The Tagsys donation includes a combination of HF and UHF tags, readers, antennas and application stations, as well as “demonstration stations” intended to help students learn how RFID can be used to track items in manufacturing and supply chain applications in a variety of industries. The RFID laboratory will be established at the school’s Mendel Center for Science, Engineering and Technology.

Founded in 1947, Merrimack College has a student population of 2,500, including students from 17 countries. According to school officials, Merrimack is one of a small number of colleges in the United States that require RFID coursework for an electrical engineering undergraduate degree. Tagsys says it hopes to reap future rewards from the donation, since it will help train future RFID professionals as demand for expertise in the field increases.