RFID Gazette

2007 RFID Conferences

Several RFID conferences are coming up for 2007 (in approximate chronological order):

• RFID World and related:
  
  • RFID World, Mar 26-29, Dallas, Texas.
  • RFID Excellence in Business Awards, Mar 26-28, Dallas.
    
  • NFC Planet at CTIA, Mar 26, Orlando, Florida.
  • NFC Europe + RFID Germany, Oct 1-2, Frankfurt, Germany.
    
• DoD RFID Summit, Apr 3-4, Washington, D.C.
  
• RFID Journal Live, Apr 30-May 2, Orlando, Florida.
• 2007 Canadian RFID Conference, May 8-9, Markham (~Toronto), Canada.
  
• RFID Eurasia, Sep 5-7, Istanbul, Turkey.
• EPC Connection, Oct 2-4, Chicago, Illinois.
   

Maybe it's because I've only been writing regularly about RFID since last July but it seems to me that the number of events in North America alone have almost doubled. And to go along with the conferences, a number of training companies have started to schedule workshops and certification sessions to coincide. This is a good sign, of course, and suggests that the industry is maturing enough for such niche events to succeed.

How Will RFID Affect Jobs?

While RFID is expected to create many jobs and opportunities, this isn't the first time that people have predicted that the use of RFID in the enterprise may affect jobs, namely the loss of them. There are other concerns, such as employees will be affected by process. Amid concerns about how RFID and employees in the retail sector, the ILO (International Labour Organization) met in Geneva earlier this year to discuss the issues. Two reports resulted, one entitled Social and labour implications of the increased use of advanced retail technologies (PDF, 60 pgs). [via The RFID Weblog]

The latter report is split up into 7 main sections:

1. Retail trade: Characteristics, trends and prospects
2. Retail trade: Regional overview
3. Technology and supply chain management
4. Radio frequency identification
5. RFID and commerce
6. Social and labour implications
7. Social dialogue

   

Regions analyzed include the US and North America, the European Union and other parts of Europe, Japan and other Asian countries, and Africa and the Middle East. Included in the report is a discussion of the benefits of RFID, both in pallet-level and case-level tagging, as well as how RFID affects workflow processes.

While the report says that some jobs may be lost, employees could be trained for customer service work. I find this hard to accept, as not everyone is cut out for customer service. Since RFID will make business process workflow more efficient, it's likely that labor needs will be reduced. There will be a shortage of skilled workers in relation to RFID, so employers considering a switch to RFID should consider in advance where they may want to reposition to-be-affected employees, if at all. Retraining may have to be part of the process, which will potentially cut into any profits gained from the use of radio frequency technology - something to be considered.

RFID Roundup - Mon Sep 04/06

CMP Technology RFID Applications Event: Hospital and Healthcare
Washington, D.C., will be hosting a CMP Technology event for RFID in hospitals and healthcare. The event runs Sep 21-22 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City just outside Washington. Areas of application focus include inventory control, identification, supply chain management, and more. Event details and registration instructions are available at RFID World. Other RFID events are listed at RFID World, including RFID Germany (October) and RFID World 2007 Dallas (March 27-29, 2007).

Fast Food, Fast Contactless Payment
It appears that more fast food businesses are accepting payments via RFID-enabled contactless key fobs. My observation is that such key fobs first started being used for payments at gas pumps. Later - or possibly simultaneously - consumers could pay for items in the convenience stores you find at gas stations. Now contactless payment has spread out to other businesses including select Smoothie King and McDonalds stores. Some of these businesses will also be accepting payment with Wells Fargo contactless payment cards.

RFID Industry Acquisitions: Acuity ID and Organic ID
  There have been a number of acquisitions in the RFID industry lately, with more to follow. Barcoding Inc recently purchased Acuity LLC, and forestry products giant Weyerhaeuser bought Organic ID. RFID Ltd is preparing to acquire up to four radio frequency technology companies, none of which have been named yet. Other companies in the industry, such as BEA, are focusing on software acquisitions.

RFID Journal, EPCglobal Canada to host Canadian RFID Summit

RFID Journal and EPCglobal Canada has formed a multiyear partnership to organize an annual RFID conference and exhibition for the Canadian market: The RFID Journal-EPCglobal Canadian RFID Summit. The two days conference will commence on November 8 at the Toronto Congress Centre.

Both the companies assume that the alliance will serve end users, potential end users and providers of RFID hardware, software and services in Canada.

Mark Roberti, founder and editor of RFID Journal stated,   

EPCglobal Canada brings the knowledge of issues unique to Canada and its Canadian members, along with a deep understanding of Electronic Product Code (EPC) standards and the work being done to implement them. RFID Journal brings a broad Canadian audience and the ability to provide top-notch education through face-to-face events.

EPCglobal Canada would educate Canadian companies regarding the potential benefits of RFID technology in retail, manufacturing and supply chain management.

Via: [RFid Journal]

RFID is not a science but an art’, says Neco Can

RFID technology is not a science but an art, the former head of RFID trials at Gap and Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F), Neco Can said at the RFID Networking Forum in London.

The RFID visionary expressed that the latest RFID technology is some how ready for deployment; it requires utmost creativity, support and integration to implement. RFID is a dynamic technology. Nobody can know everything of it but learn gradually by working with it, he adds.

He was the director of Gap’s project management office in 2001. Under his supervision, Gap conducted an RFID pilot that provided an inventory accuracy of up to 99.6 per cent. After involving many RFID projects Can has concluded that RFID projects within a company needs full support at the highest levels of management.

Via rfidjournal

A seminar on 'RFID in Healthcare' on June 27

BlueBean, LLC will organize a free seminar on 'RFID in Healthcare' on 27 June. The seminar will teach medical workers about the use of RFID technology for tracking mobile assets and staff. RFID is a reliable technology applied in the healthcare industry to reduce costs and save time. It can be integrated into a hospital's wireless infrastructure. By this integration, healthcare units track mobile assets as well as staff and patients. Gregg Maggioli who is the president of BlueBean said that the healthcare companies are saving millions of dollars per year by adopting this latest technology. The seminar, which is scheduled on 27 June, will highlight all these things vividly.   

BlueBean has joined hands with PanGo and Cisco to organize the mega event.

via: [RFid News]

MCC starts RFID certificate program

Middlesex Community College is ready to script a history on 8th of this month when it will host a RFID session at its Federal Assembly Room on the Lowell campus, 50 Kearney Square. It is going to start the RFID program for the first time.

The College will enroll students in the RFID certificate program. The certificate program is a better platform for the students to get first hand information about the latest RFID technology, which is being, used in all most all the fields.

Via: [Town Online]

RFID Networking Forum proved purposeful

The sixth bi-annual RFD Networking Forum concluded recently covering a wide range of topics on RFID technology. More than four hundred delegates from different industries participated in the Forum held at the Olympia 2 Conference Centre in London. The delegates led discussions on the implementation of RFID on various industrial purposes.

The May RFID Networking Forum was successful as the European companies got valuable information about the technological implications of RFID, says Nigel Montgomery, head of European Research. The next RFID networking Forum will be held on ninth, November 2006.

Via: [More RFid]

BP, Ford Motor speak out on success of RFID

The latest RFID technology has an edge in the safety, security, sales and inventory management of BP, Ford Motor and other businesses. Curt Smith, the director of application technology of British Petroleum BP views that the RFID technology can track the location of 3,000 workers at BP's Cherry Point oil refinery in Washington. The Active RFID tags are highly essential in oil refinery as it informs whether the workers are in the safe zone or not.

Smith recalls last year's disaster which took 15 lives and injured many more. Smith empathetically tells that tracking technology would have saved the lives in such cases. Smith explained about the Location Aware Safety System (LASS) in Orlando at Mobile and Wireless World (MWW). During the initial stage of the project, around fifty laborers are being tracked. The RFID technology is adopted at four U.S manufacturing plants at Ford Motor. It is used to track parts inventory and vehicles.

Via: [RFID Blog]

RFID Global Partnering Symposium on May 24

The two days RFID Global Partnering Symposium scheduled to commence on May 24 will focus on all the important issues relating to RFID technology. The global RFID trade community taking part in the Symposium at the Olympia 2 Conference Centre in London will discuss on new market opportunity for RFID technology.

The forth coming RFID Global Partnering Symposium is assumed much vital in wake of changing technologies and market condition around the globe. RFID vendors, resellers, consultants, integrators from across Europe, USA, Asia, Africa and Australia are participating to discuss challenges and prospects of RFID technology.

Via rfidresellers

World's first RFID-enabled arcade games

We already reported about RFID@PLAY in one of our earlier columns. Rush Tracking Systems, the company behind RFID@PLAY, claims that RFID@PLAY is the world's first RFID-enabled arcade games. They will demonstrate it during the forthcoming RFID Journal LIVE! 2006 Conference in Las Vegas, from May 1 to May 3.

As of now, you can only enjoy football and golf on RFID@PLAY. We already told you that you would need an RFID-enabled badges to play the games, which you swipe before readers to track yours and others scores.

Rush Tracking Systems has integrated RFID-related solutions from major vendors to develop RFID@PLAY. It uses middleware from BEA systems and RFID tags and interrogators from Symbol Technologies.

Via PRWeb

New RFID conference in Erie on May 31

The Center for eBusiness and Advanced Information Technology (eBizITPA) and the RFID Research Center at Penn State Behrend will run the "RU Ready for RFID?" Conference in Erie, PA on May 31, 2006.

One of the main reasons behind the conference is that everyone expects Generation 2 RFID to be a big hit. Already the Department of Defense and Wal-Mart have announced their acceptance of Gen. 2 RFID tags.  The so-called "RFID mandates" emanating from the big retail chains act as effective catalysts.

Attendees to the conference get a chance to learn about RFID implementation challenges, benefits, and lessons from big RFID users. They can also connect national, regional, and local exhibitors of RFID technology.

For more details, visit the www.ebizitpa.org website.

Via PRWeb

Alien Technology will attend RFID Journal LIVE! 2006

Alien Technology, which provides UHF RFID hardware and services, will demonstrate applications for various industry verticals at RFID Journal LIVE! 2006, accompanied by several of its alliance partners.

Alien Technology will demo throughout the day on May 2 and May 3. The solutions from the company will address the following issues:

- Automatic Reading and Programming of Gen 2 Tags

- EPC-based Electronic Pedigree Solution across a Supply Chain

- Transportation and Logistics Solutions

- Retail Solution for Supply Chain Visibility

Via RFID Journal

RFID Smart Labels USA: Highlights

RfidGazzette already reported about the recently held RFID Smart Labels USA. Around 500 delegates from 31 countries attended the show.

Some highlights from the show:

1.        There is an urgent need for Universal Interrogators that can work at different frequencies.

2.        Gillette's new five-blade razor system, Fusion is reportedly the first product where the manufacturer applied RFID to all the product cases and pallets.

3.        There was a strong interest in strong chipless technologies such as contactless cards. Printed tags also come under this segment.

Via IndustryWeek

The RFID Global Partnering Symposium 2006 to be held in London

The RFID Global Partnering Symposium plans to bring under one roof the complete RFID industry. Everybody who is somebody in the RFID sector, including all major vendors, will attend The RFID Global Partnering Symposium to discuss new market opportunities, alliance partnering, investment funding, research establishment and technological innovation.

The RFID Global Partnering Symposium will take place over a span of two days. It will be held from the 24 to 25 May 2006 at the Olympia 2 Conference Centre in London.

The RFID Global Partnering Symposium will be a one-stop meeting place for RFID vendors, VARS, system Integrators, distributors, resellers and consultants.

Via RFID Solutions Online

RFID Smart Labels USA 2006 is a hit

More than 500 delegates from 31 countries attended the fifth IDTechEx "RFID Smart Labels USA". Organizers of the event say that was the largest RFID event ever. The numbers of attendees went up by more than 20% more compared to 2005. The fifth IDTechEx explored the progress of RFID in a wide range of industries and all new technology developments.

Highlights of the fifth IDTechEx:

-           Peter Harrop conducted a Masterclass on How to Make Money Out of RFID.

-           Plenty Case studies form the likes of Tyson Foods, P & G & Gillette, among others.

-           RFID in China.

Via IDTech EX

First RFID SOLUTIONS EXPO & CONFERENCE will be held in Tokyo

Organized by Reed Exhibitions Japan, the first RIDEX, short for RFID SOLUTIONS EXPO & CONFERENCE promises to gather all kinds of RFID solutions under one roof. RIDEX will be held over three days from June 28 to 30 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan. RIDEX is Ltd.

RIDEX promises to be a must-visit event for system integrators and end-users from all verticals such as manufacturing, distribution, service, retail, apparel, SI, healthcare, government & public, publications, food and more.

Moreover, visitors to RIDEX can get a first hand look at total solutions such as inventory/shipment management, manufacturing management, product traceability, SCM etc. and middleware, RFID/IC tag, reader/writer, printer, Chip, consulting service and other related products (label printer, development tool, module).

Via RFID Solutions Online

London will host RFID Smart Labels Europe 2006

The RFID Smart Labels Europe is Europe’s most established and important RFID show. Now in its seventh annual edition, it will be held in Guoman Tower Hotel in London from 19th to 21st September 2006. Moreover, this event will be held alongside the Active RFID Summit Europe.

This annual event will feature tours to local companies. There will be extensive analysis from users. Innovations and technology developments from around the world will be on display.

All the big names from the retailing and manufacturing industries among other sectors will be present during this event.

Via Electronicstlk

Print your own RFID

You will soon see Printed electronics in a variety of gadgets and tools. Moreover, for obvious reasons, RFID tags will be printed too. All this will be discussed in the conference on Printed Electronics in Churchill College Cambridge, April 20-21.

Siince no single printed display technology will fit all applications, or even most of them, expect to see a variety of printed electronics technology in the market soon.

Analysts estimate that hundreds of billions of printed Radio Frequency Identification RFID labels will be made by 2016. They say that some of this RFID will be printed directly on to products and packaging. You don't need labels.

Via PCB007

TAPPI Boot Camp and RFid Symposium to discuss latest developments in the paper industry

The TAPPI Boot Camp and RFid Symposium to be held from June 6 to 8 would be exploring the latest development in RFid for paper, pulp, packaging and converting industry. The boot camp which is to be conducted on a single day is meant for beginners to RFid and it would be focusing on the fundamentals of the RFid ecosystem.

The two day symposium would comprise of two tracks: one for converting industry personnel and the other for paper industry personnel. Both the events would be conducted at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia.

via [Yahoo]

RFid Journal adds channel education seminar to RFid Journal LIVE! 2006

RFid Journal has added a channel education seminar to its pre conference programs at RFid Journal LIVE! 2006 to be held from May 1 to 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The seminar is meant for systems integrators, distributors and value added resellers who would want to understand how to sell RFid products and services to end users.

The seminar would be providing members of the sales community with vendor neutral content, industry updates, networking opportunities and business tools that would help grow their business. The conference would be featuring more than forty leading early adopters.

via [RFidjournal]

GlobeRanger to exhibit its latest iMotion Edgeware platform with Gen 2 features at the upcoming RFID World conference

GlobeRanger would be exhibiting its latest iMotion Edgeware platform with Gen 2 features at the RFid World Conference to be held from February 27th to March 1st in Texas.

GlobeRanger’s platform is considered to be the most cost effective, flexible and scalable Edgeware solution in the market.

iMotion ensures conformance with the latest EPCglobal standards including ALE 1.0 and TDS 1.27. It gives developers the ability to easily leverage features and functionality of Gen 2 readers and tags while providing comprehensive edge process, infrastructure and data management for enterprise wide multi site global deployments.

via  [MoreRFid]

Dick Cantwell, P&G to address at RFID Journal LIVE, 2006

Dick Cantwell, VP of P&G would be delivering a keynote address on P&G’s EPC Advantaged Strategy at RFID Journal LIVE, 2006. Cantwell would be explaining P&G’s strategy, talk about where and how his company is utilizing EPC and answer questions from the audience and Roberti who would be moderating the session. He would also be explaining how P&G is benefiting from using EPC technologies currently.

"Dick Cantwell has been more than just a leading proponent of EPC technologies; he's been a leader in devising innovative ways to deploy it for real business benefits," says Mark Roberti, founder and editor of RFID Journal. "He completes what is an unprecedented lineup of leading end users who can discuss how RFID is delivering benefits today."

via  [RFidJournal]

ITU has a role to play in developing RFid standards

More than hundred representatives from professional standard bodies attended a recent workshop of the International Telecommunication Union in Switzerland. The purpose of the workshop which was entitled Networked RFid: Systems and Services was to determine the role the ITU needs to take to help assure the successful adoption of RFid and sensor technologies. The workshop was open to all ITI member nations and citizens. The workshop and its findings reinforced the belief of organization that it has a role to play in developing technical standards in order to ensure that the adoption and deployment of RFid networks is widespread and the global communications network would be able to support these standards.

via   [RFidJournal]

FOSE 2006 RFid pavilion to be flocked by Government technologist

In less than a year, every military case, pallet and commodity excluding bulk commodities, explosives and munitions would be required to have a RFid tag. Government technologist would begin their shopping spree in FOSE 2006 RFid Pavilion to be held at Washington DC Convention Center from March 7 to 9. The pavilion would combine educational sessions with live demonstrations to give government buyers a robust experience. FOSE is a forum for government to see new technology products, explore high tech innovation at work and hear from industry and government visionaries. It is celebrating its 30th year as the premier government technology event for state, federal and local government professionals.

via   [PRNewsWire]

Academic event to be hosted by RFid Journal

The second generation RFid Academic Convocation would be held in conjunction with RFid Journal LIVE at MGM Grand Conference Center, Las Vegas on May 1. Research papers would be presented by academics from around the world. The proceeds collected from the event would be used for funding future academic conferences. It is an independent event which is hosted by Auto-ID labs at MIT and is led by a committee which consists of university RFid research directors responsible for academic integrity of proceedings. This event would serve as an opportunity for RFid Journal to support researches being conducted worldwide by bringing together people conducting the research.

via   [RFidJournal]

Tens of millions of dollar investment required in RFid over the next five years

Leading end users and representatives at the RFid Academic Convocation at MIT identified various projects across several industries that would be requiring tens of millions of dollars in investments over the next five years. The areas that would be requiring research funds are micro and nano manufacturing technologies, network protocol standards, innovative bio and material sciences development in packaging and specialized tags for airplane and auto parts. The convocation was meant to identify opportunities for research collaboration with RFid researchers worldwide and define core technology research areas needed to meet industry RFid requirements.

via  [RfidSolutionsOnline]

Live demonstation of RFid to be held at INTERPHEX 2006

INTERPHEX and International RFid Business Association have expanded the RFid solutions demonstration pavilion at the INTERPHEX 2006 to include live demonstrations of RFid equipped package and bottle handling conveyor belt system. The pavilion is a part of the end user education effort by INTERPHEX to introduce show attendees to information about RFid that is pertinent to the needs of the pharma/life sciences marketplace. It would serve as a rare opportunity for professionals to get a first hand chance to see how RFid might operate in a plant or distribution center.

via  [RFidSolutionOnline]

Opening Keynote Address from Texas Instruments and American Express people at RFid World 2006

David Bonalle, VP and GM of Advanced Payments for American Express and Julie England, VP of Texas Instruments would be presenting the opening keynote address at the fourth annual RFid World to be held on 28th February at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas. The event would be kicked off by Ms England that would highlight the dynamic future of both consumer and business applications of RFid as ones that would become digital, secure and personal. On the other hand Mr. Bonalle would be presenting his views on contact less payment which is one of the fastest growing markets for radio frequency technology.

via [Sys-Con]

RFid Journal partners with RFid4U to provide RFid certification training during RFid Journal Live

RFid Journal is partnering with RFid4U to provide Comp TIA RFid+ certification training during RFid Journal LIVE. The conference would be held from May 1 to 3 in Las Vegas. It is a fast track course which would be offering one day of intensive, instructor led training using state of the art RFid equipment. People who complete the course can then take the RFid+ certification examination on either 2nd or 3rd May or can opt for a voucher permitting it to be taken on a later date. This certification has been developed by the Computing Technology Industry Association and it validates a professional’s knowledge and skills in the areas of installation, maintenance and upkeep of RFid systems.

via [RFidJournal]

RFid standards to be discussed at 2006 AIM Annual Showcase and RFid Interactive

Two panel discussions focusing on standards and business impact of automatic identification and data capture technologies would be held at the 2006 AIM Annual Showcase and RFid interactive which would take place at the Hyatt Newport Beach from February 22nd to 24th. Dann Maurno would be leading a discussion of top industry analysts as they share their observations and insights on the development of automatic identification, RFid and mobility technologies during the panel titled ‘Connecting Market Trends to your Business Plan’. Chuck Biss would be moderating a panel discussion titled ’Standards that will Impact Your Business’ and participants in the most active bar code and RFid standard bodies would share their insights on Automatic Identification standards at national, international and application level.

via   [MhMonline]

Apex 2006 to feature Tyco’s reel to reel RFid inlay assembly systems

At the APEX 2006 trade show and exhibition, Tyco Electronics’ Application Tooling Division would be highlighting its exclusive award winning line of reel to reel RFid inlay assembly systems. This RFid line is industry’s first as it is an entire line of flexible systems. The system has many characteristics which includes throughput up to 9,000 cph, a placement system that has repeatability at three sigma and a full 20” wide web process capability. It also features a modular construction which allows for future capacity expansion or changes in the assembly process. It is capable of placing ancillary components such as batteries and tape and reel die placement.

via [EmsNow]

Research projects identified requiring investments at the RFid Academic Convocation

At the RFid Academic Convocation, representatives and end users from academia recognized a number of research projects across several industries that would require tens of millions of dollars of investments over the next five years. The areas identified where research funds are required are network protocol standards, applications for micro- and nano-manufacturing technologies, innovative bio and material sciences development in packaging and specialized tags for airplanes. The event was meant to identify opportunities for collaboration with RFid researchers’ worldwide, draw a road map for market opportunities and technologies and define the core areas required to meet industry requirements.

via [RFidblog]

Large turnout expected at the Annual RFid World

A large turnout is expected at the fourth Annual RFid World to be held from Feb 27 to March 1 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Dallas which would provide new insight on the markets and the trends towards wireless convergence from industry’s leading experts. The conference would cover the broadest range of RFid technologies and markets and would provide companies with in-depth strategies for installing RFid and EPC solutions. The speakers at the show would include experts from the RFid industry. The attendees would also get to know about the networking opportunities and the latest technological innovations at the show.

via [RFid Solutions Online]

TAPPI looking for qualified speakers for the first RFid Symposium

TAPPI is looking for qualified speakers to deliver educational presentations at the first RFid Symposium to be held in Atlanta, Georgia in the month of June. The symposium would be offering opportunities for professionals in the field of paper and converting industries to know more about the latest in RFid technology. Interested speakers are required to submit a session proposal. Ideal speakers would be industry analysts, end users and solution providers with proficiency in RFid applications who can deal with RFid issues related to paper, pulp, packaging and converting industries. The sessions would be of educational nature and would not be used to market anything.

via [UsingRFid]

PLA finds IFC’s privacy guidelines restrictive

The proposal at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio regarding ‘Guidelines for Implementing RFid Technologies in Libraries: Privacy and Intellectual Freedom Concerns’ has come under severe criticism from several representatives of the Public Library Association (PLA) who believe that the draft is too prescriptive. They are of the opinion that the guidelines forbid specific applications. One of the examples quoted from the draft says that libraries should use hardware connections and avoid wireless connections for communications between RFid systems and ILS regarding personally identifiable information. They are against the tone that suggests that privacy and RFid can’t go hand in hand.

via [Libraryjournal]

Fourth annual RFid World conference to be held at Dallas

The fourth annual RFid World would be held from Feb 27 to March 1 at the Gaylord Texan resort in Dallas. It would provide new insights from industry’s leading expert on the market and the trend towards wireless convergence from industry’s leading expert. The RFid world would cover the broadest range of RFid technologies and markets and provide companies with in-depth and practical strategies for deploying RFid and EPC solutions. There would be 185 exhibitors and people would be able to learn more about the technology through case studies in eight breakout tracks and more than forty educational sessions.

Via [Sys-Con]

Smart Labels USA 2006 conference to be held in March

The Smart Labels USA 2006 conference will deal with the current progress in RFid around the world and the opportunities existing in high volume, high value niche markets. There will be two new interactive showcase features at the conference - Spotlight on Asia and Visions of the future. The Visions of the future pavilion will feature RFid in combination with short range communication devices highlighting the application of RFid in the near future. It will serve as knowledge based forum for those who are adopting and implementing RFid based solutions.

via [UsingRFid]

RFid pavilion at Interphex 2006 to highlight latest technologies

New pavilions are being added at Interphex 2006 pharmaceutical conference and exhibition to showcase the increasing globalization of the biopharmaceutical industry and the increasing role of contamination control and RFid. The RFid pavilion will be showcasing latest technologies to prevent counterfeiting, adopting and implementing RFid solution and managing the supply chain. The conference and exhibition will be held from March 21 to 23 at Javits Convention Center in New York.

via   [ControlEngineering]

FDA to conduct a workshop to promote RFID in order to protect patients against fake drugs

The Food and Drug Administration would be conducting a public workshop and vendor display regarding the use of RFID in combating fake drugs. The workshop would be held on 8th and 9th February at Holiday Inn, Maryland. FDA is of the opinion that workshops like these are necessary in order to bring about the necessary co-operation in keeping the drugs safe. The motive of the workshop is to ensure the adoption of RFID throughout American drug supply chain and overcoming obstacles if any.

RFID workshop by the University of Arkansas

According to a report by market research firm Regan, Jacob & Sydney (RJ&S) RFID technology is maturing at a rapid rate. The report states that RFID is moving beyond mandate-driven applications and the process is being helped by the development of standards. The corporate scenario, mergers and acquisitions are also covered by the report.

The University of Arkansas is holding an RFID organization workshop at Fayetteville, from January 24 to January 26. The workshop is for the International Research Consortium for Packaging, Manufacturing and Reliability for Low-Cost RFID and related Integrated SMART Tag Systems, which is a part of the University of Arkansas RFID Research Center. rfidjournal.com reports:

The workshop is open to any commercial, nonprofit, governmental or academic organization involved in RFID.

Read More: RFID News Roundup

RFID workshop by the University of Arkansas

An organizational workshop will be hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville from January 24 to January 26. The workshop is meant for the International Research Consortium for Packaging, Manufacturing and Reliability for Low-Cost RFID and related Integrated SMART Tag Systems. The consortium is intended to foster the development of infrastructure, design and modeling processes for the production of low-cost RFID tags and systems.

3rd Global RFID China Forum

The 3rd Global RFID China Forum was held in Beijing on November 4-5, 2005. The Kerry Centre Hotel in the business district of Beijing hosted the event. China has the potential to contribute a great deal to the development of RFID, especially considering the fact that it is one the most important manufacturing regions in the world. rfidupdate.com reports:

The organizers were very pleased with the response, and all indications are that this event will happen again next spring.

Read More: What Happened at the Global RFID China Forum

RFID Academic Convocation

An RFID Academic Convocation will be held at the Auto-ID Lab of MIT on January 23-34, 2006. Researchers from leading RFID labs and executives from top-level end-user companies will be part of the event. rfidjournal.com reports:

"This is really the first event of its kind," says Stephen Miles, research engineer at the MIT Auto-ID Lab.

Read More: MIT to Host RFID Academic Convocation

RFID Futures Conference

The Sheraton Skyline Hotel in Heathrow, London hosted the RFID Futures Conference on November 7, 2005. The conference threw light on the various RFID applications and services that can potentially alter our very lifestyles. morerfid.com reports:

Bill Thompson's presentation, set in 2025, gave a retrospective look at the impact that RFID technology will have over the next 25 years. The discussion included an eye-opening revelation of the extent to which RFID technology could be used to track and trace people.

Read More: What does the future of RFID look like?

Internet of things

A report released by the International Telecommunications Union at the UN net summit in Tunis states that the changes that will be brought about by increased networking will lead to the development of an "internet of things". ccmsectorinvest.com reports:

"Today, in the 2000s, we are heading into a new era of ubiquity, where the 'users' of the internet will be counted in billions and where humans may become the minority as generators and receivers of traffic."

Read More: UN predicts 'internet of things'

EPCglobal conference at Atlanta

The EPCGlobal RFID conference held in Atlanta saw several products that focused on easy deployment at reduced costs. For example, the AON middleware by Cisco enables RFID event capture and filtering at the edge of the network. The AON middleware can be also be used for data authentication and protocol bridging in the data center. The software, which can execute functions such as outbound encryption, digital signature, etc, starts at $ 16,250.

IBM is providing a hosted offering for the SMB market. The RFID Express hosted offering could well change the dynamics of RFID deployments. The service costs $ 20,000 and clients can draw satisfaction from the fact that IBM already has the experience in servicing SMBs as a part of its endeavor to assist the DoD in its RFID implementation program.

RFID industry conference

The end days of September saw the joint RFID industry conference hosted in Chicago by Baird and AIM Global. The issues discussed included intellectual property, investment, scalability, etc. End users are eagerly awaiting the Gen 2 technology; however, most organizations feel that Gen 2 tags will be available in bulk only by the first half of 2006. According to Pacific Cycle, for companies to obtain a fair ROI the tag prices need to drop further. Each tagged product earns a profit of $ 0.8 – $ 0.10 for Pacific Cycle.

At the conference, Tom Wettach, a top intellectual property attorney, noted that roughly 1,500 RFID patents have been issued since 1997. This suggests that the agreements reached to date with Intermec may only have scratched the surface. Intermec has 151 patents, which represents just 10% of the total patents, implying there is still a lot of IP to consider by the consortium and other entities.

Read More: Summary of Baird RFID Monthly for October

Foremost Executives are to Meet to Discuss RFID Issues

Following directives issued by major retailers, Target and Wal-Mart, and the US Department of Defence several organisations are implementing RFID. While this is proving to be extremely efficient in monitoring supply chains, the technology is a cause of bafflement to most managers. With an object to clarify the issues surrounding the technology, leading executives are gathering at the Chicago Omni Hotel in the first week of October. Larstan Business Reports is producing the two-day conference, which is entitled “RFID: Focus on the Future”. The industry's most brilliant are expected to be at the conference, and it is anticipated that the discussions, that will ensue, will provide in-depth practical knowledge and shatter coventional wisdom. Inside Collin County Business reports:

“RFID: Focus on the Future” will tackle the data management challenges inherent to RFID.

Read more: Executive roundtable to confront RFID challenges

EPCglobal US Conference 2005: The Authoritative Source for RFID Information

A panel of experts from various fields will share their insights on Electronic Product Code (EPC) and RFID implementations at the upcoming EPCglobal US Conference. Scheduled to take place at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, from September 13 to 15, old hand ABC and MSNBC news anchor, Forest Sawyer, will moderate the conference. Mike Meranda, president of EPCglobal US believes that the only way to learn more about EPC and RFID is by interacting with leading individuals in the industry. He further claims that the panelists are the best in their particular fields, and conference attendees will gain valuable tips, apart from indispensable information, which, when applied to supply chains, will generate efficiencies. The EPCglobal US Conference 2005 is indented to be an authoritative source for information regarding EPC, the EPCglobal Network, and emerging global standards. Business Wire reports:

Subscribers, end users, solution providers, and industry leaders are already registering for the conference at a rapid pace. Conference organizers attribute this year's high level of interest to the growth of the EPCglobal US subscriber community, the ratification of new standards such as UHF Gen 2, and the development of new support programs.

Read more: Industry Panelists Named for EPCglobal US Conference

Africa’s Most Comprehensive Transaction and RFID-Focused Event

25 – 28 October
Sandton Convention Centre
Johannesburg, South Africa

In its eleventh successful year, Cards Africa 2005 promises to deliver unique solutions to the African finance, information and communications environment. This event is recognized globally as Africa’s dedicated cards event. The event offers you the only opportunity to get up to speed with developments and innovations in African smart card implementation. Smart cards are experiencing tremendous growth in Africa. New and exciting opportunities for the banking and mobile commerce industries in terms of payments and transactions, m-commerce and value-add applications are dominating the industry.

The smart card is becoming an important tool for enterprises to differentiate themselves from their competition. We are entering a new era in smart card implementation! Smart cards are evolving from being just a secure means of payment to a widespread tool for authentication, security and identity documents, as well as host to a multitude of applications. The smart card market has grown to facilitate the mobile commerce industry globally.

Cards Africa 2005 comes to you together with Africa’s leading RFID conference that will provide the latest information regarding this revolutionary technology.

RFID World Africa 2005 showcases the opportunities that exist by implementing RFID technology in an organisation. Delegates will learn how RFID technology can be implemented to achieve greater labour efficiency and reduce errors, decrease theft by enabling asset tracking, facilitate realtime personnel location, enhance security, improve demand forecasting accuracy while reducing critical order cycle times and improving the supply chain and production times.

The event will attract participation internationally and across the African continent from the following sectors: retail, information technology, security and defence, supply chain management, mining, transport, asset management and manufacturing.

Cards Africa and RFID World Africa are senior-level interactive conferences that offer a Terrapinn experience, which includes:

Speed networking – interesting and efficient in a powerful half an hour networking session, enabling delegates to quickly meet with industry peers.

Interactive round table discussion - time set aside for delegates to meet and discuss issues with relevance to their job functions. Delegates have the option to choose from four different topics with each topic led by an industry chosen expert to lead the discussion.

Interactive panel sessions – each Terrapinn conference offers you interesting interactive panel discussions. The “chat show” style sessions offers you the chance to ask the questions you want answers for! You will not get a better chance to question the leading players in the industry directly. Consider it an unfair advantage.

Networking luncheons – virtually all our lunches are stand up buffets that offer delegates the chance to meet and network with people that they’re particularly interested in, rather than the rather random forced seating offered by seated lunches.

Masterclasses – most Terrapinn conferences feature from one to three Masterclasses. These are one-day training courses, presented by an expert trainer or facilitator, offering a chance to really get to grips with a particular aspect of their industry or responsibility.

For more information, please contact Megan Hainsworth or visit the official event website at http://www.worldofcards.biz/2005/cardsza

Megan Hainsworth
Marketing Manager
Terrapinn Ltd
Megan.hainsworth@terrapinn.co.za
Tel: 011 516 4052
Fax: 011 707 9965

Experts Warn: Don't Put Off Using RFID!

At the GS1 UK EPCglobal RFID Conference today in London, England, experts warned that those hesitant to implement RFID will be drowned by the competition. As one expert explained, waiting to learn from other businesses already utilizing the technology is pointless since most companies will keep their findings a secret. The retail industry as a whole has been eager to adopt the new technology, while other industries lag behind. The push in retail has largely come from Walmart which has required implementation of the technology from all its suppliers. The pharmaceutical industry thus far has not had the same drive. It is just now getting its feet wet with trial runs of the RFID technology. Chris Adcock, president of RFID standards body EPCglobal, explains the time is now. According to Silicon.com:

"There is no plug-and-play solution," he told delegates. "One thing that you learn from the companies that are the most advanced in the use of this technology is that the size of the benefit often tracks with the amount of work done to find it... [that means] heavy lifting and hard work but there's gold at the end of the rainbow."

Read more: RFID: Wait and the Competition will Thrash You

Pharma Secure Chain

Strengthening the End-to-End Integrity of Your Supply Chain against Counterfeiting, Diversion and Product Loss

July 25-27, 2005 – Sheraton University City Hotel – Philadelphia, PA

Paul Saffo Predicts RFID's Biggest Impact Lies In Surprising Implementations

RFID Journal reports that RFID has great potential to have a large impact on both the business and personal markets. While such technology has been labeled to radically change the way goods and services are tracked, certain individuals warn that such change takes time. Paul Saffo, research director for the Institute for the Future, is one such individual. At the RFID LIVE! convention, he stressed that RFID vendors and early adopters should look for opportunities in the businesses and applications that RFID can enable. RFID Journal writes:

Saffo predicts that RFID will let us do old things in new ways. One of the first areas where we might see this is at the consumer level, with applications such as self-checkout; RFID will make the process much easier to use than current ones that use bar codes. And as more items are tagged, he predicts that the physical shape of the modern department store will change. "I think we're going to see people saying, 'Hey, we don't need folks up at the front anymore.' It's going to change the whole shape, and feel and size of retail organizations," Saffo said. "My guess is that in 20 years, stores will not look like stores."

Read more: RFID and the Media Revolution

CeBIT Convention A Hotbed For RFID

The world’s largest technology fair saw its fair share of telecom and technology companies this past week. The theme of this years CeBIT convention was next-generation hardware and applications. Radio Frequency Identification was a key topic at the convention, with many companies exploring the ways RFID implementation can help business. One such company is AIS's Future Lab, who is looking extensivly into the technology. It will be interesting to see how RFID will change the shipping industry over the next ten years. The amount of RFID news on the web can only be a sign of things to come. The Bangkok Post writes:

Other companies are also working on forklift readers. International Paper developed a system with Matrics Inc. (now part of Symbol Technologies) that uses readers on clamp trucks to track rolls of paper in one of its facilities. Additional readers on the truck use a grid of tags buried in the facility floor for location tracking. The company is able to not only locate specific rolls of paper, but also evaluate material flow through the facility.

Read more: Wireless products spotlighted at world's largest IT fair

IQPC Hosts RFID, Tracking & Barcoding for Hospitals Conference

The 2nd Annual RFID, TRACKING & BARCODING FOR HOSPITALS:
Innovative Solutions for Reducing Medical Errors, Increasing Patient Safety and Improving Processes

January 24-26, 2005 * Green Valley Ranch Resort * Las Vegas, NV

****************************************************

At this must-attend event you will learn how to implement tracking, barcoding, and RFID technology to achieve greater efficiency, increase patient safety, and maximize your ROI.

You'll also get the most timely and relevant updates on how you will be affected by the new FDA mandates on barcodes, and the safety goal of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) to further expedite the process of RFID implementation in healthcare.

BENEFIT FROM CASE STUDY PRESENTATIONS PROVIDING PRACTICAL AND FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE INTO:
- Quickly and accurately filling requests and repackaging individually barcoded products
- Data and voice communications capabilities of UWB for today's HIPAA environment
- Today's Auto-ID investment foundations for the future
- Utilizing barcoding to improve patient safety
- Real-time asset restocking and replenishment
- Enhancing the quality of care with these technologies
- Benefits of RFID tagging medical equipment
- Improving processes by analyzing and capturing relevant data

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES AND EXAMPLES FROM:
Vanderbilt Children's Hospital + North Bronx Healthcare Network + Massachusetts General Hospital + Sisters of Mercy Health System + Fleet Hospital Support Office + Bon Secours Richmond Health System + Beloit Memorial Hospital + HIMSS + EPCGlobal US + Mercy Management + Parco Merged Media + Radianse + RFID Solutions + EPC Group + Symbol Technologies + Pan-Pacific RFID Solutions + Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM)

For more information and to register please visit http://www.iqpc.com/na-2149-02/1010 - Please mention code IT04.

Former Malaysian PM to address RFID conference

Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, is to address political and industry leaders meeting to discuss Asian developments in the field of radio-frequency tagging. Commonly referred to as RFID or Smart Labels, this simple but far reaching technology is the focus of Smart Labels Asia 2004, a conference on 10-11 November in Tokyo, Japan.

Drawing on his success as Premier, Dr Mahathir will explain how RFID is vital for Asian development. A cornerstone of the Malaysian government’s hi-tech vision, RFID tags on Malaysian passports and national ID cards have increased security and ease-of-use.

RFID Journal, NCSC to Host Homeland Security RFID Seminar

The National Cargo Security Council is teaming up with the RFID Journal to offer a seminar that will address how RFID can be a solution for supply chain and homeland security threats. The seminar will be held December 5-7 at the Long Beach, California Hilton.

According to the press release from Business Wire:

The comprehensive program features 22 world-renowned experts from international manufacturers and shippers, leading consultancies and universities, government and law enforcement agencies, as well as RFID software and hardware providers.

Speakers are confirmed from a wide range of organizations such as Target Corp., International Paper, Hasbro, Starbucks, Hutchison Port Holdings, Stanford University, Deloitte, AIDC100, RFID Journal and Savi Technology, including many others.

Attendees will visit the Port of Long Beach for a half-day tour and to see how RFID-enabled solutions are being deployed in an innovative, real-time system to track trucks entering and exiting terminal facilities. Early on, consenting attendees will be "RFID tagged" and, at a post-seminar report, learn where they have been during the two days of the program.

Read more: NCSC and RFID Journal Co-Host World's First Major RFID Seminar on How RFID Addresses Supply Chain and Homeland Security Threats

UCLA RFID Middleware to be Demonstrated

UCLA's Wirleless Internet for the Mobile Enterprise Consortium, will demonstrate an RFID middleware application at the radio frequency identification conference to be held on campus on October 12.

According to InformationWeek:

Chi-Cheng (Peter) Chu, senior researcher at the consortium, says the middleware runs on a distributed system based on Web services and built on a Microsoft .Net framework, allowing the middleware management application to be distributed to more than one device.

The middleware is designed to run on servers hosting supply-chain or warehouse-management applications to assess and process the RFID data. The application also is being adapted for medical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the Department of Defense.

Read more: UCLA Develops RFID Middleware

Almost Half of North American Executives Expect High ROI from RFID Investments

According to internetnews.com:

"As the technology improves and business cases become clearer, nearly half of North American manufacturing executives expect a high return-on-investment from radio frequency identification projects, a new study from the consulting firm Accenture finds.

"The relatively upbeat outlook is largely due to progress in addressing stumbling blocks that have threatened to delay adoption of RFID and electronic product codes, the underlying system of identifying an item's manufacturer, product category and serial number.

"'Global standards will be in place in the not-too-distant future,' said Lyle Ginsburg, managing partner for technology innovation at Accenture, in a keynote address at IDC's RFID Update conference here this morning." Read more

Manhattan Associates to Host RFID Summit in Cambridge, England May 19

Keynote speakers at the convention will include Nigel Montgomery of AMR, Dr. Duncan McFarlane of the Centre for Distributed Automation and Control, Eric Peters of Manhattan Associates, Stephen Proud of Accenture and Andrew Berger of Alien Technologies.

Yahoo! Finance reports:

"Manhattan Associates, Inc., the global leader in providing supply chain execution (SCE) solutions, is hosting a one day executive leadership summit on Radio Frequency Identification next week in Cambridge, England. The conference, entitled, 'The RFID-Enabled Supply Chain' will bring together RFID key market, industry and educational leaders to host a variety of RFID educational sessions and demonstrate Manhattan Associates' RFID technology at the Cambridge University Centre for Distributed Automation and Control. More than 60 attendees are expected at this elite event, held on May 19."

EPCglobal to Hold RFID Conference September 28-30

TMCnet reports:

"EPCglobal US(TM) will host EPCglobal US Conference 2004 to be held in Baltimore, Maryland at the Baltimore Convention Center, September 28-30, 2004. More than one thousand supply chain leaders are expected from many industries, including pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods, healthcare, technology, and defense-related industries.

"'EPCglobal and the use of Radio Frequency Identification technologies are transforming the way businesses around the world operate,' said Dicki Lulay, President, EPCglobal US."

Acsis to Hold RFID Symposium May 5

Speakers at the Acsis Symposium on May 5 at the Radisson Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia include executives from Ross Products (a division of Abbott Laboratories), John Fontanella of AMR Research, Brian Higgins of BearingPoint and David Lowe of VeriSign.

WirelessIQ reports:

"Based on its work providing software solutions and implementing RFID systems for leading pharmaceutical and consumer products companies, Acsis is bringing together some of its customers, partners and industry analysts to share insights with attendees on how to best meet these initiatives while deriving business benefits and supply chain efficiencies.

"'As RFID accelerates through the world's supply chains, companies are still struggling with privacy concerns, implementation and integration issues and the quest for ROI,' said Steven G. Selfridge, president and CEO of Acsis. 'The RFID Symposium agenda and speaker roster is tailored to address these concerns and help attendees turn a compliance undertaking into a business and competitive advantage.'"

RFID World Conference Opens

According to Yahoo! Finance:

"Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) mandates made by Wal-Mart and the U.S. Department of Defense take center stage at RFID World 2004, April 21-22, at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Denver. In its second year and already the largest U.S.-based RFID conference, RFID World offers solutions to companies looking for a solid business case for RFID implementation and looking for answers to technology challenges. Shorecliff Communications has assembled leading experts in a number of industries who are available to speak with the media on practical, in-depth strategies for deploying RFID and EPC solutions within the following topics." Read more

RFID World Convention April 21-22

PR Newswire:

"Shorecliff Communications, a leading producer of technology conferences, trade shows, magazines and Web sites, today announced the conference agenda and speaker lineup for the Second Annual RFID World, April 21-22, at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Denver, Colorado. Featuring keynotes from Texas Instruments Inc. and Microsoft Corporation, the program is devoted to assisting companies in all industries with practical, in-depth strategies for deploying RFID and EPC solutions."

Additional companies attending include BearingPoint Inc., Checkpoint Systems Inc., Delta Airlines, GlobeRanger Corporation, International Paper, Manhattan Associates, Matrics, Inc., McKesson Corporation, RedPrarie Corporation, Retail Forward, Inc., Savi Technology, PeopleSoft, Inc., Provia Software, Sun Microsystems, and VeriSign, Inc.

Emmitt Smith, the NFL's all-time leading rusher, will be the featured guest speaker. Smith will discuss how RFID technology is used to verify authenticity of sports memorabilia.