RFID Gazette

EU Publishes RFID Privacy Guidelines

The European Union is concerned that the growing use of radio frequency identification technology by both business and government may threaten personal privacy. In response to this concern, the EU's advisory body on data protection and privacy has published RFID privacy guidelines. According to IT Manager's Journal:

The resulting guidelines include securing unambiguous consent from individuals where RFID is used and providing clear information to the "data subjects" (that is, you and I) on the presence and location of RFID tags and trackers, what sort of data is being collected, and how it is being processed. The EU also wants individuals to be made aware that they have the right to gain complete access to any personal data being collected and stored on them and the right to check on the accuracy of the data.

Read more: EU pioneers RFID privacy guidelines

Visa Offers RFID-Enabled Payments

Visa debuted their RFID-enabled card payment system, sans-cash and sans-swipe, yesterday. The new system enables consumers to pay for small items such as movie tickets, fast food, and convenient store items by waving an RFID-enabled card in front of a terminal. The card works at a distance of four inches. According to InformationWeek:

Visa has enhanced its VisaNet system to track contactless payment transactions through the authorization, clearing, and settlement processes, says Patrick Gauthier, Visa's senior VP of new product development. Card-issuing banks need to be able to recognize transactions as contactless when responding to customer queries. He declines to say whether any retailers have yet agreed to use the card.

Read more: Visa Debuts RFID-Enabled Card-Payment System

Marks & Spencer to Use RFID with Lingerie

UK retailer Marks & Spencer is expanding their RFID trial from nine to 53 stores in the next year and will also attempt to test RFID on products with a wide variety of sizes, such as bras. According to PC World:

BT Group will be the main contractor on the second phase of the trial, providing M&S with IT services like deployment assistance and maintenance of the RFID readers. BT is also assisting with the implementation of RFID in M&S' food supply chain. M&S has contracted with Intellident for the scanner technology, while the microchips are from EM Microelectronic-Marin.

Read more: Marks & Spencer expands RFID trial, includes lingerie

Pharmaceuticals Get into RFID

At the Healthcare Information and Management System Society's conference, Purdue Pharma LP announced that they will use Symbol's RFID mobile computers to implement anti-counterfeiting RFID tracking. According to Computerworld:

"We have to identify counterfeit drugs before they penetrate our supply chain, and identify vulnerabilities in our supply chain," said Aaron Graham, vice president and chief security officer at Purdue. "While there may not be an ROI in dollars, how do you put a price on patient safety?"

The Symbol MC9000-G computers, which combine RFID and bar-code reading with imaging and wireless connectivity, will be provided without charge to state and federal law enforcement agencies for use in efforts to stop illegal drug trafficking, Graham said.

Read more: Pharmaceutical, Health Care Firms Launch RFID Projects

Nokia Mobile RFID Kit Available

The Nokia Mobile RFID Kit is now shipping and is designed to allow easier management of field personnel in industries such as health care, utilities, and security. According to HardwareGeeks.com:

A unique benefit of the Nokia Field Force Solution is that it allows easy interaction with field activities by sending real-time information like location, work time or task status from the field to the office. In addition, it can be used for receiving service instructions or work assignments in the field. The information exchange starts by simply touching the RFID tag placed on objects - such as assets, billboards, meters or other equipment - with the Nokia RFID enabled phone.

Read more: Nokia Mobile RFID Kit as part of the Nokia Field Force Solution is now commercially available

RFID Privacy Concerns Must Be Allayed

Gerry Gebel of Burton Group, an IT research firm, says that RFID should impact many areas, including keyless entry, cashless payments, pet identification, highway toll collection, and asset tracking. But before RFID becomes universally accepted, privacy concerns must be dealt with properly. According to internetnews.com:

RFID tags emit a unique identifying code when they come within distance of a reader; the reader passes the code back to a database that connects to enterprise applications and systems. Burton Group includes contactless smart cards, which add RFID to typical smart card features, in the category.

In one possible scenario, smart badges for employees could enhance the security of corporate data and physical asset.

Read more: RFID is Inevitable But Dicey

Savi Launches RFID Slap-and-Ship Solution

Savi Technology's new Savi RFID-ACT (Assured Compliance Today) slap-and-ship solution integrates components from Symbol Technologies and Zebra Technologies to help suppliers meet new EPC-compliant passive RFID requirements more quickly and cost-effectively. According to Food Production Daily:

This is a vital consideration to suppliers and manufacturers under pressure to realise better cost margins. A recent report carried out by Deloitte Research for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (DTT), suggest that rather than taking a holistic, global view of their businesses, most global manufacturers focus on addressing the individual pieces of their far-flung global network — the complex web of suppliers, production facilities, distribution centres and customers — that comprise their supply chain.

Read more: Savi launches complete ‘tag-and-ship’ RFID concept

Piggly Wiggly Integrates RFID in Supply Chain

South Carolina and Georgia supermarket chain Piggly Wiggly is integrating RFID into its supply chain tracking. They will soon being using GXS Trading Grid to automate its warehouse receiving process. According to CRM Buyer:

The supermarket chain will leverage the GXS Trading Grid to expedite receiving, lower inventory positions and reduce shipping errors with its more than 600 suppliers.

With the GXS Trading Grid, Piggly Wiggly is taking an important step towards implementing RFID to optimize its supply chain.

The GXS Trading Grid will transmit electronic documents listing details of forthcoming shipments of goods, as well as other critical information such as carton identifications, content descriptions and transportation details.

Read more: Piggly Wiggly Trots Toward RFID Implementation

BVS Ships Handheld Multi-Spectrum Analyzer

METUCHEN, New Jersey. -- February 14, 2005 -- Berkeley Varitronics Systems, Inc. begins shipping BumbleBee™, a portable spectrum analyzer that measures 4 distinct frequency bands.

Microsoft's RFID Software Axapta 4.0 Delayed Due to ERP Issues

Microsoft Business Solutions has delayed the release of its ERP software Axapta 4.0 until October. The original release was going to come sometime in the first half of this year. The reason for the delay is that Microsoft is having problems integrating certain features into all of their ERP products. Axapta is going to be the first ERP product from Microsoft to integrate RFID. The delays could aversely affect Microsoft's long-term plans to offer a platform that will integrate ERP and RFID. According to InformationWeek:

Giant Bicycle USA, which runs Axapta, is looking into using RFID in its global supply chain between the manufacturing sites and sales and distribution facilities. Microsoft's ERP delays don't concern Mike Forte, director of strategic information systems at Giant Bicycle, which sold approximately 350,000 bikes in the United States last year through about 1,200 dealers. Deep in the midst of rolling out Axapta 3.0, Giant Bicycle's IT division is focusing on making sure the sales and distribution facilities in Australia and Canada are up and running this year on the ERP platform.

Read more: Microsoft's ERP Delays Could Affect Its RFID Efforts

Sybase iAnywhere RFID Integration Platform

Sybase's iAnyware Solutions is planning an upgrade for their RFID Anywhere development platform sometime in March or April. The current version that is available is suitable for certain supply chain applications. According to eWeek:

Initial supply chain applications will include distribution warehouses and laboratories. Although RFID Anywhere can also be outsourced as a hosted service, many customers will choose to run and manage the Microsoft.NET-enabled solution in-house, according to David Barrack, senior director of Solutions Services.

Read more: Sybase Eyes RFID Enterprise Integration

Tagging Pallets with RFID Chips

CHEP, a pallet management provider, has developed a 256 bit Class 0+ RFID tag encased in a protective plastic cover to help their customers comply with RFID mandates. Eventually, CHEP may aim to embed RFID tags in all of their pallets. According to Modern Materials Handling:

While a customer of CHEP’s PLUS ID pallets can write some information to the tag, the real value is having permanent license plate information about the pallet. That allows a user to associate its containers and products with a specific pallet.

CHEP has been testing the pallets in the U.S. and Europe, and is currently working with Accenture to determine opportunities for RFID in Brazil.

Read more: Adding RFID to pallets

Airlines Tagging Luggage with RFID

Baggage handling technology is being revolutionized by RFID. Worrying at the baggage claim carrousel at the airport for bags that will never come may soon be a thing of the past as radio frequency identification technology should greatly increase the accuracy of baggage handling to near 100%, much better than today's barcode system which is accurate around 80% of the time in some cases. Delta Airlines has been the leader in RFID testing and plans to have their entire system online in 2007. Certainly, others will follow, as the technology should save airlines millions of dollars per year and save travellers hours of grief. According to the New Nation:

So important is this development that some industry officials are likening it to the introduction of radar. "You turned radar on and said: 'Oh, that's where the planes are.' It will be the same with bags," forecast one. Efficiency improvements of up to 60 per cent are predicted and, in an industry that loses a million bags every year, this would represent a huge step forward.

Read more: Lost luggage likely to be thing of the past

House backs major shift to electronic IDs

I just found some interesting news from CNET on a bill that the U.S. House of Representatives recently approved. The new rules will force states to issue all adults electronic ID cards.

Under the rules, federal employees would reject licenses or identity cards that don't comply, which could curb Americans' access to airplanes, trains, national parks, federal courthouses and other areas controlled by the federal government. The bill was approved by a 261-161 vote. The measure, called the Real ID Act, says that driver's licenses and other ID cards must include a digital photograph, anticounterfeiting features and undefined "machine-readable technology, with defined minimum data elements" that could include a magnetic strip or RFID tag.

Read more: House backs major shift to electronic IDs

RFID for Airline Asset Tracking

ABI Research claims that airlines can save a lot of money and become more productive by using RFID to track assets such as large utility dollies that, believe it or not, are frequently lost by airlines due to carelessness, theft, or "borrowing" by other airlines. Much productivity is wasted by employees trying to locate the dollie and can add up to a not insignificant expense for the airlines. American, Delta, JetBlue, and others are beginning to employ RFID-GPS hybrid systems to keep track of these valuable assets. According to ABI Research's press release at Business Wire:

"In a sophisticated hybrid tracking system," says Lopez, "the GPS will find the location of the asset, and the RFID tag will transmit that information to its ground-based network, avoiding expensive satellite uplinks."

Baggage tracking is another obvious application for RFID in this market, and frequent travelers to Asia will be glad to learn that Hong Kong airport now tags every piece of luggage passing through it.

Read more: Hello, Dollies: ABI Research sees RFID Helping Airlines Track Assets

European Consumers Express RFID Privacy Concerns

A recent study of 2,000 European consumers by Capgemini revealed that more than half felt that RFID technology threatened their privacy. Retailers are increasingly using RFID for inventory control, from the distribution center to the store shelf to checkout. But what can be done to allay consumers' fears of the technology that becomes more prevalent with each passing day? Certainly privacy-protection legislation could make some feel more secure. Many consumers however see benefits arising from RFID and in the future, those who currently fear the privacy implications of the technology could come around to this side of the argument. According to InformationWeek:

Survey respondents say the tags will improve anti-theft measures, lead to faster recovery of stolen items, better security for prescription drugs, safer foods, faster and more reliable recall notices, quicker checkout, and reduced counterfeiting.

Ironically, the study reveals that making sure the product consumers want is on the shelf was one of the least important benefits from RFID, along with increased access to more products and in-aisle comparisons. Reducing the number of out-of-stock items has been a major reason retailers have touted their decision to deploy RFID in their supply chains.

Read more: Majority Of European Consumers Worry RFID Threatens Their Privacy, Survey Says

Raymond Corporation Provides RFID for Lift Trucks

GREENE, N.Y. — The Raymond Corporation is leading the material handling industry in development of emerging technologies with advanced research and collaboration in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), fuel cell power and vision systems for lift trucks.

Intermec Withdraws 13 RFID Patents

Intermec Technologies Corp. has withdrawn 13 of their RFID patents, allowing companies free access to the RFID technology for which they are building equipment based on EPCglobal's Gen 2 standards. According to Information Week:

For manufacturers that want their products to contain features beyond the minimum, they'll have to negotiate a licensing agreement with Intermec. "We will structure licensing agreements that are tailored to individual company needs, which will allow them to differentiate their products," says Mike Wills, VP and general manager for RFID at Intermec. "Instead of a level playing field where everyone is treated the same," it gives licensees a competitive advantage, he says.

Read more: Intermec Offers 13 Free RFID Patents

Consumers Wary of RFID

In an RFID Consumer Buzz study conducted by BIGresearch and Artafact LLC, less than 50% of consumers who are aware of RFID consider it a good idea. According to emarketer:

The Buzz study, based on a survey of 8,500 US consumers, also found that more men than women are aware of RFID, with just under 50% of men but just 24.9% of women saying they are aware of the technology. What's more, 67.2% of those women who are aware of RFID either do not think it is a good idea or are not sure about the technology.

Read more: Will Consumers Come to Accept RFID?

Metro to RFID Tag Cases and Cartons

The German retailer giant Metro Group is planning to have cases and cartons tagged with RFID-enabled tracking devices by the end of 2005. Metro says that by January 2006, 300 suppliers will be sending RFID-tagged pallets and cases to its distribution centers using second-generation Avery Dennison smart chips. According to Food Production Daily:

A spokesperson for Metro said that the group is currently preparing for the roll-out of RFID for cartons and cases. Research is also being done with single-item tagging and temperature-enabled RFID tags, although any implementation of these systems is likely to be a long way off.

Read more: Metro to extend RFID roll-out to cases and cartons

Psion Teklogic's New RFID Middleware

Psion Teklogic has released their new RFID Development Kit that will allow North American companies to implement RFID into their operations. The middleware will help firms manage and integrate RFID data within existing systems and also addresses the concerns surrounding the lack of a single interoperability standard. According to ITWeb:

This flexible RFID solution is EPC-compliant to address the guidelines set out by Wal-Mart and the Department of Defence (DoD) though it can also be valuable for customers deploying non-EPC closed-loop RFID systems. Compatible with EPC Class 0, 0+ and 1, the RFID Development Kit has been designed to adapt to evolving RFID technology and integrate into a customer's existing enterprise management software to maximise their RFID investment.

Read more: Psion Teklogix launches RFID Development Kit

RFID In Pharmaceutical Industry

A new ABI Research study titled "The RFID Life Sciences Market" urges pharmaceutical manufacturers to implement RFID because doing so could combat drug counterfeiting that costs the industy $30 billion annually. Phizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Purdue Pharma are already planning to tag. According to CRM Daily:

Additionally, the FDA has recommended tracking in the pharmaceutical supply chain, and Florida and California are mandating "pedigrees" -- the verification of drug shipments' integrity from manufacturer to retailer.

Read more: RFID Use Urged for Pharmaceutical Industry

P&G, Gillette Merger to Challenge Wal-Mart's RFID Position

Proctor & Gamble's recent $57 billion purchase of Gillette has created what Warren Buffett calls "the greatest consumer products company in the world." Such a conglomerate could use RFID and other technologies to flatten competitors or change the way Wal-Mart thinks about forcing their suppliers into adopting RFID. According to ExtremeTech:

"With P&G, there's a much stronger voice on technology standards on the supplier side," says Forrester analyst Christine Spivey Overby. "I think all suppliers will benefit."

Meanwhile, Overby says both P&G and Gillette are considered leaders on RFID and global data synchronization, an effort to standardize product information such as weight, dimension and height.

Read more: Procter & Gamble, Gillette Merger Could Challenge Wal-Mart RFID Adoption