Alien Technology Introduces Two RFID Tags for Applications Ranging from Near-Field to Consumer Electronics

Alien Technology introduced two new UHF passive RFID tags. The Wonder Dog ALN-9768 is a high-performance, no compromise tag where size (3.3 x 0.9” / 86 x 23mm) is less of an issue than the desire for optimal read sensitivity with high levels of backscatter. At the other extreme, Alien also announced a Higgs4 IC near-field tag (0.47 x 0.35” / 12 x 9mm) that targets applications requiring short read distances and where space is constrained.

The Wonder Dog is a general purpose, high-performance inlay. While this tag can be used on most surfaces, the tag provides unusually good read and write performance for a standard thickness inlay when mounted close to radio frequency (RF) reflective surfaces such as metals. The tag is a world tag with excellent European frequency characteristics.

“The general-purpose nature of the Wonder Dog inlay allows it to be used in myriad applications,” said Pat Ervin, Alien Technology, vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. “However, we designed this tag so that it can be used when attached to bottles of liquids or attached just above the surface of metals—such as consumer electronics devices, metalized automotive windshields and metal containers or vessels.”

Another benefit of this tag is that it does not necessarily require a high-performance reader. The Wonder Dog tag is able to operate at low power levels, as is often the case with handheld passive UHF readers. This allows the tag to be used in Automotive Vehicle Identification applications where the tag is placed on an automotive windshield with embedded metalized sun protection, while still being read with a low-power handheld reader.

The SIT H4 tag is a diminutive tag that is a near-field design. Its size and characteristics lead itself to mounting on small objects requiring close proximity reads. The read-range increases when the tag is mounted close to metals. This combination makes it an excellent solution for tagging jewelry, pharmaceutical vials, food product packaging, access control, loyalty cards and numerous counterfeiting applications where the tag can be easily concealed.

The Wonder Dog and SIT H4 tags are available for volume ordering and will be exhibited at RFID Journal LIVE April 8–10, 2014, in Orlando, FL, at the Alien booth (620).