Articles
RSSRFID Goes Mainstream Thanks To Affordability, Flexibility
September 12, 2008
Click Here To Download:•White Paper: RFID Goes Mainstream Thanks To Affordability, Flexibility
By George W. Everhart, CEO, Alien Technology
RFID customers now have a choice of vendors for hardware, tags, and services. In 2007, large customers started reaching out to solutions integrators to support sizable installations, moving projects from pilots to production. With industry standardization efforts (ISO and electronic product code [EPC] Gen 2), RFID became affordable. Tag prices dropped by 70%. Reader prices decreased by 50%, and today, reader/antenna solutions are available for less than $900. In two years, UHF RFID reliability has increased by 300%, and manufacturing quality has improved from 80% to 99.5%. Additionally, RFID now enjoys industry support from such large Fortune 100 businesses as IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP.
RFID technology has matured to deliver solutions to businesses while also overcoming tagging obstacles such as those presented by metals and liquids, opening access to new segments and applications. In addition, increased sensitivity and read range of RFID integrated circuits, coupled with improved software and functionality of the readers to control read zones, are paving the way for the entry of UHF RFID into airline baggage handling and item-level solutions for the pharmaceutical industry. Beyond its expected entry into the airline and pharmaceutical industries, this year RFID will start providing a realistic solution to fight counterfeit products on a global scale.
Click Here To Download:•White Paper: RFID Goes Mainstream Thanks To Affordability, Flexibility
George W. Everhart - CEO
George W. Everhart joined Alien in January 2007. Mr. Everhart has over 25 years of executive leadership experience with specific expertise in leading high growth phases of industry leading technology companies.
In the past Everhart held CEO positions with early stage startup companies, SealedMedia and Onesecure, where he led successful company funding and expansion and established both companies as recognized leaders in their markets. Everhart was President & CEO, Fujitsu PC Corporation, where he led the company's market entry and rapid growth in the notebook PC business. Everhart also held a series of executive leadership positions with Apple Computer during the company's fast growth years, 1987-1996, including VP US Sales, VP & GM PC Business Division, and VP Business & Government Sales.
Mr. Everhart holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology, and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Santa Clara University. He has been active in industry, government, and education associations as well holding both board and advisory positions. He was a member of the "Highway One Committee" to assist in the automation of Congress. He currently is a member of the Board of Fellows at Santa Clara University.
Used with permission from Integrated Solutions magazine.
