RWE can not forget the frightful memories of November 2005 when ice and snow damaged power towers in northern Germany causing people to live without power for many days. Like RWE, most of the energy producers in Europe, Asia and Africa have no comprehensive maps of their networks. It is also true that they can not depend upon GPS technology for the positive identification of towers. Ulrich Becker of Germany based IT-Services and Solutions (it’), a subsidiary of IBM says, for producers without detailed maps, RFID technology can be highly reliable for the monitoring of power towers. IT-Services and Solutions is developing an RFID application to enable the energy operators to keep track on their electricity networks and power lines to avoid deterioration or damage. As per the RFID programme, active RFID tags would be embedded to the masts of the power lines. These long-range UHF tags will be read from a helicopter fixed with RFID interrogator antennas. More
Millipore integrates RFID in filtration products for the first time
By admin | Filed in UncategorizedMillipore has shown the practical applicability of RFID technology in the pharmaceutical units when it embedded RFID technology in the filtration products for the first time. The filtration products are used for the production of biopharmaceutical drugs for the healthcare units. Millipore Corporation will officially announce the RFID capability at the forthcoming INTERPHEX 2007 Conference. It will be known as Smart Technology. The RFID-enabled filtration products have distinct advantages of providing real-time information about the manufacturing process, product performance and other retrieving critical information. Billerica, Mass.-based Millipore says this information will assist customers to ensure regulatory compliance and make recording and conveying manufacturing data faster and more reliable.
I have with me the American Medical Association (AMA) report, which brings mixed response on the use of RFID tags in human skins, especially on patients to keep track. At the very outset, the report claims that the RFID chips have not properly tested, even though the Food and Drug Administration has approved this technology in 2004 in medical use drawing a battle line between the medical practitioners and privacy advocates. In the report ‘Radio Frequency ID Devices in Humans’, the AMA says that the most critical issue before human ID implantation is privacy. The patients must be ensured that the data collected by using RFID chips will be kept in secrecy. They must also be protected from embarrassment, potential social discrimination, loss of health care coverage, or other detrimental consequences. However, the report did not ignore the benefits of RFID technology in the healthcare units. The chips can encourage timely identification of patients and expedite access to their medical information. As a result, there would be minimal error and adverse drug events. The report concludes: RFID technology has the potential to improve patient care as well as patient safety. However, the safety and efficacy of human-implantable RFID devices has yet to be established. Therefore, the medical community should support further investigations to obtain the data necessary to make informed medical decisions regarding the use of these devices. The medical community should also be sensitive to potential social consequences of RFID devices, such as non-medical applications in law enforcement.
Fujitsu installs AbsoluteSKY’s intelliTRACKER RFID solution at Staples Business Depot, Canada
By admin | Filed in RfidblogsFujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. that supplier of office supplies, business machines, office furniture and business services in Canada, Staples Business Depot, will install AbsoluteSKY’s intelliTRACKER RFID-based product suite at Canadian store. Staples Business Depot will tag thousands of items, which would be automatically tracks in real time during the installation. It tracks items from entering into store inventory, to store shelves through completion of sales transaction. The intelliTRACKER software performs various functions, which are given below: 1) On-hand status and search 2) Automated receiving 3) Inventory status changes 4) Zone differentiation 5) Shrink reduction The RFID tags are not concealed on the items and it can be re-usable for security purposes. These tags are physically detached, when the item is sold to the customer at a Staples Business Depot store. Joe Soares, Director, Process Engineering at Staples Business Depot, said, This is clearly a significant installation in our inventory management improvement initiative. We’ve done our homework on RFID and expect a positive ROI and the ability to meaningfully improve inventory visibility and customer service. While according to Peter Sciberras, general manager and vice president of sales, Canada, Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, Staples has practical vision with respect to RFID technology and the company has potential to take its operational benefits in the store environment including better serving their customers. Image Credit: Telentice & Absolute Sky Via: RFID Solution
The Immigration Department of Malaysia has moved up with its proposal to introduce RFID-enabled visas for the foreigner as a step towards identifying fake visa holders and the time period of the visa in passports. The RFID-enabled visas would contain the personal details and thumbprints of the foreign nationals, which would be read by using RFID readers and short messaging system, explains Datuk Wahid Md Don, the Immigration Director General of Malaysia. With increasing number of foreigners entering Malaysia in each passing years, the government has decided to keep track on them by introducing RFID enabled visas by the end of this year. As per the available data, Malaysia has more than two million foreign workers, nearly 66,000 students. The tourism sector has also recorded an inflow of 17 million tourists last year. Recently, Malaysia has introduced the RFID-enabled visas for the foreign workers coming from Bangladesh. The Immigration Department keeps their scanned thumbprints and other personal details in a computer database in Dhaka. The database is transferred to Malaysia for verification before allowing the foreigners to the country.
Just think of an RFID tag that uses satellite system to track everything from assets to human. Is there any doubt of its reliability? I can say it must be an intelligent and advanced tag because it blends two emerging technologies, RFID with GPS for a better cause. Identec Solutions, an awarding winning leader in wireless tracking business has developed such type RFID tag and dubbed it GPS, making clear that the Global Positioning System is vitally present in the tag. The advanced tag uses satellites data equipped with RFID to track anything from human movement to asset tracking ensruing critical information in real-time. It can read and write in 500 meters range ensuring easy access and reducing infrastructure cost. It can be activated at any time with a reader. Peter Linke, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing at IDENTEC SOLUTIONS says, The IDENTEC SOLUTIONS GPS Tag is a ground breaking solution so advanced that applications for the technology are virtually endless.
IBM announced the availability of an electronic pedigree system (ePedigree), which will allow pharmaceutical companies to create an electronic certificate of authenticity for every drug, which passes through the supply chain. The ePedigree allows all participants in the drug supply chain, including manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and hospitals to access historical data on medicine package. The ePedigree is a new version of IBM’s WebSphere RFID Information Center (RFIDIC), a high performance data repository, which allows users to efficiently manage and securely share information with trading partners to authenticate pharmaceuticals. IBM’s ePedigree uses radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, which tracks packages of drugs. The new ePedigree offers a flexible ‘track and trace’ framework through standards-based EPC Information Services. Clients would be able to easily access key data elements to solve their business needs like chargeback resolution by generating EPCIS events and queries. IBM has integrated the Coral8 Engine, complex event processing software from Coral8 with ePedigree, which allows customers to set up rules for supply chains. Additionally the ePedigree, is fully compatible with the EPCglobal Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) standard. The product also integrates the customer master data systems to provide additional business context by using product, location and supplier information. According to Chris Clauss, director of sensor information management at IBM Software, the whole system watches and keeps records of medicine history. This system is helpful tool for industry to comply with mandates and various trading requirements. Image Credit: HTU & MSDN 2 Via: IT Business Edge
Printronix has unveiled the SLPA8000r encode, print and apply system for the European consumer packaged goods companies. It is being regarded as the first bar code printer applicator in the market which can upgrade to RFID labeling in the field and hence people can test RFID without any heavy investment. Besides it offers the highest speed RFID encoding and printing with a capacity which is more than hundred cases per minute. It is an evolution over the SLPA7000r which was released in 2004. The company has even entered into technology alliances with local European firms for selling, installing and servicing the SLPA8000r in UK, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain. Built on Printronix’s MP2 Smart encoding technology this is the first platform designed for meeting EPCglobal Gen 2 encoding specifications. It is interoperable with a wide range of Gen 2 tags and is has been made available commercially. Image Via: digital50
What can RFID do for the visually challenged people? Ask TellMate, a newly launched RFID system by S.J Chin. It enables blinds to identify daily used objects such as food items in a kitchen room or things kept in the wallet. It also helps them to identifying credit cards for payments. Wonderful! The TellMate RFID system consists of a scanner and label reader. It uses RFID tags to identify daily used articles. It comes with three RFID function buttons. The first button is meant for recording descriptions. The second button enables playback the recording and the last button stops the playback. The RFID system can be put within a few centimeters of the object tag to hear the recording. The device also provides some entertaining services like FM radio and MP3 songs. It also possesses a digital notebook of reminders, observances and lists. The price of the device is something around $500. It would be marketed in UK and USA. Image:
Thailand based Suvarnabhumi Airport chooses Intermec’s RFID system to empower national transport and logistics capability
By admin | Filed in RfidblogsThailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, has selected Intermec, the leading RFID and supply chain technology vendor to supply an RFID and barcode system for the airport’s Cargo Free Zone. The Suvarnabhumi Airport, the hub of central air traffic for Southeast Asia has launched an NBIA Cargo Free Zone IT project, which includes most updated technology and services, including its RFID Customs Free Zone management system. RFID system is a core part of the IT system for the Cargo Free Zone, which is used to track incoming and outgoing goods in the cargo warehouse and terminal. The Cargo Free Zone uses Intermec bar code printers as well as readers to monitor cargo, complementing the RFID system. Cargo cars, which enters terminals have attached RFID tags, while their loads have bar code labels. The RFID system for the Cargo Free Zone uses various Intermec RFID equipment, which are given below: 1) 150 Intermec IF5 intelligent fixed RFID readers 2) 100 Intermec 751 rugged mobile computers 3) 100 Intermec IP3 portable RFID readers 4) 600 RF antennae 5) 46,000 reusable plastic RFID tags 6) 4,000 windshield RFID tags 7) Ten PD4 bar code printers and ten 1551 rugged handheld scanners Piyarat Srivaranon, Thailand country manager of Intermec, said, Intermec is proud to be a part of the Cargo Free Zone system of New Bangkok International Airport. The project will be the largest RFID system in Southeast Asia and will provide faster monitoring of cargo locations and tracking of movements in the Zone. Image Credit: Salathai & RFID Via: Businesses Wire