Omni-ID intros smallest UHF on-metal printable label ••• Neology, NXP partner on RFID-enabled traffic-management, vehicle ID systems ••• Pittsburgh Penguins adds Rover proximity platform to its beacon installation ••• TagMaster NA announces new UHF sticker tag for vehicle-access applications ••• German hospitals enlist Recall's RFID-enabled patient record management service ••• Star Systems Int'l provides 1.2 million headlamp tags to Dominican Republic.

By Beth Bacheldor

Sep 24, 2015—

The following are news announcements made during the past week by the following organizations: Omni-ID; Neology, NXP Semiconductors; Rover, Estimote, YinzCam;TagMaster NA; Recall; STAR Systems International, and Thomas Copel.

OMNI-ID INTROS ITS SMALLEST UHF ON-METAL PRINTABLE LABEL

RFID supplier Omni-ID has announced the smallest member of its Ultrathin family of ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID labels designed to be reliable on and off metal from any orientation. The IQ 150 measures 60.0 millimeters by 12.5 millimeters by 0.9 millimeters (2.36 inches by 0.5 inch by 0.035 inch), supports the EPC Gen 2 specification and is optimized for thermal bar-code printers. According to the company, the self-adhesive label is suitable for tracking IT data center assets, office equipment, hospital and lab supplies, cylinders and pipes, and assets in warehouses.

Omni-ID's IQ 150 on-metal label

The label works with standard RFID printers and can be easily attached to flat and curved metal and plastic surfaces to a minimum radius of 58 millimeters (2.3 inches), Omni-ID reports. It has an IP 68 rating, which means it is dustproof and waterproof and can withstand harsh chemical and environmental conditions.

The standard version of the IQ 150 is made with Impinj's Monza R6 chip, which offers 96 bits of Electronic Product Code (EPC) memory. A version made with Impinj's Monza 4QT chip will be available in November 2015, the company reports, and will feature 96 bits of EPC memory and 512 bits of user memory.

NEOLOGY, NXP PARTNER ON RFID-ENABLED TRAFFIC-MANAGEMENT, VEHICLE ID SYSTEMS

Neology, a provider of secure RFID solutions, and NXP Semiconductors demonstrated new traffic-management and vehicle ID systems at an automotive show held this month in Germany.

Neology is introducing its RFID License Plate solution, which features NXP's new Ucode DNA, a passive EPC Gen 2 ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID chip that NXP says is the first to provide cryptographic authentication. Unveiled in April 2015 (see NXP Releases IC for Secure Encrypted UHF Reads), the Ucode DNA uses a dynamic password that changes with each read event and requires the verification of every password from a server, in order to prevent eavesdropping and tag cloning. The RFID License Plate solution features theft prevention and law-enforcement notification in case of plate tampering or unauthorized transfer, the company reports. A self-declaration feature for electronic road tolling is also included.

Additionally, Neology is launching its RF In-Car Device that transmits relevant vehicle telemetry data. The compact device plugs into a standard vehicle OBD port via a pass-through connector, and communicates with the outside world using an ISO-18000-6C I2C chip from NXP, according to Neology. Specific applications include fleet management, car rental and traffic congestion management, among others.

The new products are being showcased at the IAA Cars 2015 trade show, which is taking place in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sept. 17-27.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ADDS ROVER PROXIMITY PLATFORM TO ITS BEACON INSTALLATION

Proximity marketing provider Rover and the Pittsburgh Penguins have announced the addition of Rover's proximity and content-management platform to the professional hockey team's existing installation of Estimote Bluetooth beacons, in order to deliver location-triggered content via the Penguins app, which was developed by YinzCam.

Fans with the app will receive exclusive mobile content when they attend games at theConsol Energy Center throughout the 2015-2016 season. When visitors enter the arena, content triggered by beacons will be delivered to the Penguins app, including greetings containing special content, an interactive experience at the Mario Lemieux statue, and concession offers and discounts.

Rover leverages iBeacon and geofence technology to connect marketers with their customers at the proper time. Rover's beacon technology works with both iOS and Android platforms, and the solution comes with open-source software developer's kits (SDKs). In July 2015, the company announced that it was providing its services to the Toronto Maple Leafs, which will use the technology to engage with and support its fans (see RFID News Roundup: Ice Hockey Team Implements Beacon Technology from Rover).

TAGMASTER NA ANNOUNCES NEW UHF HEADLAMP TAG

TagMaster North America, a provider of rail and transportation applications, has introduced its Headlamp Tag (NA1500), an ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID sticker designed for hands-free vehicle-access applications. According to TagMaster NA, the sticker is suitable for applications requiring a high number of non-transferable tags that call for a more discreet form factor.

Tagmaster Headlamp Tag (NA1500)

The new tag, composed of thick laminated polyester, is tamper-evident, non-transferable and compliant with the EPC Gen 2 specifications. It has a read range of between 12 feet (when paired with TagMaster's XT-Mini reader) and 20 feet (when paired with the company's XT-1 and XT-3 readers), according to TagMaster NA. The tag measures 4 inches by 1 inch (101.6 millimeters by 25.4 millimeters) and is 0.02 inch (0.5 millimeter) thick.

The Headlamp Tag can be affixed to the headlamps of vehicles, which makes for an inconspicuous placement, TagMaster NA reports, but also serves vehicles possessing UV-coated windshields that may obstruct RFID transmission and lack a designated hotspot. The tag can be customized to meet customer preferences by the inclusion of serial numbering to allow for visual identification and easy issuance to end users. Each tag has strategically placed slits in the label and adhesive layers, resulting in a tamper-evident solution to prevent tag sharing or theft.

GERMAN HOSPITALS ENLIST RECALL'S RFID-ENABLED RECORD-MANAGEMENT SERVICE

Recall, a provider of document storage, secure document destruction, digital document management and data protection, has announced that it is now the exclusive information management service provider for Paracelsus, one of the largest private hospital chains in Germany. Through this partnership, Recall will be responsible for managing and securing records for the more than 100,000 patients whom Paracelsus serves. To accomplish this, the company leverages ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID hardware provided by eAgile.

Recall will provide Paracelsus with its document management services (DMS), including accurate auditing, information lifecycle management, and secure storage and destruction. The RFID technology will be used to more easily identify and track documents, as well as help reduce total costs of information management. Recall will store Paracelsus' records in Recall's secure information centers.

"Once records arrive at a Recall information center, RFID tags can be applied to individual records, files or the cartons in which the records are being stored," says Ron McMurtrie, Recall's VP and CMO. "Should Paracelsus require retrieval of any of their documents we securely store, RFID gives us the exact location of the records they need, eliminating any guesswork or unnecessary searching."

According to McMurtrie, Paracelsus sought an information-management provider that could help it adhere to the data privacy and compliance regulations common to health-care organizations. Recall's use of RFID is one component that will assist Paracelsus in maintaining compliance.

Recall first began testing RFID in 2005, and began offering the technology on document-storage cartons by 2007. In 2011, the company added RFID tracking on individual files and back-up tapes (see RFID News Roundup: Recall Adds Item-level Tracking to Its Services). Recall began offering printable RFID tags for in-house asset tracking in 2013, and last year introduced self-created, Web-based, on-demand RFID reports.

STAR SYSTEMS INT'L PROVIDES 1.2 MILLION HEADLAMP TAGS TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Star Systems International (SSI), an RFID hardware, tag and professional services provider based in Hong Kong, has announced that it has completed a sale of 1.2 million passive ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) headlamp transponders for deployment in the Dominican Republic. SSI partnered with Thomas Copel, a high-security printing firm that provides checks, bonds, financial certificates, and student records in that country. Recently, Thomas Copel has integrated digital security and RFID products within its product mix, according to the two companies.

This fall, the transponders, which comply with the ISO 18000-6C standard, will be installed on every motorcycle in the Dominican Republic, SSI reports. A tracking system will use the transponders to help enforce compliance with the annual vehicle-registration process.

"With this successful deployment of our RFID tags in motorcycles, we foresee many new applications being developed for both public and private sectors. This is a notable accomplishment for the Dominican Republic, Thomas Copel and Star Systems International," said Ricardo Sanchez, Thomas Copel's commercial director, in the statement. "Partnering with world-class technology experts like SSI has allowed us to build our own local and solid RFID platform in the benefit of our country. SSI's level of product knowledge and passion for quality along with Thomas Copel's desire to implement a leading edge system here are great differentiators for our business."