Janam XR2 UHF RFID Reader

Bringing speed, accuracy and affordability to asset management and control in supply chain operations and beyond
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Janam, which since 2022 has been part of HID, is a New York-based rugged mobile computing vendor with worldwide distribution. Janam was initially established in 2006 as a provider of purpose-built rugged handheld computing devices for mobile workers. In March 2024, the company introduced its XR2 UHF RFID Reader, an all-in-one device designed for real-time tracking and the provision of comprehensive visibility into the location and status of assets/items throughout the entire supply chain.

With their latest new product, the XR2 UHF RFID reader, Janam therefore sets its sights on warehouse, manufacturing and logistics operations that require automation and fastest possible identification and asset tracking in challenging environments.

This type of scanning — automated identification of large numbers of items — uses an entirely different approach from traditional barcode scanning. Instead of optical technology to read printed codes, UHF RFID (Ultra High Frequency Radio-Frequency Identification employs radio waves. The scanner sends out a signal, and tags respond with their stored data. UHF RFID does not require line of sight and can scan multiple tags simultaneously at very high speed.

While both barcode and UHF RFID scanners are often integrated into handhelds, UHF RFID scanners have a unique look due to their large antenna. That large size is dictated by physics — the frequencies used by such scanners are in the 300MHz to 3GHz range, which have corresponding wavelengths of about a foot to a dozen feet, up to a million times longer than optical barcode reader wavelengths. As a result, UHF RFID scanner antennae used to receive and transmit in that range are much larger. This can make mobile UHF RFID readers bulky, heavy and awkwards to use in mobile systems.

There really is no way around the size of the antenna, which means that a good handheld UHF RFID reader requires good design, good integration of the sensor technology and, most of all, optimized ergonomics. And this is exactly what Janam had in mind. Since they are now part of global RFID technologies leader HID, which itself is part of the Assa Abloy multinational door and access control conglomerate, we're talking lots of know-how and expertise.

How did Janam do it?

How did Janam do it? There is no way around the big UHF RFID antenna, a design challenge Janam was familiar with from its earlier Pocket PC-based RFID readers for railroads and industrial uses. Janam also has a wealth of experience with a variety of commercial and industrial handhelds, all equipped with scanners, including versions with integrated or optional pistol-grips. The latter form factor has long been viewed as optimal for many scanning applications, and that is especially true for UHF RFID readers where placement of the grip can result in perfect weight balance and thus ease of use.

What sets the Janam XR2 apart from most other UHF RFID readers is its intelligent and fully integrated design. We've seen plenty of awkward looking, poorly balanced RFID readers over the years, and the XR2 is simply better. Janam describes the XR2 as an "uncompromising all-in-one UHF RFID reader" and that is true. In our testing, the XR2 felt perfectly balanced in one's hand, greatly reducing fatigue in extended use.

Uncompromising approach

But let's see what "uncompromising" means in this context. First, the XR2 does not compromise in the kind of state-of-the-art Android handheld technology and features that today's smartphone-savvy customers demand. Part of this all-in-one design is a modern handheld with a bright 5.7-inch, 720 x 1400 pixel resolution display, which makes for a very sharp 276 pixels per inch.

The device is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 662, a platform Qualcomm designed for today's smartphones and that even includes the 3rd gen Qualcomm AI engine. There's 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, augmentable via micro-SDXC card and dual Nano-SIMs. The XR2 runs Android 13 with GMS, the Google Mobile Services. That's the version that contains the popular Android apps everyone is familiar with. Full upgradeability through Android 15 is guaranteed.

Even though the actual computer part of the XR2 is remarkably slender, there's a big 33.3 watt-hour in there. That's way more battery capacity than even today's big-screen premium smartphones offer. And the battery is externally accessible and easily replaceable.

For size, the XR2 measures about 3.6 by 6.7 inches viewed from the top, which is about the footprint of a big-screen modern smartphone. The pistol-grip handle and antenna make the device about 5.6 inches tall. The complete system weighs a pound and a half.

Being an "all-in-one" here means that the XR2, in addition to its UHF RFID reader design, also includes a Honeywell N5703 barcode scan engine, which is known for its long read range and high motion tolerance. And the XR2 also has a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera with flash as well as a 13 megapixel top-facing one for video calls.

Wireless communication and absolutely reliable connectivity are imperative on most jobs today, and there the XR2 is 802.11ax ready and Bluetooth is at Version 5. The 802.11 d/e/h/i/k/r/v/w extensions refer to additional features and improvements, including handling global roaming, interference elimination, enhanced security, fast roaming, optimized network performance, power savings, client/infrastructure protection, and other. Of note: Janam itself offers JanamConnect, a multi-carrier SIM card solution that gives XR2 users access to cellular networks worldwide, including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and more than 600 other networks.

In the ruggedness and durability department, the XR2 can handle multiple four-foot drops onto concrete, environmental sealing is at the IP67 level, meaning the XR2 is completely dust-proof and can also survive brief full immersion. The device has a very wide operating temperature range from -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which means it can be used almost anywhere.

UHF RFID performance

Last, but most definitely not least, there's the XR2's UHF RFID performance. Here, the device uses RAIN RFID technology, where "RAIN" stands for "RAdio frequency IdentificatioN," indicating that there can be a link between UHF RFID and the cloud, so that RFID-based data can be stored, managed, and shared via the Internet. The XR2 uses the highly regarded Impinj E710 reader chip and can scan more than 1,000 EPC Class 1 Gen 2 tags per second and from up to 60 feet away. Also important is the XR2's integrated positioning that supports GPS, A-GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS and Galileo, which facilitates merging precise tag location information with RFID data.

-- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, December 2024