This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project assesses the feasibility of applying innovative data processing techniques to address the problem of detecting counterfeit and diverted products using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) labels. Phase I will focus on building a prototype that will benchmark the feasibility of applying techniques such as data stream processing, staged event driven architecture, business policy provisioning, and RFID cryptography. The proposed architecture will have the ability to continuously analyze streams of RFID data generated by billions of product items in multi-tiered, global supply chains.
The technology has immediate commercial potential in preventing illicit trade in the pharmaceutical, apparel and footwear, and automotive industries. Future potential exists in other industries like electronic parts, art, collectibles, and entertainment. Broad social impacts of this technology include protecting safety of consumers, increasing tax revenue for governments, and enhancing national security by preventing criminal and terrorist organizations from engaging in illicit trade.
