Contributed Editorial

  1. Guest Column: RFID Adoption For Perishable Foods Will Be Driven By Benefits, Not Government 10/29/2009
    Fresh food represents a strong potential RFID market, but the adoption will come from true business value, not FDA regulation or congressional action. We expect RFID benefit will be generated from improving retailer and distributor revenue, while also lowering cost. Key components to adoption will be the development of a uniform set of data standards, a standard communication mechanism, and the ability to improve visibility of merchandise and data about the merchandise, particularly temperature. By Reik Read, Managing Director and Senior Analyst, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  2. Guest Column: RFID A Solution For Lost DNA Samples 10/1/2009
    DNA samples are becoming an increasingly important method for federal and state law enforcement agencies to help solve crimes and secure convictions. The evidence can also serve to clear those wrongly convicted. However, both Wisconsin and Illinois have recently found serious gaps in electronic DNA records, where the actual number of records is meaningfully less than the number of felons on file. In both states, all felons are required to have an electronic DNA sample in the database. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  3. RFID A Solution For Lost DNA Samples 10/1/2009
    DNA samples are becoming an increasingly important method for federal and state law enforcement agencies to help solve crimes and secure convictions. The evidence can also serve to clear those wrongly convicted. However, both Wisconsin and Illinois have recently found serious gaps in electronic DNA records, where the actual number of records is meaningfully less than the number of felons on file. In both states, all felons are required to have an electronic DNA sample in the database. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  4. Could RFID Help Support Electronic Health Records? 8/6/2009
    Electronic health records EHRs would provide healthcare professionals with electronic access to an individual’s medical history, even when that history has been recorded by multiple providers. Therefore, the EHR system necessitates inter-operable communication of standardized data between hospitals and physicians. In our view, RFID could play a potential role in the development of these health records, particularly given the tight timeframe that needs to be followed. The Department of Health and Human Services needs to issue its Interim Final Rule by December 31, 2009 and legislative incentives begin in 2011. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  5. Guest Column: Quarterly Survey Shows Improvement; Continued Interest In RFID 7/16/2009
    We again conducted our quarterly survey of automated data capture resellers, which included 89 participants in June. We saw a modest improvement in trend in June from our March survey, primarily from increased sales of parts and supplies, and from some smaller new projects moving forward. Reseller optimism improved as pipelines continue to build, particularly for warehouse, asset, and inventory management applications. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  6. Quarterly Survey Shows Improvement; Continued Interest In RFID 7/16/2009
    We again conducted our quarterly survey of automated data capture resellers, which included 89 participants in June. We saw a modest improvement in trend in June from our March survey, primarily from increased sales of parts and supplies, and from some smaller new projects moving forward. Reseller optimism improved as pipelines continue to build, particularly for warehouse, asset, and inventory management applications. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  7. Guest Column: Coca-Cola Leverages RFID To Help Manage New Product 6/24/2009
    Coca-Cola has introduced a new fountain dispenser, called Freestyle, which allows significantly more consumer choice at self-service stations, with 100 drink combinations versus between 6-12 choices with existing equipment. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  8. Coca-Cola Leverages RFID To Help Manage New Product 6/24/2009
    Coca-Cola has introduced a new fountain dispenser, called Freestyle, which allows significantly more consumer choice at self-service stations, with 100 drink combinations versus between 6-12 choices with existing equipment. By Reik Read, Robert W. Baird & Co.
  9. Wireless Patient Tracking Can Help Halt Contagion, Including Swine Flu 6/18/2009
    As Orwellian as this sounds, the real-time location systems (RTLS) and RFID technology already used in hospitals and medical centers throughout the US can significantly reduce the spread of swine flu and other contagious diseases. Through the use of similar types of technologies that the FDA already recommends (and will likely mandate) for use in ePedigree requirements, hospitals can track patients, caregivers, equipment, and inventory to allow healthcare officials to know for certain who has, and has not, come in contact with a contagious person, and help contain epidemics. By Dann Anthony Maurno, Louis Sirico, and Jill Abell, RFIDWizards.com
  10. Guest Column: Wireless Patient Tracking Can Help Halt Contagion, Including Swine Flu 6/18/2009
    As Orwellian as this sounds, the real-time location systems (RTLS) and RFID technology already used in hospitals and medical centers throughout the US can significantly reduce the spread of swine flu and other contagious diseases. Through the use of similar types of technologies that the FDA already recommends (and will likely mandate) for use in ePedigree requirements, hospitals can track patients, caregivers, equipment, and inventory to allow healthcare officials to know for certain who has, and has not, come in contact with a contagious person, and help contain epidemics. By Dann Anthony Maurno, Louis Sirico, and Jill Abell, RFIDWizards.com