Active RFID and RTLS in Manufacturing

The new Holst Centre in the Netherlands is enabling position awareness with ultra low power wireless networks based on UWB. Manufacturers will also benefit from the action activated printed RFID sensors developed at the Mid Sweden University and the sense and respond wireless mesh networks of Phase IV Engineering. Then there is the new near and far field transponder from Instrumentel designed specifically for extreme environments. Information Mediary is now offering semi passive RFID sensors for cold chain applications. Underpinning much of this work is the move from custom to button batteries and even the first printed batteries in the tags. Then there is the standards work of EPCglobal leading to the second sourcing, cost reduction and product integrity that comes from volume runs of standard product, as now demanded by the US Army.