RFID experts group launches software/middleware initiative

By Bob Trebilcock, Editor at Large -- Modern Materials Handling, 10/18/2005

Late last month, AIM Global’s RFID Experts Group (REG) sponsored the first meeting of a new software/middleware group in Chicago.

The software group’s objective was straight forward: develop guidance to aid users looking for the right features and functionality to meet their business needs from a confusing array of software, middleware and hardware products.

“The end user has difficulty identifying and selecting a proper RFID offering which is optimized for their business needs,” said RFCode’s Nissim Ozer, who chaired the meeting.

The group agreed to research specific industries, and then identify the applications and tasks within those industries that are suitable for RFID. Finally, they will offer vendor-neutral recommendations on the features and performance required from hardware, middleware and software to meet given applications in a given environment.

The software initiative is just one of the projects being undertaken by REG, according to Dan Mullen, president of AIM. The group was formed last year because of the confusion surrounding RFID. “There are a number of technical standards, like the Gen II air interface protocol standard, coming into place,” says Mullen. “But what end users need is a way to blend the technical with real world advice.”

The REG group plans to tackle practical problems such as: strategies to create data backup in case an RFID tag is unreadable; the best tag placement; how to recycle RFID tags or use them to facilitate the recycling of products; and how to install readers so they can operate in different environments. The group will also offer position papers on issues confronting the RFID industry, like questions about RFID and privacy.

The experts group includes vendors and representatives from organizations with extensive experience using RFID in their operations, including Michelin, Boeing and the Department of Defense.

“Some of the issues we’ll deal with have been brought to us by other end users,” says Mullen. “Others are brought by consensus to the group.”

Publications from the REG group will be posted on AIM’s website as well as the organization’s RFID site www.rfid.org.