Omni-ID Passive RFID Tags: The Backstory

In 2009, Omni-ID launched a suite of industrial RFID products, including the new Max Pro tag, Max HD tag, and the Ultra.

As the company’s CTO and VP of Product Development, I’d like to say a few words about how and why these products were developed. Omni-ID has a development team in the UK that includes scientists, engineers, and product developers. This is the team that developed the Prox, and it’s their expertise that has taken our technology to the next level.

VIDEO: See How It Works

Modeling Software for RFID Design Optimization

Our scientists have created world-class modeling software. It took some time to build, but with this software, we can truly understand every aspect of how our RFID tags work, including each point where signal is lost. Using this modeling software, we were able to test and optimize designs for minimal signal loss – and maximum read range. Really, this software is what enabled us to take advantage of the plasmonic structure and develop tags with such long read ranges. It’s also the modeling software that has allowed us to create a broadband tag.

Once our scientists have a good product concept model, they hand it to our team of engineers and product developers, who use the latest materials and design techniques to make the model work. Our line of industrial tags has an extremely robust design. We use silicon grommets between the inner core and the polycarbonate case, isolating it from shock and vibe and from heat transfer. Once these products are closed up, you can throw them around, drive over them, or whatever, and they won’t be damaged. We could have called the largest of these tags “The Tank” but marketing wouldn’t allow it.

Broadband Capability in Industrial-Strength RFID Tags

On top of the amazing read range and rugged design, two of our industrial tags have broadband capability. We have several patents pending on the dielectric core and the antenna design. It’s these two technologies, working together in an optimized design, which enabled us to create a tag with a broadband RF range instead of a single peak. Effective broadband read range on metal for a passive tag – another first for our industry.

The credit for these new developments belongs with our stellar development team, and I’d like to thank them publicly for the work they’ve done. I doubt, however, that they’ll come and read this blog – they’re already heads-down, working on our next set of products!

Andre Coté

CTO and Vice President of Product Management