ITRI establishes Asia's first RFID test center

The launch of Asia's first radio frequency identification (RFID) testing facilities in Taiwan is expected to reinforce the country's pivotal position within Asia-Pacific supply chains and enhance the international competitiveness of Taiwan's RFID industry, officials said.

Pacific RFID Performance Solutions was established by the Hsinchu-based Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, 工研院) to test the readability of products tagged with electronic product codes (EPC).

The facility started operations on Wednesday.

The center is one of four testing facilities -- and the only one in Asia -- to be accredited by EPCglobal Inc, the US-based non-profit organization that promotes the commercial adoption of EPC in global supply chains.

RFID is a method of automatic identification that relies on storing and remotely retrieving data using devices called RFID tags.

According to ITRI president Johnsee Lee (李鍾熙), the establishment of the testing center gives Taiwan an edge over its regional competitors.

The center will participate in enacting international standards for RFID applications to keep the nation abreast of the leading RFID services around the world, Lee said.