[05/29/08]
The Information and Telecommunication Technology Center (ITTC) at the University of Kansas is seeking licensees for its Agility Tag, a new RFID technology that enables one tag to work in contrary environments.
"Before Agility, it was assumed one tag could not be designed to operate efficiently near a conducting surface, such as metal, and in air," says Dan Deavours, principal investigator and ITTC research assistant professor. "In more than one case, we found Agility Tags worked better on metal than comparable vendor tags did in free space."
Since most RFID tags are used on RF-friendly materials such as cardboard or plastic, industry has tried to develop quick and cheap fixes to enable the tracking of computers, containers, equipment, and other metal assets. Manufacturers often use foam attached (FAT) tags, which employ a thick foam spacer to separate the antenna from a metal surface. The average read distance for a FAT tag is reduced to less than six feet when near metal.
In comparison, the Agility Tag is readable from 15 to 20 feet away when placed near metal and operates reliably and efficiently regardless of its location, says Deavours. Furthermore, the Agility Tag uses only one-eighth inch of foam while FAT tags require as much as one-fourth inch, increasing the cost of the tag.
"Previously, users had to choose between expensive asset tags and cheap FAT tags. Agility Tags give the performance of expensive asset tags, but at a manufacturing cost and complexity similar to FAT tags," says Deavours.
ADASA Inc. (www.adasainc.com), a technology company specializing in advanced mobile RFID systems and RFID tag encoding, is leading the innovative development of in-process RFID tagging equipment and methods. As part of its pursuit of even more robust and cost effective RFID solutions, ADASA tested the ITTC tag at its headquarters in Eugene, Ore.
"KU tags are a breakthrough in RFID tagging. Unlike other tags, the KU Tag is completely tolerant of its environment," says Clarke McAllister, chief technology officer at ADASA. "Its reliable performance across a broad range of conditions combined with an ADASA mobile RFID tag encoder/dispenser, enables tagging of anything, anywhere. This winning combination restores the magic that has been promised by RFID."
A number of companies are producing RF absorbing technologies to enable better tag performance near metal. Deavours says that RF absorbing materials hurt performance in one area to improve performance in another area, hoping for a net gain. Agility Tags use polyethylene foam, one of the most non-absorbing RF materials ITTC researchers tested.
Deavours developed the Agility Tag with funding from ITTC and the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC). As the KTEC Center of Excellence for information technologies, ITTC conducts applied industry-led research and assists companies. The Center develops partnerships with local and national companies that advance both the research mission of KU and the business interests of industry partners. ITTC core focus areas include information systems, telecommunications, bioinformatics, and radar systems. For more information, please contact Dr. Daniel Deavours, Principal Investigator and Research Assistant Professor, 785- 864-7764. www.ittc.ku.edu
|
