[Product Preview] Industrial android smartphone with nRF51822 module for BT Low Power device; EM02-C5D

For industrial and construction sites, where you need a robust smartphone to read BT Low Power data, this IP65 rugged smartphone is a perfect tool. It is a standard rugged android smartphone equipped with a 2.4GHz module empowered by Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822 chipset.

This EM02-C5D belongs to Empress family, it reads all Empress-family transponder. It is also a bluetooth smart device, it reads bluetooth low power or BT4.0 above protocols from any bluetooth smart device, for example, fitbit, jawbone wristbands.

The 2.4GHz chip antenna on module works smoothly with the smartphone GPS, Wifi and 3G, providing a reading range of 40 meters (0dB transponder).

The rugged IP65 body makes it perfect for harsh industrial environment. It brings Internet of Thing (IoT) technologies to the Oil and Gas field operation (not a ATEX device), easily integrate items information (ID) with smartphone standard features like GPS location, Camera, meter sensor data, etc; and upload through 3G data network to server.

See more at Electronic Fuel Delivery System

Production code: Product code: HKRAR-EM02-C5D

Demo video of EM02-C5D, read more at active RFID reader page.

Eddystone, NFC, QR; 3in1 Smartposter with Cloud Content and Analytics; [English Subtitled]

1. Eddystone is the android version of ibeacon (sort-of), this is truly cross-platform and broadcasting a string character e.g. “www.hk-rfid.com”, instead of meaningless ID as in ibeacons.
2. WE DON’T TAKE SIDE IN TECHNOLOGY; tomorrow there will have another new broadcasting method. No matter NFC, QRcode, or kind-of-ibeacons, only thing we are sure is that they are not going to be the ONLY one single method.
3. That’s why marketing promotion banners or posters have to equip with multiple methods, co-existing to let different mobile users to read content.
4. Hence, it gives birth a Cloud platform to hold all content. As shown in video, change content in ONE method, all others follow. 

Top Application: Advertising, Marketing

Product shown in video:

• 3in1 Tag:  Garrison HKRAR-BT02
• Tag on the right: Smartplate Card,  also see Smartplate Cuccu
• CMS Cloud: Smartplate (free for half year, bundle with Smartplate Card and Cuccu)

 For more information: sales@hk-rfid.com

Summary on Building Hardware Fair in AsiaWorld Expo

For more explanation, please click on this youtube video (available in cantonese only)

Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair

Oct 2015 

The 10th Hong Kong International Building and Hardware Fair has just come to the end gratefully. The exhibition has lasted for four days, from 28/10 – 31/10 and has successfully attracted tremendous amount of construction-related visitors and exhibitors worldwide. All participants have benefited from this opportunity to communicate and shared the latest technology that applicable in construction industry. 

We are pleased to be invited to hold a talk about the latest technological development in building construction industry  

Internet of Things for Building (IoTB) 
Being the major theme of our exhibition this time, IoTB has successfully drawn numerous attentions from the visitors.
IoTB is a well-designed system which supported by both software (online cloud platform, called BCDS) and hardware (RFID tags and readers).
With embedding RFID tags in pre-production stage, IoTB aims to link all building components such as precast concrete walls, floor panels, aluminum window frames etc. to BCDS online cloud platform. In order to enhance accuracy and convenience in construction management, IoTB allows users to record production data, monitoring the progress of the construction and obtaining real-time management information such as cost effective indicators, assembly report, etc.

An online cloud platform for both IoTB and Gearform™

GearForm™ 
GearForm™ is a cloud-based lifting gear record system that attractive to visitors who need to manage a huge number of lifting gears in construction site. This cloud platform which also provides an auto-alert on the expiry date of those safety forms.

Above are some passive RFID tag can be used in both IoTB and GearForm™ system 

Proximity Safety
Worker safety in construction site is another topic that visitors were interested in. Proximity Safety is an RF fencing technology for worker safety which adopt dual-frequency mode with two distinct frequency bands to provide extra safety level. Adopting Proximity Safety in construction site provides a multi-person, 360° all round and an adjustable protective fencing for both worker and machine.

These are the alarm and reader that mount on the vehicle (left) This is the tag that mount on worker’s helmet (right) 

Hong Kong RFID is glad to achieve great success in this exhibition. We are looking forward to participating in future exhibition to promote our RFID products and solutions to the public and facilitate exchange of ideas in the industry.



For details, please contact info@hk-rfid.com

Garrison BT02 Beacon Tag supports Eddystone URL

How to push a simple URL to smartphones? That is a billion dollar question.

QRcode still remains popular even though it requires rarely-installed scan-apps. Many users might not realize that many install messaging apps like LINE or WECHAT can scan QR code too. But until the day all camera apps have scanner feature built-in, it won't take off as the most popular method.

Android Smartphone has the next-best method called NFC, which is useful to pick up URL without any APP; that leaves the lonely and helpless iPhone users.

It is a well-known fact that all street promoters who are delivering FREE ice-cream in return for loading a URL or pressing LIKE a Facebook page or installing an APP, hates iPhone very very much. It is extremely hard to push a message on iphone even with iBeacon technologies, APP-support is a luxury for a short marketing campaign. The most common method is manual key-in search words in itune store.

Now street marketing got a new better method for iphone users; by using Eddystone URL and commonly installed app "Chrome".

At the moment, Chrome is the only browser that supports Eddystone URL beacons. BUT, it won't be long for other OS or App or Browser in the same ecological system doing the same. Why not? they got to have something for their endless update, right?

For iphone users who believe they approached a Eddystone beacons broadcasting URL, and for the promoters who are broadcasting a URL, this is what will happen;

A demo for a iphone to get a URL, by just check on Notification, in Chrome section.



The beacon in the screen: HKRAT-BT02

The Setup procedure is simple:  link.

Pipe tracking using Passive RFID

Water Pipe is a highly concerned issue in HK recently for material safety issues. Pipe tracking is also very highly concerned in fuel and power delivery . To ensure or even enhance pipeline safety, a good tracking, recording system is required. Auto-ID system can provide a faster data retrieval  when comparing to visual methods, which data and drawing of the pipeline are hard to obtain or hard to understand. 

With RFID, Information of the pipeline network can be all stored in tiny tags that are easy and convenient to read or write by RFID reader. 

Such as below:

A tiny RFID tag with an industrial ring that can firmly hold on any rod-shape object

A tiny RFID tag with an industrial ring that can firmly hold on water PVC pipeline

RFID system can be applied throughout different processes includes sampling, construction, 

installation and usage stage and possibly provide functions like pipeline tagging, direction tracking, material record and worker maintenance record.......

If you are interested in applying RFID system in your pipeline network, there are few concerns you need to think it through:

1.  Installation method, in-situ or pre-tagged? 

2.  Weather proof of tag? how about explosion-proof?

3.  Any reading range concerns?

4.  The readers and the web-data to back up this system

More information be found in this link.

Feel free to contact us by email: info@hk-rfid.com

Review on deco fingernail, with LED flashing using NFC

Typical deco nails can no longer satisfy ladies on pursuing beauty on their fingernail. And now even mobile technologies can also play a part in improving the shininess of the deco nails. This is one of the latest applications of NFC technology which can be defined as a perfect combination of beauty and technology.

Today, we are going to share about a latest décor on your fingernails, using NFC to trigger extra-shiny effect. Please study this carefully before you out of words in front of your girlfriend/wife who is showing off her LED blinking fingernail.


This is the little chip that provides flashing LED on deco nail, the deco nail that will light up when your fingers place near NFC working devices (or any 13.56MHz RF field). Basically, it is just a simple tuned antenna coil with a LED.

Size of the chip 

A 0.5mm thick NFC tag embedded, enables your nail flashing when you using your phone, making your payment at POS terminal or entering office/home with your contactless card.

Flashing…Flashing…Flashing…

The LED light can actually keep lighting

up, if other NFC chips that with IC are

near

FAQ

Will it be dangerous to put a NFC & LED chip inside your deco nail?

I can say that it is nearly impossible to trigger any accident as there is no battery inside.

Will the nail be hot if it keeps flashing?

As no energy is required or generated, your nail will keep blinking without emitting any heat.

Will the NFC function drains my phone’s battery?

Switching on the NFC function for a whole day will only cost less than 5% of your phone’s battery.

Will the NFC embedded in the nail affect other devices that using NFC (e.g. octopus, access card, payment card……)?

As the NFC embedded in the deco nail is not complied with IC chip. That’s mean your flashing nail will not affect the function of other NFC devices.

Things you should know

1.         NFC only works when your NFC mobile phone is unlocked.

2.         Passive-type NFC only works on android smartphone, so if you are iPhone (any, include 6/6+) user, you can ignore this by now or you can send your complaint to Apple on why they locked up the NFC.

3.         LED deco nail also works on any proximity card reader that uses 13.56MHz.

4.         If you are using your phone, texting or playing games…. You cannot see your flashing nails since your fingers are the back of the phone.

5.         To get the best and brightest flashes, your fingers should put closely to where the NFC smartphone antenna is located (different from model to model)

6.         The only function of this LED chip is flashing only. No other use (interacting with NFC apps/storing data…..) is available.

Other uses

If you are a non-deco nail user, you can stick this LED chip to anywhere you want (access card, payment card……), it will light up when it is near any NFC reader.

Normally, it can work on Octopus, contact-less access card of your home, office….. I can sure that the LED chip will not affect the function of your card.
In our test, our octopus card can be read by the tablet successfully with the LED light blinking.

BUT sometimes there may be special cases that the chip doesn’t work well. It depends on different versions of octopus card (different versions of octopus have different structure) and different types of reader that your card and LED chip reacted with.

Just like that, it will flash when your Octopus is placed near NFC reader     

If you are interested in NFC or you want to know more about other NFC products, please feel free to visit our webpage: https://www.nfc-shop.net/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Review of NODE, a multi-sensor on your smartphone

Today we are gonna to review this gluestick-like stuff.

Its name is NODE.

If I just show you the NODE, without telling you any things about it, I can guarantee that your blind guess can never be right.

It is a Bluetooth-connectable gadget that can connect with up to 2 sensors. And there is a wide choice of sensors; a whole lot of choice for sensors. Extracting the introduction of NODE from the official, it is a handheld sensor powerhouse with BLE 4.0 Smart supporting with different sensors. Each NODE can pair with two sensors at the same time.

They have 8 functions provided at this moment

CLIMA

The upper one is the CLIMA Module, the white sphere up there act as a mini, pocket observatory. It provides the measurement and recording of climatic information include Air Pressure, Light Index, Humidity and Temperature. It just gives you a chance to be a weatherman around your friends and colleagues. I’m sure you will become a weather-checking junkie after using the CLIMA.

A live stream record of the CLIMA module

OXA – CO2 & NO2 (not shown in picture)

The lower one is the OXA – CO2 Module, those tiny holes on the surface of the sensor help you to measure and record the carbon dioxide/nitrogen dioxide level around you. It is actually quite interesting to know about how good the air quality is throughout your daily life. Isn’t it?

Luckily, it shows that my working environment is within the CO2 safety level   
       

Well, this is empty and it is not an error NO2 level should remain zero or very low in normal environment

Now, just have a short summary of NODE, as a cutting edge gadget, NODE is really easy to use even for a novice. Install the apps, turn on your NODE and you can have fun with it. I won’t say NODE is kid-and-grandma-friendly, yet…it’s aimed for student or someone who want to get a taste on mini-scale scientific investigator.

The only real problem is that NODE and their sensors remain a relative high price (for any student to own one) even though it has been released about 2 years ago. What we can do is just to hope that, in one day, NODE will move to large production runs and price will come down hopefully.

Feel free to contact us by email: info@hk-rfid.com

Smart label tells DRY or WET, by Smartrac

In Shanghai C-star exhibition, we have successfully demonstrated the latest sensor label; the Sensor Dogbone label by Smartrac, Inc. 




In this demo, by turning the water bag up-side-down inside the box, we can simulate the situation of dry or wet situation; and the RFID label outside the box can sense the moisture content inside. 

Reader in demo: NordicID Sampo
RFID Tag in demo: Smartrac Sensor Dogbone

This latest moisture sensor tag is a passive RFID tag, provided by Smartrac. Without battery and any probe in contact with the content, it can return the sensor code which can tell the RFID reader whether it is "DRY" or "WET". It will have temperature sensing option soon. 

Why sensor label?
- no battery is needed
- no direct contact (no rusting problem for sensor probe)
- low cost

There are wide applications not limited to food/medical logistics, also diapers, planting sensors, moisture/temperature sensitive products. 

Contact us for more information: sales@hk-rfid.com

[Tech blog] A weekend mini-project, EM02 reader links up wearables and controller

Just a simple DIY quick project, showing how to make a home automation or access control, the EM02 reads any bluetooth low power gadgets such as Mi-wristand, or Jawbone or Fitbit, or similar.

The SD-card image can be provided upon request, it provides a website for simple configuration, save the low power gadgets's ID timestamp, in SD card, and control the relay. 

What would be the software looks like? to-be-continued in next blog, stay tune.

Bill of material:

Raspberry Pi 2nd-gen, Real time clock, Piface controller 4-relay 4 I/O, 8G Sandisk card with SDK program	1 set
Any mobilephone adapter/charger, 5V min. 2A	1pc
USB power for Pi	1pc
USB to Serial Port	1pc
USB to DC2.1 jack	1pc
Empress EM02-SP reader (serial port)	1pc
Sport wearable gadgets, or 2.4G low power transponders, Mi-wristband, Hussar NT02 transponder, jawbone UP24, Fitbit Flex, etc.	-

- where to purchase the Raspberry Pi: link
- where to purchase the Piface relay board: link