Impinj RAIN RFID reader chips address increasing demand for item connectivity
Impinj introduced three next-generation RAIN RFID reader chips that enable IoT device makers to meet the increasing demand for item connectivity in retail, supply chain and logistics, consumer electronics, and many other markets.
The new Impinj E710, E510, and E310 RAIN RFID reader chips are high-performance, low-power systems-on-chips (SoCs) that extend the item connectivity opportunity to hundreds of billions of things worldwide. With system integration and easy-to-use development tools, they enable the development of quick-to-market IoT devices that reliably identify, locate, and authenticate connected things.
A new benchmark for performance, integration, and ease of use
Impinj RAIN RFID products have already connected tens of billions of things worldwide, helping enterprises drive digital transformation, improve consumer experiences, increase operational efficiencies, and better manage inventory and assets. Used by millions of devices, Impinj’s previous generation of reader chips, the Indy series, set the reader chip performance benchmark for more than a decade.
The new-generation Impinj E710, E510, and E310 reader chips deliver record-setting performance, integration, and ease of use with:
- Up to 2x better receive sensitivity for reliable performance in new and existing solutions.
- Up to 80% smaller RAIN RFID system designs ideal for small, next-generation IoT devices.
- 50% lower chip power consumption, supporting battery-powered, energy-efficient devices.
- Software- and pin-compatible designs for easy performance upgrades and design reuse.
“We are thrilled to usher in a new wave of partner innovation with the release of the Impinj E710, E510, and E310 reader chips, which provide unparalleled ease of use, silicon integration, and performance,” said Impinj CEO Chris Diorio. “These new reader chips deliver groundbreaking advancements to enable ubiquitous item connectivity. They represent yet another bold step toward Impinj’s vision of a boundless IoT.”
Embedded RAIN functionality advances IoT device innovation
Available now, the Impinj E710, E510, and E310 chips enable IoT devices to reliably identify up to hundreds of items per second—including apparel, pallets, parcels, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, and electronics—at distances of a few millimeters to many meters, without line-of-sight.
The Impinj E710 provides superior performance and supports the monitoring of large item populations. The Impinj E510 is the mid-range option in price and performance and is optimized for battery-powered devices. And the lower-cost Impinj E310 delivers performance optimized for close-proximity devices. The chips embed into devices, adding RAIN functionality and enabling new solutions, including:
- Mobile devices, autonomous robots, and fixed and handheld readers for inventory and asset management, to increase speed and accuracy when counting and locating items and provide visibility that drives efficient operations and supply-chain automation.
- Point of sale devices, smart shelves and cabinets for frictionless retail, to monitor goods and deliver fast, touch-free, and intuitive automated checkout.
- Smart appliances, gaming devices, and security systems for enhanced consumer electronics that connect to everyday items and deliver ultimate service and convenience.
Michelin, a longstanding Impinj partner, plans to equip every new passenger car tire with RAIN RFID by 2023 and envisions RAIN RFID delivering advanced connectivity throughout the full tire manufacturing supply chain to improve tire management, performance, and safety.
“Michelin is convinced that the innovation, in terms of performance and affordability, in the new Impinj reader chips is a key achievement towards tire connectivity with RAIN RFID technology. Performant devices are a key factor of success to foster the tire market adoption,” said Jérôme Barrand, RFID program leader at Michelin. “In the coming years, we expect diverse types of read points to be deployed across a large range of use cases over the entire tire lifecycle. This will be a key enabler to connected mobility services for our customers.”
Dozens of new IoT devices already in development
With the new reader chips, developers can quickly design IoT devices that meet regulatory requirements in more than 85 countries. More than 20 Impinj OEM device partners worldwide, including CAEN RFID, Chainway, Convergence Systems Limited, Hopeland, JADAK (a Novanta company), MTI, RoyalRay, and SILION TECH, are already developing dozens of products based on the new Impinj reader chips.
“The new, highly integrated RAIN RFID system-on-chip and development kits used across the Impinj E710, E510, and E310 reader chips allow us to reuse design effort across multiple development projects, significantly reducing our time to market,” said Albert Yang, general manager at Chainway. “We are pleased today to introduce two new wearable devices, a handheld reader and a printer, built on these new Impinj reader chips.”