FLIER (Flexible Logistics Information Environment for RFID) - Alien and Unisys

Alien Technology in collaborating with Unisys Corporation are going to develop the FLIER (Flexible Logistics Information Environment for RFID), an end-to-end, vendor-neutral solutions environment for RFID configuration and demonstration. The FLIER is designed to quickly construct RFID-enabled supply chain management processes from a broad spectrum of industry-standard software and RFID hardware components, and demonstrate them across a variety of typical use scenarios for easy visualization and experimentation.

The FLIER environment encompasses an end-to-end architecture for RFID, from the enterprise edge to the ERP system. Using the web-based FLIER dashboard, a complete solution can be configured from a broad choice of interchangeable hardware devices and software packages spanning edgeware applications, warehouse management systems, ERP applications and RFID components such as readers, applicators, printers as well as RFID-enabled carts and forklifts.

Damon Bramble, RFID Solutions Center Dayton, said:

Unique in the RFID landscape, FLIER is designed to help enable organizations to flexibly mix and match enterprise software packages, RFID devices and business processes, thus greatly simplifying and accelerating RFID discovery, modeling, testing and maintenance…

…FLIER can be used to help determine exactly how RFID will work with your business processes and which mix of components is ideal in your application, while anticipating and resolving potential hurdles. The end goal is optimized solutions designs, more effective and lower risk RFID implementations, and lower total cost of ownership.

In addition, organizations can use the FLIER dashboard to select demonstrations of their potential solutions across a variety of industry-standard use case scenarios. Twenty-two scenarios are currently embedded in the FLIER environment including applications for retail compliance or defense policy adherence, retail promotions management, pharmaceutical e-Pedigree, packaging, distribution, transport, asset management and more. FLIER's underlying architecture, designed and integrated by Unisys, enables the easy addition of new scenarios as well as new software and hardware components to the FLIER environment over time.

The FLIER environment is hosted at the RFID Solutions Center Dayton. The RFID Solutions Center Dayton, a division of Alien Technology, is dedicated to driving RFID technology innovation and adoption of RFID solutions worldwide through collaboration with RFID end-users, key participants in the RFID industry, and academic institutions focused on RFID research and application. Infrastructure and equipment at the center enable technical services and applications engineering teams to simulate key stages in "real world" supply chains, and work closely with RFID customers to evaluate, design, specify, and deploy RFID systems. The center's simulated environment, which includes shipping dock doors, material handling equipment and conveyors, shipping stations, a store backroom and a retail store floor, offers a comprehensive engineering laboratory and educational RFID environment.

Source: FLIER - Flexible Logistics Information Environment for RFID Source - Alien Technology