Impinj Inc., a designer of radio-frequency identification chips and semiconductor intellectual property, is getting ready to introduce an RFID tag based on the newly completed Generation 2 specification, which EPCglobal Inc. is expected to approve shortly.

The RFID market won't take off until the industry solves the tough performance issues, including interference that can occur from multiple readers or noise created by other RF systems, says Impinj's CEO William Colleran. The major benefits of Gen2 tags over tags based on EPCglobal's Class 0 and Class 1 specifications include throughput that is three to 10 times faster, global compliance, improved security with better password protection, and dense-reader operation, which enables 50 or more readers per kilometer to operate without interference, according to Dr. Chris Diorio, co-founder of Impinj and co-chairman of the EPCglobal Hardware Action Group, which is responsible for creating the Gen2 specification. "Our goal with Gen2 is to produce a single, worldwide UHF standard and to deliver a low-cost, high-performance RFID system," Diorio says.

Impinj's next-generation tag, the Gen2 RainierRFID chip, will be available in the first quarter of 2005. For companies who haven't yet implemented RFID, Impinj recommends they start using its Class 0 ZumaRFID chip, which has read and write capabilities and a password-protected 24-bit "kill" switch so the tag can be destroyed, and then later transitioned to a new chip. Tinier than the ZumaRFID chip, the Gen2 RainierRFID chip is designed for noisy environments and 32-bit kill-and-access passwords, according to Diorio.

Impinj also is working with system developers and engineers to develop readers, software, and systems integration for the Gen2 spec.

Impinj, along with Applied Wireless Identification, Intermec, Philips Semiconductor, and Texas Instruments, participated in the final Gen2 demonstration tests on Dec. 2. The specification has moved to EPCglobal's business and technical committees for ratification, and will then be passed to its board of governors, which has the power to fully ratify the specification. EPCglobal expects this to happen by year's end.