ODIN Technologies Publishes Global RFID Tag Benchmark™

Scientific tag performance results from Asian, European and N. American Frequencies

November 30, 2006 – ODIN technologies, the leader in the physics of RFID deployment, testing, and optimization software, announces the publication of the industry’s first Global RFID Tag Benchmark™. The benchmark represents the eighth installment of ODIN’s RFID Benchmark Series™, the industry’s most widely read and referenced scientific research reports. Using real-life deployment and test scenarios, the Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ presents a scientific evaluation of the 18 leading ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID tags from Alien Technology, Avery Dennison, KSW, OMRON, UPM Raflatac, RSI, and Symbol. The Benchmark is designed to provide end users with both practical and scientific insight into selecting RFID tags suitable for global supply chain use.

Until recently, the idea of a single tag that could be read in Asia, Europe and the United States was more theory than reality. RFID tags were tuned circuits that were optimized to specific frequency ranges. Tags that operated well in some countries or regions did not operate well in others. The Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ demonstrates that tag innovation has now produced some truly global tags. The results guide end users to top performing tags that will enable higher read rates and in some cases at a lower overall cost.

“Now companies that want to minimize the cost of RFID tagging while maximizing read performance globally have a scientific reference in the Global RFID Tag Benchmark. The biggest surprise here is not that some tags can be read globally, but that some general purpose tags are actually superior to the oversized “jumbo tags” in multi-frequency environments. These findings enable end users to get superior performance at a lower price point. Global tagging enables a company to make a single tag investment, and have that tag read accurately all over the world,” remarked ODIN technologies President and CEO, Patrick J. Sweeney II.

Mr. Sweeney added, “With so many new projects this year for clients spanning multiple geographies, we asked our engineering team to determine which RFID tags could best support global enterprises and their worldwide operations. Several tags tested in the Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ qualify today as robust, reliable global tags. ODIN is unique in our ability to conduct global testing in a consistent environment due to our special FCC licenses. These licenses allow testing in frequencies from 860 – 960 MHz all in our flagship lab in Dulles, VA. ODIN’s lab presents a one-stop-shop for multinational tag and reader testing in the convenience of a single location.”

Background on Global Frequency Differences
Asian, European and North American countries all restrict the use of frequency ranges for ultra high frequency (UHF) RFID operation. To test the global performance of RFID tags, ODIN engineers conducted a set of scientific tests in frequencies in the 866-869 MHz, 902-928 MHz and 951-954 MHz ranges. These ranges represent the allowable frequencies in Europe, the United States and Japan respectively. Also included within these ranges are the permitted frequencies for other important regions such as South America, Korea, Australia, Singapore and many others. Performance within these ranges covers the leading passive UHF frequencies used globally today.

“This span of 100 MHz between 866 and 954 MHz differentiates RFID tags which are optimized for a specific region from those which work effectively across all regions. In the past, you selected a tag for the specific region that you were operating in. With the rapid growth of RFID use, this is no longer sufficient. Tags are moving from France to the United States, from South America to Singapore and from Hong Kong to Los Angeles. Global commerce demands that UHF RFID tags be read consistently no matter what frequencies are used by the readers. The Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ gives answers to tough questions facing end users in global companies today,” remarked ODIN technologies’ Director of Professional Services Christopher Fennig.

Benchmark Contents
The Benchmark includes 18 UHF tags divided into two categories “jumbo” and “general purpose.” “Jumbo” tags have a footprint of greater than 5.5 square inches, and “general purpose” tags have a footprint smaller than 5.5 square inches. Jumbo tags are typically expected to demonstrate superior performance because they have greater surface area for RF waves to propagate. However, this greater surface area typically results in costs that are 2-4 times higher than general purpose tags and the large size makes them unusable in many situations. Some of the most surprising results in this study demonstrate that several general purpose tags actually outperform jumbo tags despite the size and cost difference. The benchmark research compares the cumulative results from the scientific testing across the Asian, European and North American frequencies.

Benchmark Participants
The full report includes 18 UHF tags from multiple vendors. The alphabetized listing of the seven vendors is below:

Scientific Tests of the Benchmark
The Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ includes a number of scientific tests including:

·         Power Effectiveness – the consistency and efficiency of tag performance

·         Distance – distance performance at three global frequencies

·         Orientation Sensitivity – performance at nine angles at three global frequencies

·         Material Dependence – performance on three materials at three global frequencies

·         Interference Rejection – how tags compare at blocking dense reader noise

In addition to these test results, the Benchmark also includes background on the physics of tag testing, a research summary, a master ranking table for all tags tested, and a separate ranking for general purpose tags which provide superior price-to-performance ratio.

The Global RFID Tag Benchmark™ is available for download now at ODIN technologies Store (www.ODINtechnologies.com/store). Single user licenses are available for $750 and enterprise licenses are available for $1,500.

For more information

www.ODINtechnologies.com