atlasRFIDstore Blog

RFID Garment Tracking at Disney

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 28 May 2012 20:16:00 +0000

If you have a large inventory of garments that you need to track, take a look at the following ROI case:

Disney is using UHF RFID to track $100 million worth of costumes.
The solution has saved the company more than a million dollars.
Inventory counting times have been reduced from approximately 180 labor hours (within larger costume storage areas) to about two hours.
The system has increased the accuracy of inventory checks, from 85 to 90 percent accurate to nearly 100 percent.
The need to staff checkout counters has been eliminated, freeing up personnel for other tasks.

This is how it works. A Disney cast member walks through rows of costumes at one of the 25 storage areas. She selects her costume garments and proceeds to a kiosk with an integrated ThingMagic RFID reader. The cast member swipes her ID badge through a bar-code reader at the kiosk, where her face and name are displayed on a video screen. The RFID reader captures the ID numbers from the garments’ RFID Tag and feeds that information to the Disney garment management software. Voila -- Cinderella is off to greet her fans without a moment’s delay.

When the cast member is done for the day, she puts her costume into a laundry chute where another ThingMagic RFID reader captures the tag IDs. The status of the garments is updated, noting when they enter and exit the laundry area. This same process works with uniforms for band members, wait staff, etc.

Disney also uses RFID-enabled inventory cycle count carts to expedite inventory counts in their costume storage areas. What previously involved 15 to 20 employees manually scanning barcodes for nine to twelve hours can now be completed by one or two workers in about one hour.

The solution paid for itself in less than a year.

Frequently Asked Questions on Xerafy’s XS RFID Tag for Healthcare

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:22:00 +0000

Since the launch of the Xerafy XS RFID tag series, there have been many questions on the use of the tags in healthcare applications, where the size and ruggedness of the passive UHF RFID tags lends them especially well to surgical instrument tracking. Below is a list of the top XS tag questions since the tag was first unveiled.

Do XS RFID tags cause electromagnetic interference with hospital instruments?

Passive RFID tags do not emit any signal until activated by a reader, so emissions are quite low compared to active RFID for real-time locating systems. However, a study conducted in a non-clinical setting by the University of Amsterdam and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that passive RFID technology did generate some interference with medical devices when the RFID equipment was placed very close by. A follow-up study conducted by researchers from Indiana University and Purdue University found no such interference in tests conducted in an actual clinical setting. While the risk is quite low, hospitals should conduct a thorough EMI assessment to avoid any potential interference.

Can XS tags survive autoclave sterilization?

The tags are rugged and have been tested to withstand 1000 repeated autoclave sterilization cycles. The tags can withstand application temperatures between -40°F to +302°F (-40°C to +150°C). Surgical instruments can be tracked with through the sterilization process to certify cleanliness.

Is the a risk to the patient when using RFID tagged surgical instruments?

There is no risk to the patient safety in contact with RFID. The XS tags are biocompatible and materials meet non-toxic medical standards.

Are XS RFID tags FDA approved?

The XS Series is designed to comply with the most stringent FDA requirements for to CPG Sec. 400.210 for RFID use and ISO-10993 for Biocompatibility and FCC compliance to Part 15.231a.

What are some of the main applications for RFID in healthcare?

Asset location
UID unique identifier number for medical devices
Patient Tracking with wristbands
Baby Tracking with ankle bands
Surgical sponge tracking
Surgical tray tracking
Loss prevention
Office management
Patient record tracking
Surgical navigation in minimally evasive surgery
Laboratory specimen tracking

Does the size of an asset affect the read range of the XS tag?

The size of the asset is very important in determining which Xerafy metal RFID tag to use. The Dash XS should be used for assets with a width of less than 0.5 inches (15 mm). In addition, the length of the asset will also affect the tags read performance. For example, a tool that is 4 in (100 mm) length will have a significantly longer read range than a tool that is only 2 in (50 mm) in length.

How do I attach XS tags?

To properly attach the Dot-On XS and Dash-On XS, first use instant glue to place the tag on the asset, then cover the tag with epoxy resin to secure the tag in place. For assets in the medical field, we recommend using an FDA-approved USP Class VI epoxy. Using epoxy will both help secure the tag to the asset as well as help prevent damage from shock and impact. XS tags have horizontal polarization and should be attached to the asset lengthwise to maximize their performance.

How do I embed XS tags in a metallic asset?

First prepare a cavity in the asset where the tag will be placed. For the Dot-iN XS, prepare a circular cavity with a diameter of 0.39 in (10 mm) and a depth of 0.1 in (2.6 mm). For the Dash-iN XS, it is ideal to create cut away recess in the asset rather than a rectangular cavity. The length of the recess should measure 0.6 in (13 mm) and the depth should be less than 0.09 in (2.3 mm). Once the cavity or recess has been prepared, place the tag in the center of the cavity or recess using instant glue and then completely covering the tag with epoxy resin, making sure that all spaces are filled. Once again, it is important to ensure a flat metallic surface is used to eliminate any gap between the tag and the asset, which can lower the read range by detuning the tag.

Can XS tags be attached to sponges?

No, XS tags are designed for metallic assets and require a flat surface space of 0.24 x 0.08 in (6 x 2 mm) for the XS Dot and 0.59 x 0.12 x 0.06 in (15 x 3 x 1.5 mm) for XS Dash.

RFID Basics

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:22:00 +0000

If you have ever used an access card or fob to get into a building or passed through an automated toll collection system on a highway, you have used RFID. The definition of RFID is rather broad because it has so many uses. Let's first start with the acronym and what it means: RFID = Radio Frequency IDentification.

Now, let's break down what this means: a system of technologies that allows an object, person, or animal to wirelessly identify itself to another object or person. Hence the words RF (Radio Frequency) and ID (IDentification). To be able to do this in so many usage scenarios, form factors, price points, thermal environments, etc., the technology used for enabling RFID takes many forms. The most common ways of subdividing the technology are by frequency and whether or not the tag is a passive or active device. Let’s first look at the different frequencies.

At the lowest common frequency or LF (Low Frequency), this spans the range of 58-148.5 kHz or 58-148.5 thousand cycles per second. This frequency's readers have short read range (usually several centimeters), but most importantly, this frequency allows the RF waves to transmit through metals a few millimeters thick as well as liquids. These factors make LF technology very suitable for implanting into animals, but also for access control and electronic article surveillance (EAS) applications. LF is a passive technology in which the tags only respond when energized by an LF RFID Reader. The behavior of the tag changes an incident RF field in a way that a reader can detect a unique ID. This ID may be a single bit in the case of an EAS tag or up to 10s of bits for animal tags.

The next frequency range spans from 1.75-13.56 MHz. This frequency range is called HF, or High Frequency, and includes tags for use in building access, public transportation, and electronic payment systems to name a few. The range of these systems is a few inches to a few feet, depending on the application. HF tags also work relatively well around metals and liquids. HF tags are usually used for proximity applications, for example, the gesture of moving one's phone or wallet is used to provide access or payment.

The next frequency range is UHF or Ultra High Frequency. UHF RFID spans the 433, 840-960 MHz and the 2.4 GHz range. At this frequency, the RF that is produced allows for relatively efficient wave-like propagation; similar to a radio station, but with reasonable amounts of power consumption for handhelds, laptops, trucks, printers, etc. UHF RFID tags contain a small silicon chip and an antenna paired onto or into an object. This allows one to create tags which can be read from inches to 10s of feet in a passive configuration, and 100s to 1000s of feet if used semi-passively (the tag still changes the RF that comes back to the reader rather than transmitting, but gets a battery to help it out) or actively (an active transmitter).

UHF RFID tags can also be produced relatively inexpensively; the antennas can be etched with chemicals or printed with a printer that can print metals such as copper or aluminum. The lower cost and long range of UHF RFID means that tags can be placed just about anywhere and interrogators (or RFID readers) can read them. This allows computers attached to these interrogators to see the world around them through the RF lens.

To read more about the various differences within UHF tags, see our post on RFID Tag Basics.

Top 10 Benefits of IT Asset Management and Data Security with RFID

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:49:00 +0000

It’s no secret that RFID can enable real-time tracking of servers, tape media, hard drives, laptops and other IT assets better than any other method. However, some companies still think RFID technology is too expensive, unreliable, or large for their assets. Xerafy is determined to remove the barriers to RFID adoption by developing technology designed to maximize performance for IT asset tracking applications.

Recently, Xerafy announced the PicoX II Plus, Pico-On Plus, and Pico-iN Plus tags that achieve up to 10 feet read distance at half the size of current passive RFID-on-metal (ROM) RFID tags. Small ROM tags with high read range allow visibility on the smallest of assets and enable real-time tracking with faster and easier implementation methods than barcodes or active RFID technology.

Check out Xerafy's recent whitepaper on “Simplifying IT Asset Management and Data Security with RFID” that describe the standards set by the Financial Service Technology Consortium for IT asset management and examine the benefits for IT asset management with RFID.

Top 10 Benefits of RFID for IT Asset Management and Data Security:

1. Increase visibility and operational efficiency of IT data center assets
2. Improve IT staff productivity
3. Increase overall utilization of IT assets
4. Enable proactive protection against the loss of IT assets
5. Protect data resident on those assets
6. Enable cost-effective compliance with government and industry regulations
7. Improve accountability for IT asset management
8. Reduce capital equipment purchases
9. Improve maintenance, repair, and overhaul process
10. Save time and money with automatic inventory management

Reading RFID Tags over TCP/IP Socket Using Speedway Connect Software

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:31:00 +0000

Speedway Connect software offers the ability to collect tag data from the Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID reader regardless of operating system or development platform.

By running Speedway Connect on the reader and configuring it to export tag reads over TCP/IP, any device which supports opening TCP/IP connections, or sockets, can import tag data.

Here is a video in which Speedway Connect software is configured to export tag data from the Speedway Revolution reader over a TCP/IP port. A simple Ruby script is then created to open a socket and import tag data.

Here is some C# sample code which would allow you to do the same in a .NET application:

Cincinnati and Grand Rapids See Green from RFID-enabled Recycling and Waste Collection

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 03:10:00 +0000

UPM RFID and Cascade Engineering have helped the cities of Cincinnati, OH, and Grand Rapids, MI, turn trash into cash, using RFID technology to optimize critical waste management processes and generate cost savings. The two municipalities are combating the problem of growing waste volumes by motivating citizen behavioral change with incentive-based recycling programs and pay-as-you-throw pricing. Cascade Engineering's RFID system for the waste management industry consists of the following components:

two-wheeled recycling and trash containers mounted with RFID tags from Xtreme RFID,
an on-board truck data collection system with RFID readers and RFID antennas from Capturit mounted in the hopper,
an industrial PC with optional screen and GPS and GSM transceiver placed in the cab, and
back office software.

The RFID system is built to withstand heavy usage. The company's tags, which are powered by UPM ShortDipole high performance UHF inlays from UPM RFID, snap securely in place below trash cart lids, are guaranteed to last 10 years and perform in extreme temperatures and weather conditions.

The truck system withstands continual impact and daily usage. When sanitation crews collect consumers' garbage and recycling, the truck's RFID readers and antennas capture tag data, recording the time and GPS coordinates as well as weight of the pickup. Meanwhile, drivers can record missed pickups using the on board computer.

That information can be used to automate data collection and billing, while also providing municipalities with powerful insights they can use to enhance service, from answering customer queries about pickups to fine-tuning driving routes.

In Cincinnati, the implementation of an RFID-based recycling system has increased citizen recycling participation from 40% to 79%, and grown recycling volumes by 49% during years 2009-2011, saving $930,000 in waste disposal and labor costs. The city of Grand Rapids is now extending RFID technology to waste collection, implementing usage-based pricing for the city's 60,000 residents and using GPS and RFID data to plan sanitation crew driving routes for optimal operational and fuel efficiency.

Upgrading the Speedway Revolution Octane Firmware using the Web Management UI

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000

The video below is a quick step-by-step tutorial that will show you how to upgrade the Octane firmware for the Speedway Revolution RFID reader and the Speedway xPortal integrated RFID portal.

Important Preparation Steps:

1. Make sure the reader has a secure power connection.
2. Make sure the reader is connected to your PC or network.
3. Make sure you know the reader's DNS host name so you can access it.
4. Make sure you have the latest Octane firmware file.

Locking Memory on EPC Gen 2 RFID Tags

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:13:00 +0000

Locking the memory on EPC GEN 2 compliant RFID Tags is an often misunderstood process. Many think that it is simply a matter of changing the access password to a non-zero value (the default for Gen 2 tags) and then the tag is 'locked' but this is not the case. This posting will review how tag locking works for EPC RFID tags and show you how to lock the Impinj Monza tags using .NET version 1.0.0.6 of the Octane Software Development Kit (SDK).

GEN 2 TAG PASSWORDS

An EPC GEN 2 tag has two separate passwords -- an access password and a kill password; each are 32 bits, and are stored in the reserved bank (bank 00) of the tag memory.

STATES

When a tag is singulated, it enters one of two states:

1. Secured (if access password is all zeros, which is the factory default)
2. Open (if non-zero access password has been programmed to the tag)

A tag in the open state can be moved to secured by providing non-zero access password.

The key thing to remember is that assigning a non-zero access password does not, in itself, prevent anyone with a GEN 2 RFID reader from reading or changing data on the tag. It only requires that any future users must provide the access password in order to change the lock state and is simply one step in effectively locking tag memory.

Each memory bank can be in one of four lock states:

1. Unlocked
2. Perma-unlocked (can never be locked)
3. Locked
4. Perma-locked (can never be unlocked)

This is illustrated below when programming the lock state of the tag.

LOCK PROCEDURE

The steps for locking a Gen 2 RFID Tag are (for a factory default tag):

1. Lock (or perma-lock) the selected memory bank using default password of all zeros.
2. Assign a 32 bit (8 hex character) access password. (This will prevent the tag lock state from being changed.)
3. Lock the access password. (This will prevent the password from being read or over-written.) Not doing this step would allow any user to simply read the access password, then use it to unlock and over-write memory on the tag (unless it has been perma-locked).

Only the reserved memory bank (access and kill passwords) can be both WRITE and READ locked - all others (EPC, TID, and User) can be write-locked only. Typically the Tag Identification (TID) memory bank is perma-locked at the factory.

Each tag memory bank can be individually write locked as shown below.

SAMPLE CODE

Here is an example of locking user memory in C# using the Octane SDK.

OTHER USEFUL NOTES

In addition to the increased memory size, the Impinj Monza 4QT tag chips offer the ability to independently lock four fixed, 128-bit sections of user memory (block permalock). This feature is particularly useful for situations such as in a supply chain, where various participants along the chain may want to record data, but not necessarily have it be openly available to all parties.

Lock status cannot be read, it can only be inferred. So there is no direct way to query a tag and have it reply if it is locked or not. However, in some cases when attempting to access a tag memory bank, it will return a pretty specific error "tag memory locked".

Hospital Inventory Control with UHF RFID

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:32:00 +0000

What if Your Goods Could Talk?

RFID technology offers great potential to significantly reduce costs while improving materials management and inventory operations throughout hospitals and other healthcare facilities. RFID-based solutions help hospitals answer the most fundamental questions of knowing who and where its patients and resources are. With this data, hospitals can enhance a number of processes related to asset management, patient tracking and throughput, inventory control, and patient-centric services.

Passive RFID-based inventory control solutions provide real-time data on inventory availability and use as items move from storage to individual departments and ultimately to the clinicians and patients who use them. This accurate management of the hospital supply chain – from scheduling through discharge – is essential to improving workflow and charge capture.

Helping to drive these efficiencies into the healthcare market, Goods That Talk (GTT), located in southern Brazil has developed innovative UHF RFID-based solutions, serving the entire hospital service chain including hospitals, clinical offices, distributors and manufacturers.

Included under the umbrella of GTT’s GTmed solutions, GT Cabinets integrate ThingMagic UHF RFID readers to improve the management of implantable medical devices and drugs needed during surgical procedures.

The time between consumption and invoicing and the rigorous need for safety and coordination of the stock of these items makes product monitoring difficult. By tagging each of these items with RFID-EPC Gen 2 tags and reading the inventory in real-time with UHF RFID readers integrated into the cabinets, hospitals can automate the management of intermediary stocks, minimize safety stock holdings, and create a proactive system of replenishment that streamlines the entire supply chain.

In an era where healthcare costs are increasing at the same time that hospital profitability is decreasing, hospital administrators are challenged with finding new ways to run their organizations more efficiently. These solutions are just a few examples of how low cost, easy to deploy passive UHF RFID provide hospitals with an economical way to measure a large number of parameters in hospital settings, streamline workflows, and introduce efficiencies and cost savings across the entire healthcare supply chain.

Race Timing with RFID

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:48:00 +0000

How Rosie Ruiz Changed an Industry

In 2011, approximately 25,000 participants ran the 115th Boston Marathon – the oldest annual city marathon in the world. In addition to its well known course meandering through eight Massachusetts cities and towns, the Boston Marathon is famous for several legendary participants. Recognized as a Boston Marathon icon, Johnny Kelley competed in the Boston Marathon a record 61 times, winning in 1935 and 1945, placing second seven times and finishing in the top five 15 times. Kelly ran his last full marathon at Boston in 1992 at the age of 84. Bill "Boston Billy" Rodgers won the Boston Marathon four times between 1975 and 1980, breaking the American record in 1975 and 1979.

While these runners have been an inspiration to many, no one may have changed the sport like Rosie Ruiz. In the 84th running of the Boston Marathon on April 21st, 1980, Ruiz crossed the finish line before all other women runners – clocking the fastest time ever recorded for a woman in the history of the Boston Marathon and the third fastest time ever recorded for a woman in any marathon. Following her impressive finish, investigations determined that Ruiz had skipped most of the race and rejoined runners about one mile from the finish line. Ruiz was disqualified and, as a result, the Boston Marathon and several other races instituted a number of safeguards against cheating - including RFID race timing systems that monitor when runners arrive at various checkpoints on the course.

RFID Race Timing Systems

Today, both Active and Passive RFID-based solutions are being used to time all kinds of races including marathons, triathlons, and cycling, sailing, skating and motorcycle races. In each of these and many other races, Timing is everything. To ensure that an accurate time is captured when every biker, runner or swimmer crosses the finish line, events like these require extremely precise timing equipment that is both durable and able to account for each participant, especially in dense, quick-paced situations. Without RFID, races can be timed by hand with operators using a stop-watch, or by using a combination of electronic timing and video camera systems. As with many other time-sensitive activities however, RFID has proven to be a more efficient alternative to manual tracking due to a reduction in human error and the technology’s ability to process a greater amount of data in a shorter period of time.

RFID-enabled race timing solutions are offered by companies around the globe, including several ThingMagic partners who have implemented varying combinations of UHF and other RFID technologies to meet the demands of their customers.

RFID Timing offers timing solutions for timing running, triathlon, cycling, swimming and canoeing. Their Ultra product includes battery assisted tags that last for two and a half years, extremely thin EVA mats, and highly sensitive Gen2 RFID readers. HDD is a lower cost package for smaller organizations or multi-sport competitions that can be set up in less than a minute, complete with easy rollout mats. RFID Timing is using ThingMagic USB readers for short range applications including encoding and checking UHF RFID tags prior to placement onto race numbers for an event. The ThingMagic USB reader is also used to scan athletes’ tags at race pack pickup (usually the day before a race) to verify the athletes details in the timing system database are correct.

Zoomius produces TAG Heuer Track Intelligence, a complete online motorsports management system. Hundreds of racing organizations, track days and schools are using TAG Heuer Track Intelligence to simplify their operations and provide more love to their customers. Zoomius has also created the TITAN RFID system, powered by ThingMagic Mercury readers to provide cost-effective and accurate next-generation timing and scoring systems. Perfect accuracy provided by sophisticated but easy-to-use technology, TITAN RFID, powered by ThingMagic, brings complete timing and scoring to organizations who previously couldn't afford it. 1/1000th of a second. 40 feet. 180mph.

UHF RFID-Enabled Soda Machines To Be Rolled Out To 850 Burger King Stores

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:14:00 +0000

RFID technology is entering the fast food business in a big way. Last week Burger King announced that it is installing Coca-Cola’s RFID-powered Freestyle soda dispensers at all 850 of its U.S. owned restaurants.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the high-tech soda machines will be rolled out by April. The machines rely on Indy chips produced by Seattle-based Impinj.

The move will boost the install base for the soda machines by nearly 50 percent. The machines are currently operating in 1,772 locations, including movie theaters and restaurants. In what could be a huge endorsement for the Freestyle machine, Burger King has also recommended that its 7,000 US franchisees also install the machines.

Freestyle is a touch-screen operated soda dispenser that allows users to mix and match their own personal drinks, dispensing more than 120 sparkling and still beverage brands from one machine. Users will be able to test flavors never before available in the U.S., such as caffeine-free Diet Coke with Lime, Fanta Peach and Minute Maid Light Orange Lemonade.

The Freestyle system is an example of the vast market opening up for applications that add RFID to devices that are not primarily RFID readers. The Freestyle system uses RFID to track the flavor cartridges inside the machines. Each drink dispenser has four Impinj Indy chips inside that provide the ability to read the tags in syrup cartridges so that the machine can trigger supply chain replenishment.

The solution also allows Coca-Cola to guarantee that flavor cartridges are authentic, and to recall or shut off a tap for a certain flavor when necessary. The Freestyle machine is a great example of UHF RFID’s value – the technology is embedded and used in such a way that it provides real business value and improves consumer experience.

“The ability to customize your own beverages combined with the quality that Coca-Cola Freestyle delivers to our guests is a perfect addition to our most recent new menu offerings,” said Steve Wiborg, president North America, Burger King Corp. “Adding Coca-Cola Freestyle further enhances our guest experience. We’re excited to be the largest franchise system in the U.S. to roll out the fountains in all company owned restaurants.”

Burger King hopes that the The Freestyle machines will jump start beverage sales, which have been falling for several years. The NPD Group reports that there has been a six percent drop in total beverage servings (excluding tap water) at restaurants over the last five years, representing a decline of 2.7 billion servings.

Personal Robotics Advance with Passive UHF RFID

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:17:00 +0000

For those who remember Hanna Barbera’s classic cartoon The Jetsons, how many times have you wished you had a “Rosie” to cook your dinner or clean your dishes? “She” would have made this past Thanksgiving much more effortless.

The future envisioned by the creators of The Jetsons certainly had a lot more fiction to it than we’ll ever realize. But, for the idea of the “personal robot” represented by Rosie, the future is closer than we may think, and its name is “Ellie” (or EL-E to be exact).

A team of researchers -- Charles Kemp, Travis Deyle, and Hai Nguyen from Georgia Tech and Matthew S. Reynolds from Duke University -- is focused on applying personal robotics within healthcare and has developed several prototypes. The challenge of personal robotics is how to make the machine perceive, manipulate and understand the world around it so it can interact with humans and objects to perform specific tasks – like loading a dishwasher or delivering medicine.

Enter passive UHF RFID. Humans and/or objects can be tagged with passive UHF RFID labels, providing the interface through which a personal robot can interact to carry out its tasks. As the Georgia Tech/Duke team explains on its research page:

Passive Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) RFID tags are well matched to robots' needs. Unlike low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) RFID tags, passive UHF RFID tags are readable from across a room, enabling a mobile robot to efficiently discover and locate them. Because they don't have onboard batteries to wear out, their lifetime is virtually unlimited. And unlike bar codes and other visual tags, RFID tags are readable when they're visually occluded. For less than $0.25 per tag, users can apply self-adhesive UHF RFID tags throughout their home.

EL-E, one of the prototypes built by the research team, uses ThingMagic UHF RFID readers to form the core of the robot’s RFID sensors. The Mercury M5e is embedded in two ‘antennas’ on the robot – one for reading tags up to approximately 6 meters and other for reading the same tags within 30 centimeters of the robot’s hand. The image above illustrates this.

The read range and reliability delivered by the ThingMagic M5e is important for this particular application. The robot needs to be able to have as long a range as possible to detect a label from across a large room, but the finger-mounted short-range antenna is just as important to manipulate a tagged object, such as handing a bottle of medicine to a patient.

While it may be difficult to envision seeing a machine like the prototype illustrated above in your hospital room or home, one way to do so is to consider how the Georgia Tech research team partnered with Willow Garage, a California company that builds robots for research. Specifically, the team built the EL-E RFID application using Willow Garage’s PR2 robot as the “infrastructure”. The partnership was featured this past October on CNN’s The Big I show. The video here shows Charles Kemp and Travis Deyle from the research team demonstrating it for CNN’s Ali Velshi.

When you watch the PR2 in action with the Georgia Tech/Duke team’s application driving it, you can start to think about eventually having your own “Rosie” to make your lives easier.

Reading & Changing RFID Tag EPC Data using MultiReader

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:34:00 +0000

The following video is a quick step by step demonstration that will show you how to easily set-up the MultiReader software program to test read tags using the default settings of various Speedway Reader products in just minutes. It is important that you download the latest version of the MultiReader software. A direct link to the download has been provided below.

Download Impinj MultiReader Software

You will need the following items to perform these tasks:

1. An Impinj RFID reader product:

2. A UHF Gen 2 RFID Antenna

3. Multiple UHF Gen 2 RFID Tags

4. The ability to connect the RFID reader to your PC or network

Connecting to the Speedway Revolution RFID Reader

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:30:00 +0000

The following video is a step-by-step demonstration of how to connect directly from a PC to the Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID reader over the Ethernet port.

Steel Manufacturer Implements RFID System to Track Two Million Multi-ton Metal Parts Annually

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:51:00 +0000

POSCO, one of the world's largest steelmakers, has implemented a proprietary RFID-based logistics solution to track and trace multi-ton metal coil products from manufacturing through customer delivery. The automated solution is designed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of key operational processes.

Implementing RFID technology in steel mills poses unique challenges, as the pervasive metal environment interferes with RF signal readability. POSCO used its experience implementing a RFID-based worker safety program in 2009 to design its own logistics system and ensure it integrated seamlessly with its existing manufacturing systems. The company is using modified UPM DogBone UHF tags that have two antennas and are applied upright inside heavy metal coils tags as flag tags, perpendicularly to the items' curved surfaces.

Metal coils are tagged during the packaging process, and items are read when they are moved by cranes to the warehouse, during storage, and again when they are readied for shipment. POSCO's RFID system is comprised of UPM DogBone UHF tags, hand-held industrial PDAs, fixed RFID readers attached to cranes and placed at factory gates, enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution systems, and a server. Because the RFID system integrates seamlessly with customers' own planning solutions via the internet, they can access real-time information on their products, using data to plan and fine-tune their own production operations.

By implementing the RFID-based logistics system, POSCO has automated the inspection, packaging, and shipping of its metal coil products. In addition to providing complete traceability of company products, the RFID system has decreased packaging and shipping errors, improving customer satisfaction and reducing costs by $1.4 million USD each month.

Laundry is Less of a Dirty Chore with RFID

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:34:00 +0000

In recent years, RFID has been used to modernize and improve laundry management. RFID–enabled laundry applications are being used in hotels, casinos, government offices, hospitals, schools, professional sports, and other institutions that deal in employee uniforms, garments, and linens. The benefits of implementing an RFID-enabled laundry system range from streamlining processes to eliminating inventory errors, decreasing manual labor, improving energy and water efficiency, and even reducing the spreading of disease. All of these benefits have a direct, positive impact the bottom line, which is often the case with enabling a process with RFID.

However, it’s not just the use of RFID in general that improves laundry management. It’s very specific capabilities that have been designed into in RFID tags and readers, and the manner in which they operate with one another that make this use of RFID truly innovative.

The RFID tags used in laundry management need to be able to withstand water immersion, extreme heat, pressure and chemicals. On the flip side, RFID readers need to be able to read tags simultaneously for clothing or other items that may be stacked or in piles. As the technology has evolved, UHF RFID solutions are beginning to replace other RF and proprietary technologies in this space (we are also seeing the same thing in waste management, tolling, access control, and other markets and applications). UHF has proved to be ideal for laundry management because, not only can it be used to identify and locate hundreds of items per second, but it also has the added benefit of reading items from greater distances.

For organizations that need to track their garment inventory in large batches, UHF technology allows them to eliminate the less efficient practice of single-piece barcode or proprietary tag scans. Further, they can eliminate or reduce the number of expensive, dedicated read stations which can lead to added time-saving and cost reduction benefits. If a business doesn’t have a laundry facility on-site, the laundry is shipped elsewhere to be cleaned and sorted, which makes the management piece a little more challenging. If the laundry is done off-site, the implementation of RFID portals and use of tag directionality features can play a big role. It can be used to tell if the items are leaving or arriving for better inventory precision. Points of loss can be identified so that any necessary corrections can be made to prevent similar situations in the future.

NASA Uses RFID to Locate Valuable Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:53:00 +0000

The accurate and timely tracking of assets like laptops, mobile devices, and desktop PC equipment is a vital component of any profitable IT strategy. For many large global companies, tracking servers and server rack components distributed throughout data centers and across the world is equally important. Counting and tracking IT equipment has historically been done manually - which can be labor intensive, time consuming and prone to human error. These manual processes also provide a single snapshot in time and often need to be repeated frequently in order to provide a useful picture of inventory and its operating status. RFID is quickly becoming the answer for many companies looking to automate IT asset tracking in data centers and enterprise office locations – delivering a new level of efficiency and addressing many of the challenges found with the manual processes mentioned above. And, though the thought of tracking hundreds of pieces of mobile equipment or thousands of server components might be too daunting of a task, deploying an RFID IT asset tracking system is not rocket science.

Photo credit: 1&1

NASA Takes One Giant Leap Forward

Famous for leading the United States’ space exploration efforts, NASA recently announced its installation of an RFID system to track thousands of pieces of equipment at its Langley Research Center. Covering a combined 30,000 square feet of data center, office and lab space, the RFID system deployed by NASA is used to track 1,500 servers and other computing devices, along with another 1,500 pieces equipment used by scientists both inside and outside of NASA labs. To inventory its lab and data center equipment, NASA uses a handheld RFID reader and a combination of room-level tags, to provide information about what should be in the room, and item-level tags to identify specific devices. Discrepancy alerts are reported to the handheld user and are presumably addressed in real time. According to NASA, RFID has replaced both their use of paper and pen to track equipment serial numbers and the manual process used to check-out and return lab equipment. The result -- NASA has reduced the time required for their inventory counts from three weeks to a single day.

Shoot for the Moon

While significant time savings have been realized by NASA related to their datacenter inventory processes, can RFID be deployed in such a way to deliver a true real-time inventory view and further reduce the need for personnel to access each server rack to read tags attached to individual component? For these installations, integrating a fixed RFID reader directly into the rack may provide a significant advantage. Tags designed for on-metal reading have come a long way, as have RFID antenna configurations and the performance of UHF RFID readers in this challenging environment. While NASA may not have requirements for this type of solution, those who operate large server farms do. With more high-bandwidth applications, like video, being used by consumers, datacenter growth is predicted to expand. With this expansion comes the need for innovative solutions – like in-rack RFID - to continue to advance operational efficiency.

Understanding EPC GEN 2 Search Modes and Sessions

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:53:00 +0000

Search Modes and Sessions can be a somewhat confusing concept at first. This post is designed to explain the differences and give examples of when you should use which settings. Any gen 2 reader works in this same fashion; however, for the purposes of this post, the screenshot below is from Impinj's MultiReader software connecting to the Speedway Revolution RFID reader.

Within Multireader, while in the Modes, RF, Power setting, you will see the option for setting "Search Mode" and "Session". What do these settings mean and how do they affect the performance of tag inventory?

Session Inventory Flags

Each EPC GEN 2 compliant tag has two states: 'A' and 'B'. The 'A' state is default when the tag powers up (or after 'B' state times out - more on that later).

Sessions

The EPC GEN 2 standard allows for up to four sessions; these sessions serve two purposes:

Determines how often a tag will respond to a query from the reader
Allows for multiple readers to conduct independent inventories

The RFID reader will select which session is to be used, each session's inventory flag can be independently set to 'A' or 'B' as shown below.

Persistence

Once the RFID reader inventories the tag, the flag state is changed from 'A' to 'B' - how long the tag stays in the 'B' state before reverting back to the 'A' state is called "persistence". It is important to realize that exact persistence times cannot be set by the user; they can only be approximated according to the Search Mode and Session - more on this later.

Next let's look at Search Modes and how they work with the Session setting to establish the persistence.

Search Modes

There are three search modes available on the Impinj Revolution reader: Dual Target, Single Target and Single Target with Suppression. "Target" in this case is referring to whether the reader will singulate (select) only tags that are in the 'A' state (Single Target) or if it will singulate tags in both 'A' and 'B' state (Dual Target).

In Dual Target, the reader reads all ‘A’ tags then moves all ‘A’ tags into ‘B’. Reader then reads all ‘B’ tags then moves all ‘B’ tags into ‘A’ and so on…. Additionally, in Dual Target, session has no influence as the reader will immediately 'push' tags back into 'A' state.

This search mode generates many reads and is good for small populations or static environments (i.e.smart shelf).

In Single Target, the reader reads all ‘A’ tags then moves all ‘A’ tags into ‘B’ and allows tags to stay quiet once they are inventoried. This mode is good for high population, dynamic environments (i.e. dock door portal).

Putting It All Together

So far we've discussed Sessions, Persistence and Search Modes; now let's put it all together to see the effect these settings have.

The image above illustrates what happens when a tag enters the read field according to the Search Mode and Session.

In Dual Target, the tag will be read continuously regardless of tag state 'A' or 'B'; the Session setting has no influence.

In Single Target with Session set to '1' the tag will be read and then moved to the 'B' state. After some period of time (TS1) it will revert back to the 'A' state and be read again. This TS1 value is defined in the EPC GEN 2 standard as being between 500ms and 5 seconds; again it cannot be expressly set, only approximated. The TS1 value will vary depending tag IC manufacturer and even specific tag IC model. For example, the Impinj Monza 3 S1 persistence is approximately 1 second whereas the Monza 4 is closer to 500ms. So, if we set the reader for Single Target, Session 1, we will see a Monza 3 tag being read about every second.

If the reader Search Mode is set to Single Target and the Session to either '2' or '3' then the tag will be read once then switch to 'B' state and remain quiet the entire time it is in the read field.

Once the tag leaves the read field, it will have a persistence (stay in the 'B' state) for a time period of TS2/3. This persistence time is only required by the EPC GEN 2 standard to be a minimum of 2 seconds with no maximum defined; it tends to be around 60 seconds but can be on the order of hundreds of seconds. Remember that during this time, the tag will not respond to a query from any reader using Single Target and the same Session.

Using Single Target with Suppression provides the advantage of Sessions 2 and 3 in that it will remain quiet while in the read field once inventoried thus allowing other tags which may be "quieter" (not reflecting as much power) to be read. It also provides the advantage of Session 1 in that it will revert almost immediately back to the 'A' state and be available for a reader query upon leaving the read field.

Examples

Let's look at some example scenarios:

Scenario 1: There are a number of tagged items being continuously inventoried on a RFID-enabled "smart shelf". Selecting Dual Target for the search mode will allow for the fastest update of tag status and be able to provide an update alert should a tagged item be put on, or taken off, the shelf.

Scenario 2: A fixed reader portal is performing an inventory on incoming items as they come off the delivery truck using Single Target, Session 2. Now, let's say you want to do a quick inventory sweep with a handheld reader (perhaps to encode the storage location). If the handheld reader uses the same session, it might miss some of the tags, or have a slow tag read rate, due to the fact that the tags were 'pushed' into the 'B' state by the fixed reader and have not yet flipped back to the 'A' state. Setting the handheld reader to a different Search Mode (i.e. Dual Target or Single Target w/ Suppression) or to Session 3, will allow the tagged items to be inventoried.

Another option would be to use Single Target with Suppression (assuming use of Impinj Monza tags) so that the large population of tags can be quickly inventoried with high probability of 100% count and still allow the tags to be re-inventoried almost immediately after leaving the portal read zone.

Scenario 3: Two readers want to simultaneously inventory a population of tags and then confirm they have the same count as a way of reducing missed tags. In this case, setting one reader to Single Target, Session 2 and the other to Single Target, Session 3 will allow this to happen.

Configuring Regional Settings on the Speedway Revolution Reader

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:24:00 +0000

The GX1 model of the Speedway Revolution RFID reader supports several different regulatory regions. When shipped, the GX1's model default region is set to "None-RFID disabled". In order to configure your reader for your region, you will need to change the regional settings using the Web Management Interface. This process is easy and below is a quick video that will show you how to change the regional frequency settings for your GX1 reader.

RFID in Retail is Making Noise

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:53:00 +0000

RFID in retail has demonstrated major business benefits in the way of streamlining the supply chain - reduced costs and enhancing the customer experience - which result in increased and recurring sales. All of the above are good for a thriving business, which is why Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s have recently taken a stronger stance on their RFID deployment plans.

Recently, it was reported that Macy’s is embarking on a widespread adoption of RFID and will be one of the first retailers to implement RFID on a broad scale. Next year, the company plans to be using RFID in all U.S. stores to track items that are regularly stocked and automatically resupplied as they are sold to customers. These “replenishment goods,” which include men's furnishings, intimate apparel, men's pants, denim, and women's shoes, make up about 30 percent of its sales. According to Tom Cole, Macy’ chief administrative officer, the goal of the project is to help them ensure they have the right product, in the right place, and at the right time for their shoppers.

From the Supply Chain to the Fitting Room

RFID is improving the retail experience outside of supply chain enhancements as well. Recently, ThingMagic UHF RFID readers were featured in a Musical Fitting Room video to show the powerful combination of music, fashion and RFID. The idea is to appeal to the individual shopper by playing music that resonates with him or her, and then sending that person an SMS with the name of the song and a link to download it for free on StarHub.com.

To make this work, the clothing items have RFID tags applied to them that, when brought into the dressing room, are read by the RFID reader which triggers a song that matches the ‘mood’ of the clothes. The project coveres 16 genres and more than 10,000 songs to encompass all ages and types of shoppers.

RFID Tag Basics

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:25:00 +0000

RFID, or Radio Frequency IDentification, is a technology where information stored on a microchip can be read remotely, without physical contact using energy in the RF spectrum. An RFID system consists of a reader, or interrogator, which emits an RF signal via an antenna. The microchip receives the energy via an attached antenna (termed an RFID tag) and varies the electromagnetic response its antenna in such a way that information can be transferred to the reader.

Frequencies

There are several different frequency ranges used in RFID including Low Frequency (LF, 125 kHz), High Frequency (HF, 13.56 MHz), Ultra High Frequency (UHF, 433 MHz, 860-960 MHz) and Microwave (2.45 GHz, 5.8 GHz). These bands, in general, do not require a license if the transmitted power is limited. Some bands can be used globally (HF) while others are specific to certain regions (UHF in US, EU, and Japan).

Capacitive vs. Inductive

There are two modes of communication used in RFID (termed coupling), inductive coupling and capacitive coupling. Inductive coupling involves the reader emitting a magnetic field. When a tag enters the field, the chip will vary its antennas response which will result in a perturbation of the magnetic field which can be detected by the reader. The strength of a magnetic field drops sharply with distance from the emitter, hence inductive systems are inherently short range. This is the mode of operation at HF. Capacitive coupling involves the reader emitting a propagating electromagnetic wave. When this wave impinges on a tag, the chip will modify the antenna radar cross section in such a way that the reflected signal containing the information on the chip can be detected by the reader. This is the primary mode of operation at UHF and in the microwave region.

Active vs. Passive

RFID tags are termed active or passive based on how they are powered. Active tags are battery powered and will actually actively transmit a signal. Active tags have the longest read range (~100 meters) and are the most expensive due to the battery and transmitter cost. Passive tags have no on-tag power supply. The energy to activate the chip is derived solely from incoming wave from the RFID reader. The read range is limited by the transmitted power density necessary to achieve sufficient voltage for the chip to activate. Passive tags are significantly less expensive than active tags and, in general, will have significantly less range. A third class of tags are semi-active, or battery assisted passive (BAP) tags. These tags include a battery so the chip will always have sufficient energy to turn on but they do not have an active transmitter. Since, in general, the limiting factor on the read range of a passive tag is getting sufficient power to the chip, BAP tags have greater range than passive tags although at a higher cost and limited life due to the battery.

Read on Metal

At UHF frequencies, most RFID tags are a variation on a standard dipole antenna design. The antenna is designed to provide a good "match" to the microchip. This enables a smooth flow of energy captured by the antenna to the chip enabling it to turn on. Unfortunately, dipole antenna performance is greatly affected by the electromagnetic properties of materials in the vicinity. This problem becomes acute when metal is nearby. The presence of metal will change the antenna's properties such that there is no longer a good "match" and power will not flow to the chip and the tag can not be read. To overcome this obstacle companies, such as Emerson & Cuming, have developed special "backings" to separate RFID tags from metal surfaces. RFID tag technology has evolved to the point where the read range of on metal RFID tags rivals that of their non metal-mount counterparts.

Alien RFID Technology Used to Encourage Increased Recycling in Municipal Program

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 00:07:00 +0000

Alien Technology and CDO Technologies cooperated on a novel municipal program designed to increase community recycling levels through the use of RFID technology.

The program is being deployed by the city of Dayton, Ohio, to lower recycling costs and increase participation in existing recycling efforts. With a population of more than 200,000, Dayton has become challenged by the increasing expenditure associated with sending trash to landfills at a cost of more than $30 per ton from the city's 67,000 homes.

Alien 9900+ RFID Reader

To help drive efficiencies and greater participation in their recycling efforts, Dayton deployed a solution that is based on Alien's Enterprise Class RFID Readers and CDO's HVAT platform. RFID tags are attached to the recycling bins, and Alien's ALR-9900+ Readers are installed on the recycle/garbage trucks. Residents who make use of their 32- or 96-gallon recycling containers are entered in a lottery the following month for one of four $100 prizes. Dayton recently awarded the first $100 rewards to four residents.

The city of Dayton integrates with the Alien hardware and parses the data to extract meaningful information and provide actionable results. Through this interpretation process, the city can strategically plan its routes, schedules, budgets, and usage rates. The custom report generation allows city officials complete visibility and control.

According to city officials the results from this RFID-based program have been surprisingly quick, with a 40 percent increase in recycling participation and an increase in recycled material from 200 to 535 tons in just the first few months of operation. The program has also allowed the city to restructure routes, renegotiate recycling rates, and balance staffing-all leading to a return of investment that is projected in less than 12 months and a savings of more than $100,000 per year.

"This solution would not have been possible without a physically robust RFID reader that had excellent RFID tag read capabilities and was easy to configure and maintain," said Richard Sleigh, CDO Technologies program manager. "We were also concerned about the challenging RF environment and metal surfaces of the city trucks, but after testing an array of possible solutions, we selected Alien's ALR-9900+ Enterprise Class Reader as the most robust, reliable and easy to use solution."

Keyboard Wedge with Speedway Connect Software

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:59:00 +0000

Do you currently use a barcode scanner to capture product data? Do you want to capture RFID tag data instead? If so, Speedway Connect software might be just what you're looking for.

Speedway Connect is software that runs on the Impinj Speedway Revolution Reader (both the 2-port and the 4-port models). Speedway Connect reads EPC data from RFID tags and will output it to your computer as if it is being typed. This is useful for applications that already rely on keyboard entry or "wedge" data entry such as barcode scanners. The video below explains how to set up Speedway Connect to send EPC data via keyboard emulation (aka keyboard wedge) to your computer. What you do with that data is now up to you!

Instead of having to write additional code in your existing application to handle RFID, Speedway Connect can simplify and streamline the process by giving you that data directly. For more information, please contact atlasRFIDstore.

RFID used in Race-timing at the European Championship Level Triathlon

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:00:00 +0000

Event organizers used UPM DogBone UHF RFID tags for race timing in the Long Distance Triathlon European Championships 2011, which took place in Tampere, Finland, in August. This marked the first time UPM RFID's UHF RFID tags have been used at this level in sports timing.

The competitors, several hundred athletes from over 20 European countries, were wearing tailor-made, water-resistant ankle bands embedded with UPM DogBone RFID tags. The RFID tags were read by ThingMagic readers installed at register points in the transition area gates. The competitors were tracked in real-time, and the results were monitored online on the event organizer's website.

Utilizing UHF RFID technology in sports timing reliably provides accurate intermediate times in diverse sports competitions where the RFID tag needs to stay with the racer for several hours. The UPM DogBone is widely used in race timing because it delivers excellent performance, especially in demanding conditions like those typical of triathlons. This was tested at the Finnish Ironman Championships in Hämeenlinna, Finland in June of this year.

The long distance triathlon comprises a 4,000-meter swim, 120 kilometers of cycling and a 30-kilometer run. In triathlon races, the timing is split into swim, transition, cycle, transition, and run. The race area comprising the start, transition and race finish was located at the Ratina Stadium in the center of Tampere.

"Real-time timing, especially after the swim, was extremely accurate even though UPM RFID tags embedded in ankle bands had been in the water for around an hour. With manual timing methods, when race bibs are usually attached to swimming caps, it's almost impossible to register the intermediate times exactly. UHF RFID technology makes it possible to follow the race in real-time, so the race is also extremely spectator-friendly and support groups can immediately assist the racers when necessary," says Mikko Laitinen, Member of the Board, Team 226.

"With UHF RFID we provide highly accurate time-tracking for athletic races. It's becoming the most common timing method and is suited to all types of sports event. The timing equipment is robust and relatively easy to move around and set up even at multiple points along an extensive race course," says Samuli Strömberg, Vice President, Marketing, UPM RFID.

Connecting to the Impinj Speedway Revolution Reader using a Wi-Fi USB Adapter

noreply@blogger.com (atlasRFIDstore) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:33:00 +0000

The Impinj Speedway Revolution RFID reader supports the use of a USB Wi-Fi adapter to allow for wireless connection to a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).

This posting describes the procedure to enable this feature and some guidance on which USB Wi-Fi modules are supported.

1. Check the serial number of the Speedway Revolution Reader, and ensure that it is PCBA version 4.0 or later (serial #3701012XXXX or higher) as marked on the label on the side of the Reader.

2. Connect to the Speedway Revolution reader via the Console port.

3. Ensure the reader has firmware version 4.8 or higher installed using Rshell command:
> show image summary

4. Attach an Impinj supported* USB WiFi modem to the USB host port on the Reader.

5. Configure the WLAN network parameters in Rshell using the following the commands:

> config network wlan nettype infra
> config network wlan ssid “my network”
> config network wlan keymgmt wpa-psk
> config network wlan encrypt wpa2
> config network wlan psk "password"
> config network wlan commit

Fig 1. config network wlan parameters

The parameters are now saved to flash memory and will be applied the next time the Wi-Fi interface is activated.

6. After this is done, set the wifi as the primary using Rshell command:

> config network interface primary wlan

7. Reboot the reader and the wifi will discover the wireless network after about a minute or so.

You can check the status of the connection by looking at:

> show network summary
> show network wlan summary

The BSSID shown in network wlan summary is the MAC address of the Access Point (AP) that the reader is connected to.

*Impinj provides native support for USB WiFi adapters with the Realtek chipset RTL 8187 in Octane v4.8.0 or later.

The following adapters have been tested by Impinj:
• Alfa AWUS036H
• CCrane Versa Wifi USB Adapter II

Other known, but untested, adapters which might be supported include:
• Alfa AWUS036E and AWUS036EH(NOT the Alfa AWUS036S)
• Kasens G5000
• LevelOne WNC-0301USB
• LevelOne WNC-0305USB
• Netgear WG111 v2 (NOT version 3)

Adapters with other WiFi chipsets are not supported.

Here is a tutorial video on installing USB WiFi: