RFID Links the Tool Room to the Factory Floor

At the first Interactive Manufacturing Experience (imX 2011) conference, Sept. 12-14, 2011 in Las Vegas, Tom Rosenberg, director of marketing for Balluff explains the company’s Tool ID products that use RFID technology to integrate the tool room with the factory floor to Sensor Tips’ Randy Frank.

For more information about Balluff Tool ID products, click here.

To watch the video, click here.

Energy Harvesting for Sensing Applications Update

If you are interested in the possibility of using energy harvesting
technology to power a wireless sensor network, there are few tools that you should consider to determine if this can make a difference in your next system design.

The 308-page book, Energy Harvesting for Autonomous Systems written by Stephen Beeby and Neil White of the University of Southampton and published by Artech House within the last year and provides chapters on RFID, photovoltaic, kinetic, and thermoelectric
energy harvesting as well as power management, energy storage and a a case study.

At Sensors Expo 2011 in Chicago, the Energy Harvesting
Track on Tuesday and Wednesday provide attendees special insight into the products and their applications from eleven companies.

For those seeking a focused in-depth look at energy
harvesting, the Power Management: Energy Harvesting & Storage Symposium on Monday provides information
from a dozen of the leading energy harvesting companies.

Balluff’s IO-Link–based RFID Connects Easily to Networks

Balluff’s IO-Link protocol allows users to connect an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system to an industrial network via a gateway using standard discrete sensor wiring. Instead of using barcode systems that have high installation costs because of shielded RS232 cables and RS232 communication and an I/O enclosure, the IO-Link-based RFID easily connects with a single IO-Link Expansion Module and four 3-conductor, non-shielded cordsets. The IO-Link block treats the RFID data like a standard I/O point. Running multiple RFID readers from a single I/O block using standard, 3-conductor sensor cables can provide a typical savings of 12% per ID point

For more information about Balluff’s RFID products for IO-Link, click here.

RF-Enabled Sensing Benefits from ProximaRF Kit

ProximaRF, a company that specializes in high frequency (13.56 MHz) RFID has developed an RFID–enabled sensor kit that provides users access to Melexis MLX90129 RFID sensor transponder IC.

Using the ProximaRF DVK90129 reader and evaluation kit, developers can immediately read and write code to the RFID IC using a plug and play USB high frequency reader without any additional design requirements. In addition to the USB desktop HF RF reader, the kit includes an XML-based API to simplify sensor interface, ready-to-use dashboard demo tools and the RFID-enabled sensor evaluation board with thermometer, light sensor and potentiometer.

For more information about ProximaRF DVK90129 RFID Sensor Kit, click here.

Sensors Expo 2010 Exhibitors: ProximaRF Technology Corp.

If you missed Sensors Expo or did not get a chance to check out all the exhibits, here is another of the interesting booths that I visited. Terry Rachwalski from ProximaRF Technology Corp. demonstrates a high frequency RFID tag and reader including the use of energy harvesting from the RFID reader. To see the video, click the arrow link below.

For more information about ProximaRF RFID products & services including starter kits, click here.

RFID Sensing Accesses Door Lock

Touch sensing was demonstrated as an alternative to commonly used magnetic key sensing for authorizing access to a locked door in a previous Sensor Tips video. At the Hospitality Design Expo, at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas, May 19-21, Jon Nevison demonstrates another option using RFID technology for authorizing access. The implication from these two alternative technologies replacing a well-established approach is rather obvious: designers need to consider new options when updating an older product to expand future sales.

 For the video demonstration from the Hospitality Design Expo, click the quick play button below.

Sensing Solutions Lead to Recognition

Boulder, CO - Phase IV Engineering, Inc. announces that it has been chosen by CSIA as one of the most innovative technology companies in Colorado and will showcase its cutting edge innovations during the Colorado Technology Association’s (CSIA) DEMOgala on October 8, 2009, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

Phase IV Engineering developed a sophisticated Passive RFID Sensing ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) called the “SensIC” and, during the DEMOgala Showcase, will demonstrate its adapted use in a number of applications ranging from aerospace, agriculture and food processing. This tiny chip offers battery-less sensing and can wirelessly measure and communicate the ID, temperature, and the value of an external MEMS sensor, such as pressure, shock, strain gauge, humidity, and more.

The theme of this year’s DEMOgala is “The Crossroads of Technology, Innovation & Growth”. The DEMOgala day long event features over 100 speakers on 15 different panels discussing the newest trends in technology. Topics include everything from cloud computing, software development, crowdsourcing, mobile applications, web commerce, open source, social networking, APIs, transparency, and much more.