WASHINGTON (16 March 2007) — The first IEEE International Conference on RFID (IEEE RFID 2007) will feature technical papers and panel discussions by leading RFID academic and industrial researchers from around the world.

The conference, 27-28 March at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, is being held in conjunction with RFID World, the premier RFID exhibition event. For more information and to register, see www.ieee-rfid.org.

"RFID technology has emerged significantly over the past few years," said Emily Sopensky, IEEE RFID 2007 general chair. "From the tracking of hospital pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and equipment to homeland security, supply chain, e-passports, and many other areas, we are only beginning to see the potential for RFID. As the world's leading association for high-tech professionals, the IEEE decided that the time was right to address all aspects of this technology and its diverse uses."

The technical papers for 27 March feature security issues; systems analysis; antennas design and analysis; location systems; and component design and analysis. Invited papers spotlight the latest in shared data research and educational standards. The "RFID in Health Care" luncheon panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities of RFID technology in health care and its implications on government policy.

The 28 March sessions will be: "Integrated Sensors for Diagnostics" and "System Analysis," plus "Applications in Healthcare" and "Advances in System Protocols." The "RFID in Fly-By-Wireless" luncheon panel will look at the future of RFID and aerospace vehicles. The conference will conclude with the "RFID Technology Convocation," an expedited series of short talks on current academic research.

Paul Hartmann, IEEE RFID 2007 general vice chair and vice president of engineering at RF SAW of Richardson, Texas, said RFID technology and systems draw upon diverse fields of study, including electromagnetic theory; wireless communications and networking; antenna theory and design; analog and digital VLSI design and manufacturing; embedded systems; distributed systems; database design and management; materials science; and the fields necessary to apply RFID effectively within specific applications.

"IEEE RFID is a juried conference," Hartmann said, "meaning that all submitted technical papers are reviewed by a panel of technical experts before they are accepted for presentation."

IEEE RFID 2007 Program Chair Dr. Daniel Engels, an assistant professor and director of the Radio Frequency Innovation & Technology Center at the University of Texas at Arlington, brought together a distinguished international program committee of engineers, academic researchers and scientists to review all technical papers and select the best for presentation at the conference.

"From 105 submissions by technical experts at major universities and companies from 27 countries in Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, the technical program committee selected 31 papers," Dr. Engels said. "The topics and panels at IEEE RFID 2007 span a broad spectrum from antenna design to security techniques, and from integrated sensors to system protocols."

About IEEE RFID 2007

Sponsored by IEEE-USA, the IEEE New Technology Directions Committee and IEEE Region 5, IEEE RFID 2007 is co-located with RFID WORLD 2007, the largest trade show and exhibition for the worldwide RFID industry, 26-28 March 2007 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas. With more than 370,000 members in over 160 countries, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 220,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. For more information and to register, see www.ieee-rfid.org.

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