Teslonix has launched its SmartRFpower development platform, an evaluation kit that developers can use to test and develop Teslonix's radio frequency (RF) technology in their Internet of Things (IoT) and RFID systems and applications. SmartRFpower capabilities include locating and tracking devices in real time, wirelessly energizing and recharging batteries, and establishing communication channels to move data in and out of electronic devices. SmartRFpower technology can be integrated into new or existing products to create a value-added solution that can locate, track and manage large deployments of wireless sensors, RFID tags and low-power electronic devices. The technology scales to cover varying venue sizes, according to the company, and is well suited to applications in retail, health care, manufacturing and warehousing.

The SmartRFPower platform is designed to advance and enhance RFID readers, according to John Lebeau, Teslonix's director of business development. "Adding long-range wireless power transfer, 3-D localization, real-time tracking and communication links to existing reader technologies allows system designers to do more in commercial or industrial spaces without having to integrate multiple systems. Also, the range of the coverage area can be increased by adding more access points," Lebeau says. "With our patented 'Energy Enhancement,' we can deliver more power over longer distances compared to other RF energy solutions. This allows us to provide more power to a tag so it can deliver data further. We have done testing on some RFID tags and extended the range by a factor of three."

The evaluation kit includes three IoT access points with power supplies and two wireless power receivers. The access points operate at 915 MHz, offer a read range of up to 50 meters (164 feet), are capable of reading 250 tags per second and have a tracking speed up to 10 meters (33 feet) per second, with predictive motion and up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) per second with random motion. The access points communicate via Wi-Fi 802.1 B/G/N technology and also have two Bluetooth channels.

"We have packed all the possible functions into the kit for potential developers to test out and determine which features they would like to integrate into their own solution," Lebeau states.

Teslonix is offering the evaluation kit to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), as well as system designers and integrators, and is also seeking potential business partners to discuss and develop the possibilities. According to Lebeau, a product developed with SmartRFpower could be ready for delivery to end users in six to 12 months with the right development partner.