Radio Frequency Identification Technology for Logistics, Tagging and EPC

STMicroelectronics launches RFID hardware development kit

Monday, May 11, 2009

European semiconductor maker STMicroelectronics has introduced a new hardware developer kit (HDK) for building active RFID tags and readers. Hardware built with the new Smart Web-Based Sensor HDK comply with the global standard for 433MHz active RFID technology, ISO 18000-7.


“We strongly believe that the next big wave in sensors will be driven by the combination of the sensing function with wireless transmission – and ISO 18000-7 is the right solution for security and asset-monitoring applications,” said Benedetto Vigna, group vice president and general manager of the MEMS and health care product division at STMicroelectronics.

The Smart Web-Based Sensor HDK offers a solution for the development of this type of wireless sensor networks for security and asset-monitoring applications.The new kit enables developers to blend standards-compliant active RFID with other wireless-networking and GPS capabilities and enhanced sensing features, and to exploit built-in MEMS motion sensors and temperature and light sensors. The kit also enables longer battery life and smaller device sizes.

The beta version of the Smart Web-Based Sensor HDK is currently available from Arira Design. [end] 

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STMicroelectronics developed a new RF testing method that uses electromagnetic waves instead of contact probes to remotely evaluate wafers equipped with RFID ICs.

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Tyler Technologies has rolled out its new Versatrans Student Tracking product for installation in school buses to identify which students get off at which stops and when.

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