Frost & Sullivan Names iPico's DIMI Product Line as Auto-ID & RFID Product of the Year.

NAPLES, Fla. -- Frost & Sullivan will present iPico with the 2005 Automatic Identification & Radio Frequency Identification Product of the Year Award at tonight's Excellence in Industrial Technologies Banquet for its device information management and interface (DIMI) product range in the radio frequency identification (RFID) middleware space.

This product offers end-to-end solutions in the RFID system for data collection, filtering, routing, and enterprise applications, while simultaneously providing network integrity and security.

With orders from some of the biggest retailers and the U.S. Department of Defense, the RFID technology space is seeing heated activity. There has been a spate of product launches, and most devices fall under device middleware or data middleware. iPico's DIMI is primarily a device middleware product.

DIMI is iPico's data and connectivity architecture, focusing on the delivery of high-volume spotting information and application, as well as reader management within distributed systems.

Several industry issues can arise with large-scale distributed systems, which consist of remote readers that connect to an application system through a private or public network. Mass data switching between readers and the application can create security, integrity, system performance, and management issues.

In contrast, the DIMI architecture enables local decision-making by storing local information, buffering, out-of-band data resolution, and event mechanisms.

"There are two variants of this product -- DIMI-SA and DIMI-DE," says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Soumilya Banerjee. "Together, the products provide all the functionality of a typical device middleware platform, at the same time providing network visibility of the data streams and network management streams."

DIMI also ensures integrity of the network and security to information. The software component of DIMI consists of fast and friendly access module (FFAM), a new program language that helps users to rapidly and easily create generic RFID applications.

The product is capable of working in harsh conditions and finds application in areas as diverse as mines and on gantries for high-speed vehicle tracking.

Some applications that DIMI has been operational in or is in pilot include intelligent transport systems, data security, and integrity device for product authenticity, and sports time keeping. The DIMI architecture aids easy additions and adaptations, according to clients' requirements.

"With their latest release, the company has incorporated a method of using the data switching fabric for user development without reducing the integrity of the DIMI architecture," notes Banerjee. "DIMI has the potential to set industry standards, and its easy installation and user-friendly interfaces coupled with the training provided by the company are the edges over competitors."

Frost & Sullivan presents its Product of the Year Award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. The recipient company has shown innovation by launching a broad line of emerging products and technologies.

Held in Naples, Fla., Frost & Sullivan's Excellence in Industrial Technologies Awards Banquet honors world-class companies for outstanding performance and achievements in their industries. An annual event, the banquet recognizes the quality and merit of distinguished individuals and companies.

About iPico

iPico develops and manufactures UHF, 2.45GHz and Dual Frequency RFID products that excel at low cost, long read range, fast multi-read anti-collision and high thru-beam read-speeds of dynamic tag populations. iPico produces smart labels and tags based on the iP-X(TM) communication protocol. iPico's low interference iP-X(TM) readers comply with regulatory requirements in major geographical regions, and allow for multi-reader roll-out in close proximity. iPico will also produce tags and readers to comply with the new EPC and ISO 18000-6 standards. The iPico DIMI(TM) middleware platform manages applications in large scale, distributed systems, while the DIMI(TM) data and connectivity architecture allows for effective device management, data switching and data security. iPico's RFID products are used to optimize the management of items, goods, people, animals and processes within the logistic supply chain and other values chains. For more information please visit www.ipico.co.za.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit www.frost.com.