An Intr odu cti on to RF ID
RFID technology promises a world of networked &
interconnected objects. Everything from tires to toothbrushes
might soon be in “communication range”, heralding a new
era; one in which today’s internet (of computers) will give
way to the “INTERNET OF THINGS”. And the possibility of
“things communicating with other things”.
The potential application areas are mind-boggling. However,
two broad trends are certain:
o The current smart card technology will be replaced by
“contact-less smart cards”. This in turn will usher in the
“Internet of people”.
o Bar-codes will give way to the RF-tag (electronic bar-
code). This in turn will enable articles to be sensed in
real-time.
The context-sensitive information (who, what, where &
when), along with their logical inter-relationships (who was
with what at time X), which RFID makes available,
unleashes a range of possibilities, and range new generation
real-time applications – in all walks of life.
Global standards have been formulated, and now, there no
stops to the rapid adoption of RFID:
o ISO 15693 – The standard for contact-less smart card
applications
o EPC Global – for implementation of globally visible
supply chains, and tracking an item, at the unit level
(say on the retail shelf).
A. Context sensitive healthcare from Sofscript
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Context-sensitive healthcare is defined as “the ability of
systems, applications, devices, persons and clinical spaces
to automatically initiate actions, or be controlled, based real-
time events, or relevant circumstances”. Pre-determined
responses are possible without active human intervention.
Context-sensitive systems can measurably improve
healthcare safety and accuracy and dramatically increase
financial and operational performance of the “total healthcare
system” – with benefits to all stakeholders.
To deploy such applications, the requirements are:
o Positive identification of persons and things
o Real-time Location Identification
o Time-stamp of “events”
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology enables a
variety of context-sensitive applications such as:
o Automated Billing & Record Keeping
o Automated Patient Safety Monitoring
o Automated Medication Safety and & Documentation
o Automated Medical Device Control & Asset Tracking
o Real-time Inventory Management of critical items
o Automated Hospital Administration, Access Control &
Security Management.
The range of possibilities are mind-boggling, each with it’s
level of sophistication, technological complexity and cost-
benefit ratios.
Sofscript has deep domain knowledge and the technical
expertise to deliver “complete” context-sensitive (RFID)
healthcare solutions.
Here are some reasons why hospitals must consider RFID:
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Reduce medical errors, with accurate data.
The Institute of Medicine has estimated 98,000
deaths per year in the US, on this count. Improper
data the cause of surgical errors, 1 in 25 times. Many
of these errors are attributable to “errors during
manual data entry”.
Because RFID enables automated sensing, the
incidence of errors of manual intervention may be
largely prevented.
An improvement in Patient care.
• Personalized services
Every in-patient can be identified (by his wrist
band) and this identity is linked to patient data.
Which in turn make “personalized” service –
diagnosis, medical procedures, drug
administration, diet, billing, and other
procedures possible.
• Reduced cycle times
Currently, large proportion of staff time is lost in
“searching” - for patient records, pathology
sample, X-Ray. Once the RFID (identification) is
integrated with the Hospital Information System,
a sharp increase in staff productivity is possible.
Better return on capital employed.
• Critical inventory such as stents, will be closely
monitored.
• Expensive assets will be available at the right
place & time.
Security and Hospital Administration will improve.
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Despite access to the “public”, the hospital must
remain a highly secure. Manual security systems are
not capable of “enforcing” security. But RFID can
provide a robust and automated security system,
24x7!
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B. RFID in Logistics & Supply Chain Management.
Logistics RFID-enabled solution Potential Benefits
Process
Receiving Electronic ASN available Accuracy and
Incoming “container” could speed of
be soft tagged – for e.g. receiving
contains waybill. Verify with operations
ASN. improved.
Dock door readers Receipt updates
automatically read RFID can be made in
tags attached to pallets, MINUTES. In
cases. High value items manual
can be individually tagged. operations, it
can take 2-3
days, on
average. A
DIRECT
SAVING OF 2-3
DAYS
INVENTORY
CARRYING
COSTS.
Pre- As per customer “Slap & ship”
packaging specifications. RFID labels, to
Provide “slap & ship” meet
service. compliance
Put into RF-tagged put- mandates.
away bins EXPORTERS
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VERY EAGER
FOR THIS
SERVICE
Put-away Forklift and locations (cells) Put-away
are fitted with RFID accuracy
readers. improves to
Put-away containers are nearly 100%-
“soft” tracked – i.e. based The items are
on container id, its contents always
can be derived e.g. “100 available at the
9inch bolts are put-away on intended
shelf S.101”. locations.
A wi-fi link for Estimated 3-5%
communication between shrinkage is
interacting devices is set- eliminated by
up – a put-away list sent to RFID.
a forklift reader. Real-time
inventory
reduces “cycle
count” costs by
95%.
Order- Customer’s order-fill System-wide
filling instructions are converted visibility
to pick-lists (and pick- improves fill-
paths), after verifying for rate, e.g. items
availability of parts and any for order in the
other criteria e.g. dealer receiving dock.
credit level, etc. RFID Enabled,
Dealer-wise “dispatch visibility has
containers” (again soft enabled
tracking enabled) are companies
created – i.e. container –id achieve 95%
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is associated with details facing / on-line
such as customer address, fill rate, and
packing list details, etc. 98% system fill
rate.
The picking
time is reduced
from hours to
minutes.
Dispatch The correct dispatch Track & Trace
containers are loaded on service can be
the correct vehicle. The offered to
waybill can be soft-tracked customers.
to the dispatch container. Dispatch errors
eliminated. 2-
5% error rate
made virtually
zero.
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C. RFID in Retail Environment.
Real-time visibility of inventory, across the supply chain.
Real data and Analytics – will drive merchandising,
promotion, product placement, replenishment and
planning decisions
Best Practice Enabler Comments
Pricing , RFID enabled High value players,
Product “smart shelf” serious – jewelry,
Placement Following the watches, ready-made
and Promotion shopping cart garments
strategy
aligned with
shelf-stock
Flexible buy- • RFID tags for In pharmaceuticals –
back. Retailers authentication anti-counterfeiting
give space mandatory.
more willingly. Pro-active
information re: expiry
dates.
Sales Accurate POS TLOG data shared
incentives data from through web-services
based on sell- retailer
through
Single stage Pull-based, 3PL companies will
monitoring of single point for have to provide this
Continuous replenishment service
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Replenishmen • Automatic Track& Trace, GPS,
t System Triggers RFID…
• Smart shelf Stocks of SKU <epc>
again! at Locations
Demand <reader1, ….n> are
fulfilled by a <s1….sn>.
consolidated
“virtual
warehouse”
• Stock
information
across all
stages
available.
• Cross
docking
Best Practice Enabler Comments
Reduction in Speed up B2B and B2C
replenishment receiving exchanges are
lead times process at all proving their value.
stages: Web services
• ASN standards define
• Web-services templates,
(like EDI, but workflows, etc.
XML based) • ebXML
• Automatic • ROSETTANET
update of • ODETTE
inventory • HL-7
records
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(RFID reads)
Reduce Lot Reduce
size. Increase ordering (and
replenishment receiving)
frequency and costs
product • Automati
variety. c
replenish
ment
order
• Web-
services
to
automate
ordering
process.
Manage LTL Accurate and 3 PL must come up to
cost effectively speedy Hub & steam
Spoke
operations by
3 PL
• Milk-runs
• Cross
Docking
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