RFID, GPS Technology and Electronic Surveillance

N.Z. Government Gives Go-Ahead on Animal ID Program

February 11, 2010

RFID Journal News Roundup - The New Zealand government has approved the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) program, as well as the funding necessary to build and operate the new system. The government also plans to draw up legislation to make animal identification and tracking compulsory for cattle and deer farmers.

The project launched more than five years ago, and the government has already provided some funding. In June 2008, it committed more than NZ$23 million (valued at US$17.5 million at that time) to the country's Agriculture and Forestry Ministry (see New Zealand's National Cattle ID Project Gets $23 Million). There have already been several trials.

The initiative leverages low-frequency (LF) tags encoded with unique identification numbers and complying with the ISO 11874 and 11875 standards, used to identify and track deer and cattle. The ID numbers will be correlated in a database with information regarding each animal, and farmers will also be mandated to record all animal details on the database, as well as notify the government of all animal movements.

"NAIT is about future-proofing New Zealand agriculture," said Agriculture Minister David Carter in a prepared statement. "The government is satisfied that there is a strong business case for the scheme, and that its benefits far outweigh its costs."

It is expected that NAIT will become compulsory for cattle farmers starting in October 2011, and for deer farmers a year later.

Free Alliance Intros Personnel Active RFID Tag With Slot for Passive Card

February 11, 2010

RFID Journal News Roundup - Free Alliance, an RFID company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has introduced a new 2.4 GHz active tag that also has a built-in slot to hold a passive RFID card. The active tag does not have a passive built-in card reader, but merely holds the passive card. By adding passive RFID to the active tag, says Fairuz Mohd Azrul, the firm's CEO, companies will be able to leverage their existing passive card investments and/or infrastructures, and apply active RFID to enhance their operations, all while using one personnel card.

The nuRF tag, designed for use as a personnel ID card, also incorporates a distress button, an LED and a piezoelectric audio feedback device. The new active personnel tag can support any passive RFID card that has a maximum thickness of 1.3 millimeter (0.05 inch), the company reports ... The tag is also RTLS-ready, and is supported by Free Alliance's nuRF Locate triangulation algorithm, enabling users to determine the tag's whereabouts with an accuracy of 1 to 3 meters (3.3 to 9.9 feet). This combination allows users to maintain existing passive card investments or infrastructures, and to apply active RFID to enhance operations.

The tag is currently available in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Europe. Pricing starts at $39, depending on the built-in features, and volume pricing is available to systems integrators. In addition, the company offers complete hardware and software solutions consisting of tags, enterprise readers, handheld interrogators and enterprise software ... For users with mobile workforce and handheld-type applications, Free Alliance also offers a mini USB-enabled reader. The new active personnel tag works with all Free Alliance products.