Chapter 4 of RFID: Application Security and Privacy addresses every angle of the privacy and data protection issues presented by RFID in view of human rights and constitutional issues globally. This is the final segment.

Around the net in RFID includes applications from consumer-facing manufacturers

ST Microelectronics has participated in the latest E round funding of Paratek Microwave Inc, a specialist developer and supplier of electronically tunable miniaturized 3D RF devices for the wireless sector.

Legacy smart IC architectures restricted by high power usage and low data capacity limit their scalability for future government identification (ID) applications. To better serve contactless and dual-interface contact applications, the smart IC microcontroller needs a low power design and a minimum 16-bit RISC architecture.

Six of the top 10 semiconductor companies are expected to suffer revenue declines in 2008, with the broader industry hamstrung by a "disastrous" year for the memory chip segment, according to market research firm iSuppli’s preliminary rankings of the top 20 chip suppliers for the year.

On the eve of the IP’2008 conference this week in Grenoble, Tiempo AS, French startup specializing in the design of asynchronous ICs, has unveiled a 16-bit microcontroller core that is claimed to consume less than 40 uA per MIPS.

The engineering profession is under pressure to change and adapt as the forces of globalization and manufacturing outsourcing push executives to move resources around the globe and hire engineers in low-cost locations to reduce operational expenses.

Thought I would take a few minutes to send my best wishes to you and your family, and make up a "What I’m thankful for in my RFID world" list.