AIM Insights
RFID: Cargo Security and Product Traceability
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
RFID Connections
RFID can help prevent cargo theft and help identify individuals involved in it
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Wednesday, March 03, 2010
RFID Connections
RFID can help prevent cargo theft and help identify individuals involved in it
Read More
AIDC: Investing in Standards
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
AIM Connections
Spending more time in meetings can offer big rewards -- really.
No one wants to spend more time in meetings (or on phone and web conferences) but you and your company need to do just that. Gaining any real bottom-line benefits from this investment in time and effort depends on picking the right meetings -- and those meetings include the ones of standards-setting organizations.
Read More
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
AIM Connections
Spending more time in meetings can offer big rewards -- really.
No one wants to spend more time in meetings (or on phone and web conferences) but you and your company need to do just that. Gaining any real bottom-line benefits from this investment in time and effort depends on picking the right meetings -- and those meetings include the ones of standards-setting organizations.
Read More
AIDC: Why Education is Critical
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
AIM Connections
Corporate AIDC knowledge is under threat from two directions -- it's time to take action.
Read More
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
AIM Connections
Corporate AIDC knowledge is under threat from two directions -- it's time to take action.
Read More
AIDC: AIM Expo Offers More Options and Solutions
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
AIM Connections
The long-awaited event for the AIDC industry will provide a comprehensive range of automatic ID and mobile IT options for business, industry, healthcare and government.
Read More
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
AIM Connections
The long-awaited event for the AIDC industry will provide a comprehensive range of automatic ID and mobile IT options for business, industry, healthcare and government.
Read More
RFID: 2010 Will This Be The Year...?
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
RFID Connections
Will this be the year that RFID security is finally implemented?
As we look forward to 2010, will this be the year that we start seeing security considerations being included as an essential part of RFID system design or will 2010 be remembered for more examples of what was done wrong?
Read More
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
RFID Connections
Will this be the year that RFID security is finally implemented?
As we look forward to 2010, will this be the year that we start seeing security considerations being included as an essential part of RFID system design or will 2010 be remembered for more examples of what was done wrong?
Read More
Bar Codes: DotCode Debuts for High-Speed Encoding
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
AIM Connections
High speed encoding of machine readable lot/batch, expiration/best-by date and other variable production control data on low margin commodity items has never been successfully accomplished. DotCode was developed specifically for these applications.
Read More
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
AIM Connections
High speed encoding of machine readable lot/batch, expiration/best-by date and other variable production control data on low margin commodity items has never been successfully accomplished. DotCode was developed specifically for these applications.
Read More
RFID: Update -- The Health Care Initiative
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
RFID Connections
Project Designed to Ensure Benign Operation of RFID in Health Care Settings
Of the various studies and reports on the use of RFID in Health Care settings, one key issue has been absent: transparency. While some equipment has been identified and some testing parameters have been specified, there is insufficient detail to allow any of the tests to be replicated by another institution.
The AIM Health Care Initiative (HCI) is designed to change all that.
Read More
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
RFID Connections
Project Designed to Ensure Benign Operation of RFID in Health Care Settings
Of the various studies and reports on the use of RFID in Health Care settings, one key issue has been absent: transparency. While some equipment has been identified and some testing parameters have been specified, there is insufficient detail to allow any of the tests to be replicated by another institution.
The AIM Health Care Initiative (HCI) is designed to change all that.
Read More
Bar Codes: Verifying the Verifiers
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
AIM Connections
There are three simple rules for printing good bar codes: verify, verify, verify.
When it comes to verifying print quality, companies rely on commercially-available verification equipment. Yet differences often crop up between the results of one verifier versus another -- even between two verifiers offered by the same manufacturer.
This isn't a problem with the verifiers, it's a matter of calibration -- and there's something you can do about it.
Read More
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
AIM Connections
There are three simple rules for printing good bar codes: verify, verify, verify.
When it comes to verifying print quality, companies rely on commercially-available verification equipment. Yet differences often crop up between the results of one verifier versus another -- even between two verifiers offered by the same manufacturer.
This isn't a problem with the verifiers, it's a matter of calibration -- and there's something you can do about it.
Read More
RFID: Printed Electronics - Sooner or Later?
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
RFID Connections
The March 2009 Viewpoint talked about advances in organic (also called "plastic") printed RFID and its potential to provide "smart packaging" and make tagging everyday objects more feasible. Recent announcements about inorganic (metallic) inks may bring low cost printed RFID tags even closer and may even bring about printed UHF tags by overcoming one of the key limitations (to date) of organic inks.
Read More
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
RFID Connections
The March 2009 Viewpoint talked about advances in organic (also called "plastic") printed RFID and its potential to provide "smart packaging" and make tagging everyday objects more feasible. Recent announcements about inorganic (metallic) inks may bring low cost printed RFID tags even closer and may even bring about printed UHF tags by overcoming one of the key limitations (to date) of organic inks.
Read More
AIDC: Access Control Options
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
AIM Connections
Bar codes, magnetic stripes, laser cards, contact memory, RFID, smart cards, biometrics -- all of these are ID and access control options. It may seem that there are too many options or that the "right" choice is obvious. But what's "obvious" in one application may not be true in others. And some of the technologies have been around long enough that some readers may not even be aware of them. So how do you choose?
Read More
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
AIM Connections
Bar codes, magnetic stripes, laser cards, contact memory, RFID, smart cards, biometrics -- all of these are ID and access control options. It may seem that there are too many options or that the "right" choice is obvious. But what's "obvious" in one application may not be true in others. And some of the technologies have been around long enough that some readers may not even be aware of them. So how do you choose?
Read More
GS1 DataBar™ Coupon Code Postponed?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
AIM Connections
The August 11, 2009 recommendation by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) on behalf of the Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) that the final phase of implementation of GS1 DataBar for Coupon Codes be delayed one year, until January 1, 2011, may sound like a serious blow to GS1's plans for GS1 DataBar implementation. But the news is rather misleading. It's not GS1 DataBar that's being delayed.
[Corrected]
Read More
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
AIM Connections
The August 11, 2009 recommendation by the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) on behalf of the Joint Industry Coupon Committee (JICC) that the final phase of implementation of GS1 DataBar for Coupon Codes be delayed one year, until January 1, 2011, may sound like a serious blow to GS1's plans for GS1 DataBar implementation. But the news is rather misleading. It's not GS1 DataBar that's being delayed.
[Corrected]
Read More
AIDC: Enabling SMB Agility
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
AIM Connections
You don't have to be Wal-Mart to benefit from AIDC technologies. In fact, sometimes it's better not to be Wal-Mart. Small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) often out-compete larger ones because their smaller size allows them to be more agile. Their size can also be an asset when it comes to implementing AIDC solutions. Many can benefit from relatively small, easy-to-implement systems that help them better manage their operations, assets, inventory and bottom line.
Read More
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
AIM Connections
You don't have to be Wal-Mart to benefit from AIDC technologies. In fact, sometimes it's better not to be Wal-Mart. Small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) often out-compete larger ones because their smaller size allows them to be more agile. Their size can also be an asset when it comes to implementing AIDC solutions. Many can benefit from relatively small, easy-to-implement systems that help them better manage their operations, assets, inventory and bottom line.
Read More
Bar Code History: The People Behind Its Success - UPDATED
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
AIM Connections
As the U.P.C. bar code turns 35, it's appropriate to remember some of the visionary individuals and companies that created the industry we know today.
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009
AIM Connections
As the U.P.C. bar code turns 35, it's appropriate to remember some of the visionary individuals and companies that created the industry we know today.
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AIDC: Putting the Action in Interaction
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
In today's mobile-connected world, AIDC technologies are the key to facilitating interactions between consumers and companies, disparate sources of information, individual items and even each other. Bar codes, RFID, voice, biometrics, and magnetic stripe all contribute in one way or another to enabling the efficient interaction between individuals and the entire mobile-enabled world.
Read More
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
In today's mobile-connected world, AIDC technologies are the key to facilitating interactions between consumers and companies, disparate sources of information, individual items and even each other. Bar codes, RFID, voice, biometrics, and magnetic stripe all contribute in one way or another to enabling the efficient interaction between individuals and the entire mobile-enabled world.
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AIDC: Mobilizing the Workforce
Thursday, May 21, 2009
AIM Global
Bert Moore
Editor
They may be in the warehouse, the yard, the field, at a job site or a customer's facility, but an increasing number of workers have two things in common: they're on the move and their primary job is not data entry. Yet data entry is usually required as part of any job -- whether it's recording, shipping/receiving data, site inspection, equipment maintenance, route accounting, sales or any of a dozen or so other activities employees must perform while on the move.
Giving these employees the right tools can improve mobility and the speed and accuracy of data entry.
Read More
Thursday, May 21, 2009
AIM Global
Bert Moore
Editor
They may be in the warehouse, the yard, the field, at a job site or a customer's facility, but an increasing number of workers have two things in common: they're on the move and their primary job is not data entry. Yet data entry is usually required as part of any job -- whether it's recording, shipping/receiving data, site inspection, equipment maintenance, route accounting, sales or any of a dozen or so other activities employees must perform while on the move.
Giving these employees the right tools can improve mobility and the speed and accuracy of data entry.
Read More
Bar Codes: Beyond Social Networking
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
An increasing number of companies are beginning to realize the benefits of mobile marketing (m-marketing) and social networking by putting bar codes on items that link consumers' mobile phones to web-based services with special offers, money-saving coupons and other benefits. But the interaction between company and consumer can go beyond providing a product-based social network to providing a social contract to better inform and protect consumers.
There are a number of pilot programs that use 2D symbols to connect consumers' web-enabled mobile phones to specialized databases that contain information about the source of organic produce and fresh fish. These programs require special additional marking. But as GS1 DataBar® symbols move into the marketplace over the next few years, it will be easier for companies to automatically and cost-effectively identify the source of products and even prevent sales of expired items.
Read More
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
An increasing number of companies are beginning to realize the benefits of mobile marketing (m-marketing) and social networking by putting bar codes on items that link consumers' mobile phones to web-based services with special offers, money-saving coupons and other benefits. But the interaction between company and consumer can go beyond providing a product-based social network to providing a social contract to better inform and protect consumers.
There are a number of pilot programs that use 2D symbols to connect consumers' web-enabled mobile phones to specialized databases that contain information about the source of organic produce and fresh fish. These programs require special additional marking. But as GS1 DataBar® symbols move into the marketplace over the next few years, it will be easier for companies to automatically and cost-effectively identify the source of products and even prevent sales of expired items.
Read More
U.S. Food Safety: Will Food Track-and-Trace Finally Take Off?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
When U.S. President Obama announced Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Hamburg as his choice to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he cited the growing number of food recalls that have risen to "nearly 350 a year – up from 100 a year in the early 1990s" and called the current state of affairs, "...a hazard to public health. It is unacceptable."
While much of the focus of news reports is on increasing the budget for the FDA to allow inspection of more than the 5% of food processing facilities it currently inspects, it is important to note that Dr. Hamburg is not only acknowledged as an experienced health professional but, according to The Huffington Post also, "a bioterrorism expert." According to that report, "She was an assistant health secretary under President Bill Clinton and helped lay the groundwork for the government's bioterrorism and flu pandemic preparations."
While there is debate over whether the FDA should be restructured to provide a separate agency to deal specifically with food safety, it is clear that Hamburg has the credentials to provide a positive impetus for field-to-fork traceability.
Read More
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
When U.S. President Obama announced Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Hamburg as his choice to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he cited the growing number of food recalls that have risen to "nearly 350 a year – up from 100 a year in the early 1990s" and called the current state of affairs, "...a hazard to public health. It is unacceptable."
While much of the focus of news reports is on increasing the budget for the FDA to allow inspection of more than the 5% of food processing facilities it currently inspects, it is important to note that Dr. Hamburg is not only acknowledged as an experienced health professional but, according to The Huffington Post also, "a bioterrorism expert." According to that report, "She was an assistant health secretary under President Bill Clinton and helped lay the groundwork for the government's bioterrorism and flu pandemic preparations."
While there is debate over whether the FDA should be restructured to provide a separate agency to deal specifically with food safety, it is clear that Hamburg has the credentials to provide a positive impetus for field-to-fork traceability.
Read More
AIDC: Loyalty (Cards) Can Go Both Ways
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The number of products affected by salmonella-contaminated peanut butter from the Peanut Corporation of America facility in Georgia has topped 1,000 and demonstrates the absolute need for total end-to-end traceability in the food supply chain. And the ultimate "end" of the supply chain is the consumer.
The Viewpoint article in the June 2008 issue of RFID Connections ("RFID: Product Recalls and 'The Last Inch'") focused on the importance of covering this "last inch" in the food supply chain. What has been missing was a way to notify consumers that they may have purchased recalled products. In the midst of this current health crisis, Costco and Kashi have shown that not only is it possible, it's possible to do it right.
Read More
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The number of products affected by salmonella-contaminated peanut butter from the Peanut Corporation of America facility in Georgia has topped 1,000 and demonstrates the absolute need for total end-to-end traceability in the food supply chain. And the ultimate "end" of the supply chain is the consumer.
The Viewpoint article in the June 2008 issue of RFID Connections ("RFID: Product Recalls and 'The Last Inch'") focused on the importance of covering this "last inch" in the food supply chain. What has been missing was a way to notify consumers that they may have purchased recalled products. In the midst of this current health crisis, Costco and Kashi have shown that not only is it possible, it's possible to do it right.
Read More
A GS1 View: GS1 Healthcare Advances Global Standards
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Scott Gray, CPIM
GS1 BarCodes & Identification
Global Business Manager
Patient safety, supply chain security, traceability and efficiency in Healthcare are currently at the forefront of government regulatory and industry concerns around the world. As a result, numerous, and often incompatible solutions are being (or have been) proposed to the national and international supply chain stakeholders and, in some cases, adopted in preference to global standards. The cost of diverse government regulations, proprietary services and incompatible solutions being offered to stakeholders has made it clear that there is a need to define and increase adoption of open, global standards. This is the mission of GS1 Healthcare.
Read More
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
AIM Connections
Scott Gray, CPIM
GS1 BarCodes & Identification
Global Business Manager
Patient safety, supply chain security, traceability and efficiency in Healthcare are currently at the forefront of government regulatory and industry concerns around the world. As a result, numerous, and often incompatible solutions are being (or have been) proposed to the national and international supply chain stakeholders and, in some cases, adopted in preference to global standards. The cost of diverse government regulations, proprietary services and incompatible solutions being offered to stakeholders has made it clear that there is a need to define and increase adoption of open, global standards. This is the mission of GS1 Healthcare.
Read More
The 5 Rs of AIDC
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
To paraphrase a principle from healthcare, it's important in any automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) application to follow the "5 Rs" -- choose the right technology for the right job for the right reasons implemented in the right way with the right support.
Getting any of these "rights" wrong can, and usually does, result in a system that does not live up to expectations and, in some cases, is an outright failure. Ensuring that the 5 Rs are addressed takes time but, once they're understood, the process isn't that difficult. And getting it right the first time is certainly less time-consuming than fixing a poor implementation.
Read More
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
To paraphrase a principle from healthcare, it's important in any automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) application to follow the "5 Rs" -- choose the right technology for the right job for the right reasons implemented in the right way with the right support.
Getting any of these "rights" wrong can, and usually does, result in a system that does not live up to expectations and, in some cases, is an outright failure. Ensuring that the 5 Rs are addressed takes time but, once they're understood, the process isn't that difficult. And getting it right the first time is certainly less time-consuming than fixing a poor implementation.
Read More
Is Android : Mobile Commerce :: Code One : Matrix Symbologies?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
For those not familiar with the mathematical notation in the headline, it reads: "Is Android to Mobile Commerce as Code One is to Matrix Symbologies?" To answer that, one first has to understand what Code One and Android are.
Read More
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
For those not familiar with the mathematical notation in the headline, it reads: "Is Android to Mobile Commerce as Code One is to Matrix Symbologies?" To answer that, one first has to understand what Code One and Android are.
Read More
Time to Get Back to Basics
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
In today's uncertain economy, companies may be hesitant to invest in new, "cutting edge" technology. But many companies are running the risk of letting their existing technology fall by the wayside. Personnel promotions, transfers, retirements and layoffs can result in a lack of knowledgeable personnel to operate and maintain bar code programs.
In some cases, important decisions about these applications are no longer being made by technical people but by marketing or purchasing personnel who don't understand the systems' requirements. According to one industry expert, bar code symbols in one sector of retail have been increasingly printed out-of-spec because a) no one has complained, b) because scanners have become more aggressive and more tolerant of substandard symbols and c) designers want to reduce the space the bar code symbol occupies on the packaging. It's also possible that the bar code symbols are being produced by graphics personnel with no real understanding of how to do things properly.
But at least one retailer has concluded that out-of-spec bar codes are costing them money and is beginning to pressure suppliers to comply with published standards.
This knowledge void can be present in both the vendor and the user communities. And both need to look at their own knowledge base to ensure continued successful operation. Which means it's time to get back to basics.
Read More
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
In today's uncertain economy, companies may be hesitant to invest in new, "cutting edge" technology. But many companies are running the risk of letting their existing technology fall by the wayside. Personnel promotions, transfers, retirements and layoffs can result in a lack of knowledgeable personnel to operate and maintain bar code programs.
In some cases, important decisions about these applications are no longer being made by technical people but by marketing or purchasing personnel who don't understand the systems' requirements. According to one industry expert, bar code symbols in one sector of retail have been increasingly printed out-of-spec because a) no one has complained, b) because scanners have become more aggressive and more tolerant of substandard symbols and c) designers want to reduce the space the bar code symbol occupies on the packaging. It's also possible that the bar code symbols are being produced by graphics personnel with no real understanding of how to do things properly.
But at least one retailer has concluded that out-of-spec bar codes are costing them money and is beginning to pressure suppliers to comply with published standards.
This knowledge void can be present in both the vendor and the user communities. And both need to look at their own knowledge base to ensure continued successful operation. Which means it's time to get back to basics.
Read More
The Upside of a Down Economy
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The old adage that "every cloud has a silver lining" may actually apply to today's slumping economy. Tight credit and high fuel costs mean that efficient logistic and supply chain management will come to the forefront in many corporate strategies. Companies may begin to rethink their distribution patterns and place higher reliance on third party logistics providers (3PLs) to minimize shipping costs, realign or expand their own network of distribution centers (DCs) to match their customers' locations and even bring some manufacturing and assembly jobs closer to home.
Mark Baum, partner and managing director of the consumer packaged goods practice at Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, is cited in an article in Traffic World Online, saying that shippers and retailers tend to see labor-saving, automation-oriented technology as a powerful lever. And, according to National Retail Federation Chief Information Officer Dave Hogan (cited in the same article), capital budgets for technology have held up well so far.
What does this mean for suppliers and customers of automatic identification and mobility (AIM) technologies?
Read More
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The old adage that "every cloud has a silver lining" may actually apply to today's slumping economy. Tight credit and high fuel costs mean that efficient logistic and supply chain management will come to the forefront in many corporate strategies. Companies may begin to rethink their distribution patterns and place higher reliance on third party logistics providers (3PLs) to minimize shipping costs, realign or expand their own network of distribution centers (DCs) to match their customers' locations and even bring some manufacturing and assembly jobs closer to home.
Mark Baum, partner and managing director of the consumer packaged goods practice at Diamond Management & Technology Consultants, is cited in an article in Traffic World Online, saying that shippers and retailers tend to see labor-saving, automation-oriented technology as a powerful lever. And, according to National Retail Federation Chief Information Officer Dave Hogan (cited in the same article), capital budgets for technology have held up well so far.
What does this mean for suppliers and customers of automatic identification and mobility (AIM) technologies?
Read More
The Future is Yours
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
A February 2008 IT Executives Service Provider Study by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research, showed that a full 48 percent of CIOs look to their service providers for advice on business and technology trends and 41 percent rely on them for recommendations on technologies to investigate. While this study focused on "service providers," there are lessons to be learned by suppliers and users of automatic identification and mobility (AIM) technologies alike.
These statistics are both encouraging and distressing. Why? They're encouraging because it demonstrates that there's awareness among these top executives that technology is continuing to evolve and that it's important to stay current. It's distressing because it shows a heavy reliance on existing service providers who may or may not be qualified to offer such recommendations.
What to do?
Read More
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
A February 2008 IT Executives Service Provider Study by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research, showed that a full 48 percent of CIOs look to their service providers for advice on business and technology trends and 41 percent rely on them for recommendations on technologies to investigate. While this study focused on "service providers," there are lessons to be learned by suppliers and users of automatic identification and mobility (AIM) technologies alike.
These statistics are both encouraging and distressing. Why? They're encouraging because it demonstrates that there's awareness among these top executives that technology is continuing to evolve and that it's important to stay current. It's distressing because it shows a heavy reliance on existing service providers who may or may not be qualified to offer such recommendations.
What to do?
Read More
The Bar Code Revolution
Thursday, August 21, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
For those who think the headline of this column is 25 years too late or that this will be a retrospective on the technology, think again. Five new symbologies are on the horizon, each of which brings new or unique features to the bar code "toolbox." We have previewed some of these in the past but it's worth looking at them again, particularly since two of them represent symbologies designed specifically for the Chinese alphabet.
Even with the growing focus on RFID, bar codes remain an inexpensive and effective way of marking and reading data on items. The five new symbologies demonstrate that there is still new ground to be broken in applications not well served by existing linear or two-dimensional (2D) symbologies.
The new symbologies are: Datastrip 2D, DotCode, Grid Matrix, Ultracode, and Chinese Sensible (Han Xin) Code.
Read More
Thursday, August 21, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
For those who think the headline of this column is 25 years too late or that this will be a retrospective on the technology, think again. Five new symbologies are on the horizon, each of which brings new or unique features to the bar code "toolbox." We have previewed some of these in the past but it's worth looking at them again, particularly since two of them represent symbologies designed specifically for the Chinese alphabet.
Even with the growing focus on RFID, bar codes remain an inexpensive and effective way of marking and reading data on items. The five new symbologies demonstrate that there is still new ground to be broken in applications not well served by existing linear or two-dimensional (2D) symbologies.
The new symbologies are: Datastrip 2D, DotCode, Grid Matrix, Ultracode, and Chinese Sensible (Han Xin) Code.
Read More
Bar Codes in Healthcare
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
A recent article that cited a report conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine concluded that bar codes were not proven effective in improving patient safety. The actual report focused on "workarounds to barcode medication administration systems" and their effects on patient safety. There's a significant difference between the headline of the article and the focus of the study.
However, it is true (and has always been true) that bar codes alone won't improve patient safety. A well designed and implemented system using bar codes will. In fact, the study (published in the Journal of Medical Informatics Association) concluded that it was a failure of the design and management of the system, not bar code technology itself, that were the problem.
Read More
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
A recent article that cited a report conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine concluded that bar codes were not proven effective in improving patient safety. The actual report focused on "workarounds to barcode medication administration systems" and their effects on patient safety. There's a significant difference between the headline of the article and the focus of the study.
However, it is true (and has always been true) that bar codes alone won't improve patient safety. A well designed and implemented system using bar codes will. In fact, the study (published in the Journal of Medical Informatics Association) concluded that it was a failure of the design and management of the system, not bar code technology itself, that were the problem.
Read More
Supply Chain Track-and-Trace: What Will It Take?
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The source of the most recent food-borne health crisis in the U.S., salmonella from three suspected types of tomatoes, is still uncertain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a number of suppliers -- those not harvesting or selling those types of tomatoes at the time of the outbreak -- without finding the origination of the bacteria. Several state agricultural commissions have criticized the FDA's inability to quickly identify the source, claiming that its slow response is harming sales from growers whose products are not contaminated with the bacteria.
This is not the first time that the FDA's inability to quickly identify the source of tainted food products -- or the possibility of contamination -- has hurt food producers and endangered the public. The question that has to be raised here is: what sort of public health menace will have to occur before the U.S. requires traceability "from farm to fork" as some European countries currently do?
From one perspective, it would be a massive undertaking to develop a comprehensive federal database of food sources and distributors around the world. But what if it wasn't a massive federal project? From a more practical perspective, it might be accomplished in small, manageable steps.
Read More
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
The source of the most recent food-borne health crisis in the U.S., salmonella from three suspected types of tomatoes, is still uncertain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared a number of suppliers -- those not harvesting or selling those types of tomatoes at the time of the outbreak -- without finding the origination of the bacteria. Several state agricultural commissions have criticized the FDA's inability to quickly identify the source, claiming that its slow response is harming sales from growers whose products are not contaminated with the bacteria.
This is not the first time that the FDA's inability to quickly identify the source of tainted food products -- or the possibility of contamination -- has hurt food producers and endangered the public. The question that has to be raised here is: what sort of public health menace will have to occur before the U.S. requires traceability "from farm to fork" as some European countries currently do?
From one perspective, it would be a massive undertaking to develop a comprehensive federal database of food sources and distributors around the world. But what if it wasn't a massive federal project? From a more practical perspective, it might be accomplished in small, manageable steps.
Read More
Bar Codes Alive and Well in the Global Market
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
Speakers at the AIM Technology Leadership Summit in Washington, DC last month provided a wide range of insights into the markets and applications for automatic identification and mobility products around the world. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of talk about RFID (which will be discussed in the next "RFID Connections") but there was equal emphasis on the continuing growth of the bar code market in areas such as Brazil, India, China, Europe and even the United States.
Read More
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
Speakers at the AIM Technology Leadership Summit in Washington, DC last month provided a wide range of insights into the markets and applications for automatic identification and mobility products around the world. Not surprisingly, there was a lot of talk about RFID (which will be discussed in the next "RFID Connections") but there was equal emphasis on the continuing growth of the bar code market in areas such as Brazil, India, China, Europe and even the United States.
Read More
Mobile Commerce or Mobile Chaos?
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
Using mobile phones to read bar codes to access a variety of services is clearly a growing trend. While this is not a clear infringement of traditional mobile computing applications, it is definitely a trend that may blur the lines between consumer and corporate applications.
Many of these mobile commerce applications employ standard or proprietary 2D symbols while others rely on existing GS1 symbols on products. The variety of current and proposed applications include directing the phone's browser to the manufacturer's web site for more information on the product, to special promotion sites offering money-saving coupons and special deals, third party sites to do comparison shopping, identify allergens in food products or possible drug interactions, bus schedules, and self-directed city tours. The problem is, with the proliferation of these applications, the possibility for chaos increases.
As more applications are developed that rely on the same GS1 symbol as the key, how is the mobile device to know what to do with the data? And, as more 2D symbols show up, how is the consumer or retail employee to know what will result from reading the symbol?
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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
Using mobile phones to read bar codes to access a variety of services is clearly a growing trend. While this is not a clear infringement of traditional mobile computing applications, it is definitely a trend that may blur the lines between consumer and corporate applications.
Many of these mobile commerce applications employ standard or proprietary 2D symbols while others rely on existing GS1 symbols on products. The variety of current and proposed applications include directing the phone's browser to the manufacturer's web site for more information on the product, to special promotion sites offering money-saving coupons and special deals, third party sites to do comparison shopping, identify allergens in food products or possible drug interactions, bus schedules, and self-directed city tours. The problem is, with the proliferation of these applications, the possibility for chaos increases.
As more applications are developed that rely on the same GS1 symbol as the key, how is the mobile device to know what to do with the data? And, as more 2D symbols show up, how is the consumer or retail employee to know what will result from reading the symbol?
Read More
Mobilizing AIDC Applications
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
When we talk of mobile applications of AIDC technologies, we immediately think of mobile computers and WiFi communications. While this continues to be a vital part of automatic identification and mobility, the newest opportunities for mobile applications are targeted directly at consumers and their cell phones.
Advances in cell phone capabilities mean that both bar codes and RFID are increasingly becoming part of the consumer experience. What's more, cell service providers are beginning to get behind these expanded applications since they stand to benefit from additional connect charges or higher priced plans that provide unlimited web access. So where is this all headed and how do you leverage this new capability?
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Wednesday, March 19, 2008
AIM Connections
Bert Moore
Editor
When we talk of mobile applications of AIDC technologies, we immediately think of mobile computers and WiFi communications. While this continues to be a vital part of automatic identification and mobility, the newest opportunities for mobile applications are targeted directly at consumers and their cell phones.
Advances in cell phone capabilities mean that both bar codes and RFID are increasingly becoming part of the consumer experience. What's more, cell service providers are beginning to get behind these expanded applications since they stand to benefit from additional connect charges or higher priced plans that provide unlimited web access. So where is this all headed and how do you leverage this new capability?
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Editorial: The Power of Association
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
AIM Connections
Daniel P. Mullen
President
I field a lot of phone calls from news media, users and potential users about automatic identification and mobility (AIDC) technology, applications and products. Invariably, one of the questions is, "What is AIM Global and what do you do?" In layman's terms, I explain that AIM Global is an association of the world's leading providers of data collection and enterprise mobile computing technology, services, and support and that the association’s primary missions focus in the area of education and standards.
In truth, however, AIM Global is a lot more than that. AIM Global represents "the power of association" to move the industry forward in a way that no other organization can. Companies that stand outside the association and think they benefit equally from AIM's activities are missing the point -- and missing the boat.
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Wednesday, February 20, 2008
AIM Connections
Daniel P. Mullen
President
I field a lot of phone calls from news media, users and potential users about automatic identification and mobility (AIDC) technology, applications and products. Invariably, one of the questions is, "What is AIM Global and what do you do?" In layman's terms, I explain that AIM Global is an association of the world's leading providers of data collection and enterprise mobile computing technology, services, and support and that the association’s primary missions focus in the area of education and standards.
In truth, however, AIM Global is a lot more than that. AIM Global represents "the power of association" to move the industry forward in a way that no other organization can. Companies that stand outside the association and think they benefit equally from AIM's activities are missing the point -- and missing the boat.
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U.P.C. and RFID: From Vision to Value
Thursday, February 23, 2006
AIM Global
AIM Global's Annual Showcase, being held this week, is the opportunity for the AIDC community to "Connect with the Stars" in the industry. As part of this event, AIM Global recognized two "stars" in particular for their contributions to the advancement and use of AIDC technologies.
RFID Connections took the opportunity to "connect" with them as well. We asked both of these visionaries to offer their views on the development and future of AIDC and RFID markets. These interviews are excerpted here. The full interviews will be published in the March issue of AIM Connections and available on the AIM web site.
Patrick F. King, PhD, Global Electronics Strategist of Michelin, this year's recipient of the Don Percival Award. The Percival award is presented annually to an individual or organization from the user community recognizing outstanding contributions to the application of automatic identification and data capture technologies.
Alan Haberman, Chairman of ISO/IEC JTC1 SC31, this year's recipient of the Dick Dilling Award. The Dilling award is presented to executives, scientists, and engineers in recognition of outstanding contributions that have furthered the growth of the industry through important applications and new technological developments.
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Thursday, February 23, 2006
AIM Global
AIM Global's Annual Showcase, being held this week, is the opportunity for the AIDC community to "Connect with the Stars" in the industry. As part of this event, AIM Global recognized two "stars" in particular for their contributions to the advancement and use of AIDC technologies.
RFID Connections took the opportunity to "connect" with them as well. We asked both of these visionaries to offer their views on the development and future of AIDC and RFID markets. These interviews are excerpted here. The full interviews will be published in the March issue of AIM Connections and available on the AIM web site.
Patrick F. King, PhD, Global Electronics Strategist of Michelin, this year's recipient of the Don Percival Award. The Percival award is presented annually to an individual or organization from the user community recognizing outstanding contributions to the application of automatic identification and data capture technologies.
Alan Haberman, Chairman of ISO/IEC JTC1 SC31, this year's recipient of the Dick Dilling Award. The Dilling award is presented to executives, scientists, and engineers in recognition of outstanding contributions that have furthered the growth of the industry through important applications and new technological developments.
Read More
