Articles

The RFID Center Of Excellence (COE) at Penn State Behrend recently hosted the Technology Industry Partnership RFID Consortium, which brings together leaders in RFID technology. This discussion brought together industry members such as Price Corporation, GE Transportation, Cranberry Township, and Hamot Hospital. In addition, vendors such as Alien Technology Corporation, Symbol Technologies, CompTIA, and others joined industry businesses for the discussion.

The focus of this meeting addressed the initiatives that the RFID COE is undertaking in 2007. Specifically, the RFID COE's focus throughout the year centers on incubating and growing the state of Pennsylvania as a leader in RFID training, understanding, and knowledge.

The RFID Consortium's objectives, headed by the RFID COE include:

• Assisting businesses (manufacturers, distributors, retailers) to implement RFID technology in order to increase productivity and reduce costs, while preparing for supply chain customer compliance (e.g. Wal-Mart, DoD, etc).
• Assisting information technology providers with avenues to attain RFID expertise and development of RFID implementation offerings, which includes both software development and consulting services.

The RFID COE is assembling its skills assessment and training on RFID technologies as well as RFID integration into existing enterprise systems.

RFID technology focus-areas include:

• Interrogators (fixed, hand-held, mobile)
• Tag types and tag performance
• Standards and regulations
• Testing and troubleshooting
• Real-time-locating-systems
• RFID system design and implementation
• Site analysis and site survey
• Radio frequency physics
• RFID peripherals and I/O devices

RFID system integration focus-areas include:

• Enterprise integration (ERP)
• Interrogator software development
• Middleware and software integration standards
• Input/output device integration and programming

The RFID Consortium's project deliverables, as determined by the RFID COE, are very aggressive, but reflect the group's goal of incubating and growing the state of Pennsylvania as a leader in RFID training, understanding, and knowledge. Take a look at the segments that are being addressed throughout this project.

Identification of Industry Cluster Companies

• Leverage the Penn State-Behrend RFID COE members as core participants
• Target 15 to 20 partnership participants

Comprehensive Needs Assessment

• Surveys
• Interviews
• Focus Groups
• RFID Industry Data Collection

Identification of RFID Industry Training Curriculum Requirements

• RFID Technology Overview
• RFID+ Industry Certification
• RFID Enterprise System Integration
• RFID Software Development

The RFID Consortium, in conjunction with the RFID COE, is close to releasing its in-depth survey, which will allow the COE to:

• Improve its ability to assist businesses in implementing RFID technology that will provide a substantial ROI while at the same time reinvesting in statewide economic development
• Assist IT providers in attaining RFID expertise and development of RFID implementation offerings
• Integrate RFID content into engineering and business courses, while sharing RFID knowledge-base among University faculty.

More information on the initiative can be obtained by contacting either Frank DeWolf, director of the RFID COE, at (814) 898-7270 or Ron May, IT program manager for eBizITPA, at (814) 898-6532.