www.hightechaid.com

November 2008

From the editor's desk!

Welcome to the latest issue of the High Tech AIDCourier.

A very busy month has me scrambling to get this issue of the newsletter out. I have just come back to the office after 2 weeks away and the pile of stuff on my desk is frightening. The good news is that the month has been very productive for me and I have seen a lot of progress in both work items and on the standards' front.

One item that has me frustrated this month is the lack of understanding about standards. We have seen several people trying to make changes to standards to better suit their own company when they have not participated in the work up until now. The process to create a standard is very rigorous and changes cannot be made at the last minute without causing a major upset among the many countries that work on the standards. Trying to explain to a company that their ideas may be good, but not acceptable to the world in general has been an interesting challenge. If you are interested in standards, I suggest you read this series of articles: http://www.hightechaid.com/standards/how_
does_iso_work.htm

Are you interested in sponsoring the newsletter?  Drop me a note to editor@hightechaid.com and let me know.

Providing this newsletter is just a part of what we have to offer here at High Tech Aid. When your problem needs have you overwhelmed, then you need to get help and that is why we are here. We specialize in education, but the spectrum of services is much greater than that. Call or email us for more information. Visit the web site www.hightechaid.com for more information on basic technology details as well as many other things.

E-mail me at editor@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 news@hightechaid.com.

Technology News Briefs

RFID Standards

An interesting month has led us to more progress in the world of standards. ISO meetings in Switzerland provided some good progress in RFID standards.

The week of meetings started with a discussion on ISO/IEC 18046 RFID Performance Test Methods, currently a single document, which is being split into three parts to separately cover tags, readers, and the system. How do you measure the performance of a system and what does it really mean? The next few months should show us a way to compare the performance of RFID systems in a meaningful way.

The second part of the week was taken with a ballot resolution meeting (BRM) for ISO/IEC 18000-6. That is the RFID UHF standard. The latest ballot of 18000-6 ended up with a positive vote but there were 67 pages of comments and it took almost two full days to review and resolve those comments. This standard has morphed over the past year and the changes that are being built into the standard will spell the future of RFID.

The standard which was first published in 2004 was comprised of two air interfaces (type A and B). In 2006 an amendment was published which added a new air interface (Type C) which mirrored the work of EPCglobal™. The base standard is still EPCglobal™ Gen 2 UHF, but now there are several options that add additional functionality.

One option is battery support which allows a tag to add extra range and sensitivity by allowing a battery to power the tag (still passive, but with battery assist). Another option is the ability to add sensors in a standardized way will allow companies to finally monitor their shipments with the detail they need to help prevent some of the major disasters that spoil shipments (temperature, shock, humidity damage etc.) Finally, a new interface called TOTAL (Tag Only Talks After Listen) allows for high speed operation as well as a very simple air interface.

The final part of the week dealt with the data side of RFID as we discussed the revisions to ISO/IEC 15961 and 15962, as well as ISO/IEC 24753 (a means of interfacing with sensors from the data side) and ISO/IEC 24791 (a System Management Protocol). Progress here means that we will see new ballots for these standards very soon.

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

Radio Frequency Identification

Intellident

Acquires leading French RFID System Integrator

http://www.morerfid.com/details.php?subdeta
il=Report&action=details&report_id=5083&display=RFID

RFID remotes have line-of-sight in their sights

Batteries schmatteries

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/17/rfid_remote_control/

October and November RFID Monthly report

Robert W. Baird & Co.

http://www.rwbaird.com/docs/RFIDMonthlyOctober2008.pdf
http://www.rwbaird.com/docs/RFIDNovember08.pdf

Wal-Mart:

Still Committed To RFID

http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/4407/1/1/

EPC Global, Sea Cargo

RFID trial, China

http://rfid.idtechex.com/knowledgebase/en/casestudy.asp?casestudyid=2587

RFID Market size

Should Estimates Mean Anything to End Users?

http://www.scdigest.com/assets/On_Target/08-11-04-1.php?cid
=2055

New RFID-Based Sensor Technology

Is GE's a "Game Changer?"

http://www.scdigest.com/assets/On_Target/08-10-20-1.php?cid
=1944

RFID Market To Top $5.3 Billion This Year

Says ABI Research

http://www.storefrontbacktalk.com/payment-systems/rfid-mark
et-to-top-53-billion-this-year-says-abi-research/

Japanese Robot Takes Your Money

And plans for its retirement!

http://tojasim.blogspot.com/2008/11/japanese-robot-takes-yo
ur-money.html

Giant Air Force Base

Uses RFID to Track Equipment, Tools

http://www.supplychainbrain.com/content/world-regions/the-
united-states/single-article-page/article/giant-air-force-base
-uses-rfid-to-track-equipment-tools/

UPM Raflatac Supplies RFID Tags

To NP Collection's Intelligent Clothes Store

http://www.textileweb.com/article.mvc/UPM-Raflatac-Supplies-R
FID-Tags-To-NP-0001

EU Set

To Move ‘Internet of Things’ Closer to Reality

http://www.conspiracyarchive.com/Blog/?p=921

RFID World Market

> $5.3 Billion in 2008, Says AB

http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/2008/11/rfid_world_ma
rket_53_billion_in_2008_says_abi.html

Mojix(R) Inc. Introduces

Mojix STAR System to European Market

http://www.wirelessandmobilenews.com/2008/11/rfid_world_ma
rket_53_billion_in_2008_says_abi.html

Irish company's RFID waste management technology

Comes to the United States

http://www.americanrecycler.com/1108/irish.shtml

UMass Engineers

Receive Grant to Improve RFID Tag

http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/newsreleases/articles/8020
5.php

Passport RFID tags

Open to snooping

http://www.computerworlduk.com/technology/mobile-wireless/m
obile-wireless/news/index.cfm?newsid=11625

Highlights from

RFID Europe 2008

http://www.us-tech.com/RelId/700394/ISvars/default/Highlights_from_RFID_E
urope_20.htm

INSIDE Contactless

Strengthens executive team

http://www.contactlessnews.com/2008/10/22/inside-contactless-strengthens-executive-team-for-nfc-push-in-north-america

RFIDGS granted Contract by Boeing

For NASA RFID Deployment - Quick Facts

http://www.rttnews.com/Content/QuickFacts.aspx?Node=B1&Id=
748196

Fort Wayne technology company

World leader

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/31294294.html

Reik Read Offers Insights

On RFID Technology

http://www.morerfid.com/details.php?subdetail=Report&action=details&report_id=5089&display=RFID

Imation adds RFID tags

To tapes

http://www.computing.co.uk/vnunet/news/2228301/imation-add
s-rfid-tags-tapes

Kovio Launches World's First

Printed Silicon RFID Platform for Item Level Intelligence

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/kovio-launches-worlds-
first-printed/story.aspx?guid=%7B98DF988F-B67E-4309-B80D-B4041A1ABC4E%7D&dist=hppr

New Chip Technology

Poses Threat to Homeland Security

http://digg.com/security/New_Chip_Technology_Poses_Threat_to
_Homeland_Security

Biometrics

Economic outlook bright

For biometrics, ID card industries

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20081022_1033.php?zone=ngtoday

UK citizens ready

For biometrics

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2230788/uk-citizens-read
y-biometrics

Veins:

The next biometric identifier

http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/47550-1.html
http://digg.com/security/Five_ways_businesses_could_use_bio
metric_technology_IT_PRO

Face facts

How biometric checks can fail

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7715056.
stm

Dabs and digits

How biometrics are catching on

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7711698.
stm

Mobile biometric scanners

For all UK police

http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/security/0,39044215,62047561
,00.htm?scid=rss_z_nw

Healthcare and Life Sciences

GE Scientists Develop

Battery-Free, Multi-Detection Wireless Sensors

http://www.wirelessdesignonline.com/article.mvc/GE-Scientists-D
evelop-Battery-Free-Multi-0001?atc~c=771+s=
773+r=001+l=a&VNETCOOKIE=NO
http://www.wirelesshealthcare.co.uk/wh/news/wk42-08-0001.
htm

RFID

In Dementia Care

http://www.wirelesshealthcare.co.uk/wh/news/wk42-08-0002.
htm

Benefits of non-RFID safety sponges

Proved

http://www.usingrfid.com/news/read.asp?lc=v28363ix1512zb

Sponge Tracking by Bar Code or Radio Frequency

Can Be Cost Effective

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/85257102005
7CCF6852574E900718C51

Mobile Aspects

Develops Innovative New Solution

http://in.sys-con.com/node/728041

At Mayo Clinic,

RFID Slashes Error Rate

http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/4422/

Hospitals play tag

RFID finds a niche in healthcare

http://www.kmworld.com/Articles/Editorial/Feature/Hospitals-pla
y-tag%e2%80%94RFID-finds-a-niche-in-healthcare--49857.aspx

ClearCount Medical Solutions

Closes Series A Financing Round

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/clearcount-medical-solutions-closes-series/story.aspx?guid=%7BCC069859-
7ED0-4C4F-A41D-90EBF48BFECB%7D&dist=hppr

Unitech launches rugged PDA

For healthcare

http://www.bjhcim.co.uk/news/2008/n810015.htm

RTLS

UCSD Medical Center

Expands Its RFID Deployment

http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/4423/1/1/

Privacy

Bush Administration:

Dismiss RFID 'Mark of the Beast' Lawsuit

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/11/bush-administra.h
tml

How RFID tags

Could be used to track unsuspecting people

http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/government/homela
nd_security_patriot_act_fema/news.php?q=1225584113

EU announcement

On RFID privacy expected soon

http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/rfid-blog/2008/10/ec-announcement-on-rfid-privac.html

Bar Code

GS1 Releases 2D Barcode Paper

http://www.gsmworld.com/documents/barcodes_2d.pdf

Wireless

What's the Latest

On Wireless and Your Health?

http://www.internetnews.com/mobility/article.php/3780656

Homeland Security

DHS proposes funky 'fix'

For RFID security

http://www.betanews.com/article/DHS_proposes_funky_fix_for_
RFID_security/1226635683

General

Smart Card Alliance

Board Members and Executive Leadership for 2009

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/The-Smart-Card-Allia
nce-915257.html

Paper Provides Guidance On

Interoperable Identity Credential for Air Transport Industry

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/The-Smart-Card-Allia
nce-911518.html

Sponsored by:

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:

Infineon PJM Chip and License Agreement Expansion with Magellan Bring Highest Performance RFID Technology to Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Document Management Applications

Neubiberg, Germany – November 18, 2008 – Infineon Technologies (FSE/NYSE: IFX) today announced the further expansion of its RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) product portfolio. Infineon’s new RFID chip “PJM Light” provides a memory capacity of 1 kbit (kilobit) and privacy features designed to prevent unauthorized access to the protected data. Unlike current RFID solutions, PJM (Phase Jitter Modulation) chips are suitable for simultaneous contactless electronic identification of several hundred objects – even if they are tightly packed or very fast-moving.
http://www.pressreleasepoint.com
/infineon-pjm-chip-and-license-a
greement-expansion-magellan-b
ring-highest-performance-rfid-tec
hnology

Datalogic Mobile devices now read GS1 DataBar™

Datalogic Mobile devices are amongst the first in the industry to decode GS1 DataBar™, a new type of bar code for marking trade items in the retail supply chain that will be mandated starting January 1, 2010.

Bologna, 20 November 2008 - Datalogic Mobile, among the worldwide market leaders in the Rugged Mobile Computers market, is one of the first in the industry to support the new decoding symbology GS1 DataBar™ for all its Microsoft Windows Mobile and Windows CE mobile computers.
http://www.mobile.datalogic.com/
news.aspx?idnews=903

Sirit Reports Third Quarter 2008 Financial Results

Toronto, ON – November 11, 2008 – Sirit Inc. (“Sirit”) (TSX: SI), a leading provider of radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology, reports its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008. All amounts are stated in Canadian Dollars unless otherwise noted.
http://www.sirit.com/event_releas
e-info.php?id_news=105

Sirit Announces European Certification for IDentity 5100 RFID Reader

High performance reader targets automatic vehicle identification market

Toronto, ON, Canada; ITS World Congress, New York – November 17, 2008 - Sirit Inc. (“Sirit”) (TSX: SI), a global provider of radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology today announced during the ITS World Congress show in New York City, it has achieved European Telecommunications Standards Institute (“ETSI”) certification for its industry leading IDentity 5100 reader.
http://www.sirit.com/event_releas
e-info.php?id_news=106

ASK and WS Packaging to create a Joint Venture in the US

Paris, Cartes show, November 4, 2008

Today ASK and WS Packaging Group are pleased to announce that they have entered into an agreement for creation of a Joint Venture based in the United States.
http://www.ask-rfid.com/uk/news/
news_article.php4?id=0

LaSer selects ASK for a pilot of a contactless card combining private payment and transport applications

Cartes show, Paris, November 4, 2008

ASK, leader in contactless technology for mass transit, keeps implementing its strategy to offer private label cards operators a contactless solutions combining transport and payment applications.
http://www.ask-rfid.com/uk/news
/news_article.php4?id=1

New UHF RFID Gen2 Handheld Reader by Convergence Systems Limited Delivers Breakthrough Performance

CSL unveils price structure of industry’s first affordable high-end handheld reader

SEATTLE, Washington, October 29, 2008 –RFID technology provider Convergence Systems Limited (CSL) today announced breakthrough performance for its CS101 UHF Gen2 RFID handheld reader, establishing new benchmarks of read range and inventory throughput far exceeding competitive offerings.
http://www.convergence.com.hk/n
ews_details.php?id=9

Tri-City Medical Center and Awarepoint Corporation Announce Medical Center-wide RFID Asset Tracking System

Awarepoint Real-Time Awareness platform wirelessly tracking nearly 1,000 assets throughout the Medical Center campus

SAN DIEGO (October 28 2008) – Awarepoint Corporation today announced a medical center-wide installation of its Real-time Location System (RTLS) at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, California.
http://www.awarepoint.com/docu
ments/TriCityMedicalCenterAnn
ouncement_FINALEllerbe081027
.pdf

UCLA researchers develop world's fastest bar code reader

Building on a series of recent breakthroughs in ultrafast analog-to-digital conversion, UCLA engineers have designed a bar code reader that is nearly a thousand times faster than any device currently in use.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/
ucla/ucla-researchers-develop-th
e-world-64157.aspx

Now showing: ASK Universal Contactless Module (UCM 108)

Sophia-Antipolis, October 28, 2008

ASK will unveil at Cartes show its latest contactless OEM device: the UCM108, a universal, multi-standard contactless module. This unique and flexible core module complies with ISO 14443 type A, B, B’, Calypso standard as well as Felica®, NFC and Mifare® protocols. It also complies with C.ticket®.
http://www.ask-rfid.com/uk/news
/news_article.php4?id=4

Department of Justice Will Not Challenge Consortium’s Proposed Radio Frequency Patent-Licensing Arrangement

Proposal Could Result in Greater Access to Technology and Lower Costs

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today that it will not challenge a proposal by a consortium of companies to jointly license patents needed to comply with standards for ultra high frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) technology, which has a variety of uses including airline baggage tracking, retail product inventory and ticketing for events.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2008
/October/08-at-940.html

Enhanced software to ease 42 million baggage handling headaches

CHIPPENHAM, UNITED KINGDOM, 20 October 2008 - - in 2007 42 million items of baggage were delayed (some lost) at the inconvenience of air passengers. At an estimated cost of $3.8 million, this has been justifiably described as the industries 42 million headaches. RFID has been prescribed by the industry as part of the solution.
http://www.convergent-software.
co.uk/docs/press_releases/Soft
ware%20to%20aid%20baggage
%20handling%20problems%202
008-10-20.pdf

UCSD Medical Center Adds Hillcrest Campus to its Awarepoint Real-time Location System Deployment

Expansion allows UCSD complete hospital asset tracking oversight throughout its enterprise

SAN DIEGO (October 17, 2008) – San Diego-based Awarepoint Corporation today announced that UCSD Medical Center is significantly expanding its Awarepoint Real-time Location System (RTLS) deployment.
http://www.awarepoint.com/docu
ments/UCSDHillcrestExpansion_
FINAL_20081015.pdf

Kovio Launches World's First Printed Silicon RFID Platform for Item-Level Intelligence

CEO Demonstrates Technology to Build Intelligence into Everyday Things

CHICAGO, Oct 16, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- EPC CONNECTION 2008 -- Kovio, Inc., a privately held Silicon Valley company, today announced the development of the world's first silicon ink-based RFID tag and the company's printed silicon RFID platform for item-level intelligence.
http://www.marketwatch.com/ne
ws/story/kovio-launches-worlds-
first-printed/story.aspx?guid=%7
B98DF988F-B67E-4309-B80D-B4
041A1ABC4E%7D&dist=hppr

CISC Semiconductor Becomes a Product Partner of The MathWorks Connections Program

CISC’s RFID Application and System Design Kit+Library based on MATLAB® and Simulink® provides capabilities to design and evaluate RFID products and applications.

Klagenfurt (Austria), 15/10/2008. CISC Semiconductor Design+Consulting GmbH, a design and consulting company for industries which develop microelectronic systems, today announced it has become a member of The MathWorks Connections Program.
http://www.cisc.at/_documents/Ne
ws/PR_ASD_MathWorks_2008101
5.pdf

Savi and Litium Mobile Team Up To Deliver RFID Supply Chain Solutions Across Scandinavia

Jönköping, Sweden and Mountain View, Calif - Oct. 28, 2008 -- Savi, a leading provider of wireless-based supply chain solutions, and Litium Mobile Applications, a consulting firm for mobility and visibility solutions, announced a teaming agreement throughout Scandinavia.
http://www.savi.com/about/press
-releases/2008-10-28.html

MIKOH Finalizes SecureContainer Order from U.S. Government Customer

Last update: 9:41 a.m. EDT Oct. 20, 2008

WASHINGTON, Oct 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MIKOH Corporation (ASX: MIK) today announced a completed order with an unnamed U.S. government agency surrounding the company's SecureContainer closure devices for ruggedized cases from Pelican Products, Inc.
http://www.internetnews.com/m
obility/article.php/3780656

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:

Keanu has encountered an error and must restart

It's all the fun of The Matrix minus Keanu Reeves! What could be better?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=yX8yrOAjfKM

Illustrated history of the Roman empire
http://www.roman-empire.net/

Top 100 April Fools Hoaxes
http://www.museumofhoaxes.co
m/hoax/aprilfool/

Total eclipse of the sun
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apo
d/ap060404.html

For myopics on a budget (this is only a joke):
http://www.lasikathome.com/i
ndex.html

Satellite images of famous locations
http://www.famousmaps.com/

Please tell us what extra you want from the newsletter and don’t forget to tell your friends to subscribe. You can forward your ideas to news@hightechaid.com. No part of the newsletter may be reproduced without written permission. No liability is accepted for any action arising from the contents of the newsletter; readers are advised to seek professional opinion on the use of any products described. Opinions expressed in any article by an outside contributor are not necessarily endorsed by the publishers of the newsletter. 

Unsubscribe:  See the link at the bottom of the page