ThingMagic Inc. has announced the North American release of its new Astra integrated RFID reader/antenna. The Astra features an design which makes it suitable for asset management applications in offices, hospitals or commercial enterprises where streamlining is necessary.

The Astra strives for a sleek design, with all its components wrapped into a flat, 10-inch square box. It also features Wi-Fi and Power over the Ethernet options, reducing the number of cable inputs needed. Despite its compactness, the Astra still has a read range of up to 30 feet for Generation 2 RFID tags, and can read over 190 tags per second.

“Traditional fixed RFID readers, antennas, cable and electrical power requirements, while appropriate for warehouses and loading docks, are not well suited for office and commercial environments,” says Yael Maguire, ThingMagic CTO and co-founder. “Astra is specifically designed for office and commercial environments and is ideal for enterprise asset tracking applications including document management, inventory control, baggage tracking and medical equipment location.”