this is from investors digest:
It appears increasingly likely SAMSys Technologies (SMY-ME, $2.20,
888-894-8222, www.samsys.com), featured Feb. '99 at $0.50, 12 mo. high $8,
can win a
substantial share of the emerging wireless radio frequency tracking market,
estimated to be worth US$10 billion by 2004 (Frost & Sullivan). RFID
tracking is expected to greatly increase efficiencies in global supply
chain, baggage handling, postal and asset protection industries, to name a few.
Leading global RFID chip and tag makers are lending credibility to SMY's
claim that its patent-pending "Universal Tag Reader" will encourage the
entire industry to take off. Since April Philips Semiconductors, Texas
Instruments, Gemplus, Microchip and Inside Technologies have all allied with
SMY, each company providing its own proprietary RFID protocols for inclusion
in SMY's reader. The customer's risk of product obsolescence is being taken
out of the equation, even as the technology evolves and new suppliers enter
the market. SMY's reader can be adapted to read multiple tags, multiple
frequencies and multiple protocols. The Philips and Inside alliances also
open up the burgeoning contactless Smart Card market as a huge additional
target for SMY readers.
SMY gained a marketing partner in February, when industry giant Marconi Data
Systems (MDS), a division of Marconi plc., agreed to purchase and resell
SMY readers. The generous contract directs commissions to SMY on entire
future RFID installations including hardware, software and setup, for any
customers introduced to MDS by SMY, even if SMY products are not used.
In March SMY applied to patent its newest product, the Tag Evaluation Model
(TEM). Building materials can affect which frequencies and/or protocols work
best. Another problem-solver for the industry, the TEM allows RFID adopters
to test each location before installation, to identify the best solution.
July 18, Australian MIKOH Corp., a leader in the Specialty Security and
Asset Integrety Protection market, enlisted SMY to develop a reader for its
multi-chip, multi-supplier tags. MIKOH markets proprietary technology
incorporating a variety of chips, operating at varying frequencies and
obtained from several chip vendors. SMY and MIKOH expect to move jointly
into commercial sales this fall. Keep an eye on this alliance. The
opportunity to add wireless security to the tracking functionality of RFID
may prove a compelling incentive to mainstream end users, transforming MIKOH
and SMY into a powerful 'dynamic duo'. Expect ongoing announcements of
major new marketing partners, new protocol alliances and customer contracts.
SMY is still speculative but the probability of its becoming a major player
in the RFID industry is rapidly gaining credence.
enjoy,
danny
AI
