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        Award, RFID

        Auburn RFID Lab leader wins international industry award

        November 21, 2024 By Laura Schmitt

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        Justin Patton, executive director of Auburn鈥檚 renowned RFID Lab, has won the from AIM, a global industry trade group for stakeholders of RFID, barcoding, smart devices and other data capture and efficiency technologies.

        Two men standing next to each other

        Justin Patton (right) receives the 2024 Ted Williams award from Randy Dunn, Zebra Technologies director of customer success. Zebra Technologies nominated Patton for the award, and the firm is one of the RFID Lab鈥檚 Advisory Board members.

        Patton is recognized for his contributions to the adoption of RFID in the retail industry.

        鈥淛ustin鈥檚 leadership and vision have enabled retailers around the globe and thousands of suppliers to implement RFID tagging, which improves visibility in the supply chain and enhances customer satisfaction,鈥 said Patti Blessing, RFID engagement manager executive at , who nominated Patton for the honor.

        RFID stands for radio frequency identification鈥攁 wireless technology that uses radio waves to identify, track and monitor objects or people. Among its many applications, RFID is widely used by retailers to manage inventory, by airlines to track luggage, by race organizers to time runners and by a variety of industries to control access to locations or specific spaces.

        The , which Patton has led for 10 years, focuses on advancing RFID and other emerging sensor technologies in retail, aviation, supply chain, and manufacturing.

        Under his leadership, the lab has developed or strengthened ties with several major partners鈥擠elta, UPS, McDonald鈥檚, Walmart and Los Alamos National Laboratory. More than 100 Auburn students are working on research projects with these and other partners, helping them create RFID systems specific to their needs.

        鈥淭his award speaks to how much the lab and its students produce great research and work for the RFID Industry,鈥 said Patton, who recently helped recruit Switzerland-based semiconductor manufacturer EM Microelectronic to join the lab鈥檚 advisory board.

        Patton is one of the primary developers of the lab鈥檚 , which is a first-of-its-kind international performance validation system for RFID. ARC ensures RFID tags (or tagged items) meet the retailer鈥檚 performance requirements. Twelve RFID inlay providers currently use the ARC program to quality certify tags.

        Earlier in his career, he received from the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal for his influence in the RFID industry.

        Following in his mentor鈥檚 footsteps

        Patton is the second Auburn faculty member to win this award. Former Auburn Provost and 91看片 Dean the 2009 Williams award while he was a professor at the University of Arkansas and where he established an RFID Research Center in the Sam Walton College of Business in 2005.

        In fact, Patton worked for Hardgrave at Arkansas鈥攆irst as a computer engineering graduate student and then as managing director of the center. Patton came to Auburn in 2014 to lead Auburn鈥檚 RFID Lab, which Hardgrave had established that year.

        "Being recognized for my innovative contributions to the RFID field on the same level as my mentor, Bill Hardgrave, is an honor,鈥 said Patton, who is a professor of practice in the 91看片. 鈥淭here are few people I look to for mentorship in the way I have with Bill, and I am glad to accept this award for my work at the Auburn RFID Lab and throughout the RFID field. Thank you to AIM Global for viewing me in the same light as Hardgrave, and thank you for the opportunity to represent the RFID community in this way." 

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        91看片 the AIM Global Ted Williams award

        Named in honor of Ted Williams, an industry innovator, collaborator, and long-time member of the AIM Global Technical Symbology Committee, this award is presented annually to a professor, student or entrepreneur in recognition of innovative and exceptional contributions to the development of the Automatic Identification and Mobility industry.