The new development enables Mazda to reduce the amount of platinum and palladium used in automotive catalysts by 70 to 90 percent. It does not result in any changes in the performance of purifying gas emissions and maintains the high durability of conventional catalysts. Single-nanotechnology is a technology that can control even smaller particles than nanotechnology.

In automotive catalysts, precious metals promote chemical reactions that purify exhaust gases on their surfaces. In conventional catalysts, the precious metals are adhered to a base material. Exposure to exhaust gas heat causes the precious metal to agglomerate into larger particles. This reduces the catalyst’s effective surface area and catalytic activity, which requires the use of a significant amount of precious metals to counter and maintain an efficient purification performance.

In order to increase the precious metal surface area, Mazda developed a new catalyst using its proprietary catalyst material structure and precious metal particles that are less than 5 nanometers (nm) in diameter. This is the first time that a catalyst material has been achieved that features single, nanosized precious metal particles embedded in fixed positions.
As a result, there is no agglomeration of the precious metal particles, and the amount of high-priced precious metals used in three-way catalytic converters - which purify gasoline-engine exhaust gases - can be reduced by 70 to 90 percent. Moreover, the new catalyst material will maintain the same level of purifying efficiency, with minimal deterioration over time even under the harshest operating conditions.

About Mazda Motor Corporation

Mazda Motor Corporation (TSE: 7261) started manufacturing tools in 1929 and soon branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. In the early 1960s, Mazda launched its first passenger car models and began developing rotary engines. Still headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan, Mazda today ranks as one of Japan’s leading automakers, and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. Overseas sales account for more than half of total turnover. Mazda has two main production sites in Japan and 19 overseas facilities. Overseas sites include joint ventures based in the United States, and in Thailand with Ford Motor Company, Mazda’s largest shareholder.

The 17 papers contained in this volume review recent advances in nanotechnology in the field of medical therapeutics. Peppas (chemical and biomedical engineering, U. of Texas at Austin), Hilt (chemical and materials engineering, U. of Kentucky), and Thomas (chemical engineering, U. of Texas at Austin) have organized the contributions into sections covering “intelligent therapeutics,” which involves responsive devices and drug delivery systems that can detect and respond to biological undesirables and/or release drugs, proteins, or therapeutic agents; therapeutic micro- and nanodevices; nanostructured therapeutic materials; and nanoparticulate systems in intelligent therapy, although there is often significant thematic overlap. Examples of specific topics addressed include nanoscale analysis of mucus-carrier interactions for improved drug absorption, polymeric gene delivery vectors, scientific and engineering approaches to biomimetic systems, nanostructured scaffolds for tissue engineering, star polymers and dendrimers in nanotechnology and drug delivery, and nanoparticulate structures in diabetes treatment. Distributed in the US by Taylor & Francis.

Storage of dairy products becomes a public affair with the use of third-party refrigerated warehouses.

Third parties get a lot of buzz these days, from independent experts who conduct quality assurance audits to consultants brought on to evaluate systems such as HACCP and regulatory compliance to those enlisted to set up integrated processing equipment.

Off-site experts are also called upon not just for the services they provide, but where they provide those services. Public refrigerated warehouses (PRWs) run by third parties, for instance, are utilized by many food and beverage suppliers, including dairy companies, for the storage of products at various points in the cold chain.
The use of PRWs by dairy companies exemplifies other organizational and operational trends across this and other related industries. For one thing, dairies have continued to consolidate, as have their customers in retail and foodservice, making decision making more integrated and the need tor efficient storage and quick point-to-point distribution more important.

On another level, dairy processors squeezed for space and labor that are looking to outsource expertise and square footage have discovered that they’ve freed up time and space tor other functions. Also, by going with a PRW, those that produce perishable products like dairy foods and beverages entrust their products’ safety and quality to others. During periods marked by concerns over energy costs, meanwhile, manufacturers look for value through shared temperature-controlled storage space.
Beyond the operational realities faced by dairy companies, the changing nature of the products produced in today’s dairy plants has also propelled processors to go outside their walls for storage. The expansion of extended-shelf-life products is one example, with inventory able to stay in the warehouse for a longer period of time than in the past. Shelf-stable dairy and dairy-based products, encompassing items like aseptic milk, and powdered ingredients also are suited for PRWs in lieu of on-site storage areas, depending on the product type and how it fits into the processor’s product line.

Although PRWs are not for all dairies and many still opt for on-site or private warehouses, there is a steady use of public facilities for refrigerated and frozen dairy products. “Dairy is a large part of our business at several of our warehouses. They [dairy operators] are great business partners,” reports Bill Daniel, spokesman for full-service, multi-temperature storage company Henningsen Cold Storage Co., Hillsboro, Ore.

Rick Kappmeier, operations vice president, Western region for the British Columbia-based VersaCold Group, which runs 73 several temperature-controlled warehouses in the United States and Canada, agrees that throughout the food industry, companies are going public. “Our sites are very busy and we have some receiving 30 to 40 truckloads a day of product. It’s not all necessarily dairy, but we do a lot of cheese and butter,” he says.

PRW providers concur that there is a confluence of factors that have led to the increased utilization of their sites. Jerome Scherer, vice president of national sales and marketing for Union City, Calif.-based United States Cold Storage Inc. (USCS), cites the changing nature of manufacturing itself and the demands of the retail and foodservice market. “Distribution today has become regional, national and even international,” he says. “Food manufacturers need to be able to forward their production to distribution centers that are located within their target market areas and by doing so, they add the value of availability to their product while positioning it for efficient order assembly and delivery.”

That changing terrain of the cold chain is also mentioned by Kappmeier, who says distribution methods impact the choice of warehousing. “It depends on how big of an area they service and on their proximity to their marker,” he says.

Not to be discounted is the increasingly competitive environment in which dairy companies products are working.

“Consolidation in nearly every segment of the frozen-food industry is creating new competitive factors, a radically different customer landscape and the need to collaborate and work closely with customers to reduce costs,” Scherer says.

Internal factors are also influencing the decision to move inventories out of a dairy company’s own location, Scherer notes. “There are faster turning inventories and the proliferation of new SKU’s,” he says. “And accuracy is more important than ever and on time delivery of orders is a must.”

Kappmeier also points to the forces pulling on dairy manufacturers that must juggle priorities for expansion and investment. “One of the main reasons would be whether or not they want to dedicate their scarce capital to growing their business or to bricks and mortar with expensive coolers,” he says.

For whatever reason they are going with PRWs, dairies have high standards when it comes to the care of their perishable products. “Dairy manufacturers - or anyone in the food chain, for that matter - are looking for consistent temperatures and safe environments and, because products may have a short shelf life, they re looking for people with the discipline to handle first-in, first-out requirements,” Kappmeier says. “They have a very disciplined approach to the supply chain.”

AXIOM-X is an omnidirectional laser reader housed in a rugged, modular enclosure that offers up to 1,120 scans per second. It also offers the largest transport coverage in its class. One simple scan head is needed for most applications, saving the cost and complexity associated with a multiple scan head solution.
“Why use multiple scanners to cover a large read area when one AXIOM-X can do it alone?” said Mike Bosha, product manager for Accu-Sort. Multiple AXIOM-X units are easily networked using a standard client/controller configuration. This eliminates the need for an additional multiplexer and makes tunnel configurations seamless. That makes the system ideal for a variety of industries, including parcel distribution, retail/wholesale distribution, airline baggage handling and tire manufacturing. AXIOM-X easily handles applications such as multi-sided arrays, high-speed parcel sortation, high-speed material handling and manufacturing.
“With AXIOM-X, there are no more ‘lost parcels,’” Bosha said. “AXIOM-X uses multiple lasers and receiving optics to ensure constant scanning and focusing over the complete depth of field, even with parcels of differing heights that are side-by-side on the transport. This ensures that there are no missed labels or miss-sorts.”

Accu-Sort has made installation faster by creating a single unit with a modular scan head and wiring base. The modular system simplifies installation and reduces repair and replacement downtime. The plug-in scan head is available in 2- or 4-laser configurations that allow users to pick the correct “horsepower” for their application. AXIOM-X also shares the same wiring base, power supply and mounting brackets with the rest of the AXIOM family to reduce costs and installation time.

To lower the total cost of ownership, Accu-Sort built the AXIOM-X without fans or filters, so there is no non-value-added maintenance time needed. A single person is able to install the smaller, lighter units.

Accu-Sort also has made setup and operation easier with its upgraded AXCESS(TM) software. AXCESS provides a familiar user interface that enables reader configuration without the need for onsite service. The software has the ability to learn match codes and offers several bar code filtering options. It provides full function trigger control for the laser, which saves laser life, and increased DRX(R) sampling frequency for higher read rates. DRX is Accu-Sort’s patented decoding technology that uses partial scans to reconstruct bar codes with 100 percent accuracy.

Operation is easier with built-in storage modules that retain parameters in both the scan head and wiring base. In the event replacement ever becomes necessary, customers can replace the scan head and the correct parameters are installed with the push of a button.

AXIOM-X offers several data transfer options, including UDP messaging, EtherNet/IP, EtherNet TCP/IP, serial and I/O standard connections. AXCESS software allows users to configure and monitor AXIOM-X readers from anywhere in the facility.

No costly additional peripherals are needed for most applications.

The AXIOM-X is an enhancement to Accu-Sort’s popular AXIOM product line. Bosha said the technology that powers Accu-Sort’s newest generation of scanners has proven itself in the field for more than two years “AXIOM-X is capable of handling the most demanding applications,” he said.

Capable of reading 1D symbologies and PDF-417, PowerScan[R] 7000BT Standard Range Imaging (SRI) handheld scanner is suited for package handling and tracking, warehouse, shipping and receiving, manufacturing shop floor, and other applications. Ergonomic industrial design exhibits shock-resistance and is sealed against water and dust ingress. Cordless bar code scanner offers read rates to 500 scans/sec and has base station with multiple interface architecture.

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EUGENE, Ore., Jan. 3 - PSC Inc., an international market leader in data-collection technology, is proud to announce the expansion of the successful PowerScan(R) industrial scanner series with the introduction of the PowerScan(R) 7000BT Standard Range Imaging (SRI) handheld scanner. This new cordless model builds upon the same reliable, industry leading technology used in the PowerScan(R) 7000 SRI scanner and the PowerScan(R) 7000 2D Imager, both announced earlier this year.

For industrial users who need a high performance, rugged and durable cordless handheld bar code scanner, the PSC PowerScan 7000BT standard range linear imaging scanner offers best-in-class performance and features. It is perfect for package handling and tracking, warehouse applications, shipping and receiving, manufacturing shop floor and other demanding applications - both indoors and out.
“With read rates of up to 500 scans per second, and industry leading standard range depth-of-field, the PowerScan 7000BT SRI scanner offers the improved snappiness, enhanced durability and extended reliability of a linear imaging scanner,” said Nick Tabet, PSC’s Vice President of Handheld Scanning. “With direct connectivity to a wide variety of devices using Bluetooth(R) wireless technology, this high performance scanner provides great application flexibility and unsurpassed value.”

Key product features include an ergonomic industrial design; industry leading shock-resistance, water and dust sealing; high performance reading of 1D symbologies and PDF-417; connectivity to a wide array of Bluetooth(R) wireless technology enabled devices; and a base station with multiple interface architecture.

About PSC Inc.

PSC Inc., a subsidiary of Datalogic S.p.A., is a global provider of automatic data-capture technology, products and services. PSC leads the market with flexible, responsive customer service and innovative equipment. PSC products and services support multiple industries throughout the supply chain/distribution channel including retail, manufacturing, transportation, logistics and warehousing sectors.

The 1,200-store Ritz Camera chain wants to let customers drop off film without having to slow down and thinks RFID-enabled contactless payments are picture perfect. With competitors including Wal-Mart moving in, this specialty retailer is stressing expertise and getting people in and out quickly.

Vice President of Information Systems Bob O’Hern (Ritz doesn’t have a CIO, but he acts in that capacity) said he likes the RFID capabilities within a contactless payment system, but doesn’t yet see its value in his supply chain.

Back-office use of RFID to track inventory “is still evolving, still several years away,” O’Hern said in an eWEEK.com interview. “We are still in a wait-and-see mode.”
But it’s a very different story with payment. The RFID functionality there is much more limited, with the wireless component acting as little more than as a translator. It wirelessly grabs payment data from a chip embedded into a credit card held six or fewer inches away. The reader then translates the data so that the chain’s traditional POS (point of sale) system is tricked into thinking it just scanned a bar code. After that, the POS transaction proceeds normally.

When the card data is seen by the reader, it still requires a clerk to take an action to charge the card, which is to prevent a charge against a RFID-enabled card that is accidentally seen by a reader. O’Hern said Ritz does not currently plan on deploying self-checkout lanes, so a clerk should always be there to prevent accidental charges.
Test trials have “gone well,” and the readers have proven “very accurate,” O’Hern said. “It’s really a nonissue from a systems standpoint. It appears the way it would if it had been swiped.”

Traditionally, contactless payment systems are used to accelerate payments by anywhere from 20 seconds to about a minute. That can make a huge difference for businesses where speed is critical—such as at a convenience store chain like 7-Eleven or a quick-service restaurant such as McDonald’s—but little difference at a clothing store or a car dealership where the actual swiping accounts for a minuscule portion of the transaction time.

Ritz customers, however, fall into two camps, and some of the larger Ritz stores even split those two camps into separate checkout lanes. The first camp is the one where customers just want to pick up new film or pick up or drop off developed pictures. The second camp purchases cameras and photographic equipment. Contactless payments are focused on the first group.

“In some of our stories, during peak seasons, the lines do get long,” O’Hern said. “Saving a few seconds on that does help.”

Like most specialty retailers today, Ritz has come under intense pressure from everyone from local family-owned camera stores to national electronics chains. Even supermarkets and the ever-present Wal-Mart are now selling and developing photos.

“We’re in a phenomenally competitive environment. Today, you can buy digital cameras anywhere,” O’Hern said. “We are a specialty retailer. We have to have the expertise, and we have to get people in and out quick.”

The major credit card companies have been aggressively pushing contactless payments as a way to differentiate themselves from each other—although, ironically, most are trying to differentiate themselves in seemingly identical ways—and to boost the size of typical purchases, which increases their fees.

American Express, for example, has been saying that average transactions are 30 percent larger with their contactless payment systems compared with cash purchases. But it is unclear how contactless payment system purchases compare with those from non-contactless credit cards, which would seem the more logical comparison.

Discover has also been working with contactless payments as well as some biometric options—fingerprint mostly—that try to achieve similarly convenient results. A finger scan is slightly more intrusive than a credit card scan, but a consumer doesn’t have to go into a pocket or purse to pull out a finger. It’s always—no pun intended—handy.

At Ritz, O’Hern has been working with American Express, Visa and MasterCard on various contactless payment trials for the last year. “To be honest, the credit card [firms] are moving in the direction of contactless payment,” he said. “We want to move with them.”

The American Express contactless payment system that Ritz is evaluating is called ExpressPay, and American Express officials are quick to point out that it adheres to ISO 14443, which is the interoperable standard that the major credit card firms have been using for contactless deployments. Beyond Ritz, ExpressPay is currently being evaluated by Fry’s (Kroger), Carl’s Jr., Blimpie Subs & Salads, Dairy Queen, Cold Stone Creamery and Schlotzsky’s Deli, an American Express statement said.

JETT eye is Two Technologies’ latest addition to its line of customizable hand-held computers. It integrates a bar-code reader with a 5 MP (4 MP processed) digital camera. The bar-code reader reads at up to 8.25 inches with excellent depth-of-field (according to the manufacturer). The digital camera features an ultra-bright LED light source and IR coated optics. The unit runs on the Windows CD .NET 5.0 operating system with an Intel XScale 624 MHz processor, 128 MB SDRAM and can store up to 8 GB of data. It is designed to support the most widely used bar-code standards, is IP65 rated against ingress of dust and moisture, and is equipped with RS-232 and USB ports. It also features built-in Bluetooth and WLAN (802.11 b) wireless technology, and a 320×240 sunlight-readable touch screen display. Two Technologies Inc., Horsham, Pa.

Socket Communications Inc.’s Cordless Hand Scanner now supports Symbian OS Series 60 and 80 smartphones from Nokia. The scanner connects to the phones using Bluetooth wireless technology, and lets users scan bar code data directly into any application on the phone. The scanner features a Class 1 Bluetooth radio and a built-in touchscreen stylus tip to facilitate one-handed use.

Multiple laser, omni directional Axiom X(TM) reads high density bar codes at rates to 1,120 scans/sec. Bar code reader provides serial, Ethernet TCP/IP, UDP, and EtherNet/IP(TM) connectivity and can be networked using client/controller configuration. Installation is facilitated by utilizing modular scan head, wiring base, and parameter storage module, and included AXCESS(TM) software enables configuration and monitoring of readers from anywhere in facility.

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PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (August 28, 2006) - AXIOM-X(TM), the most innovative and reliable bar code scanner, from Accu-Sort Systems is now available in a version that can read challenging high-density bar codes without the need for complex, time-consuming focusing steps. The decode software has also been improved to reduce the number of no reads, even in the most demanding applications.
The improved reading capacity and enhanced software allow AXIOM-X to be used in a broader range of applications and provide the highest read rates for all possible bar code densities. The improvements make AXIOM-X the most advanced omni directional laser bar code scanner available today while still providing the lowest total cost of ownership with a maintenance-free design.

AXIOM-X is a versatile, multiple laser, omni directional bar code reader providing the largest depth of field and transport coverage available in a single scanner. Its scan rate of 1120 scans/second ensures the highest possible read rates on both good and poor quality codes. Most applications require only a single scan head, saving the cost and complexity associated with a multiple scan head solution.

“The addition of the new high-density version extends the AXIOM-X product line so that we can read all possible bar codes available,” said Mike Bosha, product manager for Accu-Sort. “Now, AXIOM-X scanners can be used in any conceivable omni directional bar code reading application.”

All AXIOM-X bar code scanners provide flexible connectivity. They come standard with serial, Ethernet TCP/IP, UDP and EtherNet/IP(TM) connectivity, eliminating the need for costly converters. Scanners are easily networked together using a standard client/controller configuration. This eliminates the need for an additional multiplexer or other peripherals, significantly cutting the time required to set-up and install tunnel configurations.

AXIOM X high-density bar code scanners can be used in a variety of industries, including parcel distribution, retail/wholesale distribution, airline baggage handling and tire manufacturing. AXIOM-X easily handles applications such as multisided arrays, high-speed parcel sortation, high-speed material handling and manufacturing.

Installation is simplified through the use of a modular scan head and wiring base. This along with the parameter storage module allows for fast, simple installation and replacement. “Just replace the scan head on the wiring base, push a button on the AXIOM-X and the parameters are automatically downloaded,” Bosha said. “You are ready to read in the matter of minutes with a minimum of downtime.”

AXIOM-X bar code scanners are bundled with AXCESS(TM) software, which provides a simple way to configure and monitor AXIOM-X readers from anywhere in the facility. The AXIOM product continues to prove itself in the field by delivering the highest performance and reliability of any laser bar code scanner available. “With thousands of units already installed, the new AXIOM-X high density version is another quality Accu-Sort product ready for any application,” said Bosha.

Suited for healthcare, warehousing, manufacturing, and back-end retail environments, Model LS3008 rugged handheld scanner includes multi-line rastering scan pattern that eliminates need for exact aim and positioning, enabling users to scan one-dimensional bar codes that are damaged, small, or poorly printed. It is sealed to IP53 standards to withstand rigors of everyday use, including frequent drops to concrete and exposure to water and dust.
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y., Aug. 8 // — Symbol Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:SBL), The Enterprise Mobility Company(TM), today introduced the LS3008 rugged handheld scanner designed for high-performance and reliability in healthcare, warehousing, manufacturing and back-end retail environments. Leveraging Symbol’s innovative design knowledge and boasting a small, ergonomic form factor, the LS3008 broadens Symbol’s rugged scanner portfolio to meet the needs of customers and markets where cost and ergonomics are critical factors for customers seeking real-time data capture capabilities.

Built to withstand the rigors of everyday use, including frequent drops to concrete and exposure to water and dust, Symbol’s new LS3008 rugged scanner is sealed to IP53 standards and provides optimized productivity while reducing the need for equipment repairs, ultimately lowering the total cost of ownership. The LS3008 scanner meets the varying demands of healthcare professionals seeking a reliable bar code capture tool for bedside and patient management; retailers needing a rugged, feature-rich scanner for back-end operations; warehouse workers responsible for shipping and receiving products in an efficient manner; and associates performing light assembly within a manufacturing environment.
“Symbol’s new LS3008 bar code scanner puts a rugged and highly reliable scanner in reach of all customers regardless of size or market,” said Bob Sanders, vice president and general manager of Symbol’s advanced data capture division. “The LS3008 is an easy-to-use, lightweight bar code scanner that requires minimal training and enables users to scan objects comfortably in less than optimum conditions.”

Providing customers with real-time access to business-critical information to help improve decision-making processes and streamline operations, the new LS3008 is equipped with multi-line rastering scan pattern to eliminate the need for exact aim and positioning. This feature enables customers to quickly and accurately scan one-dimensional (1D) bar codes, including those that are damaged, small or poorly printed, without delay or the need to rescan.

The LS3008 handheld scanner reduces total-cost-of-ownership by enabling remote, network-based device management to lower IT expenses and enable customization in large, multi-scanner environments. Along with a scratch- resistant, tempered glass window for high-quality scanning, the LS3008 also offers single circuit-board construction eliminating the failure points commonly found in competing scanners.

To help customers protect their investment and maintain peak performance, Symbol Global Services offers Service from the Start Advance Exchange Support for the LS3008. This multi-year service agreement provides next-business-day delivery of a replacement device to help organizations maximize uptime and productivity. Symbol’s Service from the Start Advance Exchange Support also includes Symbol’s unique Comprehensive Coverage, which extends normal wear and tear to cover accidental damage to scan elements, exit windows and other internal and external components at no extra charge — virtually eliminating unforeseen repair expenses.

The Symbol LS3008 rugged bar code scanner has a list price of $419 and is currently available to order globally through Symbol partners.

About Symbol Technologies

Symbol Technologies, Inc., The Enterprise Mobility Company(TM), is a recognized worldwide leader in enterprise mobility, delivering products and solutions that capture, move and manage information in real time to and from the point of business activity. Symbol enterprise mobility solutions integrate advanced data capture products, radio frequency identification technology, mobile computing platforms, wireless infrastructure, mobility software and world-class services programs. Symbol enterprise mobility products and solutions are proven to increase workforce productivity, reduce operating costs, drive operational efficiencies and realize competitive advantages for the world’s leading companies.