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Tracking system leverages
existing Wi-Fi networks
May 24, 2007
A new tracking system leverages existing Wi-Fi technology
to locate products and objects throughout the supply chain.
Due to increasing concerns about food safety, processors
are required to track and record the status of their products along the supply chain.
Wi-Fi, popularly known as
an acronym for wireless fidelity, could be an alternative to other technologies, such as radio frequency identification, that
are currently being used by companies to track their products in real time.
G2 Microsystems said its Wi-Fi Asset
Tracking System leverages existing technology to help solve the number-one problem facing supply chain managers - the limited
visibility of their product's status throughout the supply chain.
The system leverages global Wi-Fi infrastructure
to eliminate such "blind spots" in supply chain tracking, said John Gloekler, president and chief executive officer
of G2 Microsystems.
"If your product could talk, you would always be informed of its condition and status,"
he said. "Our Wi-Fi asset tracking system is the next best thing, delivering critical information at the edge of the
supply chain."
The G2 Wi-Fi Asset Tracking System provides location information as well as information such
as temperature changes, tampering, tilting, shocks and light exposure.
The system uses Wi-Fi asset tags and G2
software to check the status and condition of products at key distribution points throughout the supply chain.
The
system uses SAP's Event Management software to send alerts to management when exceptions to the parameters are detected
by the Wi-Fi tags.
The SAP software will also present a dashboard with information on how each party along the
supply chain is expected to react to a problem.
"Wi-Fi tracking is the only solution that doesn't require
additional hardware infrastructure or software integration at each supply chain node, resulting in the lowest total cost of
ownership," G2 claimed. "This solution is particularly compelling for tracking high value assets, fragile items,
or items that require special handling like chemicals and cold chain products."
Wi-Fi access points have grown
exponentially over the last five years. The demand has extended the communications technology to manufacturing floors, warehouses,
and distribution centres.
The G2 system takes advantage of the existing network by using Cisco's Unified Wireless
Network. The Wi-Fi asset tag can transmit location and sensor information from a supply chain partner's facility while
maintaining the integrity of its network security.
This is accomplished with the EAP-FAST protocols used by Radius
servers in most companies throughout the world, G2 stated.
The company is working with Cisco Systems and SAP on
pilot projects with a number of companies. It plans to roll out full deployments in 2008.
Wi-Fi is the same communications
technology that home computers and laptops use to connect to the Internet without wires.
Source: MYSolutionInfo.com
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