What's so special about IB Technology?

• Modularity:  Start with the "Universal Socket Board," which has built-in antennas for both 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz, and add whichever reader/writer module is necessary for the protocol(s) you'll be using.  You can also add external antennas if you need to increase range or reliability.
• Affordability: IB Technology's RFID products are affordable, fitting in to the same price range as the rest of the RFID readers we sell.
• Flexibility/Versatility: The ability to use one base board and swap out reader modules is great for prototyping, when you may have to evaluate a number of different formats to decide which is best for the system you're designing. 

After the fold: A rundown of the available hardware, and what it can do.

Universal Socket Board

This board provides power, serial interface, and antenna for your reader.  Additional antennas can be added.  Also, we will be offering a USB module for this board in the near future.

125 kHz RWD Quad Tag Module

Supports Hitag 1, Hitag S, Hitag 2, EM4102, and Microchip MCRF200/123 tags

125 kHz RWD EM4102 Module

Supports EM4100 series tags (4100, 4101, 4102).  Costs a few bucks less than the Quad module, so it's good if you only need to read EM tags.

13.56 MHz RWD ICODE / Mifare Module

Supports ICode and Mifare tags.

13.56 MHz Mifare Module

Supports Mifare 1k (S50), Mifare 4k (S70) and Mifare Ultralight tags.  Saves you a few bucks if you only need Mifare compatibility.

125 kHz Antenna

(Coming Soon) External antenna for extending 125 kHz range.

13.56 MHz Antenna

(Coming Soon) External antenna for extending 13.56 MHz range.

So there you have it.  Check out the individual product links for more info, manuals, spec sheets, etc.  Also check out the main IB Technology category to see all of the readers and accessories.

Instead of typing in a password, you can use the pcProx reader to log into your computer.  Use it to streamline data entry and inventory tracking.  It also works great as a drop-in replacement for many barcode scanners.  Using the intuitive configuration utility, you can also format the output; omitting digits from the tag ID or adding characters such as Tab and Enter.

Check out the pcProx RFID reader module in our store for more information!

We also offer this reader in a kit, which includes an assortment of 125kHz (EM4102) RFID tags.  If you're not sure which tag will be best for your application, why not get the kit and test them all out?

Waiters and Waitresses are assigned an RFID wristband. Employees cannot place an order without first logging into the system using the unique tag ID on the wristband. Each tag uniquely identifies each employee. Each table is assigned an RFID Thin Card which is essentially a “live check” which uniquely identifies the customer and all of the accumulated items ordered. As the customer orders various items off the menu, the employee then walks up to the kiosk, swipes both the customer thin card and RFID wristband and places the order which is then relayed to the cook:

After each swipe of the customer card, the wait staff returns the card to the customer table. Once the customer(s) are ready to leave, they take their card to a self-service kiosk, select their method of payment, add gratuity, and viola! No more waiting around for the waiter/waitress to bring the damn check:)

The cards and readers the SoftTouch system uses are the Phidget RFID reader, the 125kHz Thin Card, and the 125kHz Wristband

via (RFID Journal)

Amal Graafstra is a friend of ours who is the author of the do it yourself RFID book, RFID Toys, and owner of txtgroups.com.

Amal has experienced a decent amount of internet fame for being one of the first people to implant RFID tags into his body. Amal, is far from wierd or crazy, he’s a very down to earth guy who happens to like new technology and wasn’t afraid to insert a tiny glass bead into his hand. After all, it’s a pretty tame body mod compared to what many people do.

Amal has written an article about his experience experimenting with RFID called Hands On.

How radio-frequency identification and I got personal

When I open my front door, I don’t reach for a key. When I log into my computer, I don’t touch my keyboard. When I start my motorcycle, again, no key needed. Instead, I just wave my hand and I’m in business.

I was one of the first do-it-yourselfers to have a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag implanted under my skin. In fact, I have two—one between the thumb and index finger in my left hand, the other in the matching spot on my right hand.

So what’s a nice guy like me doing with a microchip in each of my hands? My life as an RFID guinea pig started in early 2005. At the time I was managing servers for medical facilities around Seattle, a job for which I carried around a ring of keys to almost 100 different doors and drawers.

That bulky key ring got me thinking. It struck me that modern keys are just crude identification devices, little changed in centuries. Even if each lock were unique—most aren’t—keys can be copied in any hardware store and, once distributed, are hard to control.

Continue reading article

As if the various other permutations and teensyness of RFID weren’t wild enough, here comes Hitachi with its new “powder” 0.05mm x 0.05mm RFID chips. The new chips are 64 times smaller than the previous record holder, the 0.4mm x 0.4mm mu-chips, and nine times smaller than Hitachi’s last year prototype, and yet still make room for a 128-bit ROM that can store a unique 38-digit ID number. The main application is likely to be anti-counterfit, but since the previous mu-chips could be embedded into paper quite easily enough, we’re fairly certain Hitachi is just doing this for bragging rights and potential pepper shaker mixups. Hitachi should have these on the market in two or three years.

Via Engadet via pinktentacle