| [May 17, 2006] |
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Patient Safety Increasingly Reliant on RFID; Patient Safety One of Many Applications RFID-enabled by SkyeTek's Advanced Universal Reader Architecture (AURA(TM))
WESTMINSTER, Colo. --(Business Wire)-- May 17, 2006 -- SkyeTek, the leading provider of embedded RFID reader technology and developer of ReaderWare(TM), today announced that more than 30 customers are using its technology in vital patient safety applications. By embedding SkyeTek's reader technology as a feature in their products, these companies are improving diagnosis reliability and point of care in areas such as laboratory analysis, mammograms, blood transfusions, medication delivery, prostate treatment, and LASIK eye surgery.
TioMed has integrated both SkyeTek RFID reader technology and 802.11 (WiFi) network connectivity into their BASICHemo handset in order to automate type matching prior to a blood transfusion. Once the handset matches the blood type on the patient's RFID-tagged wristband with the type on the blood unit's RFID tag, it allows the transfusion to proceed. Throughout the procedure, the handset sends data via its 802.11 wireless network connection to a central database that keeps a record of events and results for each patient. BASICHemo was designed to automate blood transfusions which number over 50 million per year worldwide.
"We launched our BASICHemo system in April and since then, have experienced very strong demand - hospitals see that they can save patient lives and increase medical staff productivity by using this automated solution," says Marco Rossi, Director of Engineering for TioMed. "The use of RFID as the enabling technology would not have been possible if not for SkyeTek's unique architecture that provides fully functional RFID reader technology at a price point and form factor required for embedded applications."
Unlike today's monolithic supply chain-oriented reader architectures, SkyeTek has designed AURA to serve as the universal reader architecture for embedded RFID applications such as patient safety. Available to customers as complete reader modules or ReaderWare licenses, AURA provides highly intelligent reader software and small, low-cost, power-efficient reader modules. When licensing ReaderWare, customers also gain access to ReaderDNA reference designs which allow them to manufacture their own modules at a savings of 40 - 75% versus typical reader modules.
Another patient safety customer, Medica uses SkyeTek's RFID technology to improve the reliability of test results coming from its EasyLyte analyzers, which test for electrolytes in blood, serum, plasma, and urine samples. Using the proper reagent system with the electrolyte analyzer is critical to obtaining accurate test results. By checking calibration values, expiration dates, usage dates and other parameters encoded in the reagent's RFID tag, the SkyeTek reader module, embedded in Medica's analyzer, ensures that the correct reagent is being used.
"Within six months of contacting SkyeTek, our EasyLyte Analyzers were on the market with the capability of ensuring the integrity of Medica's reagents," says Robert Hagopian, CEO of Medica. "Market acceptance has been so encouraging, we are moving towards retrofitting existing electrolyte analyzers in the field to incorporate SkyeTek's reference design and ReaderWare software. SkyeTek's architecture and business model are an ideal fit for in vitro diagnostic device manufacturers such as Medica."
To learn more about SkyeTek, AURA, ReaderWare, ReaderDNA, or any of its SkyeModules, visit www.skyetek.com, send an email to sales@skyetek.com, call 720-565-0441.
Photos available upon request.
About SkyeTek, Inc.
SkyeTek, Inc., maker of ReaderWare, develops reader technology that enables the pervasive adoption of RFID as an embedded feature in everyday products. Customers use SkyeTek's technology to create new applications for their existing product lines in areas such as patient safety, consumables authentication, patron management, point-of-sale payment, configuration management, and mobile data collection. SkyeTek specifically designed AURA to serve as the universal reader architecture for embedded RFID applications. AURA's common architecture disaggregates the RFID reader into a ReaderWare software layer, optimized for easy integration with business logic and application functionality, and ReaderDNA hardware reference designs, crafted to exploit Moore's Law for gains in cost, space, and power efficiency. SkyeTek offers its AURA-based products as either a SkyeModule or ReaderWare license, which comes with access to ReaderDNA. Customers using SkyeTek represent numerous vertical markets and range from mid-market companies to Fortune 500 corporations. Based in Westminster, Colo., SkyeTek sells exclusively through OEMs, systems integrators, and distributors. For more information about SkyeTek, visit www.skyetek.com or call 720-565-0441.
ReaderWare, Data Defined Reader and Tagnostic are trademarks of SkyeTek Inc. in the United States and /or other countries. All rights reserved.
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