IDENTEC SOLUTIONS Technology
Rises with New York Skyline
Intelligent Long Range (ILR) RFID technology by
IDENTEC SOLUTIONS is playing an instrumental role in the construction of the Freedom Tower located at the World Trade Center site in downtown Manhattan.
Construction of the 1,776-foot tower has been underway since April of 2006 with an anticipated opening sometime in 2011.
Every slab of cement throughout this building, including the footings, core walls, elevator shafts, stairs wells, and all mechanical spaces throughout the Freedom Tower complex, will have utilized IDENTEC SOLUTIONS technology.
IDENTEC SOLUTIONS i-Q32 Temperature Tracking Tags are embedded in the concrete and wirelessly send temperature information to the Concrete Maturity Monitoring System (CMMS) developed by Wake, Inc..
This process allows the contractor to better manage concrete maturity in all of the walls and other structural components (which can be as thick as 20 feet) that make up the building.
As the world’s tallest building when completed, the Freedom Tower utilizes core footings that have a concrete strength of 14,000 psi (pounds per square inch), three times the norm and a record in the NYC construction industry.
The CMMS provides a major change in the process of collecting temperature data at several locations within a concrete project. The CMMS eliminates the need for probes and wires attached to external devices.
This will help the contractor determine ultimate concrete maturity and strength more effectively, thus cutting down on construction time and costs.
"We are honored that IDENTEC SOLUTIONS technology was selected to play an integral role in the construction of this iconic building," states IDENTEC SOLUTIONS Executive Vice President Global Sales, Peter Linke.
"The Freedom Tower will be a significant landmark and we are pleased to be part of the rebuilding of the World Trade Center in downtown New York City.”
Currently in progress is the installation of the Freedom Tower's foundation including rebar installation for the buildings core footings, steel columns, and the pouring of concrete for the foundation.
Tishman Realty and Construction, the contractor responsible for the overall building of the Freedom Tower, selected IDENTEC SOLUTIONS technology along with Wake, Inc.'s CMMS system as the ideal method for ensuring absolute structural performance while at the same time increasing construction efficiency.
NCR RFID Solution Tracks ‘Nick on the Go’
Media Players Rented to Hertz Customers
An RFID solution from NCR Corporation is helping entertainment logistics firm CR Media
keep track of the travel industry’s first fully portable, pre-loaded video entertainment players.
Nickelodeon and The Hertz Corporation first introduced “Nick on the Go” video entertainment players to Hertz customers in late 2007.
Preloaded with more than 40 hours of programming from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., the units are designed especially for kids and can be used while in the car, at the pool, or wherever travel time takes them.
A breakthrough travel amenity for families, the compact units also posed a potential asset-management dilemma for CR Media, which owns and manages the players.
CR Media turned to NCR for a turnkey RFID solution built on the NCR TransitionWorks software platform with active RFID tags and readers from RF Code. The NCR Asset Visibility solution enables CR Media to monitor all Nick on the Go media players through the Internet — with no effort required on the part of Hertz personnel.
Initially installed by NCR at 21 Hertz locations in just six days, the package is currently deployed at more than 40 leisure travel airport sites across the U.S., with several thousand media players available for rental.
“NCR Asset Visibility enables us to track our inventory in real time at every location simultaneously,” says CR Media President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Wallack. “The data updates every five seconds and provides accurate reporting. We rely on the system to track the players from anywhere. Many times we are not physically at locations where valuable inventory is stored, but we always have our eyes on it.”
The NCR solution includes an active RFID tag integrated in the sturdy case of every media player. A fixed-position RFID interrogator, installed in the storage room or closet where the units are kept at each Hertz location, alerts the system as each unit is removed or returned. The NCR software provides a web interface allowing appropriate CR Media personnel to monitor the available inventory at a glance, as well as access further details for each individual location. CR Media is considering future enhancements to the solution, including additional device status indicators such as returned by customer, inspection/preparation, or out for repair.
Audio Imaging and Real-time Location System
Enhances Opera Experience at the Royal Albert Hall
The Precise Real-time Location System by Ubisense has now been applied to live audio animation.
Collaborating with Out Board Electronics, the companies delivered a breakthrough enhancement in public audio performance showcased for the first time this month at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
This month, Raymond Gubbay’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca” will be performed in-the-round at London’s Royal Albert Hall featuring a ground-breaking sound automation technique that combines Out Board’s TiMax Audio Imaging delay matrix with the Ubisense ultra-wideband (UWB) RTLS solution.
The combined product will also be made available by Out Board as the TiMax Talent Tracker system. By tracking the position of individual actors and processing the audio feed from their radio microphones in real time the sound image is steered to give each audience member the impression of localized audio.
Each actor wears a small Ubisense location tag that communicates with an array of six sensors mounted on a lighting bar running around the circle balcony-front.
The actors are all individually given microphones and the sounds are sent back to the TiMax DSP matrix audio processor. The TiMax system uses the Ubisense system to define on-stage spatial localization zones that correspond to pre-defined “Image Definitions” (pre-programmed level/delay instructions to the TiMax DSP matrix).
By applying proprietary audio algorithms to the sound, the system can place the actor’s audio image in the appropriate zone on stage.
The system can easily follow up to 60 actors on a single stage depending on refresh rate and the TiMax delay matrix can independently localize up to 16 actors simultaneously in the same scene across 32 different Image Definitions. Larger arena productions and more complex spaces can utilize a series of interlinked cells of TTT sensors networked together to cover the whole area.
Out Board Director, Robin Whittaker, says: “We had wanted to develop such a solution for several years but could not find the right partner. This application demands absolute precision and reliability, something which only Ubisense is able to provide. So we were finally able to bring the concept to market.”
A key requirement was to provide a simple user interface for set up, control, and monitoring of the system since the solution must integrate within the existing sound engineers’ console.
“Because the Ubisense solution integrates so well with industry standard technology such as the Microsoft .NET environment, with well defined interfaces and APIs this enabled a rapid development and allowed us to meet the timescales for opening of the new Opera,“ Whittaker adds.
Charles Sturman, VP Marketing at Ubisense comments: “Although Ubisense has seen a great deal of traction in the manufacturing and logistics industries since the launch of our new product last year, we are keen to see how the technology can meet the needs of customers in other markets too. We are really excited about the potential for TiMax Talent Tracker and our on-going partnership with Out Board in this space.”
NXP to supply smart label ICs to METRO Group
NXP Semiconductors announces that leading international retailing company METRO Group has selected smart labels using NXP’s UCODE G2XL RFID chips without user memory for supply chain management.
The retailer will use UPM Raflatac RFID tags powered by UCODE G2XL chips on pallet level in its operational RFID rollout of Metro Cash & Carry wholesale stores in Germany.
The chips have been chosen for their breakthrough performance over the entire UHF frequency range, and will also be used in METRO Group’s case-level trial in Germany.
“Together with the European EPC Competence Center (EECC), we thoroughly tested the NXP UCODE G2XL chips in supply chain management scenarios, and we welcome the lean version of the chips,” says Dr. Gerd Wolfram, Managing Director of MGI METRO Group Information Technology.
“This product without user memory absolutely fits our strategy of using EDI and EPC standards. Moreover, we found that transponders using the NXP chips delivered best-in-class performance, providing the best sensitivity on a very broad variety of materials.”
Dr. Wolfram adds: “Item-level tags using the NXP UCODE G2XL chips also demonstrated the best performance when used in close proximity to each other — a key requirement for several applications. We’ve been particularly pleased with the support and insight we’ve gained through the NXP Reference Design Center in Austria, an outstanding facility that has enabled us to evaluate and optimize our RFID solutions, by recreating real-world scenarios.”
Sirit and RSI ID Technologies to join forces
Sirit Inc., a provider of RFID technology, announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire RSI ID Technologies, Inc., a vertically integrated manufacturer of antennas, inlays, and tags for specialized, passive RFID applications.
The combination of Sirit's broad range of readers and modules with RSI's suite of innovative RFID antenna design and inlay manufacturing capabilities creates a highly competitive integrated solution for Sirit and RSI customers. This enables the combined entity to offer more complete end-to-end solutions to the marketplace.
Sirit and RSI's broad operational experience in the RFID market will be seamlessly integrated to dramatically expand the scope of opportunities, creating the perfect solution for demanding environment applications such as livestock tracking, media and entertainment, and homeland security.
In the automatic vehicle identification sector, Sirit's extensive experience in reliably reading tags in vehicles at speeds of up to 160km/hr in harsh weather conditions, paired with RSI's unique passive tag solutions supports the increasing demand worldwide for Electronic Vehicle Registration (EVR) solutions that Sirit and RSI are jointly pursuing.
"This deal represents a key strategic growth opportunity for Sirit, building upon our readers and specialized active tag product offerings,” explains Norbert Dawalibi, President and CEO, Sirit Inc. “The combination with RSI will assist us to attain our goals of increasing revenue, strengthening of our intellectual property portfolio and expanding our geographic presence."
"Sirit is a perfect fit for RSI to reach its next stage of growth," adds Wolf Bielas, CEO, RSI ID Technologies, Inc. "We evaluated many opportunities for both investment and strategic partnerships in the RFID space. Sirit's strategy and product offering resulted in the best fit and highest growth opportunity for both companies and we at RSI are very excited to join the Sirit team."
The deal will be structured as an all stock transaction with an initial payment of 10 million Sirit Common Shares plus additional shares to be issued over a 21 month period based on achieving certain financial targets. The transaction is subject to receipt by Sirit of all requisite regulatory approvals including the Toronto Stock Exchange and is expected to close on or about April 1, 2008. RSI will continue to operate out of their California-based location.
OATSystems Deploys WiFi Based RFID-enabled
Asset Tracking Solution for Tyco Electronics
OATSystems announces that it has successfully deployed its WiFi-based Asset Tracking Solution to locate tractor trailers transporting electronic components between a large Tyco Electronics distribution center and manufacturing facilities in North Carolina.
The company selected OATSystems’ Asset Tracking Solution to solve the complex problem of gaining visibility into the locations of truckloads of high-value electronic components as they moved between multiple facilities, and ensuring accurate proof-of-delivery.
OAT used WiFi RFID tags, which are manufactured by Tyco Electronics M/A-COM business using G2 Microsystems chips.
Tyco Electronics has prominent customers in the automotive, aerospace, consumer electronics, telecom, and medical equipment industries. It ships a myriad of high-value electronic and fiber optic components to its customers, all of which must be delivered on time to satisfy their tight production schedules.
Tyco Electronics’ distribution centers function much like airline hubs, receiving parts from multiple origins and sending them to different final destinations.
Tyco Electronics operates one such distribution facility in Greensboro, NC, called the North Carolina Distribution Center, or NCDC. Although the manual process that NCDC’s logistics managers relied on to schedule deliveries was workable, it did not provide insight into the location and availability of each vehicle at any given moment.
As a result, it became standard practice to spend an average of 20 hours per week tracking material between the manufacturing sites and NCDC, as manufacturing managers sought the components they needed immediately in their manufacturing operations.
To address this challenge, Tyco Electronics turned to OATSystems for an RFID-enabled asset tracking solution for NCDC. The goal was to deploy a presence-based system to provide visibility into truck arrivals and departures.
Tyco Electronics wanted this deployment to be as cost-effective as possible, leveraging the existing WiFi infrastructure and eliminating the need for RFID readers or other hardware. In addition, Tyco Electronics sought an RFID solution that would support not only its current need for a presence-based system, but also to accommodate asset tracking with passive RFID tags as well as a Real-Time Location System in the future.
The WiFi tags, attached to each of the NCDC’s trailers, communicate their information via NCDC’s existing WiFi network.
As the trucks move, each tag reports its location and confirms the arrival of the truck at various locations in real time, providing Tyco complete end-to-end visibility.
Personnel in both the distribution centers and the manufacturing plants now know in real-time whether a specific truck has actually reached its intended destination.
Tyco Electronics projects its annual cost savings from improved productivity and material loss prevention to be well in excess of $100,000.
“OATSystems’ Asset Tracking solution, deployed on NCDC’s existing WiFi network, enabled us to benefit from a world-class presence-based asset tracking system quickly and cost-effectively,” says Randy Krull, Director U.S. DC Operations, Tyco Electronics. “OAT also provides us the ability to expand into RTLS as well as leverage passive Gen 2 tags, providing us a platform we can build upon to add more RFID solutions as our needs warrant.”
“We are very gratified that Tyco Electronics chose our Asset Tracking solution to address its challenging logistical needs,” says Prasad Putta, Founder, OATSystems. “Presence-based WiFi was an ideal way to do it, at a fraction of the cost and complexity of other Real-Time Location Systems. Tyco Electronics’ own M/A-COM tags equipped with G2 Microsystems chips really helped make the solution possible. This is yet another good example of a customer implementing our packaged solutions to see results quickly.”
