We have all heard and witnessed that RFID has not exploded onto the scene like initially predicted.  It has seen steady growth but no big breakthroughs...why?

We need to look back a couple of years and look at the market in 2003.  Proprietary RFID equipment (RFID Readers and RFID Tags) were being sold in small quantities but obviously no company was going to invest a large amount of money in proprietary RFID hardware - result: no market movement

In 2005 the EPCglobal Gen 2 standard was passed. Finally the RFID market would explode...wrong. It took most of this year to get the Gen 2 compliant RFID equipment into the hands of integrators and early adapters.  Intermec was claiming it owns the RFID patents and wants everyone to pay royalties - result:unsteady market and only pilot programs

In 2006 the results are being published of tests performed with the first release of  Gen2 compliant RFID Readers and RFID Tags.  The test results are not spectacular.  Wal-Mart slows its roll-out plans - result: slow market growth

In 2007 (of late 2006) the second generation of RFID Hardware was released. Performance was much  improved  and  prices have dropped for both readers and tags - result: closed loop applications have become more common

In 2008 what will happen? The performance of RFID equipment is excellent for pallet and case applications.  RFID Tag and Reader prices have dropped and are very affordable.  Performance is good enough for item level applications to be considered.  What is the key to unlock the door that is holding back the RFID market?  One word...Volume!  If you talk to any of the RFID chip companies (i.e. Alien, Impinj...).  They need volume to drive down prices.  It is no longer an issue of technology it is an issue of economies of scale.  They need volume to drive down tag prices thus making item level applications (pharma, clothing ...) become cost justifiable. Wal Mart, DoD and other retailers need to keep the pressure on and the FDA needs to mandate that all drugs sold in the United States be serialized with a RFID tag. 


Wow!  Looking back on what I just wrote I was only planning on writing a quick post but I really got into this topic:)

As Americans, we all remember 9/11 too well.  The great thing is that the Freedom Tower is now being built where the Twin Towers once stood.  And, did you know that RFID is an integral part of that building process?

 

Active RFID tags are being placed in the concrete foundation so that the builders can monitor the concrete’s complicated curing process. Different grades of concrete are being used in the Tower and each cures differently.  And, the concrete must be cured before it can bear a load.  For some types of concrete and curing process can take weeks.

 

Prior to the use of RFID tags being placed in the concrete, mathematical models were used and they unfortunately had a high error margin so builders would err on the side of caution and let the concrete sit longer to make sure it was definitely cured.  Now, a handheld reader is used to read the tags and make sure the concrete is ready.

 

Another cool use of RFID!  So, now when you visit the Freedom Tower in NYC you’ll know that RFID was an integral part of its construction.  God Bless America!

 

 

Did you know that in many countries, RFID is being used on vehicle license plates in order to ensure drivers are registering their cars appropriately?

 

It’s true.  These systems are called electronic vehicle registration (EVR) or electronic vehicle identification (EVI).  How does it work?  RFID tags are embedded in decals on windshields or license plates.  Then, RFID readers are set up at intersections and officials can even use handheld RFID readers when they make a traffic stop.  The system allows these countries to make sure that the vehicles are insured, the registration is up to date and any taxes or fees are up-to-date.

 

And, according to the RFID Journal, “Another potential benefit of deploying EVR and EVI systems is their ability to count the number of cars that drive on a particular roadway during a specified period of time. Many cities worldwide have increasing levels of traffic, but were not designed to accommodate vehicles.”

 

RFID’s use is indeed widespread.  What do you think?  Should the US consider a similar program?  Let me know your thoughts!

While BlueBean mainly focuses on EPCglobal Gen2 RFID applications and some active RFID solutions the recent announcement from Hitachi about a new  RFID Powder is very interesting.  Leveraging the semiconductor  industry advances in manufacturing smaller and smaller IC's Hitachi has managed to strip out all unnecessary circuits to create the smallest RFID tag - .05 x.05 mm - WOW!

Their target market is mainly financial - anti-counterfeit - bonds, currency...

You could easily see where this technology could be embedded in different paper products.  Legal companies, accounting companies and hospitals could take advantage of having RFID tags in every piece of paper.  These organizations all face mountains of paperwork. 

What about the jewelry industry?  Another great opportunity for "Powder" RFID Tags.

It will be interesting to see what form factor the RFID Readers will take to read these little RFID tags.

Hitachi says the RFID Power will be commercially available in 2-3 years.

Let’s talk now about how RFID is being used to improve healthcare and how RFID can be used in hospitals.

 

The RFID technology allows verification of the patient and procedure as well as surgical site.  This can be verified pre-op and in the operating room.

                        

We hear about it on the news all to often that the surgeon performs an operation on the wrong appendage or even performs the wrong operation. 
This use of RFID technology would eliminate any confusion.  This is good news for people like you and me.  Now, the question is, does your hospital use RFID at all?  You may want to check into it!

 

And, by the way, if your hospital doesn’t currently use RFID, BlueBean has great solutions for healthcare systems looking to use RFID in their facilities.  To find out more, check out RFIDHealthcare.com.

The moment of truth is close in determining the winner of the battle for the RFID pharmaceutical market.  While the FDA has not and probably will not back one frequency or technology over another California's ePedigree mandate will provide the market with the de facto standard UHF or HF.  California's 2009 ePedigree mandate for all drug packages coming into the state explicitly requires package serialization...can you say RFID?  All of the major drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, McKesson and Cardinal Health are scaling up to met the mandate.  The distributors, while they will not declare the winner being UHF or HF, are either testing both HF and UHF or only UHF - another sign UHF will probably win.

The impact of using RFID tags at the item level for the pharmaceutical market will finally provide the hockey stick demand curve the industry has been waiting for.  So all of us in the RFID business will be watching the success or failure of the RFID California mandate very closely.

I would like to reference a very good article on this topic of UHF vs. HF (California RFID Mandate).  The performance of RFID Readers and RFID Tags as well as the cost seems to be in favor of UHF so it will interesting to see who will win.

Looking for just the right gift for Valentine's Day for the technology-savvy person in your life?  Well, check out your local Ford dealership...they now have trucks available with RFID to keep track of your tools and other assets!

According to RFIDUpdate, The newest mobile RFID reader is more than six feet wide, 17 feet long, weighs a few thousand pounds, and is known more for its horsepower than its MHz. Ford's popular F-150 pickup trucks are now available with an RFID reader integrated in the bed to monitor cargo. ...Ford Work Solutions is a series of software and services for vehicle, worker, and asset management. It is targeted to contractors and other customers who use their vehicles for work. The applications rely on an in-dash computer now offered as an option for 2009 model year F-150 and F-Series Super Duty pickups and E-Series vans....Customers receive a supply of specially designed Gen2 RFID tags to apply to the tools, toolboxes, containers, or other items they want to track.

So, how cool is that?  Your truck can actually track your assets for you and before you leave a site you can check to make sure you have everything you came with!

If this is a little out of your price range, remember that flowers, cards and chocolate work well too!  Happy Valentine's Day.

It seems I hear less and less each week about how High Frequency (HF) is the best frequency for item level tagging. As near field UHF (Ultra high frequency) continues to mature one by one the advantages and myths continue to disappear. 

1. UHF RFID tags are affected by liquids

• UHF far field is affected by liquids - TRUE
• UHF near field is affected by liquids - FALSE
• UHF near field not only works on water but in water!

2. UHF RFID tags won't work on tags in close proximity

• UHF Gen 2 singulation and anti-collision algorithms are superior to HF protocols - TRUE
• UHF can read >1000 tags/sec - TRUE
• UHF has more reliable reads on large tag populations - TRUE

Stay turned for at least one more posting in this series on HF vs. UHF.  If you are interested in experimenting with near field technology you can contact BlueBean or if you are ready to purchase a RFID Reader or RFID Kit you can go line at www.rfidsupplychain.com

As I mentioned in my previous blog about the million dollar question, "How far will it read?", two of the factors are the reader and antennas (and remember we are discussing passive RFID).

Passive UHF RFID readers can affect the read range depending on the manufacturer and the power level.  In the US, FCC regulations cap the output power at 4 watts, whereas in Europe it is only 1 watt.  There are studies available for purchase that detail the testing results of readers and antennas in a controlled, RF-friendly environment.  These are appropriate for general guidelines, but each environment is different and a reader that did not test at #1 in the study may be the better one in your environment.

Passive UHF RFID antennas can also affect the read range depending on the manufacturer, the type of polarization and the gain.  Antennas can be either linearly polarized or circularly polarized.  When the direction of the electric field is in one plane, it is called "linear polarization".  When the direction of the electric field is rotated around the axis of propagation, it is called "circular polarization".  Linear polarized antennas will provide a longer read range as compared to circular.  Also, an improvement in antenna gain is achieved by focusing the radiated RF into narrower patterns for the purpose of increasing the power in a specific direction.  In general, the higher the gain the longer the read range. 





My next post will cover how RFID tags affect the read range.

 

Contrary to Tina Turner, frequency like love has everything to do with it.  RFID technologies operate at many frequencies, but I will only cover the most common passive ones here:  low-frequency (125 MHz), high-frequency (13.56 MHz) and ultra high-frequency (860-960 MHz).

Low-frequency (LF) passive solutions operate around 125 MHz, use less power and are less susceptible to liquids.  Read ranges are in inches.

High-frequency (HF) passive RFID solutions operate around 13.56 MHz, use more power and are less susceptible to metals.  Read ranges are at most a few feet.

Ultra-high-frequency (UHF) passive RFID solutions operate between 860-960 MHz (depending on the country), uses the most power of the three and are less likely to pass through materials.  The data transfer rate is faster than LF and HF and the read ranges can be as high as 30 feet or more.

As you can see, frequency plays a role in determining the read range of a solution.  Next time I will continue with the role the reader and antennas play.

Now that we know all of the components of the RFID system, don't you wish you could simply order one kit that contains all of the pieces you need to RFID-enable your system?

Well, BlueBean has done just that for any company looking for Dock Door Kits.  These kits can be ordered with components from the top RFID manufacturers including Alien, Impinj, Intermec, Motorola and Omron.

BlueBean's Dock Door kits include the following:

• portal
• reader
• power supply
• antenna
• cables
  
  
  It couldn't be easier!  The portal uses T-slot technology for easy assembly and modifications and needs only one simple hand tool to assemble (this is included).  In addition, adjustable antenna brackets allow users to optimize antenna placement.
  
  Wow...did you ever imagine RFID could be so easy?  I'll tell you more soon...stay tuned!

We've talked about many of the RFID system add-ons that enhance the performance of the system.  Now, let's talk about RFID printers.

 

The coolest thing that RFID printers do, at least from this non-techie's point of view, is that they can encode the RFID information, print a barcode AND include human-readable information as well! 

 

The cool thing for rest of the world is that these printers provide a label that can be read essentially anywhere...whether by an RFID reader, a barcode scanner or even, dare I say it, ME!

 

This is a great add-on for companies that must use different types of encoding depending on where they are shipping their goods.   See, now if RFID actually stood for Really Fun Irish Dancing, you'd  be missing out on all of this great information.

 

Stay tuned for more RFID add-ons...guess what some companies decided to do?  Put all the components together in an RFID kit.  We'll talk about those soon...

This is a three part series covering the three main pieces to an RFID system: 

Three main Components:

Hardware (1/3)     
Middleware (2/3)     
Back - End Software (3/3)

Middleware (2/3):     {Getting the Tag ID and Reader info. to your system}

All systems need to be equipped with a middleware application.  Middleware is software that talks to the RFID readers.  It is this application that bridges the RFID system.  The middleware connects the reader to possible back - end software , while managing the system data and business logic

Most middleware programs are add - ons to an application server. 

“An application server (or app server) is a component-based product that resides in the middle-tier of a server centric architecture. It provides middleware services for security, state maintenance, along with data access and persistence.”          (Courtesy of Barry and Associates)

Price becomes a factor when choosing the right middleware to use.  Larger companies who are already using advanced applications may be able to find an add-on or tool-kit for their system; however, a smaller company may need to look into the open-source market.

Integrating the RFID middleware is an extensive project that may require software solution consulting.



A few examples of RFID middleware apps. (* signifies open source)

** Blue Bean offers RFIDSimpleware which is an easy way to connect quickly and effectively to your RFID reader, they can further deliver middleware needs as required **

SunRFID* - Sun Microsystems 
Microsoft - Biz Talk  - Article Covering Business Aspects
Oracle* 
IBM Websphere
Singularity*

Wow, we have covered lots of ground on the different parts of the RFID system the additional components.  Now, let's talk about software.

RFID software makes reading and retrieving the tag data easier.  Products like BlueBean's RFIDSimpleware, which comes in a few different version for different readers, allows you to easily retrieve tag data without having to write any code yourself (hey, is that perfect for us non-techies or what?)

Other software, such as Integral RFID's Hotspot assists the user in determining the best place to place the tag on your products to optimize readability.

Once again, although not a necessary component of the RFID system, it certainly can make RFID implementation easier.

Stay tuned for more non-techie RFID talk coming to a blog near you soon!

We’ve talked about the necessary components of the RFID system – the reader, tags and antenna.  Now, let’s talk about some other components that enhance this system.  First, the RFID Portal.

 

The RFID portal is commonly placed around doorways, dock doors and conveyors.  Many portals come complete with the reader and antenna which are mounted on the portal.   When the tagged items pass through the portal, the RFID antenna reads the tags and sends the info to the reader (sound familiar).

 

Portals make it easy to RFID-enable shipping and receiving functions in a company and allow companies to easily track assets.  Another great component for finding the blue bean!

 

Ready for software?  We’ll talk about it next time…in non-techie lingo of course!

This is a three part series covering the three main pieces to an RFID system: 

Three main Components:

Hardware (1/3)     
Middleware (2/3)     
Back - End Software (3/3)


Hardware (1/3):
The hardware is the RF - analog side to the RFID system.  It is here where the tag information will be read and sent to the interrogator for analysis.

Readers:

Readers handle the tags and also manage the power, number of reads, and also I/O's that may be added to the system.

Readers come in many flavors and the right reader is a preference to the application’s needs.

- - An ALIEN 9800 reader is being used for my RFID project - -

Tags:

There are many ways to read and represent an RFID tag, and the technology continues to grow and advance.  The fundamental ways to read a tag is to have the tags passively or actively perform.  The active tag is equipped with an internal power source as to transmit who it is when it is needed.  The passive approach may use power from the reader, or could also manipulate the readers signal as to distinguish its identity.  Class 1 Generation 2 tags are a newer more secure class for tagging.

- - Class 1 Generation 2 is being used in the project - -

Antennas:

Antennas are what send and receive the RF information.  Most systems use at least two antennas to handle the transmitting and receiving.  The pattern of the antennas transmission and reception is design to get the most reads for the amount of power being used; providing the largest reception band possible.  The most popular pattern is a circular pattern, to create a spherical zone of interrogation.

The RFID Antenna is the last of the three necessaray components (the other two we already discussed -- the RFID reader and the RFID tag).

To put it simply, the RFID antenna is what "connects" the tag to the reader.  When a tag passes by the reader it is the antenna that transmits the tag's signal to the reader.

There are a few different types of antennas.  Linear antennas are used if the tags always pass by the reader in the same way.  Circular antennas are used if the orientation of the tag cannot be controlled.

So, now we have covered the three necessary components of an RFID system.  We'll talk about some other add-on components such as RFID portals, software and RFID printers in upcoming blogs.

Tag...you're it!  Gotcha...now read on to find out about RFID tags....

As we talked about previously, the RFID reader is needed in order to read the individual RFID tags.  An RFID tag is placed on each object that needs to be tracked, just as a barcode is placed on items.

However, RFID tags can hold a lot more information than a barcode.  RFID tags can track each individual item whereas a barcode is the same on every similar bottle of shampoo.  So, with RFID tags you can track down to a specific item (remember, that's the bluebean!)

Once the RFID tag passes by the reader (antennas and portals are key to this process too...we'll cover those soon!), the tag's data is sent to the reader.  Each tag's unique ID is it's individual "finger print" and this is what gives RFID an edge over barcodes.

Make sense?  Good...now stay tuned for more on the role of the RFID portal and the RFID antenna.

Alien Technology has recently introduced what they call a game changer when it comes to RFID Readers.  They introduced the ALR-9650, a single Gen2 reader with an integrated antenna. They introduced a very different form factor then what we expect from RFID readers.  Typical readers have four or eight antenna ports and cost $1500-$2000 each and if you add in one antenna it would cost an additional $200.  The ALR-9650 is a single unit that is a reader and antenna which makes it perfect for single read point applications. Just in case you need a two read point reader it allows for a second external antenna.  The ALR-9650 can be purchased for around $850.

The ALR-9650 takes up little space; at only 9 inches square it uses less than half the real-estate of a typical reader and antenna system. This unit is nice to use in applications where the reader is visible to the consumer or general public since there are no antenna cables and is rather stylish. Colleges and universities could create cost effective labs for students to get some hands on experience.

Alien has again shown that it can compete against the big RFID hardware suppliers such as Motorola and Intermec.  They continue to innovate and are quicker to the market with innovative products like the ALR-9650.


.

Invariably, every discussion about an RFID solution comes down to the same question:  How far will I be able to read the tag?  And, of course, everyone expects a quick and reliable answer.  For those of us that deal with RFID every day, we know that this seemingly innocuous question is anything but. 

For passive RFID (where the tag does NOT have its own power source), there are many variables that affect the read distance including:

• the frequency of the RFID hardware 
• the RFID reader 
• type of antenna 
• placement of antenna 
• type of tag 
• placement of tag 
• item being tagged 
• what the item is made of 
• what the items contains 
• the packaging around the item 
• presence of metal 
• presence of liquids 
• temperature 
• humidity 
• other RF interference 

You get the picture.  It is easy to now see why there is no exact answer to this question without testing in your envirornment.  In following posts, I will discuss some of these points in additional detail.