WORKSHOP PLANNING TEAM · Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy Carl Haas...

CONFERENCE PLANNING TEAM

CHAIR

Gene Griffin Director, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute North Dakota State University

MEMBERS

Richard Begley Associate Director, Appalachian Transportation Institute Marshall University

Jonathan Gifford Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy

Carl Haas Professor, Civil Engineering University of Waterloo

Pete Hansra Acting Chief, Office of Traffic Operations, California Department of Transportation

Edward J. Jaselskis Program Director, National Science Foundation Professor, Iowa State University

Carl Kain Principal Electrical Engineer Mitretek Systems

John Kaliski Principal Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

Robin Kline University Programs Specialist Research & Innovative Technology Administration

Michael Onder Team Lead, Freight Technology & Operation, Federal Highway Administration

STAFF

Thomas M. Palmerlee Program Coordinator Transportation Research Board

David B. Floyd Senior Program Associate Transportation Research Board

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN RADIO FREQUENCY

IDENTIFICATION (RFID) TRANSPORTATION APPLICATION

CONFERENCE

The Research Opportunities in Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Transportation Applications Conference brings together representatives from research organizations to assess current research in applications of RFID technologies in transportation. Participants include university RFID researchers, government transportation professionals interested in current or potential RFID applications, and industry representatives working in RFID research and technology. The conference objectives are:

• Inform government transportation agencies about current and potential RFID applications that have potential to enhance the mobility of freight and people

• Increase communication among researchers involved in RFID technology applications for transportation

• Give government program managers a better understanding of University Transportation Centers programs and link those interested in RFID applications with university experts

• Identify RFID research opportunities.

Thank you for joining us at this important event. Gene Griffin, Committee Chair Director, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

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1 RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) TRANSPORTATION APPLICATIONS CONFERENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SESSIONS AND EVENTS …………………………………………. 3

RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT FORM …..…………………….. 8

ATTACHMENT A – SUPPLY CHAIN BREAKOUT AGENDA …………. 9

ATTACHMENT B – CONSTRUCTION BREAKOUT AGENDA ……….. 10

ATTACHMENT C – OPERATIONS, SAFETY, AND SECURITY BREAKOUT AGENDA ……………………………………………. 12

ATTACHMENT D – POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES BREAKOUT AGENDA ……………………………………………. 14

ATTACHMENT E – POSTER PRESENTATION SUMMARIES ………... 15

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SESSIONS AND EVENTS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17

FACILITATORS AND RECORDERS MEETING: 7:30AM-8:15AM (KECK 109)

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: 7:45AM-8:15AM (KECK 100 FOYER)

OPENING SESSION: 8:15AM-10:00AM (KECK 100) Gene Griffin, Director of Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, presiding

o The Future of RFID Technology Alan Estevez, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, U.S. Department of Defense

o RFID and the US Department of Transportation John A Bobo, Jr., Acting Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration

BREAK: 10:00AM-10:30AM (KECK 100 FOYER)

OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH IN TRANSPORTATION-RELATED RFID RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS: 10:30AM-12:00PM (KECK 100)

o The Evolution of RFID Technologies Richard Doering, Senior Systems Engineer, TransCore

o Supply Chain David Brock, Co-Founder and Director of Auto-ID Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

o Construction Edward J. Jaselskis, Program Director, National Science Foundation & Professor, Iowa State University

o Operations, Safety & Security Carl Kain, Principal Electrical Engineer, Mitretek Systems

o Policy and Institutional Issues in RFID Deployment Jonathan Gifford, Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy

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LUNCH: 12:00PM-1:00PM (KECK 100 FOYER)

BREAKOUTS BY APPLICATION AREA: 1:00PM-2:30PM

SUPPLY CHAIN (KECK 109, SEE ATTACHMENT A) Facilitator John Kaliski, Principal, Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Recorders Ergin Erdem, Student, North Dakota State University Hai Zeng, Student, North Dakota State University David Floyd, Senior Program Associate, Transportation Research Board RFID has the potential to improve the productivity and security of the supply chain by enabling tracking of items as they move from initial supplier to ultimate consumer. RFID can provide a common framework for sharing information that can link cargo and assets ranging from vehicles to containers to pallets to individual parts. Current RFID applications in supply chain management include inventory control, electronic payment and automated transactions, access control, theft prevention, counterfeit detection, recycling and disposal management, recall management, and asset and chain of possession tracking. When integrated with roadside sensing and transportation systems, RFID also can assist with load and route optimization, regulatory screening, and security monitoring activities. This session will address the benefits of RFID for supply chain management, opportunities to integrate RFID with other technologies to enable real-time monitoring of product condition and security, and issues and challenges facing the deployers of these systems. The session also will identify future research areas related to RFID and supply chain management. Key topics for discussion may include interoperability across supply chain partners; institutional and business model issues; privacy and data use; costs and benefits of deployment; and technical constraints on the use of RFID in different supply chain environments.

CONSTRUCTION (KECK 110, SEE ATTACHMENT B) Facilitators Edward J. Jaselskis, Program Director, National Science Foundation & Professor, Iowa State University Carl Haas, Professor, University of Waterloo Recorder Paul Goodrum, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky Construction of transportation projects such as roads and bridges require the use of the most advanced technologies in order to meet the ever increasing demands of the traveling public while meeting budgetary constraints. Radio frequency identification (RFID) is one such technology that is being used in such areas as automated tolling, tracking shipments, labor tracking, and security. Currently, there are few actual applications for this technology during the construction phase; however this approach seems to have a significant potential for use in this area. Several pilot projects using RFID have been

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conducted that demonstrate the potential benefits of using such technology during the construction phase. Test projects have included tracking engineered and bulk items as well as tools and equipment on construction sites using passive and active RFID. One area that has become a commercial success is the use of RFID tags in identifying pertinent information for concrete cubes. Precast concrete members are also being RFID- tagged by another manufacturing and construction company. This session will provide a discussion of current RFID pilot applications and future ideas, such as the use of this technology to enhance the asphalt and concrete paving operations.

OPERATIONS, SAFETY & SECURITY (KECK 100, SEE ATTACHMENT C) Facilitator Carl Kain, Principal Electrical Engineer, Mitretek Systems Recorder John MacGowen, Program Coordinator, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute RFID is currently used for transportation operations such as electronic toll and traffic management, automated vehicle identification and location in rail and public transit, and commercial vehicle mainline clearance. More recent applications include using RFID as a component of tracking, monitoring, and reporting systems to secure the shipping of hazardous materials, securing ports, and aiding in customs and border crossings. Also, research is ongoing in safety applications such as using RFID for tire recall, automotive collision avoidance, and traveler information systems. This session will address innovative research and challenges for RFID use in transportation operations, safety, and security applications. In addition, issues in implementing information security, such as authentication, data privacy, and data integrity to properly secure these applications against any potential threats that may disrupt their use, will be addressed.

POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES IN RFID DEPLOYMENT (KECK 206, SEE ATTACHMENT D) Facilitator Jonathan Gifford, Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy Recorders Xin Zhou, Student, George Mason University School of Public Policy Cristina Checherita, Student, George Mason University School of Public Policy Kathryn Harrington-Hughes, Communications Coordinator, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute This breakout session will address the broad range of policy and institutional issues raised by RFID. Policy and institutional issues generally fall into at least three broad categories: jurisdictional, organizational and behavioral. Jurisdictional issues are those that require collaboration across governmental or corporate boundaries. In the domain of RFID, jurisdictional issues include intergovernmental and public-private cooperation about matters of data ownership, technical standards, and financial accountability and clearance of funds. Organizational issues relate to the capacity of the entities involved in the RFID system, such as adequate personnel, financial resources, and procurement capabilities. Behavioral issues are those relating to the behavior of system users and, in

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the case of RFID, include data privacy, public acceptance, and security from tampering or sabotage.

BREAK: 2:30PM-3:00PM (KECK 100 FOYER)

BREAKOUT BY APPLICATION, CONTINUED: 3:00PM-5:00PM

POSTER SESSION AND RECEPTION: 5:30PM-7:00PM (KECK 100, SEE ATTACHMENT E) Participants

o A Wireless Local Positioning System for Road Safety Seyed (Reza) Zekavat, Michigan Technological University.

o RFID & GPS Applications for Asphalt Compaction Amr Oloufa, University of Central Florida

o Evaluating and Improving the Security of RFID Tags in Shipping Containers Burkhard Englert, Calfornia State University Long Beach

o VPS: A New Concept for Sensing Lane-level Vehicle Position Max Donath, ITS Institute, University of Minnesota

o Models for Locating RFID Nodes Carl Haas, University of Waterloo

o RFID Coming to National Geospatial Information Agency Gregory Hanson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

o RFID Interoperability: Barriers and Solutions Oscar Franzese, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

o Application of RFID Technology for Quality Management in Production and Distribution of Frozen Food Products Ergin Erdem, North Dakota State University

o Application of RFID Technology to Loss Management in Pharmaceutical Distribution Hai Zeng, North Dakota State University

o Improvements in RFID Tag Geometry and Manufacture David Wells, North Dakota State University.

o Battery-Assisted RFID Devices for Sensor Applications Aaron Reinholz, North Dakota State University

o Locating Transportation Infrastructure Components and Accessing Histories for Bridge Inspection Utilizing Radio Frequency Technology Burcu Akinci, Carnegie Mellon University

o RFID Reliability Test for Tool Tracking on Construction Sites Julian Kang, Texas A&M University

o Microscopic Traffic Simulation Integrating VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages Thomas Rioux, Rioux Engineering

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o The Development of Autonomous Railcar Tracking (ART) Technology Using Railroad Industry Radio Frequencies Richard Begley, Marshall University


WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST: 8:00AM-8:30AM (KECK 100 FOYER)

KEY POINTS FROM APPLICATION AREAS: 8:30AM-9:30AM (KECK 100) Gene Griffin, Director of Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, presiding

The leaders of the four Tuesday afternoon breakout sessions will summarize their discussions including the state of RFID applications, opportunities, challenges, potential high payoff research and strategies for incorporating RFID technologies into transportation activities.

o Supply Chain Management Applications in RFID John Kaliski, Principal, Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

o Construction Applications in RFID Carl Haas, Professor, University of Waterloo

o Operations, Safety & Security Applications in RFID Carl Kain, Principal Electrical Engineer, Mitretek Systems

o Policy and Institutional Issues in RFID Deployment Jonathan Gifford, Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy

BREAK: 9:30AM-10:00AM (KECK 100 FOYER)

FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN RFID APPLICATION AND RESEARCH IN TRANSPORTATION: 10:00AM-12:00PM (KECK 100)

Four panelists from government, industry and academia involved with the diffusion of technology in transportation will review the conference activities, concentrating on the following points:

o Key themes in RFID use in transportation o Potential benefits from RFID technologies o Critical research issues for universities o Actions to improve technology transfer from research to transportation

applications Rick Kessler, President and CEO, Horizon Services Group Michael Onder, Freight Technology & Operations, Federal Highway Administration Ron Char, Transportation Technology Program Manager, The Johns Hopkins University

Applied Physics Laboratory Max Donath, Director of ITS Institute, University of Minnesota

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RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT FORMAT FOR TRB COMMITTEES

TITLE The title should be specific and concise, preferably not exceeding l0 words

PROBLEM A statement of the problem and the need, in one or more paragraphs

OBJECTIVE A clear, concise, specific statement of what the research is expected to achieve and the benefits that may accrue

KEY WORDS For classification purposes, suggest key words not apparent in the title

RELATED WORK Provide a context for the proposed research by briefly describing related work currently under way or recently completed

URGENCY/PRIORITY A statement concerning the urgency or relevance of the suggested work to transportation needs in general and/or an indication of the priority given this research need relative to other Research Problem Statements generated by the committee

COST Give best (ballpark) estimate of the cost of conducting the proposed research

USER COMMUNITY A description of the audience who should receive this research problem statement (e.g., AASHTO, APTA, FHWA, NHTSA)

IMPLEMENTATION A statement describing possible ways in which the findings of the proposed research might be implemented

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EFFECTIVENESS Give a best estimate of the societal impacts of this research. If possible, describe the relevant measures of effectiveness


Attachment A Supply Chain-related RFID Research and Applications

John Kaliski

The goal of this breakout session is to inform government transportation agencies about current and potential RFID applications; increase communication among researchers; link RFID research expertise to Federal programs; and identify RFID research opportunities. The format for the breakout session includes both short presentations by poster session presenters, Q&A time for each presenter, and open dialogue regarding RFID research opportunities in transportation construction. Introduction (John Kaliski, 10 minutes) This presentation will provide an overview of current RFID applications applied in the supply chain. The overview also will provide a brief introduction to the breakout session. Presentations with Q&A (90 minutes) • Building a Next Generation Information Infrastructure for Logistics

David Brock, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Improving Transportation Safety & Security Using RFID Ronald Char, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

• Application of RFID Technology in Food Safety Ergin Erdem, North Dakota State University

• Application of RFID Technology to Loss Management Hai Zeng, North Dakota State University

• Evaluating and improving the security of RFID tags in shipping containers Burkhard Englert, California State University Long Beach

• Container Tracking System for the State of Alaska Duncan Wright, Horizon Lines

Group discussion on research opportunities and challenges in transportation construction (90 minutes) 1. What do you see as key RFID applications having the greatest potential for improving the

supply chain?

2. What do you see as the challenges for implementing RFID in the supply chain?

3. What additional research is required to get us where we need to be in regards to using RFID in the supply chain?

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Summary and next steps (20 minutes)


Attachment B Construction Transportation-related RFID

Research and Applications

Edward J. Jaselskis and Carl Haas Construction Overview (Edward Jaselskis) This presentation will be similar to a CII plenary presentation and will provide an overview of current RFID applications applied during the construction phase. The overview will also provide a brief introduction to the breakout session. Construction Breakout Session (Edward Jaselskis and Carl Haas) The goal of this breakout session is to inform government transportation agencies about current and potential RFID applications; increase communication among researchers; link RFID research expertise to UTC programs; and identify RFID research opportunities. A proposed format for the breakout session includes both short presentations by poster session presenters, Q&A time for each presenter, and open dialogue regarding RFID research opportunities in transportation construction. Presentations with Q&A (90 minutes):

• RFID & GPS Applications for Asphalt Compaction Amr Oloufa, Center for Advanced Transportation

• Locating Transportation Infrastructure Components and Accessing Histories for Bridge

Inspection Utilizing Radio Frequency Technology Burcu Akinci, Carnegie Mellon University

• RFID Reliability Test for Tool Tracking on Construction Sites

Julian Kang, Texas A&M University • Tool Tracking

Paul Goodrum, University of Kentucky • Locating Methods

Carl Haas, University of Waterloo • Passive RFID for Construction Material Tracking

Edward Jaselskis, Iowa State University & National Science Foundation Jong Chul Song, Iowa State University

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Group discussion on research opportunities and challenges in transportation construction (60 minutes)


1. What do you see as key RFID applications having the greatest potential for improving the construction process? (brainstorm various potential applications and rank them according to the level of importance) 2. What do you see as the challenges for implementing RFID in construction? 3. What additional research is required to get us where we need to be in regards to using RFID on transportation construction sites? (rank in terms of most important to least important)

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Attachment C Operations, Safety, and Security Applications

Carl Kain

Session Goals:

• To inform government agencies about current and potential RFID research and applications in transportation operations, safety, and security

• Give government program managers a better understanding of University Transportation Centers programs and link those interested in RFID applications with university experts

• Discuss potential benefits of new RFID applications for improving transportation operations, safety, and security

• Identify key issues and challenges impacting the future of RFID use in transportation

• Identify research opportunities and formulate research problem statements

Overview of Operations, Safety, and Security Applications Breakout Session Short introductory briefing: Agenda, Goals, and Objectives Presentations: • The Development of Autonomous Railcar Tracking (ART) Technology Using Railroad

Industry Radio Frequencies Richard Begley, Rahall Transportation Institute, Marshall University

• Potential Application of RFID in Road Asset Management Dr. Kelvin Wang, University of Arkansas

• RFID at the Southern Border: Operations, Safety and Security, and RFID Initiatives at DHS Robert Harrison, Center for Transportation Research, The University of Texas at Austin Dr. Gary Becker, Department of Homeland Security

• CVROCS Research Dr. Amr Oloufa, Center for Advanced Transportation, University of Central Florida

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Breakout Session Discussion Topics 1) Talking points discussion on Safety and Security Applications led by Robert Harrison and Dr. Gary Becker 2) Identification of new applications in operations, safety, and security; what are they and will research, prototyping, and operational testing be needed to field these applications?


3) Discussion of technical challenges or barriers to overcome before either existing or new applications can be implemented. Do these challenges present opportunities for research? 4) Brainstorm session on research opportunities 5) Identification of research appropriate for UTCs-is government funding and support needed? Are there partnership opportunities with private industry? Are there grants that can be pursued? 6) Formulation of Research Problem Statements 7) Discussion of the impact of competing technologies on the future of RFID in transportation. 8) Other topics suggested by participants

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Attachment D Policy and Institutional Issues-Related Research

Jonathan Gifford

The purpose of this breakout session is to inform government agencies about RFID-related policy and institutional issues, increase communication among researchers, and identify opportunities for further research. The format of the breakout will be brief invited presentations by meeting participants and poster session presenters, time for Q&A with presenters, and open dialog among participants about RFID-related policy and institutional issues and research opportunities. Introduction (Jonathan Gifford, 10 minutes) This presentation will provide a brief overview of policy and institutional issues and the process and objectives of the breakout session. Presentations with Q&A (60 minutes)

• Policy and Institutional Issues for the U.S. DOT on Using RFID Technologies in Transportation Tom Marchessault, Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation

• RFID Interoperability: Barriers and Solutions (invited) Oscar Franzese, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Group Discussion on Research Opportunities in RFID-Related Policy and Institutional Issues (90 minutes)

1. What are the potential roles for U.S. DOT in RFID, and the relative merits of each?

2. What are the policy and institutional barriers to expanded RFID and how can research assist in overcoming them?

3. What other RFID-related policy and institutional research needs and opportunities exist?

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Attachment E Poster Presentation Summaries

Table of Contents A Wireless Local Positioning System for Road Safety Seyed (Reza) Zekavat, Michigan Technological University …………………….. 17 RFID & GPS Applications for Asphalt Compaction Amr Oloufa, University of Central Florida ……………………………………… 18 Evaluating and Improving the Security of RFID Tags in Shipping Containers Burkhard Englert, Calfornia State University Long Beach …………………….. 19 VPS: A New Concept for Sensing Lane-level Vehicle Position Max Donath, ITS Institute, University of Minnesota ……………………………. 20 Models for Locating RFID Nodes Carl Haas, University of Waterloo ……………………………………………… 21 RFID Coming to National Geospatial-Information Agency Gregory Hanson, Oak Ridge National Laboratory ……………………………... 22 RFID Interoperability: Barriers and Solutions Oscar Franzese, Oak Ridge National Laboratory ………………………………. 23 Application of RFID Technology for Quality Management in Production and Distribution of Frozen Food Products Ergin Erdem, North Dakota State University …………………………………… 24 Application of RFID Technology to Loss Management in Pharmaceutical Distribution Hai Zeng, North Dakota State University ………………………………………. 25 Improvements in RFID Tag Geometry and Manufacture David Wells, North Dakota State University ……………………………………. 26

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Battery Assisted RFID Devices for Sensor Applications Aaron Reinholz, North Dakota State University ………………………………… 27


Locating Transportation Infrastructure Components and Accessing Histories for Bridge Inspection Utilizing Radio Frequency Technology Burcu Akinci, Carnegie Mellon University ……………………………………… 28 RFID Reliability Test for Tool Tracking on Construction Sites Julian Kang, Texas A&M University ……………………………………………. 29 Microscopic Traffic Simulation Integrating VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages Thomas Rioux, Rioux Engineering ……………………………………………… 30 The Development of Autonomous Railcar Tracking (ART) Technology Using Railroad Industry Radio Frequencies Richard Begley, Marshal University ……………………………………………. 31

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A Wireless Local Positioning System for Road Safety

Seyed A. Zekavat, Ph.D.,

Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, e-mail: [email protected], Phone: 906 487 2071, Fax: 906 487 2949

In 1998 U.S. department of transportations has announced the intelligent vehicle initiative. They identified eight areas where intelligent systems could “improve” or “impact” safety that include four kinds of collision avoidance: rear end, lane change and merge, road departure, and intersection, two kinds of enhancements: Vision and vehicle stability, and two kinds of monitoring: driver condition and driver distraction. Wireless systems capable of positioning mobiles remotely in complex mobile environments have promising applications in traffic alert such as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian collision avoidance.

This poster introduces a novel wireless local positioning system (WLPS) recently patented at Michigan Technological University. The relevant research is being supported by the US NSF Information Technology Research for National Priorities. The proposed WLPS is categorized as an RFID with two main components: 1) a base station deployed in a mobile (e.g., vehicles) that serves as a Dynamic Base Station (DBS); and 2) a transponder (TRX) installed in wireless mobile handhelds and vehicles that act as Active Targets. Unique identification (ID) codes are assigned to each TRX. DBS transmits periodic ID request signals in its coverage area. Transponders reply to IDR signals as soon as they detect them. Such a framework offers attractive features: (i) high probability-of-detection performance via active as opposed to passive targets, (ii) low-cost TRX made of simple transceivers, and, (iii) infrastructure-less operation via dynamic as opposed to static base stations.

The poster sketches a futuristic view of mobile ad-hoc network based transportation structure, and WLPS potential applications in road safety and automotive industry. Theoretical and practical research is on going [1]-[5]. A system prototype is under development at Wireless Positioning Lab at Michigan Tech (please visit: http://www.ece.mtu.edu/pages/research_labs/wlps/index.html).

References: [1] H. Tong and S. A. Zekavat, “A Novel Wireless Local Positioning System via Asynchronous DSCDMA and

Beamforming: Implementation and Perturbation Analysis,” to appear in IEEE Trans. on Vehicular Technology, May 2007.

[2] H. Tong and S. A. Zekavat, “Wireless local positioning system implementation via LCMV beamforming, ” proceedings SPIE’05 Conference on Defense and Security, Orlando, FL, April 2005.

[3] H. Tong and S. A. Zekavat, “Wireless local positioning system via DS-CDMA and beamforming: An imperfect prior knowledge perturbation analysis” proceedings IEEE WCNC’05, New Orleans, LS, March 2005.

[4] S. A. Zekavat, H. Tong, and J. Tan, "A novel wireless local positioning system for airport (indoor) security, " proceedings SPIE Conference on Defense and Security 2004, Orlando, FL, pp. 522-533, April 2004.

[5] S. A. Zekavat, “A novel application for wireless communications in vehicle early warning,” proceedings IEEE Consumer Communications and Networking 2004, Las Vegas, NV, Jan. 5-8 2004.

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RFID & GPS Applications for Asphalt Compaction By

A. A. Oloufa, Ph.D., P.E, Principal Investigator, A. Khalafallah, Ph.D. Center for Advanced Transportation Systems Simulation (CATSS)

University of Central Florida &

H. Mahgoub, Ph.D. Department of Civil Engineering South Dakota State University

Objective of application/project

Monitoring and documenting the interface between production, and laying/compacting operations of Hot Mix Asphalt concrete.

Brief description of the project

In the Florida Quality Control Specification, the contractor is required to perform Quality Control (QC) testing, and FDOT is responsible for Quality Assurance (QA). Loss of quantitative information between paving operations and the asphalt mixing plant and, in addition to delivery location errors lead to the need for an automated system that can:

• Collect all mix information from the plant QC system. • Transfer the information automatically to a tag mounted on the truck headed

for the paving site, along with the batch of material • Transfer this information once on site to the paver information system • Locating and dating the information along the road at the particular place

where the corresponding material has been laid

Description of agencies or organizations involved

Florida Department of Transportation

Contact Information

Amr Oloufa [email protected]

Key elements of success (either accomplished or currently being faced).

Long term evaluation of asphalt longevity.

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Evaluating and improving the security of RFID tags in shipping containers 1. Contact Information:

Burkhard Englert Associate Professor

California State University Long Beach Department of Computer Engineering and Computer Science

1250 Bellflower Boulevard Long Beach, CA 90840

Tel: (562) 985-7987 Email: [email protected]

2. Sponsoring Agency: US Department of Transportation USC-METRANS Program. The METRANS Transportation Center is a US DOT University Transportation Center (UTC). Established in 1998 through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), METRANS is a joint partnership of the University of Southern California and California State University, Long Beach. 3. Description and Objectives of Project Recently there has been considerable media attention concerning the vulnerability of US ports in general, and the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports in particular. These concerns are being addressed among others by the Smart & Secure Trade Lanes (SST) program. The SST program, uses RFID tags to provide efficient, instant notification of container security breaches. RFID container seals provide automatic notification of tampering by going “silent.” To be truly effective, this approach requires systems that can constantly log and monitor all container seals in a given geographical area so that any that suddenly stop responding can be flagged for action. In this project we study the security of RFID tags as they are used at the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports. It is our goal to determine: 1. How easy it is for an attacker to eavesdrop on an RFID tag signal. 2. Whether it is possible for an attacker to “impersonate” an RFID tag signal. Can an attacker tamper with a shipping container, causing the RFID tag to go silent, and then subsequently emulate the original signal of the RFID tag to avoid detection. 3. Are there any cryptographic algorithms that could be used to authenticate an RFID signal? Such algorithms would have to be simple enough to be executable by an RFID tag situated in a container. 4. Are there other feasible technologies to authenticate RFID tags in shipping containers that do not involve cryptography and might therefore be less expensive? In particular, we will study the feasibility of silent-tree walking and the use of pseudonyms. 4. Key elements of success We are currently working on lab experiments to determine how easy it is for an attacker to impersonate an RFID signal. We also surveyed Terminal Operators asking them if and if so which RFID technology they are currently using. We are currently waiting for responses to our questions.

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mailto:[email protected]

VPS: A New Concept for Sensing Lane-level Vehicle Position Eddie Arpin, Mat Bevilacqua, Max Donath, Craig Shankwitz

Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute (www.its.umn.edu) University of Minnesota

Objective Development of a sensor that provides real-time vehicle position with lane level accuracy (lateral error < +/- 0.5 lane width) for transportation applications in locations where sufficiently accurate position cannot be determined using GPS. Description VPS (Vehicle Positioning System) is designed to provide real-time lane level (“which lane”) position where GPS signal availability is poor or multipath is excessive. VPS uses an RFID reader located on the front bumper of the vehicle to read a set of data (the road ID, the lane number, the longitudinal position from a reference, the direction of travel and other parameters) from RFID tags located in or on the road. The RFID reader can be packaged and deployed together with the license plate, facilitating deployment across the entire vehicle fleet in a short period of time. VPS does not require a digital map or precise tag installation, allowing for quick and universal deployment. VPS, together with wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and infrastructure-to-vehicle (I2V) communication enables many applications that require positioning with lane level accuracy, such as emergency electronic brake lights, lane change and merge assistance, traffic signal priority and violation warning. By using RFID technology it is possible to overcome some of the challenges associated with other technologies such as GPS, computer vision, and magnetic sensing. Agencies and Organizations Involved The ITS Institute, a University Transportation Center funded by the Research and Innovative Technologies Administration (RITA) of the US DOT. Contact Information Max Donath, Director, ITS Institute, University of Minnesota 511 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55454 Phone: 612-625-2304 Email: [email protected] Other Key Applications A system integrating wireless communications (i.e. based on Vehicle Infrastructure Integration, i.e. VII) and VPS, facilitates detection of approaching vehicles (assistance with entering intersections), rear end collision avoidance, corridor and incident management, congestion pricing based lane-by-lane electronic tolling, load balancing across lanes, adaptive cruise control, platooning of buses, monitoring traffic on arterials, replacing current loop detectors, and route guidance in the absence of GPS.

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http://www.its.umn.edu/

Models for Locating RFID Nodes

Saiedeh Navabzadeh Razavi 1, François Caron 2, Jongchul Song 3, Carlos Caldas4, Carl Haas5

1 PhD student, U. of Waterloo, Canad N2L 3G1, Email: [email protected]. 2 PhD student, Laboratoire d'Automatique, Génie Informatique et Signal, UMR CNRS 8146, Ecole Centrale de Lille, F59651 Villeneuve d’Ascq Cedex, France. Email: [email protected] Post doctoral fellow, Constr. Engrg. and Proj. Mgmt. (CEPM), Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, 1 University Station C1752, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712. Email: [email protected]. 4 Asst. Prof., CEPM, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, 1 University Station C1752, Univ. of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712. Email: [email protected]. 5 Professor and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Infrastructure, M. ASCE, U. of Waterloo, Canada N2L 3G1. Email: [email protected]

Abstract Location sensing in a wireless sensor network with a random topology is a significant and fundamental problem in emerging applications in transportation such as vehicle tracking in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). This research introduces some methods to be used as the basis for localizing RFID nodes in a wireless sensor network and qualitatively compares these methods based on the key performance characteristics such as cost, flexibility, scalability, computational complexity, ability to manage uncertainty and imprecision, and to handle dynamic sensor arrays. Additional quantitative comparisons are in progress. The models introduced for locating RFID tags include those based on fine-grained node localization using detailed information such as triangulation, coarse-grained node localization using minimal information such as different proximity methods, and manual searching and mapping. We also introduce the ontology of portals and probes to explain locating models. In recent research, there is substantial evidence which shows that RFID technology provides an appropriate platform for locating and tracking assets and estimating the system state. Over a broad range of applications, significant potential impacts include improved real-time project and facility management, improved control via effortless productivity and asset tracking, time and cost saving and also a potential extension to safety and security applications.

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RFID Coming to National Geospatial-Information Agency

Application Area: Infrastructure (Tagging of Building Equipment and Components)

A pilot radio frequency identification (RFID) system is being installed at the National Geospatial-Information Agency at the Washington Navy Yard (NGA/WNY). The effort will demonstrate the use RFID technology in a secure facility for automated property management and the real-time emergency evacuation accountability. RFID is a generic term used to describe a system that transmits the identity of an RFID tag (in the form of a unique serial number) and associates the tag with an object or person. The pilot project is an active RFID system that utilizes battery-powered tags capable of bi-directional communications. To address security concerns, the physical characteristics and mode of operation of the RFID system were carefully researched and selected. Choke points are being created (by installing activators) at all building exits and at key points on each floor. Activators utilize low-frequency short-range magnetic fields to tell tags to “wake-up” and transmit. Tags remain asleep (no transmissions) until awakened. Once a tag is activated, it transmit its ID and the activator ID, and then goes back to sleep. An RFID reader receives the tag message and forwards the data to a central server. The RFID tags contain only its ID and no asset or personnel data are stored on them. By viewing the sequence of messages from a tag, the route and direction that the tag travels can be determined. The property management subsystem will use RFID to ensure appropriate control, redistribution and disposition of all accountable government property at NGA/WNY. RFID tags will be affixed to approximately 14,000 pieces of property. The RFID system will then track the movement and location of each item, from entry into the building until disposal. The emergency evacuation accountability subsystem will utilize activators located at all building entry and exit points (including emergency exits, loading docks and roll-up doors) and at all perimeter fence gates. During the pilot project, approximately 800 NGA/WNY employees will be assigned an RFID tag to be attached to their personnel badge. During routine operation, the tags will be read as personnel enter and leave the building, or pass through interior choke points. In the event of an emergency evacuation, personnel with RFID tags will be accounted for immediately. Contact: Dr. Gregory Hanson, [email protected], (865) 574-9681

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RFID Interoperability: Barriers and Solutions Objective of application/project: The purpose of this project was to conduct a technology survey of RFID systems in use by the transportation industry and to assess incompatibility and interoperability issues across different functions such as road tolls, weigh stations, ports, and border crossings. Brief description of the project: The project main focus was on the identification of barriers to interoperability of RFID applications in transportation, including container tracking, vehicle tracking, toll collection, port-of-entry controls, and electronic weigh station bypass. To accomplish this, a technology scan of various RFID systems in use by the transportation sector was conducted. As a result of this survey, two main barriers for RFID interoperability were identified: technological and institutional/business barrier. The most important technological barriers included the existence of two major (and somewhat conflicting) organizations that are developing the standards for RFID technology and systems, and the unavailability of overlapping frequency ranges among different production/consumption centers (US, Europe, Asia). Regarding institutional barriers, those involved mainly long-standing legacy issues and proprietary concerns such as data sharing protocols and business models. The project also investigated solutions that are being applied to the different interoperability problems identified. Those solutions included the development of convergent standards; technological advances; open protocol deployment; active business communications; cooperation and coordination; and partnerships and consortia that share common goals. Several transportation examples in which RFID interoperability problems have been successfully solved were summarized and presented in the final report. Description of agencies or organizations involved: parts of this project were sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Defense Logistic Agency, and the Engineering Science and Technology Division at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Contact Information: Oscar Franzese, (865) 946-1304, [email protected]; Pat Hu, (865) 946-1349, [email protected] Key elements of success (either accomplished or currently being faced): The project found that the biggest barrier to interoperability of RFID systems is not technological, but rather institutional and business inertia. Cooperation and coordination, together with the creation of partnerships were identified as critical since even when all the technological and standardization issues are solved, different systems need to be integrated so that information can be accessible across all these systems.

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Application of RFID Technology for Quality Management in Production and Distribution of Frozen Food Products

Ergin Erdem, Hai Zeng, Jing Shi and David L. Wells North Dakota State University

Abstract: The overall aim of this research is a comprehensive approach for improving product quality and safety from production floor through the distribution chain for the frozen food industry. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology leads to many opportunities for increasing quality and safety of frozen foods. We first present a framework for a representative RFID system in the production floor. The main challenge is to construct the network of readers, tags, sensors and data processing units. Then, we look at the implications of the proposed RFID system in the distribution chain. By using the proposed framework, critical parameters can be monitored by RFID tags and sensors, and with the help of the collected data, an optimal set of process and environmental parameters can be determined. Using this methodology, reliability throughout the food production and distribution network can be enhanced. Additionally, the data can be used to create reliable pedigree information which greatly contributes to enforcement and policing of food standards.

Overview: Frozen food products are susceptible to the adverse conditions that may be experienced through the distribution chain, and even a modest fluctuation of a couple of degrees may put the safety of frozen products in jeopardy. For that reason, the weak points in distribution chain where temperature fluctuations may occur should be identified, and necessary precautions should be taken. RFID technology coupled with sensing technology is a valuable tool for ensuring the safety of frozen food products. Through use of sensor-equipped active RFID tags, it is technically possible and feasible to create a very accurate time-temperature profile of the frozen product. This information may be used for increasing the efficiency of the distribution chain and for guarding the safety of the frozen food products by reducing the risks posed by growth of microorganisms.

Risk Identification and Management: Recent terrorist attacks and threats bring the security of food products into question and necessitate a solid system for ensuring food security. Failure to safeguard the production and distribution of food products could have disastrous effects. RFID tags that are placed on food products may be used for generating reliable pedigree information and for identifying the parties involved in production and distribution. Potential attempts at spoiling or diverting food products might be identified and disclosed by using a solid RFID system. The information obtained during shipment can be used during the sale of the product. To cite an instance, products that are exposed to marginally unfavorable conditions may be served ahead of other products that are not exposed to these conditions. Also, different pricing schemes for marginal food products could be developed, if reliable data were available. This leads to a more informed policy which can change the normal practice - the frozen food product that arrives first to the sale location is placed on the shelf first. Implementing will help to increase the efficiency of the cold chain and to increase the uniformity of quality and safety in frozen food products.

Prospective Applications: The distribution chain for frozen food products is an integral entity. It extends from suppliers that provide raw materials to food manufacturers to distributors to the customers at food sale locations. For this reason, absolute traceability should begin at the processing stage. In the proposed system, the RFID tags utilized throughout the distribution chain are attached to the frozen food products at the end of processing. The tags that are attached to frozen food products continue to exchange information throughout the distribution chain with strategically-placed readers. The attachment of these tags cannot violate existing food standards and the procedures and should not detach during the handling of food products through the distribution chain.

RFID tags expressly-designed for frozen food products must be suited for operating at low temperatures. The RFID tags deployed through the distribution chain must be able to reliably receive and transmit information at these temperatures. Two different RFID systems can be employed in this context. The first group of RFID tags may be attached to the frozen food products, and they may be coupled with micro sensors. These micro sensors may transmit the information about the temperature of the product, and an RFID module of the system can provide identification information related to the frozen food product. The second system can be used for measuring the ambient air temperature surrounding the frozen food products. These products may be evaluated regarding pathogen-borne risk using the time-temperature profile that is generated by the attached sensor-RFID tag pair. Models are available that use time-temperature profiles to assess the threats to food safety that are posed by these microorganisms. These models may be developed further based on the information obtained by RFID systems that are deployed in the distribution chain.

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Application of RFID Technology to Loss Management in Pharmaceutical Distribution

Hai Zeng, Ergin Erdem, David L. Wells and Jing Shi North Dakota State University

Abstract: It is estimated that about 10 percent of the drugs are counterfeit globally. An efficient and secure distribution system is demanded by all pharmaceutical stakeholders from an economic supply chain point of view. Based on this purpose, we analyze and discuss the relevant issues: vulnerable points in the pharmaceutical distribution system; different anti-counterfeiting technologies; implementation of RFID in the pharmaceutical distribution chain, from both hardware and software perspectives; building and managing an e-pedigree system. It demonstrates that, to counter counterfeiting in drug distribution, advances in tag placement, safety features, tag data encryption, and security in wireless communication are major research tasks.

Pharmaceutical Distribution Chain: The pharmaceutical industry is gigantic, with a sales volume of 602 billion USD in 2005, and it is projected to increase by 7 percent every year. The pharmaceutical distribution chain is one of the most complicated distribution systems in the world. Within the system, many parties are involved, and they are often connected with each other in both traditional and non-traditional ways. Supposedly, it is a closed distribution chain. However, drugs from foreign sources can slip into the closed loop and threaten the integrity of the system. What further complicates the supply chain is that all pharmaceutical parties are able to connect with each other, and such connections are not on regular basis and thus difficult to identify and monitor.

Anti-Counterfeiting Technologies: Anti-counterfeiting technologies can be grouped into four categories: overt, covert, forensic and tracking and tracing technologies. A comparison between those technologies shows that each of them has its uniqueness, but that none of them combine the security feature and the track capability, except one technology – RFID. With its unique operational mechanism, RFID finds itself in a strong position for anti-counterfeiting purposes in pharmaceutical distribution.

Implementation of RFID in Pharmaceutical Distribution Chain: Pharmaceuticals have several packaging forms: bottles, vials, syringes, tubes, blister packs, etc. Accordingly, when we choose the tags for pharmaceutical products at the item level, we want to pick the ones that fit these different packaging forms. In general, in the pharmaceutical item level tagging, tags can be typically placed inside or outside of the pill bottle. Meanwhile, the tags can be also embedded in the pill bottle during the plastic molding process. The tag placement and label design needs to be further investigated by considering the requirement of tamper-proofing. To date, pharmaceutical item level tracking is still at its pilot period. There are only a small number of pharmaceutical companies who have tried a few drugs at the highest risk of counterfeiting. Usage of RFID tags in the pharmaceutical market remains limited.

Meanwhile, existing commercial pharmaceutical passive RFID tags, as well as their specifications, are surveyed. This leads to the comparison and discussion on the read-range and other features of those tags. The available tags are typically low-cost passive tags which are relatively inexpensive, based on cost-oriented product strategies, rather than on a security orientation. Security features are very limited, and research on tag data encryption is urgently needed. In addition, for the issues such as selection of UHF and/or HF regimes for tagging pharmaceutical products, no clear winners or solutions have been found, and case-by-case analysis is still the predominant approach.

Building e-Pedigree System: RFID technology offers a unique functionality for managing the e-pedigree of drugs and for creating high visibility at all stages of the distribution chain. To combat pharmaceuticals losses, a full e-pedigree verification system should be launched. However, before building an e-pedigree, one ought to understand how data are stored and shared between different pharmaceutical shareholders. This involves the concept of the EPC network architecture. It is vital to understand the local EPCIS and central EPCDS services and data retrieving mechanism in the architecture. At the same time, a comprehensive e-pedigree building process chart is offered. This process involves data filtering, aggregating, smoothing and EPCs duplication checking from the Savant. Data querying from central EPCDS to locate the local EPCIS through the ONS is also to be tracked. After verifying the prior parties’ finished and digitally signed pedigree, new data will be added to the current party’s own EPCIS, who then inserts its digital signature and registers all the information in the EPCDS each time the custody of the drugs changes, finally accomplishing the e-pedigree building process.

Conclusion: At present, more and more pharmaceutical companies are piloting trial application of RFID for loss management. Due to the importance of RFID technology for the pharmaceutical supply chain, we believe that RFID will be everywhere in the chain and that more companies will achieve their target ROI from this technology. We argue, however, that the biggest winner would be the patients, as they will be more confident about safety of the drugs they are taking.

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Improvements in RFID Tag Geometry and Manufacture

David L. Wells, Jing Shi, Aaron Reinholz and Douglas Schulz North Dakota State University

Abstract: Teams of researchers at North Dakota State University have been active for the past five years in various aspects of design and manufacture of wireless sensors. The work takes as a foundation the basic RFID tag -- an integrated circuit chip and an antenna mounted on a flexible substrate. The research then addresses several issues in the manufacture of more complex, advanced-generation tags, with emphasis on improvement of performance and lowering of manufacturing costs. Four discrete, but related, research topics are featured here: (1) assembly of advanced-generation RFID tags; (2) process engineering for printing of silver-ink antennas for wireless sensors; (3) process engineering for printing of micro-batteries; and (4) robust encasing of RFID tags.

The Research Landscape: Deployment strategies for RFID technology will undoubtedly change and expand. As the potential for gathering information and tracking product is explored and experienced, creative users will perceive and demand more and more complex information. Extension of the capabilities of RFID tagging to smarter tags will necessarily result in increased complexity. Many prospective applications, especially in item-level tagging, will call for one or more sensors and an active memory integrated with query-capability. Thus, an advanced-generation RFID tag will be much more complex than the simple Gen 1 and Gen 2 tags of today. It can be forecast that future-generation tags will contain multiple integrated circuits (including signal processing and an active memory), one or more transducers, an antenna and an on-board power source (perhaps a micro-battery).

Assembly of Advanced RFID Tags: Gen 1 and Gen 2 RFID tags are simple devices, containing a single integrated circuit and an antenna. Advanced generation tags will be comprised of four separate types of components: integrated circuit chips, transducers, antennas and micro-batteries. Micro-assembly processes must be adapted or newly created in order to position all components deterministically. Assembly onto a tag will very likely require different methods for at least some of the components. IC chips and at least some types of transducers can probably be assembled by similar methods. In our research, the preferred method has been fluidic self-assembly (FSA), a patented process of Alien Technology Corporation. The strength of FSA lies in its ability for high throughput assembly. The weakness is the randomness of the process. For antennas and micro-batteries, the focus has been on printing methods. Work on interconnects has featured other printing methods (not included in the presentation).

Printed Antennas: The most critical component that limits reduction in size of RFID tags is the antenna. It is also one of the most costly components. Thus, processes for cost reduction are prime targets for research. Our work has focused on adaptation of established processes of stencil and screen printing. Experience has been gained with both thermally-cured inks and zero-volatile ultraviolet-cured inks. Substrates used include flexible polyimide films and rigid FR-4 boards. By using commercial thermally-cured inks, stencil printed patterns of 500 micron lines on 250 micron spaces were successfully printed on 125 micron polyimide substrates. The screen printing trials used custom-formulated, as well as commercial, UV-curable inks and were printed on FR-4. The most effective inks were those using a mix of solid particles in the filler -- 150 nanometer spheres mixed with 15 micron flakes.

Printed Micro-batteries: The most costly component in an advanced-generation tag will be the battery (or other micro-power source). Likewise, along with antennas, the power supply is a limiting factor for tag size reduction, which will be a distinct challenge. One approach for both size and cost reduction is the manufacture of a complete micro-battery by means of printing processes. Examination of candidate electro-chemical systems indicates that the most challenging feature in printing a complete battery is the current collector layer. The hypothesis constructed for this research is that if a representative current collector can be printed, the other layers of a battery can also be printed. Initial effort was therefore concentrated on this battery element. Stencil printing was selected as the first evaluative process. Experimental results indicate that printing of complete micro-batteries is feasible.

Robust RFID Tag Packaging: In applying RFID tags to goods, current practice is an adhesive attachment, as in conventional labeling. However, applications where RFID tags will be re-used often include environments where robust packaging is a necessity. This research investigation sought to establish the feasibility of encasing a standard RFID tag in a robust protective enclosure. Sample Class 1/Gen 1 RFID tags were encased in several prospective flexible thermoplastic materials, and the results were evaluated for effective signal strength retention. In first trials of molding low-temperature flexible thermoplastics around an RFID tag, yields of up to fifty percent were achieved. Tags encased in walls of about 500 microns of flexible polymer retained usable readability, suffering attenuation in read-distance of less than forty percent.

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Battery Assisted RFID Devices for Sensor Applications

Aaron Reinholz, Conrad Thomas Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, North Dakota State University

RFID technologies span a range of cost and performance parameters from very low cost passive tags to active RFID devices which use radio frequency transceivers. A technology falling between these two capabilities is the battery assisted passive RFID tag. These devices offer additional capabilities beyond passive tags including the ability to sample and store sensor readings and the ability to communicate at longer ranges. They require significantly less battery power to operate compared to transceivers found in an active RFID tag. Researchers at North Dakota State University (NDSU) have been focused on development of battery assisted passive devices for microsensor applications. The research is sponsored by the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) organization within the Department of Defense. The tags utilize application specific integrated circuits developed to provide backscatter communication capability as well as provide processing and data storage. These devices have been developed for implementation in flexible substrates with very small form factors. The research has been focused on both the design aspects of such devices and also advanced manufacturing techniques which would allow the devices to be produced at very low costs in large volumes. Key accomplishments to date have included:

• Development of a microcontroller ASIC to host application firmware for microsensor devices.

• Implementation of RFID protocol on the ASIC to provide data communication with an RFID reader.

• Development and integration of a chemical sensor that is designed for implementation on flexible substrates.

• Development of advanced techniques to utilize Fluidic Self-Assembly methods licensed from Alien Technology Corp. for assembling sensors on flexible substrates with thin film metallization interconnects.

Further research and development on battery assisted passive RFID sensors at NDSU will focus on extending the read ranges of the reader/tag system, further reductions in power consumption, and integration with other types of transducers to expand the range of sensor applications. Contact Information:

Aaron Reinholz Assistant Director for Electronics Technology Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering North Dakota State University Fargo, ND 58102 Ph. (701) 231-5338 e-mail: [email protected]

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Locating Transportation Infrastructure Components and Accessing Histories for Bridge Inspection Utilizing Radio

Frequency Technology (RFID) Objective of application/project: Locating Transportation Infrastructure Components and Accessing Histories for Bridge Inspection Utilizing Radio Frequency Identification Technologies (RFID). Brief description of the project: Currently, bridge inspectors use paper-based reports to access historical information of bridge components during inspection and to visually locate specific bridge components that are of interest. These approaches can be cumbersome and time-consuming since: (1) bridge components look similar to each other, thus it might make locating the right component difficult, (2) inspectors sometimes need to carry prior inspection reports to the field and search for the related information during inspection. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology provides an opportunity to make historical information readily available with the bridge components in a distributed fashion, to update the information stored with the component at field when a work is performed and to locate bridge components effectively. This would enable the bridge components to be “intelligent.” This research study presents a vision of intelligent bridge components within which components know their histories, communicate their historical information to inspectors, and guide the inspectors who wants to locate them. We have been testing the technological feasibility of such vision by evaluating the performance of active RFID on pre-cast components and developing an approach to guide the inspectors to the right location based on the component of interest. Some results of these tests will be presented. Description of agencies or organizations involved: (a) The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance (PITA): PITA is collaboration among the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Institute for Complex Engineered Systems at Carnegie Mellon University, and the Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems at Lehigh University. (b) Precast / Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI): PCI is an organization (headquartered in Chicago) dedicated to fostering greater understanding of precast and prestressed concrete. (c) High Concrete Structure Inc. (HCSI): HCSI is precast concrete manufacturing company serving Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. Contact Information: Burcu Akinci, Assoc. Prof., Civil and Environmental Engrg., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Phone +1 412/ 268 2959, FAX 412/268-7813, [email protected]; Esin Ergen, Asst. Prof., Dept. of Civil Engrg, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey; Anu Pradhan, PhD. Candidate, Civil and Environmental Engrg., Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA Key elements of success: (a) Evaluation of Active and Passive RFID technologies for locating components and accessing history information (Accomplished). (b) Formalization of information flow patterns within precast concrete supply chain (Accomplished) (a) Probabilistic approach to RFID-assisted guidance system to locate components of interest within a facility (In progress). (b) Design of active RFID network to assist in locating components of interest within a facility (In progress).

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RFID Reliability Test for Tool Tracking on Construction Sites

Julian Kang1, Naresh Kalla2, and Todd Sutton3

Among many things field construction managers need to take care of is to make sure that

appropriate types and quantities of tools are available when needed by crafts. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology opens the possibility of automating the entire tool management process. Tools tagged with RFID devices should be detected automatically by the RFID reader, for example, when a worker carries tools through the portal system. However, it has been known that RF signals are bouncing off metal or absorbed by water at ultra-high frequencies. One may wonder if RFID tags attached on metal tools would be working reliably.

Two tests were conducted to determine 1) how reliably active RFID tags are identified when working crews are carrying tools through the RFID portal system (Portal Test), and 2) how reliably active RFID tags are identified when tools are sitting in a metal storage box (Gangbox Test). These tests were carried out at Zachry Construction tool center and Texas A&M University in conjunction with the FIATECH Smart Chips project. RFID tags were provided by HOUNDware systems.

For the Portal Test, a two-feet-long prototype RFID portal system was fabricated. The reliability of RFID tags was tested under variables such as the speed of carrying tools through the portal and the number of tools that are being carried through the portal at the same time. The results of the experiment showed two clear trends. Firstly, when the number of tools passing the portal was increased after certain limit the RFID sensors were unable to detect the tools successfully. The accuracy of the detection fell from 100% to 90.1% even when the speed of the trolley was 0.1 m/sec. Secondly, the accuracy in detection diminished as the velocity of the trolley was increased from 0.1 m/sec through 1.5 m/sec. The percentage of the successful detections decreased from 97% at 0.1 m/sec to 45% at 1.5 m/sec on average. These values determine that the reliability of the RFID technology depends greatly on the velocity and the number of tools passing the portal.

The Gangbox Test was similar to a hide-and-seek game. Three experiment participants were instructed to pile up seven RFID tag attached tools in the storage box with other tools. After piling up the tools in the storage box, the RFID reader installed in the gangbox ran for 2 minutes and the number of tags identified was measured. Out of 30 trials, the RFID reader successfully identified all seven tags for 26 times within in 2 minutes. Overall, the RFID reader missed only 4 tools out of 210 tools tested. This test was implemented with the storage box lid opened. When the same test was conducted with the lid closed, all seven tools were identified successfully within 2 minutes.

There is a speculation among the authors regarding generalization of the results of the experiment as the tests were conducted using just one RFID tag system designed for the construction industry tool management. Further investigation is required to understand the sensitivity of the results while generalizing to all RFID systems used in the construction industry.

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Construction Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, Tel:

(979) 696-5921, Email: [email protected] 2 Graduate Student, Department of Construction Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. 3 Manager, Business Unit Manager, Zachry Construction Corporation, San Antonio, Texas.

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Microscopic Traffic Simulation Integrating VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages

Objectives

• Provide a microscopic traffic simulation tool to evaluate the effectiveness of VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages

• Integrate VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages into an existing microscopic traffic simulation model

• Issue the source code under the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation

Project Description

FHWA Research Project Number DTFH61-03-C-00138 entitled “Enhancement of the TEXAS Model for Simulating Intersection Collisions, Driver Interaction with Messaging, and ITS Sensors” contained tasks to integrate VMS Signs and DSRC Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Wayside-to-Vehicle Messages into the TEXAS Model for Intersection Traffic. This project started 10/1/2003 and ended 9/30/2005.

Project Sponsor and Principal Investigator

• United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration Dr. David R. P. Gibson FHWA R&D (HRDO-4) Room T204 Office of Operations R&D, Enabling Technologies Team (HRDO-4) 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia 22101-2296 202-493-3271 [email protected]

• Center for Transportation Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas Dr. Thomas W. “Tom” Rioux, P.E., former UT CTR Research Engineer and currently President of Rioux Engineering, 6202 Lost Creek Circle, Austin, Texas 78746-6135 512-327-0520 [email protected]

Accomplishments

• Modifications to the TEXAS Model for Intersection Traffic have been completed and tested. • Source code issued under the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software

Foundation and executable programs for Windows on Intel and Linux on Intel available. • Source code, documentation, and executables available at ftp://ftp.ce.utexas.edu/texas_model and

ftp://ftp.ce.utexas.edu/texas_model_documentation (research report available when approved)

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The Development of Autonomous Railcar Tracking (ART)

Technology Using Railroad Industry Radio Frequencies Objective of application/project The objective is to develop and test technologies that will enable the railcar to be independent of the locomotive for transmitting in-transit or stationary locations using radio frequencies currently in use by the railroad industry. Brief description of the project The motion of the railcar is utilized to generate electricity to minimize the discharge of rechargeable batteries used to operate off the shelf tracking devices in a modular system currently under development. The system includes standard RF communication devices for transmitting the location information and should improve location transmission reliability and require less maintenance then systems that rely on rechargeable batteries only. Description of agencies or organizations involved

• Federal Railroad Administration • CSX Corporation • Rahall Transportation Institute (A USDOT University Transportation Center at

Marshall University) Contact Information Dr. Richard Begley Director of Research and Professor in Engineering Rahall Transportation Institute Marshall University Huntington, WV Office 304-696-6660 Email [email protected] Key elements of success (either accomplished or currently being faced) Reliable transmissions of railcar locations need adequately charged batteries requiring frequent battery replacement limiting the deployment throughout the industry. Capturing the energy from railcar vibration has the potential to provide the means to keep the batteries from discharging enabling the potential deployment to more railcars offering many potential advantages for improving railcar inventory control and management in the industry.

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WORKSHOP PLANNING TEAM · Professor, George Mason University School of Public Policy Carl Haas...

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