Swiss Company Using Active RFID System To Track Employees

NoviTech, a Swiss provider of turnkey solutions for access monitoring, is using an active RFID system from INGECOM to automatically monitor the location of its employees in real time. The company is rolling out the system at its own headquarters with ambitions to deploy RFID tracking technology to healthcare centers to prevent the wandering of mentally-disabled patients.

The system detects the presence of employees in front of access points and denies or grants access by opening a door. A log file keeps track of the path of any of the employees, only for the purpose of investigation in case of forgery.

Finding the room where a tag is located is simple. All of the controllers send the data to a centralized database for software application to query from and include a set of configurable rules to triggers alerts in case of emergency.

The INGECOM system uses active tags and controllers in the 2.45 GHz range. While the controllers are available in different configurations, the Wi-Fi version allows the company to use existing technology infrastructure. A Wiegand configuration, with reduced throughput, is used in cases where Wi-Fi is not accepted, such as certain medical, banking or military environments. The tags are available in two formats –- a 4-millimeter credit card shape or a domino format that can be used as a keychain holder.

The tags are water-resistant and have a five-year battery life, even with a 1-second refresh rate. The tags also can propagate at distance of more than 3,000 feet in open space when using the range enhancer. The software-programmable range adapter embedded inside the controllers can modify the range to just a single room.

The system has been used successfully at NoviTech since mid-2007 with 20 controllers and 300 tags. The company plans to ramp up the program with 800 tags in use by the end of the year in other locations.

About the Author

Brent Dirks is senior editor for Security Today and Campus Security Today magazines.

Featured

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities