Will smart RFID tags take off in a big way? At least one company thinks so. Manhattan Associates Inc., Atlanta, recently announced its RFID in a Box initiative to promote easy adoption of smart tag technology. For example, some of these tags have input/output (I/O) capability enabling them to accumulate data as a remote sensor or act as a long-range RF-controlled actuator, in addition to serving as data memory. The package is designed for warehouse and stockroom applications and is thus more modest than consumer-oriented RFID. According to a recent AMR Research report on the intiative, RFID in a Box is designed as a pilot-sized system that includes a handful of items to get companies going on radio frequency identification:
• Manhattan-developed RFID middleware to collect data from readers
• Five readers and two antennas for each site
• 100,000 RFID tags
• Connectivity for five remote suppliers
• Assistance for installation, support and follow-up for a three-month project.
Manhattan has not yet set a price for the package, and details may change, but the company wants to be ready when companies begin to scramble to support retailers who are getting ready to make RFID demands.
See the story that goes with this sidebar: Wireless puts intelligence in the air
