www.hightechaid.com

July 2003

From the editor's desk!

Welcome to the latest issue of the HighTechAIDCourier. 

As you will have noticed, we have reverted back to the HighTechAIDCourier name. Unfortunately we have lost the sponsorship of i3world and so as we search for a new sponsor, we will continue to publish as the Courier.

Another month has flown by and here we are again. This month has been full of news and as usual we will try to get you up to speed on the events. E-mail me at news@hightechaid.com and tell us what you think. Don’t forget to send this issue to your friends so that they can sign up for their own issue of the free newsletter at
www.hightechaid.com.

If you have news to share or info you need, let me know at steve@hightechaid.com.

For more information on basic technology details you can visit www.hightechaid.com where you will find descriptions of the basic technologies. If you are particularly interested in RFID, you can join the new discussion group that has been setup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rfid/

This issue covers a lot of areas and we hope that you will find the time to comment on any that hit home.

Technology News Briefs

Biometrics

Postal biohazard detection

The USPS has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman to manufacture and integrate a Biohazard Detection System at mail sorting facilities nationwide. http://www.eyefortransport.com/index.asp?news=37067&source=
d&enc=1&emins1=lecwcaphopecvpkhmuviz

DoD likes facial recognition

Two contracts recently placed by the U.S. DoD are focusing on the development of this biometric. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0616/web-face-
06-18-03.asp

Japan forms Biometric group

Thirty nine companies have got together in Japan to form the Biometric Security Consortium. The group will look at international standardization of biometrics for personal identification. http://www.electronicstimes.com/tech/news/OEG20030623S0020

Biometrics in on-line shopping

One company has seen enough of a problem with on-line shopping fraud to be looking into biometrics as a possible solution to the problem. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2003/tc
20030620_3373_tc119.htm?c=bwtechjun24&n=link1&t=email

Time is ripe for biometrics

A special report from Federal Computer Week magazine looks at the use of biometrics in the government arena. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0623/cov-note-
06-23-03.asp

Flying with facial and iris ID

Airports seem to be making their decision, and are choosing facial and iris recognition technology as the best technology for airport security. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0623/cov-side4-
06-23-03.asp

Biometrics gets a new laugh

Fed up with all the talk about biometrics? Then try laughing. News from Australia about using laughter as the log-in mechanism for computers. http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993921

Biometrics and RFID protect computers

Protecting data on PCs yet giving the users easy access has just become easier as the article explains. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0623/tec-review-
06-23-03.asp

Biometrics for Homeland Security?

In an effort to increase knowledge of the capabilities of biometric technologies, vendors are talking up the topic. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0630/
web-bio-07-01-03.asp

New web site for biometrics

The DoD has opened a new web site about biometrics, but unfortunately it is closed to non-defense related access. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/web-dodbio-
07-10-03.asp

Integration of fingerprint systems too slow

A report from the U.S. Justice Department Inspector General says that the delays in implementing fingerprint systems are creating an increased risk to national security. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
web-doj-07-11-03.asp

Japan puts biometrics in passports

A Japanese newspaper reported that the Foreign Ministry in Japan intends to issue passports with a chip containing biometric information starting in 2005. http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=4&id=266474

Radio Frequency Identification

Accenture says "Do it now"

After I have been telling you for several years that RFID technology can improve your business, now Accenture is saying the same thing. So why are you waiting! http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=74&u=/cmp/2003
0613/tc_cmp/10300865&printer=1

LXE have RFID container solution

Using sensors, RFID tags and satellite radios, LXE has a solution to container security that will ease the flow of containers across U.S. borders. http://www.eyefortransport.com/index.asp?nli=freight&nld=6/18/
2003&news=37011

Delta Airline and TSA look at RFID

Delta have decided to take another look at RFID in the airline industry. Using UHF tags from SCS and Matrix, they will test for one month. It is interesting to note that neither of these systems is compliant with the IATA requirement for an ISO 18000 compatible tag. http://computerworld.com/newsletter/0,4902,82266,00.html?
nlid=PM

Toll tags help law enforcement

The information in the databases of the Virginia Smart Tag toll tag system has been subpoenaed to help solve the anthrax mail attack in Washington, DC. http://timesdispatch.com/news/vametro/MGB2ZRLYMGD.html

Looking to invest in RFID?

Maybe this article will help put some things in perspective for you. All the usual caveats are relevant of course. http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/p50823.asp

RFID to save billions of dollars

Supply chain efficiency is on everyone's mind. This article tries to give some of the facts from the EAN perspective. http://www.thewisemarketer.com/news/read.asp?lc=k82275rx
667zn

Japan sets up competition to EPC?

The brand new Ubiquitous ID Center has approved three RFID tags for use that comply with its standards. Two class 1 and one class 4 tag. http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030630S0040

Toppan develops compatible tag

Toppan Printing Company announced that it has developed a tag that is compatible with both the the Japan-based "Ubiquitous ID Center" format and the U.S.-based "Auto-ID Center" format. http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=4&id=265774

More RFID in Germany

As well as the Metro Future Store, department store chain Kaufhof Warenhaus is now using RFID to better understand its supply chain operations. http://www.computerweekly.com/articles/article.asp?liArticleID=
123063&liFlavourID=1&sp=1

London Transport launches an Oyster

Touted to improve the travel experience, the Oyster card uses a contactless (read RFID) smart card. http://www.computerweekly.com/articles/article.asp?liArticleID=
123251&liFlavourID=1&sp=1

Wal-Mart shakes it up again

In what to some looked like a reversal of its decision to use RFID, Wal-Mart announced that it will not be tagging product on shelves in the near future. The giant reseller will however continue with its stated intent of using RFID at the pallet and case level. http://www.contactlessnews.com/news/latestNews.cfm?itemID=8
61http://news.com.com/2102-1019_3-1023934.html?tag=ni_print

But is Wal-Mart too aggressive?

Analysts at Meta Group believe that RFID tags on products by 2005 will be a problem. The report doesn't seem to recognize that Wal-Mart's requirement is not for products, but it does make some good points. http://www.computerweekly.com/Article123022.htm

RFID market growing fast

In an Allied Business Intelligence Inc. (ABI) report the market for RFID is expected to grow to US$3.1 billion by 2007. http://www.e-insite.net/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=
CA309789

Zebra tests RFID products

Announcing it will launch a new line of EPC™ compliant products later in the year, Zebra stated that it has trials of the products taking place now. http://www.piranet.com/pira/piranet.asp?page=piraitem.htm&
newsitemid=4680

An RFID reality check?

Just how real is RFID? "There's no RFID in a box," said Jeff Woods, analyst for market researcher Gartner Inc. http://www.techweb.com/wire/story/TWB20030711S0008

RFID Standards

Details of the ISO process and the current state of the SC31 standards can be found at http://www.hightechaid.com/standards/how_does_iso_work.htm and http://www.hightechaid.com/standards/
RFID_Standards_SC31.htm

This has been a busy month in standards. We continue to wait for ISO to release the FDIS ballot on ISO 18000 parts 1, 3 and 4 but in the mean time the FCD ballot on parts 6 and 7 continue.

News from Japan this month is all good. First the Japanese regulators have changed the regulations to allow Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum RFID at 2.45GHz with a maximum power of 30 W. EIRP. This makes 2.45GHz much easier in Japan.

And then we hear news that the regulators have been investigating UHF and have decided to do further investigations in the 950 - 956 MHz region.  We are expecting a report out in July detailing the investigatory period and how the regulations will be changed. Maybe by 2005 UHF will be legal in Japan. Although this band does not coincide with the U.S. and European bands, work has already started to investigate what the effect of widening the UHF band from 928 to 956 will be.

On the applications front, the ISO joint working group from TC104 and TC122 met and made progress on the series of standards for RFID in the Supply Chain.

From the AutoID Lab at MIT (soon to be AutoID Inc.) work is progressing. However, the announcements from WalMart stating its top 100 suppliers must have pallet and case RFID tags by 2005 and then the announcement canceling the item level tagging pilot, continue to cause some confusion.

If you want more information on ISO standardization or on any issue of RFID standardization, then email steve@hightechaid.com. 

Identification & Security

European passport and chips?

The EU government is looking in to the possibility of issuing passports with computer chips embedded in them to hold biometric information. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/20/international/20CND-
PASS.html
http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/31380.html
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11888

Hong Kong ID cards

Replacing the paper ID cards, the government has started issuing smart cards to the 6.9 million residents of Hong Kong. http://www.cardtechnology.com/cgi-bin/readstory.pl?story=
20030624CTDN029.xml

UK public says no to ID

UK Government admits that the vote is against the use of a national ID card not for it as they have previously stated. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/7/31348.html

UK ID Card costs money

After making the decision to go with an ID Card, now the UK government want to charge for it.     http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/31581.html

More criticism of the UK ID card scheme

This time from the company that is deploying the Belgian national ID system. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/31700.html

Bar Code

Add a bar code scanner to your PDA

Socket Communications has announced that they will ship a bar code scanner module that will plug into your Pocket PC or Palm PDA, giving you the ability to read most linear bar codes. They also announced a Wi-Fi card. http://www.allnetdevices.com/wireless/news/2003/06/16/
socket_to.html

Tiny little bar codes

Using nanotubes, scientists have managed to make a bar code-like lattice. http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/
rnb_062703.asp

The end of bar codes?

Foretelling the demise of the bar code, here's an article that doesn't seem to have got the message. Bar codes are NOT dead! http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/07/09/
beamed.barcodes.ap/index.html

Cheaper than RFID!

Touting their colored disks as being cheaper than RFID, yet able to achieve track and trace, ImageID reveals that there will soon be multiple pilot programs in the U.S. http://www.piranet.com/pira/piranet.asp?page=piraitem.htm&
newsitemid=4682

Homeland Security

More funding for security

The Department of Homeland Security announced $170 million in port security grants and $58 million for Operation Safe Commerce. http://www.eyefortransport.com/index.asp?news=37036&
source=d&enc=1&emins1=lecwcaphopecvpkhmuviz

Border security is increasing

As another part of the work being done to improve border security, several new technology initiatives are being ramped up. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0616/news-border-
06-16-03.asp

Boeing creates cargo security system

Boeing will pilot a system at the Port of Los Angeles that will track shipments in to the United States as part of a $4.2 million contract. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0616/web-boeing-
06-17-03.asp

Homeland defense gets boost

U.S. House of Representatives approves more money for the Homeland Defense Department. $30 billion! http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/31437.html

Homeland Security Department tests biometrics

Fingerprint, facial recognition, and iris scanning may all have thier part to play in border security. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0623/cov-report2-
06-23-03.asp

Biometrics in Homeland Security

By carrying an identification card and having a background check, it may be possible to opt out of some of the security searches. The Transportation Security Administration's Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS) II program does just this. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0630/web-bio-
07-01-03.asp

New security for ports

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued new rules for the security of ports and shipping of cargo, causing many to re-evaluate their procedures. http://www.eyefortransport.com/index.asp?news=37371&
source=d&enc=1&emins1=lecwcaphopecvpkhmuviz

New technology for Homeland Security

At its first summit the Virginia Institute for Defense and Homeland Security consortium showcased new technologies for security. http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2003/0630/
web-idhs-06-30-03.asp

US-VISIT details given

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) outlines the details for the new US-VISIT system. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
web-usvisit-07-08-03.asp

Explosive detection gets funding

The DHS has approved funding of US$350 million towards explosive detection equipment for three airports. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
web-tsa-07-08-03.asp

CAPPS funding delayed

The Senate Appropriations Committee said it would not approve funding for the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS) II, until the General Accounting Office studies its impact on privacy. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
web-senate-07-11-03.asp

End of TIA?

The U.S. Senate has proposed eliminating all spending on implementing the system now known as Terrorism Information Awareness. http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-pentagon-
terrorism,0,691496.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Wireless Computing

WLANs are really here

A recent study by Gartner says that shipments of WLAN (Wireless Local Area Networks) has more than doubled in 2002 to 19.5 million units. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/31214.html

The marriage of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Sharing the same frequency space, these two networking systems can have difficulty working together, although they target different solutions. Now Texas Instruments has the problem solved. http://www.80211-planet.com/news/article.php/2222511

More Bluetooth than Wi-Fi?

A report from Forrester Research states that shipments of Bluetooth will out number Wi-Fi by five to one. This does not seem unreasonable based on the number of Bluetooth phones available. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/31262.html

Child tracking with Bluetooth

Looking for your child at the zoo. In the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark, you can use a Bluetooth based tag system to find out where that child is. http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030624S0033

Wi-Fi roams everywhere

A new chip from Intersil allows not just a, b, and g, protocols but it also allows for differences in global frequencies. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/68/31418.html

National Wi-Fi – a first?

The Pacific island of Niue, near New Zealand, could be the first Nation to become totally covered by Wi-Fi availability and it's free! http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/31411.html

Senate approves Spectrum Bill

The Senate Commerce Committee has approved the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (H.R. 1320), legislation that would streamline the current process for reimbursing federal agencies that must relocate from spectrum that are reallocated to commercial use. http://commerce.senate.gov/newsroom/printable.cfm?id=205571

Wi-Fi hotspots not profitable

Research company Gartner says that Wi-Fi hotspots cannot be justified through the profits they generate, however there are other reasons to deploy them. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/31494.html

Intel continues to promote Wi-Fi

Following its statement last year that Intel would invest in Wi-Fi, the semiconductor manufacturer has invested in several Asian companies involved in the Wi-Fi arena. http://www.cbronline.com/latestnews/
8C931405D889D56880256D5D0018BB12

Big Mac and Wi-Fi on the side

McDonalds is setting up Wi-Fi hot spots in some of its San Francisco outlets as a test to determine the feasibility of the idea on a larger scale. http://www.cbronline.com/latestnews/
F329F03DF5BAA60B80256D5E0018BBA5

High speed wireless

Texas Instruments and the Intel-led MultiBand Coalition are pushing a new ultrawideband high-speed alternative physical layer (PHY) specification for short-range wireless communications (110 Mbps at 10 meters and up to 480 Mbps at 1 meter) for the IEEE 802.15.3a standard. Is this a replacement for Bluetooth or even Wi-Fi? http://www.ultrawidebandplanet.com/technology/
article/0,,10850_2235431,00.html

High speed wireless – 2

Or is it ZigBee that will rule over Wi-Fi? West Technology Research Solutions (WTRS) says that ultrawideband (UWB) in the form of the open standard ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4) is the way of the future. http://www.ultrawidebandplanet.com/technology/
article/0,,10850_2233951,00.html

Wi-Fi hotspots – yes or no?

I guess that depends on which research company you subscribe to, as two competing organizations give different perspectives. http://www.80211-planet.com/columns/article.php/2235511

Wi-Fi market growing

According to a report released by Communications Industry Researchers the market for Wi-Fi chips will double by 2007 to US$1.7 billion. http://www.80211-planet.com/news/article.php/2233001

Smart Card

New Members in Smart Card Alliance

The Smart Card Alliance has added twenty-six new members. http://securitysolutions.com/ar/security_smart_card_alliance_2/
index.htm

Credit card fraud

The UK seems to be blaming the banks, but will the proposed Chip and PIN scheme reduce the problem and make the public happy? http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/31404.html

Can Chip and PIN do it?

Viewed as a move to combat fraud, the Chip and PIN system is being tested in the UK with a view to nationwide rollout. But can it stop fraud? http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/31512.html

Chip and PIN moves out

Organizers of the Chip and PIN system in the UK announced that they will have a firm plan for national roll-out by Autumn 2003. http://www.piranet.com/pira/piranet.asp?page=piraitem.htm&
newsitemid=4728

Smart card pilot for DHS

The department of Homeland Security will pilot a scheme this summer that will eventually issue a smart card to all of its 180,000 employees. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
news-smart-07-07-03.asp

Privacy

Legislation for RFID?

CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering) have created proposed U.S. Federal legislation to protect consumers from having RFID tags placed in consumer goods. http://www.nocards.org/press/pressrelease06-11-03.shtml

More privacy scares for RFID

Is this just media hype or do people really believe that RFID tags are evil? http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/169

Privacy and RFID

If you thought that the problems about privacy were a one-time thing. Check this out. http://boycottbenetton.org/rfid_overview.html

RFID and privacy – again

More problems for the RFID world. http://www.wirelessnewsfactor.com/perl/printer/21823/

Privacy fears hit smart cards

Expanding from the fear about RFID on clothes, now the manufacturers of smart cards are seeing issues being raised about privacy. http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030707S0040

"Confidential" information causes problems

CASPIAN (Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering)hit the news again when they discovered confidential data on the MIT Auto-ID Center Web site. Although the data was removed, copies of it are now floating around the web. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/55/31654.html
http://silicon.com/news/500013-500001/1/5037.html

RFID Privacy –3

Does efficiency out-weigh privacy concerns? http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-g8v16i933.1
jul15,1,7822778.story?coll=chi-techtopheds-hed

General Technology

Sensor networks collect data

We are all aware of sensors in everything we do, monitoring temperature, pressure and a myriad of other things. But now those sensors are getting smart and talking to each other. http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/print_version/huang
0703.asp

More smart dust

Don't sneeze, you never know who is listening. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have created a tiny wireless sensor chip. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/
2003/06/04_sensor.shtml

Getting networked

The small wireless sensors being created in laboratories around the world will soon surround us as they collect information. http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/huang0703.asp

More sensors everywhere

And this time it is being lead by an ex guitar technician for the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia. http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/wo_poor062703.asp

Are you recycling?

With European legislation already in place, and now 30 U.S. states have enacted electronic waste laws related to electronic product take back and recycling, engineers need to rethink the design of electronic products with this in mind. http://www.todaysengineer.org/May03/green.asp

Happy birthday to "Parc"

33 years after the formation of the research lab that has given us the Ethernet, personal computer, laser printer and the mouse, things are still happening. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/06/30/
1056825329555.html

Symbol Technologies in trouble

As the investigation into Symbol's accounting problems continue, both the co-founder (and chairman of the board) and chief legal counsel have resigned. http://www.80211-planet.com/news/article.php/2232081
http://www.cbronline.com/latestnews/0AD1D5B2696CFE
AA80256D5E0018BBA0
http://www.newsday.com/business/local/newyork/
ny-bzsymb3369498jul13,0,1939791.story

Proxim management steps down

Following the announcement that it will miss revenue forecasts, the chairman and vice chairman resigned from Proxim Corp. http://www.cbronline.com/latestnews/
005CA5334B0BE68980256D5E0018BBA2

European companies fall in rank

The just-published top 1000 companies from Business Week, shows less European companies than last year. The list only has 30 European companies in the top 100. http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=11993

File electronically

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have announced that all newly filed patent applications will be processed electronically. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0630/
web-pto-07-03-03.asp

Budget cuts for Department of Defense

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to cut DoD funding for IT by US$320 million. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2003/0707/
web-budget-07-09-03.asp

Self checkout gains popularity

Retail technology analyst, IDC says that new research has shown that more than 70% of shoppers in five countries say they would use self-checkout technology if it was available. http://www.thewisemarketer.com/news/
read.asp?lc=f14897ox679zr

Press Releases

A regular feature of HighTechAIDCourier will be a review of interesting press releases from around the world. Please send your press releases to news@hightechaid.com, but do not forget to include a URL to the full release on your web site. Here are this month’s selections:

Auto-ID Technology Could Save Manufacturing and Retail Industries Billions Annually, Accenture Research Finds

New York, June 12, 2003 – New technology that tags and tracks inventory and equipment could save manufacturers and retailers billions of dollars each year, according to research released today by Accenture. The technology, known as auto-ID, is a combination of electronic product codes (EPC) and radio frequency identification (RFID). http://www.accenture.com/xd/
xd.asp?it=enweb&xd=_dyn%5C
dynamicpressrelease_617.xml

Chicago, Ill. (June 10, 2003) – Can’t find a lip-gloss that complements your skin tone and tastes good enough to eat? Do you want your lips to match that iridescent pink dress? Birmingham, MI-based IMX Cosmetics has launched a first-of-its-kind custom cosmetics line that allows patrons to mix their own personalized recipes for lip gloss and other cosmetics and retrieve them at in-store computer kiosks, called Mixing Stations, using their MX (Mix) Stick, a Texas Instruments radio frequency identification (RFID)-based clear keyfob that attaches to the customer’s key chain. http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/
news/news_releases/2003/
rel6-10-03.shtml

Plastic Logic Chief Scientist Professor Richard Friend FRS Knighted in Queen's Birthday Honours List

Cambridge, UK – June 16, 2003 – Professor Richard Friend, Plastic Logic founder and Chief Scientist has been knighted for services to physics. The award was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Professor Friend has been Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge since 1995, following in the footsteps of giants like Maxwell, J.J. Thomson, Rutherford and Bragg. He co-founded Plastic Logic in December 2000 to commercialise science for printing electronics that had been invented in the Cavendish Laboratory by himself and colleagues Henning Sirringhaus and Takeo Kawase. This completely disruptive technology will radically alter the way people use electronics by making them flexible, disposable, more environmentally friendly, as well as enabling them to be produced on large areas. http://www.plasticlogic.com/ne
ws-detail.php?id=93

Las Vegas, NV (June 16, 2003) – A single instance of mistaken identification of goods in the distribution center can cause a costly chain reaction of errors resulting in losses in productivity, inaccurate orders and shipment delays. Texas Instruments RFid Systems is providing a first-hand demonstration to attendees at the Distribution Business Management Conference (formerly Warehouse of the Future) of how its 13.56 MHz radio frequency identification (RFID) smart labels are used to automatically identify and accurately track goods at the case level to improve data management throughout the supply chain. Texas Instruments is the only RFID manufacturer showcased as part of the DBM Distribution Lab, a 75,000 square-foot, fully-functional, interactive facility that allows attendees to tour the latest innovations in logistics and distribution.  http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/
news/news_releases/2003/rel
6-16-03.shtml

Dallas, TX (July 1, 2003) – Texas Instruments RFid Systems welcomes Perry Garvis to the company in the role of business development manager for access control and security products. In his new position, Garvis will spearhead efforts to build TI-RFid’s access control business by developing OEM, channel and consultant relationships, driving sales efforts and educating the market on 13.56 MHz RFID solutions.  http://www.ti.com/tiris/docs/
news/news_releases/2003/
rel7-1-03.shtml

SAMSys Technologies and Intermec Sign Agreement to Build RFID Readers  

Toronto, ON – June 17, 2003 – SAMSys Technologies Inc. (SAMSys), a world leading provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) hardware solutions and RFID integration consulting services, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Intermec, a global provider of supply chain products, services and systems. Under this agreement, SAMSys will build and sell RFID readers in support of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for Material Handling and the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) Standard. http://www.samsys.com/defaul
t.php?alpha=company&beta=
news&action=read&section=
pr&release=1055860751

RFID in Airport Baggage Handling

Scotts Valley, Calif. – June 19, 2003 –In what can be seen as an industry first for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), Crisplant, the world’s leader in airport material handling solutions, has chosen Escort Memory Systems’ (a Datalogic Group Company), complete RFID solutions for tracking luggage in several airport applications. http://www.ems-rfid.com/pr/
crisplant_pr.html

Assetrak's Radio Network Solution for Exel

Exel, the world leader in supply chain management, has recently introduced a radio-network-based solution which utilises Intellident’s Assetrak software, to help ensure pallet availability for movement of automotive components for one of its automotive customers. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1056025138

Tagsys Demonstrates The World's Smallest EPC™ Tag

June 30th, 2003 - TAGSYS, leading designer of globally suitable RFID tag and reading systems, has developed what is believed to be the world’s smallest EPC™ (Electronic Product Code) RFID tag.

TAGSYS demonstrated the small tag at the Auto-ID Center Board meeting held last week in Zurich, Switzerland.

The electronic tag is circular, and measures just 9 mm (0.35") in diameter. The RFID tag communicates its unique numbering data wirelessly to a TAGSYS RFID reader. The communication protocol used between the tag and reader is fully compliant with the current 13.56 MHz Electronic Product Code (EPC) Class 1 specification development by the Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) Auto-ID Center. http://www.tagsys.net/module
s.php?op=modload&name=Ne
ws&file=article&sid=65&mode=
thread&order=0&thold=0&m=
2&sm=1

Supply-Chain Council to Hold Annual Meeting in August

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (1 July 2003)—The Supply-Chain Council Inc. (SCC) will hold its Annual Meeting 20-21 August at the Hyatt Regency in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All SCC members are welcome to attend the two-day event that offers the opportunity to participate in a number of committee meetings that are being planned. http://www.supply-chain.org/Ne
ws/2003_Annual_Meeting.PDF

Supply-Chain World-Australia/New Zealand 2003 Conference & Exposition To Be Held in Sydney

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (1 July 2003)—The Supply-Chain World-Australia/New Zealand 2003 Conference & Exposition will be held 8 October at the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, Australia. This event will educate supply chain professionals on successful supply chain management practices and Supply-Chain Operations Reference-model (SCOR) implementations. The event marks the fourth conference organized by Supply-Chain Council-Australia/New Zealand (SCC-ANZ) in the region. http://www.supply-chain.org/Ne
ws/2003_SCWANZ.pdf

Savi Technology Recognized As 'The Next Big Thing' At Enterprise 2003 Conference For Technology Leaders

Sunnyvale, Calif. - June 20, 2003 - Savi Technology, a leading provider of real-time supply chain security and management solutions, was one of just three technology finalists recognized as the "Next Big Thing" at the sixth annual Enterprise Conference, which was hosted by the Sand Hill Group, a leading technology investment and consulting firm. http://www.savi.com/news_e
vents/2003releases/june20-
03.html

RFID Picks Up Momentum, Furthers Efficiencies in Supply Chain, Says ABI

Oyster Bay, NY - July 8, 2003 Radio frequency identification (RFID) applications are branching out of traditional roles and taking on greater importance by CIOs, logistics managers and even brand managers, stimulated by wartime investment in military logistics technology and a push for supply chain visibility. Research firm ABI estimates the global RFID market will grow to more than $3.1 billion by 2007. http://www.abiresearch.com/
abiprdisplay2.jsp?pressid=169

Arnlea Systems and SAMSys Technologies Enter into VAR Collaboration

Toronto, ON - July 8, 2003 - SAMSys Technologies Inc. (SMY:TSX-VEN) ("SAMSys"), a world leading provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) hardware solutions and RFID integration consulting services, today announced that it has signed a value added reseller (VAR) agreement with Arnlea Systems, a global provider of innovative asset control and data capture solutions to local and multi-national companies in the Oil & Gas, PetroChemical, Pulp & Paper and Utilities industry sectors.   http://www.samsys.com/
default.php?alpha=company&
beta=news&action=read&section
=pr&release=1057670688

Matrics Receives $20 Million in Funding From Blue-Chip Investors

Columbia, Md. (July 14, 2003) - Matrics, a Columbia-based pioneer in the advanced development and standardization of low-cost, high-performance UHF Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) solutions, announced today that it has just completed a $20 million round of Series C financing from a group of financial and strategic investors led by The Carlyle Group, Novak Biddle Venture Partners and Polaris Venture Partners. http://www.matrics.com/pdf/
press/press_7.14.03_final_
round_funding.pdf

Savi Technology And MIT's Auto ID Center Collaborate In Bringing Product Identification Standard To Global Supply Chain Asset Management And Security

Sunnyvale, Calif. and Cambridge, Mass. - July 15, 2003 - Savi Technology, a leading provider of real-time solutions for global supply chain security and asset management, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Auto-ID Center, an industry-funded research program to advance automatic identification technology, today announced that they will collaborate to include support of the Electronic Product Code (EPC), an emerging standard for identifying items in the supply chain, in Savi's SmartChain platform and SmartChain suite of software applications - including the Savi Transportation Security System and Savi Asset Management System. http://www.savi.com/news_even
ts/2003releases/july15.b-03.html

Savi Technology And Matrics Collaborate To Deliver Breakthrough RFID System That Integrates Passive And Active RFID

Sunnyvale, CA and Columbia, MD  - July 15, 2003 - Savi Technology, a leading provider of real-time solutions for global supply chain security and asset management, and Matrics Inc., a pioneer in the advanced development and standardization of low-cost, high-performance, EPC-compliant smart label technology, announced today that they have been collaborating on the integration of passive and active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies to achieve "nested visibility" throughout the supply chain.  http://www.savi.com/news_even
ts/2003releases/july15.a-03.html

Euro Award for Intellident

An initiative organised in conjunction with the Home Office to demonstrate the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) to minimise property crime has won the team members a prestigious European Retail Technology Award

The selected supply chain team was led by Unilever Research and included Lever Faberge as the product manufacturer, Tibbet & Britten and Wincanton Logistics as Logistics Providers, Intellident as System Integrators and Safeway as the retailer. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1057585596

Geest select Intellident for Marks & Spencer RFID Application

The Geest Group of companies have selected Intellident to supply all their fresh food production sites with RFID track & trace solutions.  As part of the world’s largest supply chain RFID rollout, the seven locations, from Edinburgh to Sussex, will be equipped with a range of RFID equipment that encodes data to an RFID tag permanently attached to the new Marks & Spencer’s metric tray. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1057744032

RFID Solution Wins in America

Marks & Spencer's RFID Fresh Produce project, for which Intellident is the RFID systems integrator, has won the Best in Retail Award at the VICS Conference in Chicago.

VICS – The Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards Organisation, promotes on a global basis, the ongoing improvement of flow of product and information throughout the retail supply chain.  Amongst its hundreds of members are Wal-Mart, IBM and Fed-Ex.

The awards are decided by a panel of representatives from the retail and IT industries and academia.

The three finalists for the ‘Best in Retail’ Award were Best Buy Co. Inc., Federal Department Stores and Marks & Spencer. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1057744732

Qbox Powered by Intellident's RFID Tag

The Qbox is the result of a revolutionary joint design between LINPAC Materials Handling and Trans-aqua – specialists in horticulture handling systems.

Qbox offers significant savings over traditional trays by reducing product damage and eliminating the handling and disposal costs associated with cardboard boxes. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1057745763

RFID Tags Ensure No Boobs are made at PlayboyTV

Intellident has been awarded the contract to provide a Video Library Management solution to PlayboyTV.   Based in Middlesex, PlayboyTV provides subscription adult entertainment for UK and European audiences.  The videos which are edited at their Hayes office for broadcast over the cable and satellite networks are stored at a secure library facility.  As part of the new system each video will have an Intellident RFID label attached to it, to help identify, manage and track it through the library to the broadcast and editing suite. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1057746303

Intellident Expand Assetrak RF to Windows CE/PalmOS Platforms

Already a market leader in DOS and Terminal Emulation solutions, the Assetrak RF system provides rapid application development for real-time, radio-network based data-capture solutions through the re-use of robust core Assetrak modules and an English dialect script based programming language enabling rapid creation and implementation of complex applications with the removal of risk generally found with bespoke written applications. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1058178378

Intellident and LXE Announce Technology Alliance

Already the chosen solution to rapid provision of data-capture systems, the Assetrak software and associated modular components have been adapted to the LXE range of terminals to gain significant improvements in speed, display and communication capabilities offered over existing hand-held manufacturers.

Developed for the ‘real-world’ hand-held applications consumer, LXE have for over 30 years been designing and manufacturing handheld computers for the harsh environment and have particular success in providing solutions to survive in extreme movement, dust and moisture conditions. http://www.intellident.co.uk/Pre
ss/PressReleases/1058179869

ExpressPay from American Express Offers Convenient and Hassle-Free Alternative to Cash

New York, July 16, 2003 -- American Express Company today announced the pilot expansion — in the greater Phoenix area — of its latest payment product, ExpressPay from American Express. ExpressPay is a fee-free, key fob (key chain attachment) powered by radio frequency technology that offers a quick, convenient and contactless way to make everyday purchases. ExpressPay, which the company began piloting last summer with its employees in Phoenix, is now available at more than 175 merchant locations in the greater Phoenix area, including all Carl’s Jr. locations, and participating Dairy Queen, Kwik Kopy Printing, Quiznos Subs and Schlotzsky’s Deli locations. http://home3.american
express.com/corp/latestnews/
expresspay.asp

The Final Comment

We always try to find something to keep away those boring evenings while you wait to get back to work. This month is no exception, try these:

Need some lunar info, then visit the official web site of the moon: http://www.lunarrepublic.com/

or maybe you need your mind read: 
http://mr-31238.mr.valuehost.c
o.uk/assets/Flash/psychic.swf

looking for some word fun? Oxymorons are always fun: 
http://www.oxymoronlist.com/

How about a game of pinball?: 
http://www.superdudes.net/
games/xtreme_pinball/pop.php

OK I admit it, I am insane (turn up the speaker volume before you load the page) http://www.linkworld.ws/
funny/crazy/

Remember Rubik's Cube?  Do it again (and again and again ...): http://www.eviltron.com/
modules/esp/esp.html

Now this one kept me busy for a while: http://www.nonoche.com/
tron/frenzirynth.html

The Fine Print

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newsletter/aidcourier_archive.htm

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