New-generation barcode scanners

May 2018 Asset Management, Access Control & Identity Management

In an effort to improve the customer user experience for its client base, Excellent ID (EXID) has added a number of new and enhanced features to its latest-generation eSkan SADL (South African Driver’s Licence) 2D barcode scanner.

Riaan van den Berg, MD of EXID, says that feedback from its customers led to the development of the new eSkan with design taking place from the bottom up to allow the technology to ease the input of information.

The developmental changes include a touchscreen that enables users to manually enter details such as drivers’ telephone numbers, destination numbers, kilometre readings, and OTP access codes. In addition, several new scripts have been added to allow for the entry of this information via the touchscreen. These scripts can be tailored to user requirements and increase ease of use for car dealerships and for asset tracking.

The new eSkan also incorporates the latest OEM barcode engine technology from Honeywell. Available with an LED-based aimer, the N6600 series integrates Adaptus 6.0 technology for 1D and 2D scanning. The scanner quickly and accurately reads barcodes and OCR fonts with motion tolerance, even for hard-to-read codes like the SADL barcode and those on mobile phone screens.

A proprietary wireless radio communications interface port has been added that allows the eSkan to seamlessly communicate with other peripherals such as boom-gate controllers. This port will in the future eliminate the need for Wi-Fi access points, which is a benefit given the fact that the signals will be able to penetrate walls and obstacles far more readily than Wi-Fi signals.

It will also allow the eSkan to communicate with a router or gateway to enable easy download of information to a PC or into the cloud. This proprietary wireless network will eliminate the difficulties encountered by Wi-Fi network installations typically caused by firewalls, operating system updates and administrative rights.

Near Field Communications (NFC) capabilities have been added to the device which allows the scanner to read international passports by extracting the information contained in the embedded smart chip found in these passports. In addition, the new eSkan can read all access control cards like ISO 14443 and Mifare supported protocols.

In addition to its traditional USB charger, the new device has a charging block that supports external AC/DC charging. Van den Berg adds that the company is also currently busy developing a standalone charging docking station and is also looking at a wireless charging option.

“Setup on the new eSkan will be far easier and provide enhanced reliability over longer distances. While the new eSkan has a number of user improvements, it is built on the rugged durability that made previous models so popular. We conducted extensive drop tests and the results were remarkable, with durability improving by 1000%,” says Van den Berg.

“Traditionally, units were dropped onto concrete from a distance of 1.2 metres. MIL-STD 810 specifications require that the drops take place three times on each corner and each side of a unit. The new eSkan was dropped from a distance of 2 metres, repeated 70 times per corner and side. After these exhaustive tests, the unit was still 100% operational. We are so confident in the new eSkan that we are guaranteeing its support for up to 10 years,” he adds.

For more information, contact EXID, +27 (0)12 548 0940, shaun@exid.co.za, www.exid.co.za





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