline their inventory management operations. From order to fulfillment to analytics, Apptricity's Omni Inventory Solution helps Shopify merchants manage and track inventory across multiple stores, warehouses, sales channels, and markets.

To date, the only option for most organizations looking to track their inventory was through barcodes. However, Apptricity now provides multiple options, including barcode, RFID, Bluetooth, LTE, and Satellite tracking on expensive inventory.

Apptricity says it is the only company that provides Bluetooth beacon technology that provides tracking and data insight on inventory and assets up to 23 miles.

North Carolina Attorney General Issues Warning About QR Code Scams

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein has issued a warning regarding QR code scams. Throughout the pandemic, many businesses and services added QR codes to more easily connect consumers to information and links. When scanned with a smart phone, these QR codes take customers to a website.

Sytein waned against a scam whereby a business’ QR code is replaced with a fraudulent code. The cybercriminal’s code sends users to a fraudulent website that steals victim’s data, installs malware on the device, or asks for a payment that goes to the scammer or the business.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself from QR code scams:

After you scan a QR code, check the URL to make sure it looks authentic. Watch out for misspellings or domain names that don’t match the business. Never give our your personal or information unless you’re sure of a website’s authenticity.

Make sure the QR code hasn’t been tampered with. In many cases, criminals will use a sticker to put their malicious code on top of the business’ code.
Never download an app or software from a QR code.

Nordstrom Issues Supplier Mandate for RFID Tagging

Nordstrom has joined other retailers in mandating the application of RFID tags to the products it sells in its stores. The company’s directive to its suppliers includes RFID ticketed products for all of its channels, including Nordstrom, Nordstrom CA, Nordstrom Rack and Nordstrom Rack CA.

The mandate follows other RFID adoption efforts, including those by Walmart.

Nordstrom said its long-term goal is to implement passive UHF RFID-encoded tickets across all product types and categories, and that it currently requires tags only on the product types and categories that have been tested and confirmed as reliable in the retail environment.

IMI Releases Tamper Evident Caps with DoseID Certified RFID

IMI (International Medical Industries) bolsters expertise in secure drug delivery products with the release of new Prep-Lock Tamper Evident Cap for ENFit and Oral 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.

Every drug secured with a Tamper Evident Cap featuring RFID is trackable throughout its entire lifecycle. These two 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.

Global IoT Sensor Market Growing Massively

 

The Global IoT sensors market was worth around USD 8.5 billion in 2021 and is estimated to grow to about USD 27.9 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 27.9% over the forecast period.

As the IoT industry expands, new types of sensors, as well as new ways to use and derive value from them, emerge on a regular basis. As a result, a growing number of industries are investing in the field in order to extract more value from data in a more effective manner.

IoT sensors have proven valuable for both consumers and corporate networks, enabling rapid, simple, and precise data transfer in both cases. Sensors, in all of their forms, are essential to achieving optimal asset performance in all IoT applications. They provide a clear view of everything that is going on in the surroundings.

Despite the enormous promise of the Internet of Things, there are worries about data privacy and security linked with IoT devices. The Internet of Things is fully data-driven. IoT-enabled sensors and gadgets create massive amounts of data every second. Companies and organizations monitor this data using a variety of sensors and make choices based on the information. They must assure the legitimacy of the data as well as the security, resilience, and dependability of the devices that gather data, as they rely more on machine-derived data for real-time commercial activities. As the Internet of Things links more devices, malware has more dispersed access points. Cybercriminals may exploit IoT devices as entry points to harm other devices in the network if they are not properly protected.

ioXt Alliance Expands Network Lighting Controls Certification Program

The ioXt Alliance, a global standard for Internet of Things (IoT) product security, is expanding its ioXt Certification Program with a new profile for network lighting controls (NLC), allowing manufacturers to certify commercial lighting systems with wirelessly connected parts.

Aligned with the initiatives set forth by the DesignLights Consortium (DLC), which satisfies the NLC5 requirements, the new ioXt NLC Profile brings transparency and visibility to enterprise buyers in the commercial lighting space.

With a concentration on security, upgradability, transparency, and compliance, the ioXt Certification Program evaluates products against the eight ioXt pledge principles requiring that the devices will be tested against clear guidelines for quantifying the optimal level of security. The NLC profile is an efficient and cost-effective standard process for commercial lighting manufacturers to become DLC-compliant.

Austin Powder launches RFID for electronic detonators

Austin Powder, a company specializing in the manufacturing, distribution, and application of industrial explosives and engineered blasting solutions, introduced its new EStar Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.

The RFID technology on EStar, Austin Powder’s electronic initiation system, allows blasters greater flexibility on when to log holes, assign detonator timing and test detonators or branch circuit verification.

Blasters can also choose to assign timing to the detonators after holes are loaded and tested for continuity.

The company says its RFID feature is quicker than direct contact logging or other detonator programming methods.

Budapest launches Mobility-as-a-Service app

Budapesti Kölekedési Közpoint (BKK) transit authority has launched a new Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) app that enables public transport users in the Hungarian capital of Budapest to plan their journeys, purchase digital tickets and transit passes and receive real-time information about traffic-related changes to transport services.

In the longer term, BKK plans to integrate additional transport services, including taxis, demand-responsive Telebus lines and shared cycling and e-scooter services, as well as navigation and parking functions for motorists and cycle route planning.

BKK’s long-term goal is to introduce combined tickets, which help travel of families or home office workers, among others, according to BKK.

Exponential Demand for RFID Tags Positions Surgical Instrument Tracking Market to Surpass US$ 1,294.89 Mn

The global surgical instrument tracking market is expected to reach US$ 1,294.89 Mn in 2032 and exhibit growth at a CAGR of 18% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2032, estimates Fact.MR.

The rapid integration of novel scanning technologies such as barcode and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) with the existing tracking systems is a major factor that is likely to drive the sales in this market.

The ongoing development of unique software solutions for inventory management is anticipated to bolster the adoption of surgical instrument tracking systems in the forthcoming years. These systems are set to help healthcare providers in increasing the overall efficiency and reducing costs.

The growing focus of various industries on initiating smooth workflows and lowering the loss of valuable assets is a crucial factor spurring growth in the market. Leading manufacturers of surgical instrument tracking devices are engaging in collaborations with start-up or local companies to gain access to next-generation technologies.

In May 2020, for instance, STANLEY Healthcare and Cisco DNA Spaces teamed up to fully integrate the former's AeroScout Real-time Location System (RTLS) platform with the latter's indoor location services platform. This acquisition would enable both companies deliver enterprise-wide visibility into the status and location of people and assets in the healthcare sector. Thus, the focus of several organizations on similar strategies to develop novel tracking solutions for healthcare professionals is likely to augment the growth.

Key Takeaways:

Based on technology, the RFID-based system segment is set to grow at a CAGR of 18.4% through 2032 backed by the high demand for wireless scanning solutions in hospitals.
By end user, the hospital operation theaters segment is likely to hold about 33% of revenue share in 2022 with the rising automation in the healthcare industry.
In terms of product, the services segment is anticipated to dominate owing to the rising number of surgical procedures in various countries across the globe.
The U.S. is projected to lead the market on the back of the growing government initiatives to encourage the installation of cutting-edge surgical instrument tracking equipment.
Japan surgical instrument tracking market is likely to showcase lucrative growth because of the development of RFID technology to enhance multiple processes in the healthcare sector.
North America is expected to account for approximately 38.5% of the share in 2022.
Asia Pacific is set to hold around 19% of the share in the evaluation period.

Xerafy MICRO Series Passive UHF RFID Tags Offers Efficient, Contactless Tracking In Smarter Automotive Manufacturing

The Xerafy MICRO series are high-temperature passive UHF RFID metal mount tags that allow the RFID tags to be implemented directly on the asset.

At the moment, chassis are tagged with a barcode label, which is frequently accompanied by a paper ‘traveller’. Physical and mechanical handling of the chassis, during the manufacturing process, may damage the barcode label to the point where it cannot be scanned, or the label may fall off entirely.

The label will be painted over and thus become unreadable, especially during the painting process. More often than not, the paper ‘traveller’ is lost along the way, due to handling.

RFID can also be applied by the manufacturer at the source level, to assist in inventory control, quality, and returns and counterfeiting prevention.

Eve launches updated Water Guard HomeKit leak sensor

 

Smart home accessory vendor Eve Systems has announced the release of the second-generation Eve Water Guard.

The updated Water Guard gains Thread networking capabilities, making it the first HomeKit water leak detector on the market to support the latest connectivity standard.

In addition to Thread, the Eve Water Guard is also the only HomeKit-enabled water leak sensor that plugs into an electrical outlet. Instead of sitting directly on the surface of potential hotspots like battery-operated leak sensors, the Eve Water Guard utilizes a 6.5-foot water sensing cable allowing the unit to sit out of harm's reach.

Internet of Things (IoT) Market in Retail Applications to grow by USD 44.80 bn

The Internet of Things (IoT) market in retail applications is expected to grow by USD 44.80 bn from 2021 to 2026, according to Technavio. However, the growth momentum of the market will decelerate at a CAGR of 16.48%.

One of the key drivers supporting the internet of things (IoT) market growth in retail applications is the burgeoning cloud-based RFID systems. The risks of losing data and data corruption are lowered by using cloud solutions. Several solution providers offer cloud-based solutions such as inventory management, asset management, supply chain management, and services such as data filtering, data processing, inventory services, and data storage. Furthermore, with cloud-based RFID, companies can use centrally managed solutions, cutting down the support and deployment costs.

This will drive the adoption of the IoT market in retail applications, especially among small manufacturers. Such factors will propel the market growth during the forecast period.

The Internet of Things (IoT) market growth in retail applications is hindered by data security concerns. With the use of RFID tags, sensors, and NFC, a high-frequency radio signal transmitted from these tags can be detected from a distance by other radio receivers. This creates chances of the data being accessed by other users. Keeping data secure is important for consumers, governments, and corporations. On the other hand, spoofing is another issue wherein the data collected from tags can be overwritten on other existing RFID tag data using some software. RFID readers or any other sensors cannot detect this overwritten content. These data security issues prove to be a major challenge for manufacturers as they hamper the demand for the IoT market in retail applications during the forecast period.

Socket Mobile announces SocketCam C820, a Free Camera-Based Barcode Scanner

Socket Mobile announces the SocketCam family of software-based barcode scanners. The SocketCam C820 is the first member of the SocketCam family and turns any mobile device into a high-performance barcode scanner.

SocketCam C820 is fully supported by the latest version of Socket Mobile's highly regarded CaptureSDKTM. CaptureSDK has always provided Socket application partners with reliable and consistent data capture performance, enabling them to focus on the productivity of their solution and enhance the overall customer experience. However, prior to the C820 the end customer has needed to purchase a Socket scanner to experience the benefits of CaptureSDK. With the C820, these benefits are available on the customer's existing device, enabling a significantly bigger audience for Socket's data capture solutions.

As CaptureSDK supports the entire family of Socket data capture devices, once the developer incorporates CaptureSDK in their application, Socket Mobile's entire product line (barcode, RFID and NFC reader/writers) can be utilized. Application developers are challenged to service a wide range of customers with various data capture requirements, from the price-sensitive to the performance-sensitive, and even multiple data types. The addition of the C820 seamlessly enables these diverse requirements.

Blues Wireless Extends Notecard IoT Connectivity Product Line to Cover Global Cellular and Wi-Fi, Announces New Product Beta

Blues Wireless, a provider of embedded wireless solutions, announced the general availability of Notecard Wi-Fi, a new product variant providing Wi-Fi connectivity for IoT devices.

Notecard Wi-Fi provides bidirectional, secure communication from edge devices to the customer's cloud of choice using the 2.4 GHz band, a frequency that's better for penetrating obstructions.

With the availability of Notecard Wi-Fi, developers can now build and deploy applications that rely on Wi-Fi and global cellular connectivity with minimal hardware or firmware changes.

Blues launched the Notecard product line in January of 2021 as a cellular-focused IoT solution. The Notecard is a 30mm by 35mm System on a Module (SoM) device-to-cloud data pump that provides the communication layer between edge devices and customer clouds over global cellular or Wi-Fi. The Notecard product line is designed for IoT workloads where low power consumption is key. Notecard commonly draws 8uA at rest and can be configured to "wake up" key parts of the device based on intervals or device movement to make the most out of energy-efficient designs.

Queclink Unveils Network Solutions to Help Connect Every IoT Device

Queclink announces the launch of its network solutions, helping customers and partners build secure and reliable connectivity for new possibilities.

According to Statista, the global number of connected IoT devices is estimated to triple from 8.74 billion in 2020 to more than 25.4 billion active endpoints in 2030. Every object can be connected virtually in the world of IoT.

Queclink's network solutions are suitable for a range of user cases, such as industrial automation – intelligent factory, energy, transportation and retail. They also work for various smart city solutions, including street lamp monitoring, public security, enterprise networks and remote site connectivity. The wireless router series combines high-speed cellular connectivity, industrial interfaces and Queclink's unique IoT telematics knowledge.

The already off-the-shelf WR100 and WR200 series are both 4G LTE wireless industrial routers. Queclink has invested the WR300 series (5G version) in the Chinese market and will closely follow the migration from 4G to 5G and promote the WR300 series overseas.

Consumers worldwide are switching to digital and contactless payments

 

Consumers in key markets around the world have switched from physical cash to digital and contactless payment methods at a rate unprecedented, according to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

The share of contactless payments in total card transactions increased in 2020 at its highest rate since 2015 and that the growth in total credit transfer usage was so strong that the share of non-cash payments in total GDP sharply increased across the globe.

In addition, on average consumers in advanced economies (AE) made close to twice as many cashless payments as residents of emerging markets and developing economies (EMDE), 'both groups of countries are similar in that most of these payments were made using a debit or credit card'.

Exponential Demand for RFID Tags Positions Surgical Instrument Tracking Market to Surpass US$ 1,294.89 Mn

The global surgical instrument tracking market is expected to reach US$ 1,294.89 Mn in 2032 and exhibit growth at a CAGR of 18% during the forecast period from 2022 to 2032, estimates Fact.MR.

The rapid integration of novel scanning technologies such as barcode and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) with the existing tracking systems is a major factor that is likely to drive the sales in this market.

The ongoing development of unique software solutions for inventory management is anticipated to bolster the adoption of surgical instrument tracking systems in the forthcoming years. These systems are set to help healthcare providers in increasing the overall efficiency and reducing costs.

The growing focus of various industries on initiating smooth workflows and lowering the loss of valuable assets is a crucial factor spurring growth in the market. Leading manufacturers of surgical instrument tracking devices are engaging in collaborations with start-up or local companies to gain access to next-generation technologies.

In May 2020, for instance, STANLEY Healthcare and Cisco DNA Spaces teamed up to fully integrate the former's AeroScout Real-time Location System (RTLS) platform with the latter's indoor location services platform. This acquisition would enable both companies deliver enterprise-wide visibility into the status and location of people and assets in the healthcare sector. Thus, the focus of several organizations on similar strategies to develop novel tracking solutions for healthcare professionals is likely to augment the growth.