Impinj Inc., a provider of ultra-high frequency Gen 2 RFID technology, announced the introduction of the Indy R500 UHF reader chip.

The Indy R500 is designed for price-sensitive applications requiring short read ranges and minimal tag populations, such as access points, embedded RFID subsystems, workstations and basic hand helds. The R500 reader chip supports EPCglobal Gen 2 and ISO-18000-6C specifications, regional regulatory requirements, as well as the full 840-960 MHz band

The Indy R500 RFID reader chip shares the same software architecture with all members of the Indy reader chip product line including the Indy R1000/2000 versions, and is drop-in compatible with the Indy R2000.

Additional, key features include of the Indy R500 include:

• An integrated, voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that provides low phase noise, eases regulatory compliance, improves sensitivity and reduces reader-to-reader interference
• An IQ demodulator that supports applications like stray read reduction that require a highly stable received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and phase information
• Active, carrier cancellation that provides receiver sensitivity despite reflections and varying antenna quality

Impinj’s Indy reader chips and development are provided to enable customers to develop RFID reader products for a wide range of applications including retail, manufacturing, asset tracking and access control. A R500 Indy Development Platform – development board, reader module, reference design, software and documentation – will be available from distributors for a suggested price of $1,500 on Aug. 16.