At the international conference "RFID: Towards the Internet of Things" the 13 members of the "Cluster of European RFID Projects" (CERP) presented a common working paper on RFID research needs. The experts broadened the scope of the RFID technology roadmap: Equally important to the well-known hardware topics like polymer electronics and sensor networks are software and network aspects. Major challenges in these areas are data security and data integrity in large RFID networks as well as efficient data retrieval algorithms.
In their paper the members of CERP took also a look at facilitating the employment of RFID. This includes on the one hand system concepts to guarantee privacy where personal and private data is involved and the dissemination of strategies to make consumers and citizens aware when they get into contact with RFID systems and provide information about the technology and benefits. On the other hand many potential RFID users are asking for guidelines and cost-benefit studies. RFID offers manifold benefits but existing processes need to be adapted, and new business models must be developed. "The true challenge when implementing RFID is that companies need to rethink their business processes", said Dr Gerd Wolfram, managing director of METRO Group Information Technology and chairman of CERP, at the conference "RFID: Towards the Internet of Things".
The CERP working paper "RFID Research Needs" is available online: www.rfid-in-action.eu/cerp.
CE RFID
CE RFID was launched in April 2006 by leading RFID user companies and vendors. Its main intent is to strengthen the European competitiveness of RFID in the context of the aims of the Lisbon strategy. Members of CE RFID are METRO Group, Siemens, Tyco ADT, Deutsche Post World Net, NXP, UPM Raflatac, Feig Electronic, RF-iT, AIDA Centre, Pleon, VDI/VDE-IT and EADS. CE RFID is a Coordination Action funded by the European Commission within the 6th Framework Programme. The coordinator of CE RFID, Dr Gerd Wolfram, METRO Group MGI is also chairman of CERP.
www.rfid-in-action.eu
CERP
The "Cluster of European RFID Projects" has been founded in January 2007. The CERP cluster facilitates an exchange of information and experiences between different R&D projects and accelerates enhancements to this fast developing technology and its applications.
www.rfid-in-action.eu/cerp
Conference "RFID: Towards the Internet of Things"
More than 400 RFID experts gathered at the
conference "RFID: Towards the Internet of Things" on June 25-26 in Berlin and discussed strategies for a successful roll-out of RFID in Europe.
www.rfid-outlook.de
Further information: please visit the CE RFID website www.rfid-in-action.eu or contact the CE RFID secretariat: