Hi-G-Tek, a supplier of RFID-enabled sensing and control solutions for tracking high-value cargo and sensitive materials, has announced an agreement to supply its solutions to CANBERRA, a subsidiary of the AREVA company. The deal establishes Hi-G-Tek as an Original Equipment Manufacturer for Canberra, a supplier of systems, instruments and services for radiation detection, identification and material protection.

by David C. Wyld, Southeastern Louisiana University

In the U.S., it has been estimated that upwards of a million laptops are stolen annually. This is an astonishing – and scary statistic. And it is not just companies that are affected.

Indeed, across federal agencies, leading universities, and all facets of health care and education, there is increasing focus on laptop theft, as surveys of IT executives across organizations of all types show such occurrences happening on a routine basis – often with dire consequences potentially impacting thousands of employees, customers, patients and students.

Until recently, a common misconception was that the impact of a lost or stolen laptop was merely the cost a replacing the hardware – the laptop itself, a cost that could be assumed to continue decline over time. However, in 2000, the Rand Corporation released a study that pegged the actual replacement cost of a lost laptop at found the average value to be more than $6,000.

NEC has announced plans to launch a multi-format RFID card reader next April. A prototype of the new device, which is compatible with all three major wireless card formats along with a few others, was on display at the company’s iExpo event in Tokyo this week, according to a PC World article.

A new clothing store opened by Finnish apparel company NP Collection utilizes RFID technology throughout the store. The “intelligent” store, located in Hollola, Finland, uses RFID both to improve efficiency in behind-the-scenes applications like inventory management, and to offer customers fast, interactive customer service.

Azcar Technologies, a technology integration company with offices throughout North America and the United Kingdom, has acquired the Canadian RFID consulting firm NJE Consulting Inc.

Chinese RFID tag maker Daily RFID has introduced a versatile new UHF RFID tag which the company plans to offer at a cost of less than 55 cents.

The tag, which Daily RFID engineer David Chen refers to as the One-Off Using tag, was originally designed as part of a apparel management solution, but can be easily integrated into a variety of applications including document tracking and asset management.

The tag measures 114mm by 39mm, with a read range of 5 to 6 meters using a 860MHz~960MHz UHF RFID reader. The protocol of the tag can be ISO 18000-6B or ISO/IEC 18000-6C / EPC Class 1 Gen 2.  

Solicore, maker of embedded power solutions for a variety of technologies including RFID, has announced two moves intended to increase the company’s market presence. With a new chief operating officer with a background in developing new business markets and a distribution deal to increase their market share in Eastern Europe, Solicore hopes to grow the market exposure of its flagship product, the ultra-thin Flexion battery line.

GAO RFID has launched a low frequency glass RFID tag. The Glass RFID Tag, also referred to as the GAO 111001, is intended for uses from laundry management to animal tracking, and is safely injectable when serving its tracking function.

AVISIAN Executive Editor Chris Corum reports from CARTES and talks to executives at Verifone and HID Global about their latest product announcements.  

The average person would most likely associate log cabin construction with pretty traditional technologies. Like, say, hand saws. Or, in really cutting edge circumstances, a carpenter’s square to get the angles right.

But Finland-based Honkarakenne, maker of log houses uses more sophisticated technology than the one Abraham Lincoln was born in, has adopted an RFID tracking system to enable fast and accurate construction of their custom-built, woodpecker-attracting homes.