Radio-frequency identification devices and software company Impinj Inc. today announced an upgrade of its R700 RAIN RFID reader with a more powerful processor and expanded memory to help enterprises build autonomous item-tracking solutions that operate without human intervention.

The upgraded R700, which builds on a reader originally introduced in 2020 and now deployed across thousands of enterprise sites globally, features a dual-core 1-gigahertz 64-bit ARM A53 processor running a 64-bit Linux 6.6 operating system.

The new hardware delivers twice the processing performance and three times the embedded application memory of the previous model. The upgrade also offers additional compute that is aimed at autonomous reading use cases, where traditional single-read RFID systems frequently fall short.

According to Impinj, high-speed package sortation on conveyors, item-level shipment verification at dock doors and always-on retail inventory systems all require multiple tag reads across multiple antennas, often fused with additional sensor data. Processing that workload on the reader itself, rather than sending raw data upstream to be analyzed, reduces network bandwidth consumption and improves response latency.

The updated reader also extends Impinj’s Gen2X capability set.

Gen2X Tag Read Range delivers more power to tags to extend read distances and Gen2X Tag Selection allows the reader to specify which tags should respond during an inventory sweep and which should stay quiet, reducing unwanted reads in dense environments. An additional FPGA-based modem means that future Gen2X innovations can be added via software update rather than hardware replacement.

On the developer side, a single R700 firmware version now covers all R700 hardware variants and an updated R700 Embedded Toolkit lets developers write one application that runs across the entire R700 product line.

Matt Smith, senior director of engineering at Smart Label Solutions LLC, said that his company is already deploying the new hardware in its D-Series dock-door solution.

“These enhancements improve read-zone control and enable real-time item-level insights,” said Smith “Our SLS D-Series dock-door solution uses Impinj R700-series readers to deliver highly accurate reads and fast event alarming, helping our customers ensure accurate deliveries and shipments, lower shipping expenses and improve ROI.”

Image: Impinj