 | Thursday, June 19, 2008
Issue 858 | | Will Smith, Editor |  |
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Editor's Note: Today's top story is a new report from the European EPC Competence Center (EECC) in Neuss, Germany, which offers the results of comprehensive testing that paired various RFID chips with different surfaces to evaluate the chip performance. The idea is to enable end users to better determine which RFID tags will perform best when applied to their specific products, packaging, or assets, a task which has historically proved challenging.
AT&T has announced an RFID contract with natural spring water supplier Spring Water On Tap for which it will help the company automatically and remotely monitor water levels in the tanks distributed to customers' homes.
Lastly, RFID World, the annual conference from TechInsights (formerly CMP Media), has announced content topics for this year's event. From the announcement:- Food Traceability: Securing the Food Supply Chain
- Pharma E-Pedigree: Compliance Plus Longer Term Business Transformation Goals
- Hospital and Healthcare Organizations: Using RFID to Improve Operating Efficiency
- Apparel, Footwear and the Retail Experience
- The Consumer Experience: Advertising, Marketing and Media
- Manufacturing & Automation: Integrating RFID & RTLS for Optimized Operations and Control
- Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Preparedness
Recall the event will be held September 8th through 10th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. |
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Report Reveals RFID Performance on Different Surfaces
By John Burnell
Researchers at the European EPC Competence Center (EECC) in Neuss, Germany, released a new report on comprehensive testing that shows how various UHF RFID chips from different vendors perform when attached to different surfaces. Users can reference the report, UHF Tag Performance Survey (UTPS), to determine how RFID tags will perform when applied to their specific products, packaging, or assets.
"We want to introduce to the customer an easy tool for qualifying the right tag for their application," Conrad von Bonin, manager of the EECC, told RFID Update by e-mail. "Many business owners look for a transponder that is suitable for a number of different products and goods in an effort to bundle their order volumes. The new UTPS enables users to estimate the transponder performance ranges on various materials, which was previously no simple task."
The tests measured 20 different UHF inlays from six different vendors (Alien Technology, Avery Dennison, KSW Microtec, Omron, RSI ID Technologies, and UPM Raflatac). All inlays conformed to either the Gen2 and/or the ISO 18000-6C standard and were tested separately at the frequencies allowed for use in Asia, Europe, and North America. Each transponder type was tested on eight different substrates commonly used to create tags, including paper, synthetic, glass, and fabric. Researchers then used computer modeling to predict tag performance on additional materials derived from the tested substrates.
Every tag performed differently at the different frequencies used in different regions of the world, and there were also significant performance differences among tags from different vendors, according to von Bonin. Some tags outperformed others on the same material by a factor of five, and not all tags worked on all materials, von Bonin said. He also noted tag performance is improving. The EECC produced similar research last year, but did not test on different subsurfaces.
"We see that the tags get better every year," von Bonin said. "The new generation of chips...has rapidly increased performance. Tags have become much more stable in performance in the last year."
The EECC was formed by representatives from leading German RFID end users and GS1 Germany, the German association that manages EPC and other GS1 standards there. In 2005 the EECC became Europe's first EPCglobal-certified performance testing facility.
"From our point of view it is essential for customers and vendors to get transparency about the performance to avoid misleading RFID solutions," von Bonin said. "We [EECC] hope that this testing can help to speed RFID deployment. That's the aim of the EECC: successful RFID deployment."
The 2008 UHF Tag Performance Survey is available from the EECC for €795, or for €395 as part of a five-year subscription. The report appears unique among RFID testing and research. ODIN technologies, a for-profit RFID development and integration firm, periodically releases RFID technology benchmark test results, but has not released a report on UHF tags since 2006. EPCglobal oversees interoperability testing to certify whether products comply with its standards, including Gen2. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology recently announced a research service for RFID tag developers to design and test prototypes (see New Method Promises Cheaper RFID Tag Development).
Also, organizations and individuals can design and conduct their own RFID tests at numerous labs, test centers, and universities around the world -- see RFID Centers Offer a Chance to Try Before You Buy and 50+ RFID Labs and Test Centers Identified Worldwide for more background on these services and a listing of facilities.
Forward this to a colleague | Request reprints: reprints at rfidupdate dot com |
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| RTLS & Active RFID | Locate it now. How? Ekahau. That's how!
Ekahau RTLS (Real-Time Location System) automatically tracks assets and people via your existing Wi-Fi network. Control costs and improve asset management with Ekahau. For more information, visit us at www.ekahau.com. | | | Products & Services | PCB Tracking & Visibility Solution from Omnitrol Networks
Off-the-shelf solution provides automated real-time visibility and complete electronic pedigree for traceability on parts and WIP providing real-time dashboards, alerts and reports for shop-floor management. The pedigree information is automatically programmed into Texas Instruments' RFID tag for access to critical data without the need for connection to a back-end database. Learn more. | Employees steal over $1 billion per week from employers
the American Management Association reports. 95% of businesses are victimized by employee theft. Managers are reluctant to ask questions, because trusted employees may feel offended, leaving business owners in a difficult situation. What can you do? Nox: Intelligent Perimeter Defense from Simply RFID provides advanced security and protection for business assets. | | | RFID Tags & Labels | Ferroxtag HF tags: Smart on Metal!
Ferroxtag is a new family of HF RFID tags suitable for operation on metallic surfaces. Ferroxtag's special ferrite antenna was developed using Ferroxcube's years of experience in ferrite technology. The high performance antenna means longer read range with a smaller tag. Visit www.ferroxtag.com | | | 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 | | | Upcoming Events | AWA PABS08 N. America Conference, Sept 11-12, Chicago, IL
AWA is organizing the Product Authentication & Brand Security Conference 2008 on September 11-12 in Chicago, IL. The event includes presentations and panel discussions with brand owners, legal authorities, associations, converters and suppliers; also networking sessions, a supplier forum, a social program and more. Find more on the program here. | AWA PABS08 Asia Conference, Dec 4-5 - Hong Kong, China
AWA presents the Asian Product Authentication & Brand Security Conference 2008, to be held on 4 & 5 December in Hong Kong, China. PABS08 Asia focuses on the threats specific to the Asia Pacific region, various elements of IP Theft, and leading-edge solutions. Find more on the program here. | | | Research & Whitepapers | RFID Marketing Strategies Report
Thirty-nine pages of original research on RFID audience perceptions, including 30+ figures of tactics, content & messaging, and recommendations to guide marketing strategy. Also, Top-10 RFID company rankings based on 550+ survey respondents. View the executive summary free, with Top-3 sample rankings. Only $495 Individual License or $795 Corporate License. Available now |
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