News and info briefs for the RFID industry.

RFID News:

• Want to build your own low-cost, extended range RFID skimmer? [via Help Net Security] Instructions include pictures, diagrams, and technical details.
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• The Privacy Commissioner for the province of Ontario, Canada, recently released the Ontario RFID Privacy Guidelines. [via Baseline Mag] I haven't read it yet, but I'm hoping that the Commissioner has not proposed any deviation from the current various RFID standards.
  
• This is part of the problem with RFID today - there isn't a single standard around the world, nor are there a common set of usage guidelines. However, several computer software + hardware corporations in the US are working on a joint RFID usage guidelines document, which includes suggestions to retailers on how to notify the public that RFID is in use.
  
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• The US FDA recently issued a report on the use of RFID in the pharmaceutical industry. [via RFID Journal] While FDA is not insisting that RFID be used to pedigree pharmaceutical, they do favour it. RFID has been the expected solution of choice in the industry, but until Gen 2 UHF RFID tags were available, there were a lot of technical issues that HF tags suffered from, including potentially changing chemical structures in containers.
  
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• Identec Solutions completed the purchase of Baumer Ident GmBH. Identec produces RFID systems for industrial use. Baumer makes automatic identification systems. Some of the funding for Identec came from RFID Invest AG, a company that actively invests in RFID tech manufacturers. [RFID Update daily newsletter]
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• Broadcom has come up with a processor chip that combines biometrics and RFID technology. A fingerprint scan must match before data from the integrated RFID tag is accessible. Privaris is one of the first companies to use the processor in a consumer offering. Their RFID-enabled biometric key fob can be programmed to access physical areas, devices such as laptops, and for contactless payment. [RFID Update daily newsletter; RFID Gazette.]
  

Definitions + Acronyms:

• AG: Atkiengesellschaft, a German term used by some companies in their name.
• FDA: US Food and Drug Administration.
• HF: High Frequency.
• RFID: Radio Frequency Identification.
• UHF: Ultra High Frequency.
  

These RFID summaries give you a synopsis of goings-on in the radio
frequency identification industry. Topic include RFID tags/ chips, readers, systems, data management, software, privacy, regulations, and more. Links have been provided to more detailed stories, if you want more details. On occasion, I've added a bit of commentary.