Next-Tech News

The bill, now awaiting the signature of the state's governor, would codify how transit agencies should handle data collected from FasTrak transponders.

The system's developer says that three U.S. hospitals will soon deploy the technology, testing its ability to track surgical items and ensure they don't remain in a patient, or get lost.

Shortages in RFID components and silicon are increasing order times for RFID readers, printers and tags by up to 14 weeks.

The University of Incheon in South Korea has automated its library operations with RFID. The
university's newly built library, Haksan, utilises RaceTrack HF RFID tags from UPM Raflatac coupled with a complete library automation solution from ECO.

The move away from the previously used barcode technology became opportune as the university began building its new campus and Haksan library in Songdo in 2009. Located close to Seoul, Songdo is a completely planned and sustainable international city in the Incheon Free Economic Zone. It is the new hub for innovation in the region and is world-famous for its use of new technologies.

In the first phase, the Haksan library tagged 500,000 educational and research items. Thanks to the RFID-enabled library automation solution, the university's 10,000 students are now able to enjoy the benefits of faster book circulation and easy to use self-service check-in/out stations. In addition, the RFID solution allows students to use their credit cards for library transactions, eliminating the need to carry a library patron card.

For library staff the automation means a significant reduction in the time previously lost on laborious and tedious tasks related to book circulation and inventories. The staff can now allocate more of their working hours on more important tasks and focus on better serving their customers.

Highly satisfied with the successful RFID implementation at the Haksan library, the University of Incheon plans on expanding the use of RFID to the library of its Jemulpo campus.

Plant mimicking device could be 40% efficient at converting incoming sunlight

Plant mimicking device could be 40% efficient at converting incoming sunlight

Utrecht, Netherlands – Sept. 7, 2010 – GreenPeak Technologies, a leading fabless semiconductor company, today announced the addition of the smart “push messaging” and “find-me” apps to its current offering of communication controllers for ZigBee RF4CE remote controls. GreenPeak’s unique ultra low power synchronization technique allows both applications to operate with a minimal impact on battery life thereby allowing the remote control battery life to reach more than ten years.

RF remote controls provide two-way high-speed communication and do not require line of sight as the signal transmits through cabinets, obstacles, walls and floors, contrary to infra-red based remote controls.

Push-messaging allows for a variety of new remote control capabilities including tele-voting and gaming, personal messages and reminders, real-time sports results, stock information and residential sensor network monitoring. Push-messaging also enables operators to create new opportunities for advertising revenues via server initiated commercial push messages on the consumers’ remote control.

Find-me enables users to simply push a “find-me” button on the TV or STB that results in the remote generating an alarm, beep or blinking light, to make it easy to find, even when it is out of sight. No more lost remote controls.

GreenPeak’s implementation manages this functionality on top of ZigBee RF4CE with only minimal impact on energy use – resulting in a factor 10 improvement in battery-life compared to currently existing two-way remote controls.

“For a long time, the current infra-red remote control has essentially not changed,” said Cees Links, CEO of GreenPeak Technologies. “But today more advanced communication capabilities enable new apps and increased functionality.” Cees Links continues: “By using GreenPeak's revolutionary technology, these new low power push-messaging and find-me apps provide increased functionality and improved user experience without affecting battery life.”

For a live demonstration of the “find-me” app in ultra low power RF4CE remote controls, please visit the GreenPeak booth at IBC 2010, Amsterdam, 10-14 September – Hall 1 Booth number 1.F94.

Spectrum Health picks Awarepoint system to track assets; Awarepoint expands to Australia; William Frick & Co. unveils new UHF tags for warehousing, distribution; Intelleflex, Lockheed Martin develop perimeter-monitoring security system; IDTronic intros UHF RFID key fob; ETRI joins RFID Consortium.

Model cell line (Caco-2) used to evaluate exposure effects of manufactured nanomaterials

SEM equipped with electrical probe stage and custom-built mechanical deformation instrument used to characterize miniature materials

Impurities shown to drive spin selectivity, which could benefit spintronics

In situ low-energy electron microscopy observations achieve epitaxial bilayer graphene with the highest uniformity

Routes towards large area and low temperature nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) growth

Are fluorescent nanodiamonds useful as non-toxic and non-photobleachable biolabels?

Coca-Cola Village is using an RFID system to link teenage visitors to their Facebook pages, giving them a way to automatically share details of their fun.

Geisinger Medical Center is using an RFID-enabled robot to securely transport certain drugs throughout its facility, and to provide a real-time view into who sent and received each item.

UCLA researchers have made the best graphene transistor yet

UCLA researchers have made the best graphene transistor yet