20,000 runners tagged at Melbourne Marathon

RFID Race Timing Systems

December 28, 2009 | By PSA desk based on a press release

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PowerID, an Israel based leader in battery-assisted, passive (BAP) RFID technology, announced in early November that RFID Race Timing Systems, has chosen the PowerT label for Ultra, its new state-of-the-art timing offering.
Based in Australia ,RFID Race Timing Systems created an effective timing product based on three unique components: PowerT labels, a control box, and a mat antenna. The PowerT label is fully compatible with the EPC global Class 1, Generation 2 air protocol and was designed for timing and tracking runners in sporting events.

RFID Tags on the Melbourne Marathon runners

“The PowerT is an absolute revolution in transponder design,” said Andrew Peterson,CEO of RFID Race Timing Systems. “All passive tags are severely compromised when placed very close to the human body. The beauty ofPowerT is that it can be worn on the back of the chest race number completely eliminating the need for the competitor to perform fiddly manoeuvres with an adhesive label on their shoe.”

PowerID released the PowerT in Q2 of 2009.The label has already proven its high performance at several large-scale trials worldwide, including last month’s Melbourne Marathon with over 20,000 tagged runners, and running events across Europe.

PowerT’s main advantage over existing label solutions is that it can be attached to the back of a runner’s bib, which can be mailed to the runner prior to the event. This obviates the less convenient application of disposable shoe tags and the bothersome task ofcollecting tags after an event. In addition, due to its price point and environment-friendly battery, PowerT is disposable. As for reliability, the new PowerT label provides high read ranges,easily read from antennas set up in mats or on gantries up to 9 metres away.

RFID Race Timing Systems develops proprietary RFID hardware and software for use in sports timekeeping. The private company has had headquarters in Perth (Western Australia) since its inception in 2003. Their systems have been used at many a World Championships and international class events throughout the world.