|
 Hello
again for another issue of the High Tech AIDCourier. I hope you are
finding this newsletter of interest. We have again grown the content this
month to cover some new areas of interest to some of our readers. I am
trying to provide a variety of information that affects the AIDC
community, but if there is something you want to learn more about, don't
hesitate to drop me a note at
steve@hightechaid.com.
I will try to find the information you need.
But of course, newsletters are not all we are about here
at High Tech AID. Striving to provide education and training in the AIDC
world as well as marketing advise and expertise, along with a strong
standards background we stand ready to serve all your needs. Contact us at
steve@hightechaid.com
to find out how to solve your problem.
The readership of this newsletter is growing with every
issue. We encourage you to pass this issue on to your friends and
colleagues. The subscription information is on the last page.
If you received this newsletter, but you are not yet a
subscriber, then see the "Fine Print" at the end for details on
subscribing.
If you are looking for more opinions about the AIDC
industry then check out "Scan, The Data Capture Report". This
newsletter is available twice a month and includes a monthly column from
me on technical issues. This month I update the readers on the RFID
Standards world and progress towards publication. For info visit: http://www.hightechaid.com/scandcr.htm
If the links in the newsletter appear to be broken, then
copy and paste the full link in your browser. We have had a problem with
this in past issues, but they should all be fixed now as we have changed
our PDF conversion program. I have also updated all the old issues on the
web site to fix the link problem, so feel free to download new copies if
you want at: http://www.hightechaid.com/newsletter/aidcourier_archive.htm
If you have a topic to cover, a point to make, or even
just a comment on how we are doing, then send it to news@hightechaid.com.
â A new section starting
in this issue will be my chance to talk about an issue that is taking some
of my time. This month we are going to talk about RFID standards and the
confusion that is out there.
Those of you who subscribe to "Scan, The Data
Capture Report" (see from the editor's desk for subscription
details) will have seen my section on the proliferation of standards in
RFID. To summarize I mention the work being done in SC31, INCITS T6, ISO
TC104, 122, and others, UPU, AIAG, MH10, and some other groups including
MIT Auto-ID Center.
This proliferation of work can be confusing to the person
who just wants to know that their system will meet today's standards and
that they won't have problems with compatibility and supply in the future.
The technology standards have been (or are being) created
by INCITS T6 (in the ANSI INCITS 256 standard) and ISO/IEC JTC1/SC31 (in
the ISO 18000 series as well as 15963 and 15962). These groups have
effectively created a group of standards that can be referenced by anyone
creating an application standard. If you are looking for equipment to
conform to a standard then these are the ones you should look for.
On the applications front, there will probably be many
standards which will address specific applications and how to use RFID.
The AIAG standard for tires and the ANSI MH10.8.4 standard for Returnable
Containers are two excellent examples of applications standards.
Many of you will have followed the work of GTAG and no
doubt you now realize that they have stopped their work on a new
technology standard and have stated that they will support ISO 18000 part
6. They will now concentrate on the application side of the work. This was
a very positive step for the marketplace as it remove another
"competing" technology standard.
My focus in the Scan article was the fact that the MIT
AutoID Center are trying to create another competing standard? In the July
12 issue of Scan we read that "… Vendors
will have to contribute their IPs to the MITAIDC member pool, where their
technologies will be incorporated into the MITAIDC open standard. RFID
manufacturers will either comply or simply go away."
This is the kind of statement that has everyone wondering
what is going on. Far from "open", you have to pay to play in
the Auto-ID Center work, many people are interested to know where is this
"standard"? Why are MITAIDC trying to re-invent something that
is reaching a conclusion as ISO 18000, a series of open standards for all
RFID frequencies? When will we see cooperation among all these
organizations which will allow everyone to use a common product?
A first step in bridging the communications gap was made
last week as a select group of RFID manufacturers were invited to meet
with the Center to discuss a commonality of needs. The meeting was
reportedly a reasonable first step (the minutes are not available as I
write this), but there seems to be more steps needed to bring the Center
into the fold, especially where air-interface standards are concerned.
If these issues bother you, then drop me a note at steve@hightechaid.com
and I will add your comments to mine.
â Standards are something
we live with every day, but in the past we have seen numerous groups
creating standards for the same thing. This has been especially in
evidence when you look to the military arena. Until recently the military
created their own standard for everything they used. This has taken a
change for the better in the past couple of years as the military have
adopted the voluntary consensus standards developed by groups like ISO
instead of creating their own.
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of
1995 (P.L. 104-113:1996) ( http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/210/nttaa/nttaa.htm)
encourages state and federal agencies to rely upon voluntary consensus
standards and conformity assessment programs whenever possible.
Now we see a move by US law makers to encourage this even
further. A bipartisan group led by F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and John
Conyers (D-MI) have introduced new legislation, the Standards Development
Organization Advancement Act of 2001,(H.R. 4849)( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.04849:)
intended to ease the process of standards development by private
organizations.
As an indication of the importance of standards, it is
estimated that approximately 80% of all global merchandise trade is
affected by standards and by regulations that embody standards. There are
more than 28,000 standards maintained by the (ISO) International Standards
Organization and the (IEC) International Electrotechnical Commission and
recognized as international standards worldwide.
â And you thought that
technology was safe to use? In an example of a how Intellectual Property
claims can cause havoc in the technical community, last month we heard how
a small Texas videoconferencing company has shaken the technology world.
Forgent Technologies announced that it has a patent that covers key
aspects of the JPEG data-compression technology that is used heavily in
world of computer graphics.
With the patent due to expire in 2004, many are
questioning why the company did not step forward before. However, with
Sony Corp. already paying royalties, the case looks strong, and ISO are
considering withdrawing the published standard. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26339.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/29/technology/29JPEG.html
â Looking for Biometric
related standards? Try this list of links for some clues to what is going
on.
BioAPI (BioAPI Consortium) Version 1.1 Specification:
http://www.bioapi.org/BIOAPI1.1.pdf
CBEFF - Common Biometric Exchange File Format - National
Institute of Standards
http://www.itl.nist.gov/div895/isis/bc/cbeff/
X9.84 -2000 ANSI Accredited Standard Committee X9 -
(Order Form)
http://webstore.ansi.org/ansidocstore/product.asp?sku=X9%2E84%2D2001
http://asn-1.com/X984-Revision3.zip
http://www.itl.nist.gov/div895/isis/bc/bc2001/FINAL_BCFEB02/FINAL_4_Final%20Jeff%20Stapleton%20Brief.pdf
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/xcbf/
http://www.ansi.org/public/news/2002apr/biometrics_standards.html
http://oasis-open.org/committees/xcbf/information.htm
â For those that have
forgotten, the Uniform Code Council have announced that by January 1,
2005, the 12 digit U.P.C. code will go to 13 digits. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/12/technology/12CODE.html
â Interested in
Bluetooth? Here's one person's view of trying to make the devices work
together. http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/ptech/07/08/tech.test.bluetooth.ap/index.html
â Integrated Circuit
manufacturing techniques are constantly being improved upon. We have seen
track widths fall over the years to keep up with Moore's Law (see July
issue of AIDCourier). Now here is another way that we may be able to
improve those ICs. The University of Arizona are looking at biological
means of making them. http://sci.newsfactor.com/perl/story/18188.html
â Many of us
started our computing work using the old IBM Punch Cards to program the
mainframe computer. You may have thought that those days were long gone,
but now researchers at IBM have developed a new Punch Card like system.
The difference? This one can store one trillion data bits per square inch.
http://www.computerworld.com/printthis/2002/0,4814,71913,00.html
Now just in case you never used punch cards, or you are
nostalgic for those days, here's an article that will explain how they
worked. http://computer.org/annals/punchedcards.htm
â Concerned that it
is getting harder to find techies to join your company? Now the US
Government is getting in on the problem and on July 9, the House of
Representatives approved The Tech Talent Act (H.R. 3130) ( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR03130:@@@L&summ2=m&)
by voice vote. The bill authorizes $390 million in funding over five years
through the National Science Foundation to academic institutions that are
successful in increasing the number of U.S. students majoring in science,
math, engineering and technology.
A companion bill (S. 1549) ( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:SN01549:@@@L&summ2=m&)
by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) is pending review by the Senate Education
Committee.
See statement by Science Committee Chairman Sherwood
Boehlert (R-NY) during House floor debate on H.R. 3130 at: http://www.house.gov/science/press/speeches/speech070902.htm
See Science Committee press release on passage at: http://www.house.gov/science/press/107/107-253.htm
â We are all used to the
fact that satellites roam the skies above us, sending signals back and
forth for a variety of communication services that we use every day. The
cost of putting those satellites up there and maintaining them is huge.
Now a company has demonstrated that the same thing can be done with far
less expensive solar-powered planes. Flying for six months at a time,
using solar power, the planes offer an easier path for communications. http://www.electricnews.net/news.html?code=8261275
â Interested in the
situation regarding IP (including patents and trademarks) in the USA. Then
take a look at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: 21st Century
Strategic Plan (June 2002). This document shows the transformation of the
USPTO over the next five years. http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/com/strat2001/index.htm
â When your employee
invents that super new widget, who owns the patent? Perhaps you had better
read this to see. http://www.aar.com.au/publications/bt/bn/bio02.htm
Here are some interesting decisions regarding this issue.
Cambridge University (UK) has proposed that its academics be stripped of
their rights to patent or sell their inventions, whilst the US National
Institutes of Health has deferred its decision on whether to amend its
stance on ownership of intellectual property http://www.aar.com.au/publications/bt/bn/bio03.htm
â A recent ruling in a 13
year-old patent infringement case (Festo v. Shoketsu), has set a landmark
in the IP world. The New York Times said the ruling, which established a
"foreseeable bar" standard for patent cases, "may be the
most significant Supreme Court patent decision in two decades." Want
to learn what this may mean to you. Checkout this article in the IEEE-USA
Today's Engineer:
http://www.todaysengineer.org/June02/festo.htm
â The recent merger of
Visionics and Identix has produced a new entry into the Growth 40 list of
The Business Journal. http://twincities.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2002/08/05/newscolumn2.html
â After receiving some
bad press for its tests in the Logan International Airport, Viisage is
doing its best to grow. http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2002/08/12/story8.html.
Sharing the problem around, here is an article about the Visionics tests
in Boston http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/198/metro/_Face_testing_at_Logan_is_found_lacking+.shtml
And for a more earthy opinion of face recognition: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/26298.html
â The IEEE held their
fifth IEEE International Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture
Recognition conference in May in Washington DC USA. You can get the
proceedings from the IEEE Catalog & Store: http://shop.ieee.org/store/product.asp?prodno=PR1506
â Here's a different use
of biometrics. Researchers at Imperial College, London UK, are
investigating how to use eye-tracking technology to simulate a mouse on a
PC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_2098000/2098030.stm
â Here's a twist on
biometric identification with a potential use that may solve some of the
US gun problems. Lumidigm, Albuquerque, NM-based company claims that it
can validate a person’s ID with fingerprint-like accuracy by shining an
infrared light into a small section of skin and measuring the reflection.
This can then be built into a gun, providing a method to ensure only the
owner can use it. http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/wo_cameron080802.asp
â In a more traditional
method of checking fingerprints, some retailers are looking into using
fingerprint identification to allow payment at the cash register. http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techinnovations/2002-07-29-fingerprint_x.htm
â And in opposition
to fingerprinting. Replacing library cards with fingerprints in the UK
school system has caused an
outcry. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/26305.html
â And while the UK
cry out against fingerprinting, the US House of Representatives offices
have bought into iris-recognition to sign on to their computers. http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/17_8/emergingtech/18571-1.html
â President Bush has
stated that he wants Biometrics to be a part of Homeland Security plans.
Read about it here http://www.ibia.org/newslett.htm.
â Still not sure about
Biometric Security? Here is another article detailing the problems that
have been seen by all forms of biometrics. It seems that this technology
may be too new/young for a widespread roll out. But is there something
else we can use? http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/26/1027497416297.html
â After talking
about the need for a means to evaluate Biometrics systems, I am pleased to
see this document. Although only a draft, it provides a great means to
evaluate systems. http://www.cesg.gov.uk/technology/biometrics/index.htm
â Looking at ways to
secure all aspects of airports, not just passengers and baggage, The new
Transportation Security Agency have given $1
million in research and development money to ID Systems, a company based
in Hackensack, N.J. this company is investigating ways to secure the
myriad of vehicles used in an airport. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/08/technology/08SECU.html?pagewanted=print&position=top
â For more
information on the UK investigation on ID Cards (see last month) you might
want to visit this site and read some of the FAQs. http://www.privacyinternational.org/issues/idcard/uk/
â The National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is looking to explore and
develop object oriented smart card interoperability models. http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOC/NIST/AcAsD/Reference-Number-5678/listing.html
â One columnists views on
homeland security are eye-opening. See why he believes we are going about
it the wrong way. http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/09/mann.htm
â The Homeland Security
Act of 2002 (H.R. 5005) ( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:h.r.05005:)
has advanced in both the House and the Senate. Proposing to combine 22
federal agencies with a budget of $37.5B the act establishes a Homeland
Security Research Center at one of the DOE national laboratories as a
focal point for homeland security research. See summary of H.R. 5005 at: http://hsc.house.gov/legislation/final.asp
See response by House Science Committee: http://www.house.gov/science/press/107/107-265.htm
In the Senate, the National Homeland Security and
Combating Terrorism Act of 2002 (S.2452) ( http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.02452:
) by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) was cleared by the Government Affairs
Committee for Senate action on June 24. S.2452 would establish a
directorate for science and technology within the new homeland security
department.
â President Bush
recognized the importance of technology to homeland security. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/07/20020722-1.html
â The Office of Homeland
Security and the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce
are hosting a Homeland Security Technology Expo on Sept. 19 in Washington,
DC. http://www.ta.doc.gov/PRel/ma020712_homeland.htm
â The National Strategy
for Homeland Security has been released by the White House. Download it as
one 2.5 meg pdf file http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/book/nat_strat_hls.pdf
or as segmented pdf files http://www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/book/index.html
â The opening of the
University of Cambridge UK branch of the MIT Auto-ID Center has caused the
BBC to speculate that
"Radio barcodes could mean the end of check-outs" http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2134321.stm
â Now here is a use for
RFID that looks like a winner. Alanco Technologies has announced its
Prison Inmate tracking system. http://www.alanco.com/releases/073102.asp
Don't forget, you can here me speak at the following
events:
Frontline Solutions Chicago, USA September 23-26
http://www.frontlinexpo.com
Frontline Solutions Birmingham, UK, October 8 – 10
http://www.fse-expo.com/
International Smart Label Conference October 22-23
http://www.cbconferences.com/
A quick update on the progress of some of the RFID
standards work that is in progress.
â SC31/WG4/SG3 – Air
Interfaces for Item Management, met in Vienna, Austria in July. They made
some significant progress and have all the parts of 18000 out for review
pending a ballot which will start in September. The group will then
reconvene in February 2003 to review all the comments received from the
ballots.
Also discussed in this meeting were the issues that
revolve around IP and how the standards committee can best work to protect
the user of the standard without impacting an individual company's IP
position.
Another issue raised was the need for a low complexity
chip standard. An ad-hoc committee was formed to investigate this.
â MH10.8.8 met in
Vancouver, Canada in July and started to get a better grip on the proposed
standard for RFID for Mail, Parcels and Flats. The committee has created a
draft questionnaire which will be sent to companies that handle these
items to determine the real needs for an RFID system.
â INCITS T6 ad-hoc on a
Multi-Standard reader met in Vancouver, Canada in August. The group has
identified several issues that need to be reviewed in an attempt to create
a standard for a reader that would be able to operate with the main parts
of the ANSI INCITS 256 standard.
â Ultra Wide Band (UWB).
You may have heard of it, but do you know what it is?
UWB is a method of communication that differs from
everything we have been doing to date. Instead of broadcasting a high
power signal at a narrow frequency band, it uses a very wide band and very
low power. The FCC recently approved UWB at frequencies over the band
1.99-10.6 GHz. depending on the application. The power at these
frequencies is so low that normal communications only see it as noise.
There are many companies developing chipsets and
applications that will use this technology, including RFID companies. It
uses about one ten thousandth the energy of networks like 802.11b, yet it
has data rates that are presently around 60 megabits-per-second.
Robert X. Cringely wrote an article in Worth Magazine,
March 2002, which can be found reproduced here http://www.parcomergedmedia.com/scripts/news.asp?ID=13
There is a lot of interest in this area at the moment, and
the ISO SC31 working group on RFID are meeting in Chicago in September to
see how it might be included in the standards for RFID work they are
doing. If you have an interest in this, let me know steve@hightechaid.com
â What are MEMs? To quote
http://www.mems-exchange.org/MEMS/what-is.html
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is the integration of mechanical
elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics on a common silicon
substrate through the utilization of microfabrication technology. While
the electronics are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) process
sequences (e.g., CMOS, Bipolar, or BICMOS processes), the micromechanical
components are fabricated using compatible "micromachining"
processes that selectively etch away parts of the silicon wafer or add new
structural layers to form the mechanical and electromechanical devices.
MEMS promises to revolutionize nearly every product category by bringing
together silicon-based microelectronics with micromachining technology,
thereby, making possible the realization of complete systems-on-a-chip.
And why are they being covered here? Because the
integration of MEMs into RFID chips and other technologies are going to
take us to a new level in technology. Imagine being able to do more than
just read (and write) a number to your RFID system.
â A speck of radioactive
material can act as a nuclear power source for a self-driven miniaturized
device acting as a mechanical actuator or a sensor. Such a device could
run unaided for a hundred years or more. http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/gateway.taf?g=3&file=/materials/nanozone/news/articles/m020725-6.html
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/gateway.taf?g=3&file=/materials/nanozone/news/nan_news.html
â For a thought provoking
discussion on whether nanotechnology violates the second law of
thermodynamics? http://www.nature.com/plink/highlights/6896-2.html
â If your company wants
to get involved in this new technology arena, several opportunities for
funding have recently been announced.
Bioengineering Nanotechnology Initiative (NIH-Bioengineering
Consortium): Soliciting Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
proposals from eligible small business concerns for grants (2 year, $400K
max.) for exploratory research and development of nanotechnologies useful
to biomedicine. http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-02-125.html
Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSF) announced funding
and deadlines for NSF Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT),
Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER), Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Centers (NSEC), and Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education. See: http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf02148
â Converging Technologies
Can Improve Human Performance, National Science Foundation/ Department of
Commerce sponsored report examines ways in which nanotechnology,
biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science may be
integrated to improve mental and physical performance. http://wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/
â After my Star Trek
theme last month, I was already to jump in again with the fact that
Transparent Aluminum is a reality. However, we will have to wait a bit
longer as it looks like a translation problem and an assumption got things
a little confused. http://www.sci-fighter.com@1c.to/?17f15
â Ah ha! Who needs
transparent aluminum anyway, when we can make computers out of chicken
feathers! http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A36816-2002Jul7¬Found=true
â And finally
for those that grew up with the Screwtape Letters by C S Lewis. You may
find this worth a peek. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/26284.html
If you didn't grow up with them, get them and read them, they add a new
perspective to life. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060652934/qid=1029515898/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-0928811-5192165
- To get your own copy of this newsletter, simply visit
http://www.hightechaid.com
and fill out the subscription information. To unsubscribe send an email
to news@hightechaid.com?subject=unsubscribe
We request that you forward no more than three copies to any one person
- after that, they should get their own FREE subscription.
- A reminder. If you get the newsletter, you do not need to subscribe
again. If you subscribe just after the issue comes out, you will not
get another issue for a month, so multiple subscriptions will not help
you. If you need a back issue, check the web site at
http://www.hightechaid.com.
Back issues get posted as soon as I can. The newsletter comes out around
the 15th of the month (give or take a day or so, depending on my travel
schedule), so if you subscribe immediately after a new issue comes out
(and most people do), don't despair if you don't see the newsletter
arrive for a while.
- Tell us what you want from the newsletter, news@hightechaid.com,
and don't forget to tell your friends to subscribe.
- All material is copyright (c) High Tech Aid, 2002 unless otherwise
stated, however permission is granted to circulate this publication
via manual forwarding by e-mail to friends and/or co-workers
providing that 1) the text is forwarded in its entirety, from the
title line on top through the end of this paragraph, and 2) no fee
is charged.
| 
