1. Climbing the RFID Learning Curve
Alfio Grasso
Deputy Director, Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide
General Manager, RFID Automation
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2. Overview RFID background RFID in Australia Implementation
Assessment criteria
Reader issues
Tag issues
Data issues
Human issues
Privacy
Champion
RFID Solution Providers
Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide
Australasian Adoption Research Initiative (AARI)
Conclusions
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3. RFID Background
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4. Why now for RFID? RFID invented in WWII
Steady development over last 50+ years
Recent improvements in tag and reader technology
Better performance
Easier deployment and maintenance
Better use of existing infrastructure and technologies
Improvements in tag and reader manufacturing
Cheaper tags and readers
Industry standardisation
EPCglobal and ISO
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5. RFID Radio Frequency Identification Basic Elements
Automatic Data Capture
Uses RF to communicate
Basic Elements
Tags
Readers/Antennas
Host CPU
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6. Tag reading Reader Tx typically 1W, 6dB gain Antenna
The black spot
Reader Tx typically 1W, 6dB gain Antenna
But propagation loss, resulting Rx at Tag typically µW
On tag, RF energy used for DC power and modulation
More loss back to Reader Rx
Therefore a very weak reply is obtained
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7. RFID Tags Tags Attached to objects or items
Contains electronics (chip), and antenna
Most are passive (no power source)
Active tags have a battery
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8. Matrics (Symbol) Tags
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9. Alien Technology Tags
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10. Intermec Tags
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11. RFID Readers Readers Contains electronics, Tx, Rx and control
Connected to antenna(s)
mostly external
Energise tags (passive tags)
Commands tags (wake up active tags, enables management of the tag population)
Receive tag replies
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12. RFID Readers
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13. RFID Antenna(s)
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14. Host CPU Application Do something with the tag information
Potential to generate massive amounts of data
Once installed it costs virtually NOTHING to read a tag!
Real time data => real time decisions
OHIO (Zero Human Involvement Operations)*
* Term defined by John Greaves, CHEP International
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15. RFID in Australia – closed loop
Vehicle Identification
Passenger and commercial vehicles
Rail
Passenger, Sugar, Minerals, Steel
Waste Management
Domestic and Industrial
Access Control
Time and Attendance, Vehicle
Manufacturing
Library
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16. Electronic Toll Collection
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17. Extended Read Range
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18. Vehicle ID, Sugar Industry
Photos courtesy of Mirrabooka Systems
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19. Steel Production
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20. Hot-Axle Detection and RFID
Photo courtesy of Sugar Research Institute
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21. Location ID
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22. Location ID
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23. Industrial Waste Management
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24. Domestic Waste Management
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25. Manufacturing
Photo taken at Hendersons Automotive Technologies Pty Ltd
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26. National Library Board Singapore
Photos courtesy of the
National Library Board Singapore
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27. Photo taken at Carlton & United Beverages
Warehouse Management
Photo taken at Carlton & United Beverages
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28. Photo taken at Carlton & United Beverages
Warehouse Management
Photo taken at Carlton & United Beverages
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29. Warehouse Management
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30. Paper Roll Identification
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31. Vehicle Manufacture
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32. RFID Potential
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33. RFID Market To Reach $7.26Bn In 2008 *
A new market research report covering RFID from 2005 to 2015, researched by IDTechEx.
Bottom line is that this year’s global market for RFID including tags, systems and services is $1.94 billion but it will be driven by demand and new laws to $26.90 billion in 2015.
1.8 billion RFID tags have been sold to 2005.
Passive tags: 410 million (car clickers)
Active tags: 1390 million (cards)
Key volume applications for RFID technology have been in markets such as access cards for the financial, security and safety markets, or for the automotive and passenger transport sector, with smaller markets in leisure, libraries, laundry and healthcare.
* As reported in IDTechEX 11 April 2005
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34. More Trends *
3.1 billion tags will be used for pallets and cases in 2006.
By 2008
6.8 billion tags for Item level tagging (especially by pharmaceuticals) and tagging of baggage, animals, books, tickets and other non retail markets
But 15.3 billion tags for pallets/cases
The market for RFID interrogators will reach $1.14 billion in 2008 for EPC interrogators and $0.75 billion in the same year for other interrogators, such as Near Field Communication interrogators.
Forecasts by territorial region show that by % of RFID tags by numbers will be sold in East Asia, followed by 32% to North America.
* As reported in IDTechEX 11 April 2005
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35. EPCglobal ISO Regulatory
Standards
EPCglobal
ISO
Regulatory
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36. EPCglobal structure
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37. RF Regulations Classify RFID as Industrial, Scientific and Medical use
Regulators
Classify RFID as Industrial, Scientific and Medical use
ISM bands
kHz (ISO )
13.56 MHz or HF (ISO )
433 MHz (ISO )
860 to 960 MHz or UHF (ISO )
2.45 GHz (ISO )
5.8 GHz (no ISO standard)
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38. UHF
The UHF tags will be able to be read by readers operating within 860 – 960 MHz range.
The readers will be restricted to a small subset of this range depending on where in the world they are being operated.
There are also regulations on the amount of power emitted by the readers depending on where the readers are being used.
Therefore, a tag may be applied to an item and shipped anywhere in the world, but a reader has to be specifically set up for the region or country
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39. Map of the ITU regions
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40. Implementation Plan
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41. Implementation Plan Define your RFID implementation & metrics
Compliance
Reduce Inventory
Stock Visibility
Reduce Costs
Increase asset utilisation
Reduce shrinkage
Reduce/eliminate shipping errors
Consider existing infrastructure
Vendors
Customers
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42. Plan Cont Investigate world standards ISO or EPC
Choose frequency of operation
13.56 (HF) or 860 to 960 MHz (UHF)
Extensive pilot or test plan
Develop assessment criteria for solution providers
Minimise scope creep!
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43. Business case - ROI
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44. Business case – ROI * Create a cross functional team Educate the Team
Senior Executives from manufacturing, operations, packaging, warehouse management, security and finance
Educate the Team
Real RFID performance and expectations
Leverage the data, both internally amongst operational departments, but eventually with outside trading partners
* Source The Road to ROI, RFID Journal Mar 2005
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45. Business case – ROI Cont
Identify the problems and opportunities
Resolve issues
Change to processes, packaging etc
Define the scope of the RFID deployment
Concentrate on which macro-level problem will deliver the most benefits to the organisation
List factors within the company’s control that contribute to that macro-level problem
Narrow the scope, maybe by region, department or area.
Consider pallet level rather than case or item
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46. Business case – ROI Cont
Analyse operations and processes
Itemise the business processes, quantifying processes
Breakdown all processes, not just the clearly inefficient ones
Prioritise Projects
Could end up with 5 to 7 RFID projects
Can the same RFID infrastructure be used for more than 1 project?
Related projects most likely to deliver results
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47. Business case – ROI Cont
Assess financial impact
Benefits as well as costs
Tag and Reader costs
Installation (power, comms, antenna infrastructure)
Operational Costs
Impact of other projects
Other projects may add to the benefits and yet reduce costs
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48. Business case – ROI Cont
Sensitivity Analysis
Cost of components, tags, reader etc.
Mandates
Revisit the business case regularly
As with any plan, review and re-evaluation is key to its success
Report progress
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49. EPCglobal Network
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50. Network Stack
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51. Solution Providers
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52. Evaluate Solution Providers
Tag Manufacturers
Reader Manufactures
IT infrastructure
Installation
Commissioning
Maintenance
Upgrades
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53. IT Impacts
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54. IT System impacts Interface to existing system, or new system!
Accuracy of that data
Accumulation of much more data
Decision processes with that data, making the data USEFUL!
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55. RF Issues
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56. RF Issues Cont RFID issues in your environment Expansion Duplication
RF Interference
LAN, Other RFID Readers, EMI, Bluetooth,
Metal
Moisture
Allow time for experimentation
Expansion
Scope creep or leverage
Duplication
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57. RF Issues Cont RFID Design Hardware Systems
Fixed or portable RFID readers?
Portable not OHIO (that is not automatic)!
Business processes
Simulation?
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58. Purchasing and Deployment
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59. Purchase/Deploy Equipment Supply Deployment of infrastructure
Development
Manufacture lead times
Engineering work and preparation
Deployment of infrastructure
Readers and Antennas
IT Systems
Ancillary equipment
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60. Purchase/Deploy Tags Training Supply
Initialisation (EPC code and data)
Database update
Installation
Verification
Training
Employees, Managers, IT development
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61. Integration
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62. Integration Integration into IT systems Database design Scalability
New/Existing
Interim period
Exceptions, when no tag applied!
Evaluation of performance
Fine adjustments
Upgrade path
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63. Integration Cont Other partners Finally Rollout Suppliers Customers
Competitors
Finally Rollout
Duplicate (other sites, divisions)
Expand (RFID applications)
Leverage (RFID infrastructure)
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64. Assessment Criteria
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65. Assessment Criteria Range of Hardware Range of IT Solutions Services
Tags, Readers, Volume, Vendors, Standards, Frequency, Host platforms, Ancillary equipment, Upgrades, Expansion
Range of IT Solutions
Integration into legacy systems
Privacy
Expansion
Services
Global or Local
Site Inspection, Design, Installation, Commissioning, Maintenance
Partner networks (hardware, middleware)
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66. Assessment Criteria Cont
Relevant experience in your industry
Testing
ISO X Conformance Test Methods
ISO Performance Test Methods
EPCglobal (Gen 2 V1.0.2) Conformance Test Methods
Vendor test Facility
Testing your products in your installation(s)
Development/Customisation
Tags and Readers, ancillary sensors
Packaging, Cost, IP issues
Maintenance
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67. Reader & Tag Issues
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68. Reader Issues Reader location is important, but local Antenna
Tunnel/Portal (multiple antennas)
Circular Vs Linear
Host Interface, online
Remote restart
Alarm/alerts/Heartbeat
Self diagnostic tests
Upgrades
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69. Portal
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70. Shielding
Photo courtesy of RFID Journal
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71. RF Friendly
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72. Neatness Counts!
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73. Temporary Conditions
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74. Location Location Location
Tag location will be crucial for performance
Want global use for product/tag life
Optimal location for RF Tag may not be the same as the location for a human readable tag/label
Consider composition of the object
If lots of metal, then look for gaps!
Metal surface can be used to extend the read range λ/4
Life time environmental exposure
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75. Location
Photos courtesy of RFID Journal
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76. Process flow Consider a change to the process flow
How package is handled, stored and pallet stacked
Change packaging to be RFID friendly
Test tag after application
Metal, moisture, damage
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77. Data Issues
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78. Data RFID data Sensor data Savants – filters/concentrators
Once installed, no real additional cost to read a tag
Sensor data
Temperature, Weight, etc
Savants – filters/concentrators
RFID enabled enterprise applications
Database maintenance
Legacy data
Accuracy of data
Exchange data with partners
Vendors and Customers
UCCnet Global Registry
Scalable
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79. The Human Touch!
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80. Human Issues Privacy Employees Establish a privacy committee
Consider all users, employees, contractors, customers, vendors, supply chain personnel
Employees
Explanation
Efficiency, bottom line benefits
Training
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81. Privacy Issues
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82. Definition
* The interest that individuals have in sustaining a personal space free from interference by other people and organisations
Source: Roget Clarke of the ANU
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83. Threats * Association:
Personal identity associated with one or more tags
Transaction:
Identity associated with a transaction, even if paying with cash
Inventory:
Reading the tags/hence items on your person
Location:
Identifying the location of tagged objects
Preference:
Marketers generating a profile based on tagged goods
* Source RFID and the Law: John O’Callaghan, Impetus 2005
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84. FIP Fair Information Practices 4 Principles Origins back to 1973
Notice
Choice
Access
Security
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85. Privacy Issues However, FIP does not go far enough for RFID
Several High Profile RFID trials/tests had to be withdrawn
Benetton
The InClass RFID system deployed in and local school in Sutter, California *
In 2003 Marks & Spencer
Consulted multiple groups
Addressed concerns BEFORE deployment
* Source
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86. Privacy * Develop a Privacy Policy and ENFORCE IT!
Engage consumer groups BEFORE implementation
Educate Users
Adverts, Pamphlets, Posters, Internet, Toll free line.
Disclose the use of RFID
Tags and Readers
Not only the tagged goods, but also the presence of readers
Consumer acceptance of reader locations
But if hidden readers are used, consumer trust could be shattered!
EPCglobal Logo
More printed info on the label
Web address for more information
* Source Privacy & Profits, RFID Journal July 2005
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87. Privacy Cont Inform on the Use of RFID Educate/Inform Staff
Even if you are not using RFID, but goods, boxes etc may come into your facility, tell the consumer.
Educate/Inform Staff
Management
Public relations
Store personal, in contact with consumers
Direct to customer service or website
Don’t write personally identifiable information to the TAG
Contradiction of FIP
Illegal under the European Unions Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communication
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88. Privacy Cont Secure the data and limit what you collect
Apply the same level of security to EPC data as one would apply to any customer data.
Avoid associating the EPC number with the person purchasing the item.
No clear benefit in knowing what unique item is being purchased by an individual
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89. Privacy Cont
Choice
Kill or remove
Don’t tie returns to having an active (working) tag
Still have discounts and participate in loyalty programs, even if they choose to kill the tag.
Opt in or Opt out
Do consumers opt in , or do they have to opt out. Opt in is safer as the consumer has made a positive choice
Consumer to have the right to view any information stored about them.
Correct if wrong, or delete
Consumers to have the right to choose to share that information with 3rd Parties
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90. Privacy Cont Keep Privacy policy up to date
Reflect changes in technology, processes
Reassess the communication strategy to keep consumers informed
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91. Champion
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92. Champion Approval from the TOP Realistic Expectations
Start small but think big
Small enable fine adjustments (experiment)
Big so as to leverage RFID throughout the business
Don’t oversell
External/Internal expertise
Partner with both suppliers and customers
Possible change to business processes
Other infrastructure
Sensors, EAS, anti-counterfeit, engineering
Periodic assessment
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93. C1G2 de-mystified
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94. Differences between C1G1 and C1G2
Single global standard
Optimised performance in different regulatory environments
Designed with higher class tags in mind
Dense reader mode
Alternate channels for tag reply
Narrower spectrum use
Dual methods of backscatter
FM0 and Miller
Secure read-write memory
4 memory banks
Longer Passwords for access, lock and kill functions
Aloha based anti-collision
Sessions
Multi-reader functionality
Faster read rates up to 640 kbps
Reduction/elimination of ghost reads
Selection
AB Symmetry
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95. RFID Solution Provider’s Profile
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96. Associations Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide EPCglobal Australia GS1 Australia
autoidlab.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/
RFID Automation (contract research)
Australasian Adoption Research Initiative
EPCglobal Australia
GS1 Australia
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97. Web Other sources Subscribe to online publications Favourites
Journals, Newsletters, Manufacturers, Industry Associations
Favourites
Other sources
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98. RFID news http://www.umd.com.au/rfid/links_rfid_news.html
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99. RFID Solution Providers (alphabetical order)
Alien Technologies
Bar Code Data Systems (BCDS)
Datanet
Electro-com
Global Licensing & Innovation
IBM
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100. Cont iCrystal Intermec Magellan Technology Mirrabooka Systems
Intermec
Magellan Technology
Mirrabooka Systems
Radio Terminal Systems
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101. Cont Sunshine Technologies Symbol Technologies Tyco/Sensormatic
Symbol Technologies
Tyco/Sensormatic
Unique Micro Design (UMD)
UPM Rafsec
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102. Contract Research via RFID Automation
Adelaide, Auto-ID Lab
Contract Research via RFID Automation
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103. Background
Established in 2002 by the Auto-ID Center, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
One of 7 Auto-ID Labs around the world
Others are in UK, USA, Japan, China, Switzerland and Korea
Now funded by EPCglobal Inc
Contract Research available at the Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide
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104. Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide Core Research Applied Research
Integration
Applications
Technical Services
Education
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105. Research Projects
The design of cost effective and small footprint tag antennas, suitable for attachment onto metal surfaces.
Interference studies in high density reader environments.
Electromagnetic propagation studies applicable to European Regulations
High security authentication tags
Dual frequency tags, ones that employ UHF techniques for supply chain applications and then HF for item management applications.
Passive RFID chip design (modules for implementation)
Analysis and measurement of new forms of reader to tag signalling
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106. Research Projects Cont
Analysis of measuring equipment, i.e. understanding the test regulations with respect to the forms of signalling employed by RFID readers
Analysis and development of reader architectures
Autonomously networking tags (Class IV)
Trigger circuits for battery assisted tags.
An analysis of noise sources in RFID readers
Universal Class 2 tags
Filters that may be required to reduce spurious emissions (Japan and Australia)
The use of LF RFID in applications where HF and UHF may not provide an adequate RFID solution, such as in granular media.
Merged EAS and RFID tag
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107. Contract Research Available via RFID Automation
Separate from the EPCglobal funded work
Commercial Infrastructure
Adelaide Research & Innovation Pty Ltd
Intellectual Property Protection
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108. Australasian Adoption Research Initiative
Established in April 2005
Mechanism for the Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide to conduct research into RFID that is relevant to Australian and New Zealand industry.
Foster adoption of the RFID technology being developed by EPC Global.
Enables participation by companies across a broad range of industries and applications, to network and gain access to the wealth of expertise and experience in RFID.
Act as Industry Reference Group for the adoption of RFID including consultation and advice to SMEs and Governments.
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109. Benefits of membership
Opportunity to input into the direction of research programs
Access to hosted visits at the Labs
Invitations to industry networking meetings designed to
keep you informed of key technical and management issues and industry developments
enable you to meet your peers in an informal setting (usually over dinner at a university site) to facilitate business relationships
Access to technology advances through regular activity reports issued by the Lab
Receive notices of specialist RFID related seminars
Receive periodic reports on EPCglobal’s HAG and SAG action groups
Priority access to personnel at Auto ID Labs Adelaide as well as access to extensive test equipment on agreed basis
Ability to access information on RFID vendors and solution providers and have the ability to check their compliance statements
Customised meetings – arrange presentations seminars and laboratory visits for members in response to requests for university research contacts
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110. RFID ≡ Automatic Data Capture RFID is about management
Conclusion
RFID ≡ Automatic Data Capture
RFID is about management
Lots of RFID experience in Australia
Plan
Educate users
employees, customers, suppliers
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111. Questions
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112. Further Information RFID Automation Alfio Grasso Deputy Director
Auto-ID Lab, Adelaide
General Manager
RFID Automation
University of Adelaide
Web:
Ph: (08)
Mob:
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