Syscan International, leading Australian RFID solutions providers, have developed a unique solution for the cold chain industry: iCE.
According to Mr Scott Austin, President Syscan International Australasia, iCE has been developed as the ultimate wireless RFID device allowing reliable data acquisition based on IEEE 802.15.4.
What is iCE?
Intelligent—Communication—Enabled iCE is a technology designed to address the typical RFID constraints such as read reliability, read range and energy consumption.
Can you read in these conditions without human intervention? Can you see inside without opening the product? How does iCE work?
iCE enables tags to communicate to other tags; creating ad-hoc networks.
“Syscan’s iCE Invention is a technology breakthrough which ensures reliable data reads, increased read range, communication bridges, dynamic bi-directional network communications, low cost, where only one reader is needed,” Austin says.
“Typical RFID can have unreliable data reads, limited read range and struggle with metal, liquids and humidity. It also takes higher power consumption, does not provide dynamic communication and is ideally suited for static systems only. You also require multiple readers and antennae at every tag read point,”
“Where iCE is different is that this solution can provide mobile Resource Management (MRM), Container Management, Supply Chain Visibility and asset tracking,” he says.
The iCE system uses a Master—Slave relationship, where the Master is used to read the slave tags that are assigned to it.
This inter-relationship is used to improve performance, battery life and range.
Using this system, iCE can achieve up to a 350 metre read range.
The Slave tags report to the Master which in turn reports to the iCE UMCD (Universal Monitoring and Communication Device) or iCE Reader.
iCE UMCD-G Using a GPRS Cellular network the iCE UMCD-G sends the information is has gathered including tag identification, GPS location and sensor data to the Syscan Server where it provides real time non-conformance information at the point of activity (i.e. temperature violations, door alarms).
In non-moving applications, existing Wi-Fi network connections can be used to transfer the data.
Users have direct access to the data via the Syscan server and can view the information via Internet connection or integrate the information in their own software.
As well email, text messages and phone alerts to problems are always accessible.
iCE UMCD-E Using a company network or internet connection the iCE UMCD-E sends the information it has gathered to the Syscan Server where it provides real time non-conformance information at the point of activity (i.e. temperature violations, door alarms).
Users have direct access to the data via the Syscan server and can view the information via an Internet connection or integrate the information in their own software.
Email, text messages and phone alerts can be added as an option.
iCE Reader Serial Linked to a computer the iCE Reader Serial can be used to read iCE tags directly.
iCE is particularly well suited for Mobile Resource Management (MRM), Container Management, Supply Chain Visibility, Asset Tracking and Homeland Security/Military applications.
Using the iCE SDK enables the creation of versatile and pertinent applications.
Syscan International offers efficient and user-friendly solutions to ensure the integrity of highly-sensitive products with regulatory compliance services, track and trace solutions, packaging design and validation/qualification for highly-regulated industrial sectors.
To find out more about Syscan iCE call: 07 3844 4623.