CTR to Research the Use of RFID in NASA's Space Program

VILLACH, Austria /PRNewswire/ -- Carinthian Tech Research AG (CTR) performs industry-oriented research and development. The company just landed a lucrative research assignment for the NASA - Johnson Space Center.

NASA wants to test the use of RFID technology, which is capable of withstanding high temperatures, in its space program. The goal is to perform application-specific development of the currently available surface acoustic waves (SAW) system of CTR in the field of temperature sensors, based on the SAW delay circuit. CTR AG, headquartered in the Villach Technology Park (Austria), will be responsible for the development and realization of the project.

CTR has earned an international reputation for the development of SAW systems, which are used for challenging identification and measurement tasks. The passive SAW systems allow for temperature measurements and object identification (RFID). The radio frequency identification (RFID) enables contact-free automatic identification in areas where semiconductor-based systems fail.

The SAW modules can function reliably at extreme temperatures of up to 400°C and withstand jolts and vibrations.

"Once we have proven the project's feasibility, the first components can be delivered exclusively to NASA," Dr. Alfred Binder, SAW program director for CTR stated.

The contract was negotiated via AirGATE Technologies, CTR's marketing partner headquartered in Texas. AirGATE has dedicated itself to the increased deployment of RFID solutions. Since the beginning of 2006, AirGATE and CTR have been partners, and AirGate has been exclusively entrusted with marketing SAW sensors in the U.S.

About Carinthian Tech Reserach AG (CTR)
CTR was the first K plus research center in Austria and performs industry-oriented research and development in the area of optics, sensors, and microsystems technology. Industry-oriented development and implementation is the focus of its 40 highly qualified employees at the Villach Technology Park. CTR attracted worldwide attention with its first laser spark plug in miniature format. CTR was founded in 1997 and is ISO 9001/2000 certified.