New Axis ETRAX FS Chip Integrated in Supply Chain RF Biosensor Solution

Axis Communications' newly launched ETRAX FS chip has rapidly gained market acceptance and is being integrated in a chip-less RFID biosensor solution for Supply Chain Management. This new generation of ETRAX system-on-chip network processor was chosen by the Swedish company Bioett AB for the handheld scanner hardware of their Time-Temperature Management System. The initial part of the project was valued at 20,000 USD.

Bioett AB together with development partner Aditus Science AB decided to use ETRAX FS for the hand held scanner device, as the chip was designed to meet demands for low cost, easy implementation, and superior network performance. The ETRAX FS is Axis' seventh-generation optimized system-on-a-chip solution for putting peripherals directly on the network. The Bioett System is a new and unique way of monitoring the accumulated effect of temperature on products over time. By leveraging the network, this makes it possible for an operator to conduct live checks on the integrity of a temperature controlled supply chain from source to each critical point along the way to the end destination. A Time Temperature Biosensor (TTB) is attached to the goods and activated at the source. The biosensor registers the accumulated temperatures that the product has been exposed to; information that can be used to optimize and monitor the logistical chain. A scanner can read the biosensor via radio waves (RF) and also uniquely identify the goods using a barcode. The scanner also incorporates a software defined radio subsystem for regular RFID reading. "The feature set, low power consumption and performance were all important decision factors when choosing which embedded CPU platform to use. But the key decision factor was Axis' ability to provide the complete range of design support; hardware reference designs, a complete and stable Linux distribution as well as debugging tools", said Bernt Böhmer, Managing Director of Aditus Science AB. Olle Hydbom, Project Manager of Bioett AB added: "By using the well established Linux based development environment for the ETRAX platform that Axis itself uses for its range of IP based video surveillance equipment, we were able to develop the Bioett Scanner in a very cost efficient way; taking only 3 months from start to finish. This also included design and modeling of some fairly complex radio frequency electronics together with high speed digital signal processing. The rich feature set of ETRAX FS enables us to continuously improve and optimize the system going forward." "We are happy to release the ETRAX FS, specially noting that it has already received interest from other large vendors dealing in networking and printing solutions," said Kenneth Jonsson, Vice President of Research and Development at Axis Communications. "There is a great deal of escalating demand in the marketplace as more and more devices are connected to IP based networks." Please refer to http://www.developer.axis.com/ for detailed information on ETRAX FS.