3M Developing "Organic" Tags

Trying a chip in the old box

"The trouble is that today's RFID tags remain too costly for mass market uses, Baude said. A package containing a silicon chip and a tiny radio antenna mounted on a material called a "substrate" today costs 15 to 20 cents.

That price needs to be cut to 1 to 2 cents, and 3M hopes to achieve that by substituting organic materials such as plastic for the relatively expensive silicon used in today's RFID chips, he said. Plastic is called organic because it is partly composed of the element carbon, which plays a key role in living organisms. Developing the organic chip material could take three to five years, he added."

RFID Journal is also reporting on Carbon substrate chips.

Wal-Mart Delays First Deadline

Wal-Mart Hits Snags in Push to Use Radio Tags to Track Goods

"[Suppliers] were supposed to send bulk shipments of such drugs in radio tag containers to a distribution center near the company's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., by the end of March.

With that deadline just days away, Wal-Mart is now admitting that it will not be met.

A few companies have begun sending radio-tagged drugs, a Wal-Mart spokesman, Gus Whitcomb, said, although he declined to identify them. Mr. Whitcomb said that the company, which operates 3,000 pharmacies, had revised its goal and wanted all drug makers on board by the end of June.

...

'Wal-Mart keeps cutting back on its requirements,' said Michael J. Liard, the senior analyst following radio tag technology at the Venture Development Corporation, a market research company in Natick, Mass. 'They're not ready; the industry's not ready; and the technology is not ready.'"

Transparent RFID

RFID Journal - RFID Fibers for Secure Applications

"Tapemark, a manufacturer of packaging and packaging materials, says it will use a new technology, called Chipless ID, to embed RFID transponders into packaging, paper or film. Invisible to the eye, each transponder emits a unique signal that cannot be forged, making the technology particularly suitable for authentication, anticounterfeiting and security applications."

RFID Locators and E-Payment in Amusement Parks

RFID technology from SAMSys has now been integrated into SafeTzone Technologies' systems for location services and cashless spending, which allows people at amusement parks to find each other quickly, and to avoid having to carry cash within the park.

Matrics to Start Making Read/Write RFID tags

Matrics Inc. has announced the addition of read/write functionality to its RFID (radio frequency identification) tag product line. The company has started supplying read/write tags in limited quantities and says it will ramp up production in the second quarter of 2004.

Sen. Leahy and RFID

Industry debunks myth of $20 bill - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics

Oaiso- RFID for Sushi

Engadget - www.engadget.com

"With patrons sitting elbow-to-elbow, grabbing at sashimi as it sails past, it's not uncommon to see discarded dishes stacked 20-plates high -- a real hassle when each dish has a different price. About 120 sushi bars so far are now using a new speedy system called 'Oaiso' (meaning check), which uses RFID tag-embedded sushi plates to tally the bill. "

RFID in Coupling Devices

RFID Journal - RFID Protects Liquid Assets

"Couplings are used to let flexible liquid-carrying tubing be quickly and easily connected and disconnected. Adding RFID technology to the couplings promises to help keep unauthorized liquids from being introduced into storage containers or dispensing systems. For example, RFID-based coupling applications in food and beverage dispensers can help ensure that correct amounts are dispensed, that sugared syrup is not used in drinks advertised as sugar-free, and that products are monitored for freshness. In chemical plants, RFID tagging can be used to confirm the correct types and sequencing of ingredients. "

RFID News are impressed.

RFID at JAX

Radio frequency tags may prevent luggage woes - 2004-03-22 - The Business Journal of Jacksonville

"With the new RFID equipment, the percentage of unread bags can be reduced to a small fraction of 1 percent, Molle said. And that difference can cut the number of bags personnel must move by several hundred on a typical day or a few thousand on a busy day.

On an average day JIA handles 5,000 to 6,000 bags, a number that hit 10,400 on the peak day last holiday season, Molle said. The day after the big game, JIA could see 20,000 to 30,000 bags, he said.

And although radio frequency identification could help reduce the degree of human intervention required, Molle said the improvements are less about seeking a return on investment and more about maximizing JIA's ability to serve passengers."

Pentagon Supply Chain Official on DoD RFID

RFID goes to war - News - ZDNet

"Supply problems did not cause any battlefield deaths in either conflict, according to Alan Estevez, assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for supply chain integration at the Pentagon. Still, he believes that RFID technology will help maintain the smooth flow of supplies to the front lines and has the potential to help save lives in future conflicts."