A system includes a robotic device, a tool rack, a network access point, a message router, and a first tool. The tool rack includes a tool holster that provides for removable coupling of tools to the tool rack and a wireless tag that indicates a wireless network identifier of the tool rack. The network access point generates a wireless network based on the wireless network identifier. The message router communicatively connects, by way of the wireless network, the robotic device to the tools. The first tool is operable by a manipulator of the robotic device and includes an adapter configured to removably couple to the tool holster, a wireless tag reader that scans the wireless tag when the first tool is coupled to the tool holster, and a processor that connects to the wireless network and communicates with the robotic device by way of the message router.

Apparatuses, methods and systems for unlocking a tracking apparatus that is affixed to an asset are disclosed herein. In one example, a method of unlocking a tracking apparatus that is affixed to an asset is provided. The tracking apparatus may comprise an electronic tag electronically coupled to a securing component comprising an actuating element. The method may comprise: receiving asset information associated with the tracking apparatus; generating and storing a secure machine-readable code in conjunction with the asset information; in response to receiving a request to unlock the tracking apparatus, determining whether a received input corresponds with the stored secure machine-readable code; and providing an indication to cause an electronic reader in electronic communication with the tracking apparatus to trigger deactivating the actuating element.

Wireless sensing units, methods, systems, and processor-readable media for obtaining pressure data relating to one or more pressure locations of a surface area are described. A wireless sensing system includes a pressure monitoring device communicating with modular wireless smart floor tiles using RFID, either using an RFID reader or wireless network interface (e.g., 802.11). The tiles incorporate passive or active RFID tags. The tiles can be powered wirelessly, e.g. by a built-in piezoelectric power unit or by a wireless power source using magnetic resonance. A data capture circuit in each tile collects and saves the data for transmission to the floor pressure monitoring device. Various software applications can be enabled by the smart floor system, including fall detection and prediction, gesture input, intrusion detection, and user location tracking for smart home automation.

A medical implant identification system is disclosed. The implant identification system may include a probe reader extending from a proximal end to a distal end and the distal end may include a faraday cage. The probe reader may be in communication with an operating room computer and/or a display. The implant identification system may include at least one digital set screw comprising an antenna disposed in an antenna portion of the digital set screw. In various embodiments, the faraday cage may have a size and shape corresponding to a size and shape of the antenna portion of the digital set screw. Additionally, the antenna may be configured to transmit identity information to the probe reader, and the identify information may be displayed by the display and/or stored in a data store of the operating room computer.

The present invention is an RFID-enabled electrical connector with connector position assurance (“CPA”) features, comprised of an electrical connector having a plug, a socket, and a CPA feature; a strategically located electrically conductive material, such as a conductive polymer or metalized plastic; and an RFID tag. The present invention can be fabricated using a standard RFID tag, or a mini-RFID tag that has no antenna. The lack of antenna gives the mini-RFID tag an effective transmission distance of less than 25 mm. In the illustrated embodiments, until the CPA feature has been fully deployed, the RFID tag or mini-RFID tag cannot be read because of the strategic placement of the electrically conductive material. The RFID tag can only be properly read after the CPA feature has been fully deployed.

An apparatus that includes a partial power source including a first material and a second material, the partial power source configured to generate, upon contact with a conducting medium, a potential difference between the first material and the second material to provide power to a control device, and generate, using the first material and the second material, a current flow within the conducting medium, the current flow including information encoded based on a variable conductance between the first material and the second material.

An article management system includes one or more first antennas provided on a side of a first prescribed region and one or more second antennas provided on a side of a second prescribed region such that the first antennas and the second antennas have respective reading target areas which at least partially do not overlap with each other; a reader/writer configured to read article information stored in an RFID tag attached to an article by using the first antennas and the second antennas, respectively; and a management device configured to manage the article information read by the reader/writer from the RFID tag.

A method of reading a tag located on an object, wherein the tag includes tag values associated with the object, where the method includes obtaining a first sensor output, by reading the tag using a tag reader, the first sensor output being at least one of an erroneous and incomplete representation of the tag values of the tag and includes deriving at least one tag value from the first sensor output using a model, where the model is based on a first set of sensor outputs generated by the tag reader by reading a plurality of tags and tag values associated with the plurality of tags, and where the first set of sensor outputs includes a plurality of sensor outputs, where each sensor output includes at least one of an erroneous and incomplete representation of at least one tag value of the corresponding tag.

The present disclosure relates to a dispenser system comprising a dispenser and a replaceable liquid container, wherein said liquid container has a unique identity and is provided with a transponder unit with stored identification data representing said identity; wherein a transponder reader unit for cooperating with said transponder unit is located within the dispenser and wherein the transponder reader unit is configured for communicating with an external computer unit; and wherein the dispenser system is configured for detecting the usage of said liquid container so as to indicate whether said liquid container needs to be replaced. Furthermore, the dispenser system comprises an insert module which is removably arranged in said dispenser and which is configured for accommodating a liquid container.

In an embodiment, a method for commissioning a sensor via a communication unit includes scanning, by the communication unit, a sensor-identifying feature of the sensor to provide sensor-identifying data and sending, by the communication unit to a system controller, the sensor-identifying data. The method further includes receiving, by the communication unit from the system controller, one or more contextual prompts regarding a sensed object to which the sensor is operatively connected and, in response to the contextual prompts, sending, by the communication unit to the system controller, sensed object information. Thereafter, the method further comprises receiving, by the communication unit from the system controller, confirmation of commissioning of the sensor. A corresponding method in the system controller, as well as corresponding apparatus, are also described.