Linux News: RFID

Will RFID Chips Break the 5-Cent Barrier?
March 30, 2007

When Wal-Mart imposed its seemingly -- to the suppliers at least -- draconian RFID mandate, it also held out the future promise that the cost of the technology would someday be quite affordable, perhaps as low as 5 cents per tag. That day hasn't come -- at least not yet.

The New Cashless Economy
March 24, 2007

The wheels are in motion to create an economy free of paper money and coins. However, human habits and cultural attachments to the traditional idea of money may be the only hurdles that continue to prevent all payments from being made with the wave of a key fob or a ray of infrared light from a cell phone.

RFID: Beyond Wal-Mart and the DoD, Part 2
March 13, 2007

Without a doubt, adoption and use of radio frequency identification accelerated dramatically when Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense gave their respective suppliers marching orders to implement the technology. However, suppliers for the most part were not happy with the additional costs and resources that had to be diverted into these projects.

RFID: Beyond Wal-Mart and the DoD, Part 1
March 05, 2007

Adoption and use of radio frequency identification accelerated dramatically when Wal-Mart and the Department of Defense gave their respective suppliers marching orders to implement the technology. However, suppliers for the most part were not happy with the extra costs and resources that had to be diverted into these projects.

Hitachi Creates Paper-Thin RFID Tags
February 23, 2007

Tiny computer chips with myriad applications -- from scanning concert tickets to tracking the family dog to monitoring travelers as they cross international borders -- are shrinking, and have now have caught up with the imaginations of science fiction and spy novel writers.

New Intel Tablet Streamlines Patient Tracking
February 21, 2007

Intel and Motion Computing have teamed up to develop and deliver a new tablet PC for the healthcare industry -- the C5 mobile clinical assistant. Based on Intel's new MCA platform, Motion's C5 device is currently in trial use in hospitals and is already gaining enthusiastic interest from the healthcare community.

Dow Chemical's Dave Asiala on the Beauty of RFID
February 15, 2007

When Dave Asiala, Dow Chemical's shared services IT director, is talking about his company's RFID initiatives and wants listeners to have an "Aha" moment, he tells them about Dow AgroSciences' use of RFID tags in its in-ground Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System.

RFID and Wireless Sensor Networks in the Supply Chain
February 01, 2007

The use of RFID technology in the retail industry has been increasing, albeit tentatively. Meanwhile, proponents are finding that RFID adoption is easier in the manufacturing sector and upstream in the supply chain. However, RF technology is increasingly being applied to a variety of areas as part of wireless sensor networks, or WSNs.

IBM Introduces WebSphere RFID Information Center
December 18, 2006

IBM has introduced new RFID technology aimed at the pharmaceutical industry that it says not only provides better tracking information but also offers users more flexibility in analyzing the data that it generates. WebSphere RFID Information Center, essentially a data-gathering and repository application, is based on the EPCglobal standard called "EPCIS."

IBM Trims Privacy Concerns With 'Clipped Tag' RFID
November 09, 2006

When Wal-Mart started talking about using RFID technology to get a better handle on the demand signal in its supply chains, one frightening image embedded itself in consumers' collective imaginations: a manufacturer, retailer or both tracking the use and disposal of an individual's razor blade, toothbrush or can of deodorant.

DoD's RFID Initiatives Rewriting Supply Chain Equation
November 09, 2006

RFID initiatives introduced by the Department of Defense and private sector providers such as Savi Technology or Boeing are driving greater use of the technology in the aerospace and defense industries. Unlike Wal-Mart's RFID initiative in the consumer goods space, though, the Department of Defense's programs are much more collaborative in nature -- and far less overhyped.

Contactless Cards: Are Privacy Jitters Legit?
September 28, 2006

Americans are using a controversial new microchip technology in some new credit and debit cards to make it easier and quicker to purchase groceries, cigarettes and gasoline. In addition, the cards tie those purchases into the supply chain more rapidly with a flick of the wrist.

Infineon Lands Contract for Passport Security Chips
August 21, 2006

Infineon Technologies said Monday it had landed an order for millions of data storage chips from the U.S. government, which will be featured in a new generation of electronic passports. The exact size of the contract was not disclosed.

Here Come the Next-Gen Passports
August 18, 2006

This week, the U.S. State Department began rolling out "e-passports," new high-tech documents that bolster border security through identity safeguards. In a dangerous world, upgrading passports is prudent policy that serves the interests of Americans at home and abroad, but not everyone is happy with them.

US Begins Rollout of RFID Passports
August 16, 2006

The United States government began issuing new electronic passports this week that include radio frequency identification technology (RFID) to store citizens' personal information. The U.S. State Department referred in its announcement to biometric technology and "a contactless chip."

Hacker Cracks, Clones RFID Passport
August 07, 2006

The wireless data transfer capabilities of radio frequency identification tags are intended to speed and assist transactions, but it appears the RFID chips of new U.S. passports are speeding and assisting circumvention, according to a German expert's demonstration at last week's Black Hat hacker conference in Las Vegas.