GE Partners with Avery Dennison to Commercialize Radio Frequency Sensor Technology

GE, acting through its Technology Ventures operation, announced its intent to commercialize GE’s Radio Frequency Sensing technology (RFS) through a commercial license to the RFID division of Avery Dennison. The proprietary RFS technology will enable a wide range of low-cost wireless sensing products in a series of applications, including industrial, food and beverage, packaging and pollution prevention.

GE RF Sensing technology provides a platform for passive, wireless sensing capability. Built on traditional RFID technology, these sensors can detect toxic industrial chemicals (TICs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as biological agents and physical parameters. Developed by a diverse team of scientists and engineers at GE Global Research, this unique sensing approach is capable of providing selective quantification of chemical agents with low detection limits, and can operate in the presence of ambient humidity and other interferences.

The sensors comprise HF RFID tags laminated with unique films, and work in combination with a proprietary reader that interrogates the tag to read both the RFID tag data and the complex RF waveform associated with the chemical, biological or physical measurement.

“This agreement marks an exciting milestone in the RF sensor program,” said William Kernick, vice president of technology ventures for GE. “Avery Dennison, a global leader in RFID technology, has a long-standing commitment to innovation and we are looking forward to working together to launch in-field customer trials.”

Jack Farrell, vice president and general manager at Avery Dennison RFID, added, “Through our technology development with GE, we have successfully demonstrated that RF sensors can be manufactured using a standard roll-to-roll process. This achievement makes RF sensors a commercially viable solution for high-volume applications across our diverse base of customers.”

In the upcoming months, GE and Avery Dennison will collaborate to engage partners and conduct RF sensor technical field trials of applications for relevant industries such as pharmaceutical, food assurance, and agriculture.