HyWEAR compact – A New Hybrid Barcode & RFID Wearable Selected as Best New Product Finalist at the 13th Annual RFID Journal Awards

FEIG ELECTRONICS’ HyWEAR compact is the first wearable device to support both barcode and RFID; a unique device with no comparable, dual technology wearable available in its class today.

Duluth, GA — March 19th, 2019 — FEIG ELECTRONICS, a leading global supplier of RFID and barcode readers and antennas, introduces its new HyWEAR compact, the new hybrid Barcode & RFID Wearable, which makes logistical processes more efficient and frees both hands of the employee to perform work. 

The HyWEAR compact is the first wearable device of its kind, supporting both barcode and RFID; the only dual technology, wearable in its class. While there are wearable barcode readers and wearable RFID readers available, there is currently no hybrid wearable device that combines both optical and radio data collection technologies into a single, wearable product that fits onto the back of the hand.

“In testing, the HyWEAR compact has shown a three second per bag improvement in loading and unloading planes”, said Manuel Haertlé, Senior Product Manager for FEIG ELECTRONICS.  “Consider the Phoenix airport, the RFID LIVE! show’s host city has 1200 arrivals and departures each day.  Three seconds per bag means a potential savings of over 40,000 man-hours in a year. Atlanta, the largest airport in the U.S., has over 880,000 flights annually which could potentially save nearly 90,000 man-hours in the time it takes to load and unload baggage. These savings translate to greater airport operational efficiency as plane turnaround amounts to accommodating an additional arrival or departure flight using the same terminal and equipment infrastructure.”

The mobile device is a hybrid barcode and RFID wearable that makes the manual materials handling processes including data collection, more efficient. This small, yet powerful, electronic reads 1D an 2D barcodes, RAIN RFID transponders, or both barcode and RFID. It is attached to a comfortable fingerless glove leaving the user’s fingers and arms free to move.

This lightweight device ergonomically and comfortably rests on the back of the hand providing unrestricted freedom of movement for a stock person, parcel deliverer, or baggage handler to perform tasks, significantly increasing productivity.  Compared to the conventional process of picking up a separate mobile data collection device (RFID or barcode), scanning an item, and resetting, the process is now reduced to just one step.

Additional features include WLAN roaming which allows the HyWEAR compact to automatically switch from one radio cell to the next without interruption. The device transparently connects to the new WLAN access node as it moves within range of stronger nodes, seamlessly integrating into existing process chains.

The HyWEAR compact has a high capacity, long-life, rechargeable battery that can power the device for the duration of a working shift. Should the battery require replacement during a work period, it can easily be replaced with another fully charged battery.

This innovative reader is an ideal tool for use in warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, baggage handling, parcel delivery, and logistics operations where workers physically handle items such as picking, packing, delivering, or moving goods in the performance of their job while also collecting data. As a wearable device, the worker’s hands are completely unencumbered to pick up and move items.

The HyWEAR compact was selected as one of ten finalists at the 13^th Annual RFID Journal Awards. Come to RFID Live! booth #629 to learn about this and other innovative solutions, and register in our hourly drawing to win a camera equipped micro-drone.

You can also see the HyWEAR compact at PROMAT, booth #S4579.