 | Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Issue 1026 | | Will Smith, Editor |  |
|
|
Editor's Note: Today's top story is the new hardware developer kit (HDK) from STMicroelectronics that will help integrators and other solution providers build ISO 18000-7-compliant active RFID tags and readers for a variety of niche applications.
The European Commission today issued an official Recommendation on data protection and privacy with respect to RFID. Following are the basic principles of the Recommendation, quoted directly from the announcement:- Consumers should be in control whether products they buy in shops use smart chips or not. When consumers buy products with smart chips, these should be deactivated automatically, immediately and free-of-charge at the point of sale, unless the consumer explicitly opts-in by asking to keep the chip operational. Exceptions can be granted to avoid unnecessary burden on retailers, for example, but only after an assessment of the chip's impact on privacy.
- Companies or public authorities using smart chips should give consumers clear and simple information so that they understand if their personal data will be used, the type of collected data (such as name, address or date of birth) and for what purpose. They should also provide clear labelling to identify the devices that 'read' the information stored in smart chips, and provide a contact point for citizens to obtain more information.
- Retail associations and organisations should promote consumer awareness on products containing smart chips through a common European sign to indicate whenever a smart chip is used by a product.
- Companies and public authorities should conduct privacy and data protection impact assessments before using smart chips. These assessments, reviewed by national data protection authorities, should ensure that personal data is secure and well protected.
The full recommendation is available here (8 pages).
EPCglobal issued a statement in reaction to the Recommendation, saying that it is a welcome development so that European RFID adoption can continue. "With the adoption of the Recommendation, we now have clarity and a framework in which manufacturers and retailers can begin or expand deployments to deliver the benefits of RFID for consumers in Europe," GS1 CEO Miguel Lopera was quoted. |
|
STMicroelectronics Offers Active RFID Development Kit
By Brian Albright
Chipmaker STMicroelectronics and Sunnyvale, California-based electronic design services firm Arira Design have unveiled a hardware development kit (HDK) for building active RFID tags and readers that are compliant with the ISO 18000-7 standard for 433 MHz technology.
The Smart Web-Based Sensor HDK consists of sample boards and a Windows application that allows developers to customize sensor and wireless capabilities for new active RFID products. The platform also supports GPS and GPRS technologies.
According to an announcement from ST, the STM32 microcontroller-based platform helps integrators and other solutions providers develop wireless sensor networks for security and asset monitoring applications by allowing them to blend active RFID with other wireless networking and GPS technologies, along with built-in MEMS motion sensors and temperature and light sensors.
Savi Technology, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin that holds the patent on the 18000-7 air interface protocol, provided technical assistance for the HDK.
"We run into developers all the time that have an interest in building new active RFID devices that require unique or unusual form factors and sensor capabilities," said Pat Burns, Savi's head of licensing. "These run the gamut from large telecommunications companies to small military systems integrators, to a company in Turkey that wanted to track ceramic bath fixtures. We can't possibly support all of these different permutations ourselves, so we have looked to third parties like STMicroelectronics who are able to support these rapidly changing markets."
Companies can use the HDK to integrate their own hardware and firmware into ISO 18000-7-based active RFID products for industrial, medical, and transportation applications, including the addition of new RFID commands or data fields. The kit was developed by engineers from STMicroelectronics' Multi-Market Competence Center in Schaumburg, Illinois, in conjunction with Arira.
"We strongly believe that the next big wave in sensors will be driven by the combination of the sensing function with wireless transmission -- and ISO 18000-7 is the right solution for security and asset monitoring applications," said Benedetto Vigna, group vice president and general manager of the MEMS and Healthcare Product Division at STMicroelectronics in the company's announcement. "The Smart Web-Based Sensor HDK is a best-in-class development platform that will help the adoption of wireless sensors across the industry."
The ISO 18000-7 standard, which specifies the wireless communications protocol between an RFID reader and tag, is used by the U.S. Department of Defense, NATO and allied defense forces. Developers planning to sell products based on the standard will require a license from Savi.
"For prototyping purposes, there's no need for a license," Burns said. "Once they get into selling a solution, that's when they need to come to Savi. We're really interested in encouraging developers to do the things that this HDK will help them do."
According to Burns, developers that need design help can work with Arira or Savi. Developers will eventually be able to get support from the DASH7 Alliance, the organization Savi founded in March to promote expanded use of the 18000-7 standard. Other members of the group include STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Dow Chemical, Unisys, and the U.S. Department of Defense. (See DASH7 Alliance Forms to Advance Active RFID Standard.)
As the agreement with STMicroelectronics is not exclusive, Burns says there may be other development kits coming in the future. "I would expect other silicon vendors will hop into the game as well," Burns said.
The HDK is now in beta, and is available on Arira's website.
Forward this to a colleague | Request reprints: reprints at rfidupdate dot com |
|
|
|
|
| RFID Tags & Labels | Invengo inlays with EAS. 224/512 bit – 5.8¢ and 7.2¢/5M
Invengo inlays use NXP UCODE chips to provide a unique custom command set, such as Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS). Long read range due to high chip sensitivity. Ease of tag assembly due to high chip input capacitance. Consistent performance on different materials. Tel 703.793.0085, visit www.invengo.com or click Info@invengo.com. | Handheld RFID Asset Tracking Software: NoxVault
The NoxVault RFID scanner finds assets over 20 feet away and can inventory about 1,000 items per minute -- if you're fast on your feet. NoxVault is great for tagging and tracking documents, PC's, laptops, and office equipment. Our handheld asset tracking RFID starter kit usually ships same-day for just $3,995. | | | Research & Whitepapers | 2009 RFID Brand & Marketing Strategies Reports
The latest follow-up to RFID Update's well-regarded 2006 research, this 2009 companion set of reports includes the most recent Top-10 rankings of the current RFID leaders and provides marketing, branding, and advertising guidance to vendors of RFID products and services. Purchase the reports now. | | | Employment | RFID Recruiters - 100% Focused on RFID Recruiting
Whether your company is looking for the best RFID talent or you have the best RFID talent and are looking for the best RFID employer, RFID Recruiters offers the most focused approach to your objective. To learn how the RFID industry and the RFID job market are evolving, visit www.rfidrecruiters.com | | | Products & Services | Real-Time WIP Visibility Appliance from Omnitrol Networks
Meet the industry's most innovative award winning RFID solution that enables complete work-order traceability in manufacturing. Real-time web-based dashboards and multi-site monitoring for work-order pedigree and traceability, including proactive bottleneck management and real-time performance analytics optimizing shop-floor efficiency. All at the lowest TCO in the marketplace. www.omnitrol.com/WIP. |
This email was intended for , who subscribed
RFID Update is the RFID industry daily. Launched in early 2004 to provide timely analysis of RFID industry news, RFID Update publishes editorial briefings every weekday for the growing ranks of top level executives involved in the deployment of RFID. Each issue delivers the breaking news and analysis most pertinent to successful RFID implementations, allowing readers to understand global RFID developments as they happen.
RFID Update Editor: Will Smith, editor at rfidupdate dot com
Press releases and public relations inquiries should be directed to Will.
To advertise in RFID Update, email advertising08 at rfidupdate dot com to request a media kit.
RFID Questions? Ask at RFID Talk (www.RFIDtalk.com).
Forward this issue of RFID Update to your colleagues, or tell them to subscribe free at: www.RFIDupdate.com
View all past issues of RFID Update in the archive.
Update your subscription settings: subscriptions08 at rfidupdate dot com
We take your privacy seriously. View our Privacy Policy here.
RFID Update -- The RFID Industry Daily
3213 Duke Street #266
Alexandria, VA 22314
http://www.rfidupdate.com
© 2008, ALX Technologies. All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
