Our top news selections from the past week in RFID, automated data collection, and the Internet of Things.
SML Releases New, Smaller RFID Chip
SML Group announced last week a small new ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID inlay that it says offers 30% greater performance than other tags of its size. A key application area will be in the apparel sector, where the tag will requiring less space on hang tickets or it can be incorporated into care labels.
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The GB4U8 inlay measures 1.7 inches by 0.6 inch (42 millimeters by 16 millimeters). It uses the UCODE 8 chip from NXP Semiconductors', which SML connects to its own antenna to make the inlay.
SML is providing test versions of the chip to select customer now, and expects to make the tags available in large volumes in the first half of the year.
While there has been market demand for a smaller inlay, SML says, RFID tags of that size often have had performance issues relative to tags with somewhat larger form factors. That means the smaller tags have had reading challenges in "
dense environments" with lots of tagged items together, such as a stack of apparel items in a store. SML also says smaller tags have been slow to read or have had shorter read ranges than larger ones.
Impinj Stock Price Tanks
Impinj, the largest maker of RFID tags and readers, had some good news in mid-January, when it said it had shipped its 25 billionth – yes, with a “b” – passive RFID tag. That, the company added, is more tags than all other RFID suppliers combined.
Impinj further said it shipped 7.1 billion tags in 2017 alone.
Alas, that good news didn''t last long. Impinj went public in mid-2016, opening at a price of $14.00  per share. From there, the stock price headed generally higher through July of 2017, when it reached more than $49 per share, more than triple the IPO price.
Unfortunately for shareholders, it has been mostly downhill from there, with the stock price falling back to about $22.00 per share at the start of 2018.
But on Feb, 1, the bottom fell out, as Impinj's stock price dropped another $10 a share to just $12 and change – putting it now below the IPo price. The stock ended last week at $12.16.
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What happened? It's not all clear. On Feb. 1, prior to its upcoming Q4 earnings release, Impinj warned its revenue would miss expectations for this quarter by a wide margin, and that its CFO, who had been at the company for 17 years, would leave the company.
Barron's reports that the analysts covering the company are not entirely certain what to make of the announcement, and that uncertainty is leading many to conclude that Impinj rival NXP Semiconductor has become more competitive in the RFID tag market.
In its brief statement, the company attributed the shortfall to "shortened endpoint IC [chip] lead times." That cryptic statement, Barron's said, "will be hopefully unpacked when the company full discusses its results on February 15th."
So is Impinj stock now a buy at these depressed levels? It might be – but the stock could fall even further if there is more bad news in the Q4 earnings release coming soon.
The Pros and Cons of Different RFID Tag Types
A web site called TrendinTech.com last week published a concise but useful review of the pros and cons of passive, semi-passive and active RFID tags, which we repost here:
Passive: This is the simplest form of the three tags. It uses passive tags, an active reader, and consists of an IC (integrated circuit) and antenna. Passive RFID tags do not have a battery or a constant power source.
Pros:
• The tags are composed of not more than three components, which include antenna, IC, and enclosure. This makes them very cost effective.
• Passive tags' designs lean towards minimalism and are therefore very light.
• Tags that use a battery have a short lifespan of between 3 to 5 years. If used in a good environment, they last for at least twenty years.
• Radiative and inductive coupling with no active antenna has minimal noise generation.
Cons:
• Limited Range: These tags are extremely limited in range because of lack of an active antenna. Tags that operate low and high frequencies have a communication limit of 2 to 20 feet respectively, which is very short.
• Low storage: Non- volatile memory needs the power to keep contents valid and prevent degradation. They do not store a lot of information without onboard batteries.
• They use a Reader: Passive tags need a high-power reader to power it.
• Zero sensors: Many sensors need a constant supply of power for operation. They also need memory for data capture and storage, which makes passive tags unfit for applications that require sensing.
Semi-Passive: Semi-passive tags have an onboard power source or battery, but no active antenna. They use a radioactive or inductive coupling to transmit.
Pros:
• Semi-passive tags use their batteries to power the IC. A semi-passive tag reads tags at the range of more than 100 feet.
• Semi-passive tags support memory and sensors because of the battery. An application that requires memory and sensors but does not require long range can use a semi-passive tag.
• Semi-passive tags cost slightly more than passive tags.
• As with passive tags, semi-passive tags do not generate a lot of noise.
Cons:
• Semi-passive tags do not use a reader, but still, require one for communication.
• A battery reduces the semi-passive tag's lifetime. It gives 2 to 7 years instead of 20.It requires a suitable environment than a passive tag.
Active: This is the most advanced type of RFID tag. Each tag has a large battery and utilizes an active antenna, which powers a better and faster processor.
Pros:
• An active antenna communicates over a long range. An active tag reads more than 300 feet.
• Active tags use a powered transmitter so they don't rely on high powered readers for their signal power.
• A larger battery means a better processor, larger memory, and better sensors, which means more parts. Since it can do many things, it is the best option.
Cons:
• It is expensive and can cost up to $20 for every tag while a passive tag may cost as little as 10 cents per tag.
• The design of an active RFID tag's battery lasts up to 3 to 5 years. Once the battery dies out, you have to purchase a new tag.
• Active RFID tags are large and heavy.
• An active antenna is noisy [from a singal perspective], unlike the other tags.
Thanks to TrendinTech.com for this nice summary.
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