Contactless RFID Connection: Mattel Makes Contactless RFID Connection With Innovision R&T For Innovative HyperScan Games Platform
Breakthrough in low-cost RFID reader technology enables Mattel to create a new game concept that combines modern video gaming with classic collector card play based on RFID-enabled cards
Innovision Research & Technology, a leading developer of NFC (Near Field Communication) and UHF & HF RFID solutions, is providing the contactless RFID reader and re-writable video tag technology at the heart of Mattel's new, first-of-its-kind, HyperScan™ hybrid games platform. Hyperscan is unique in combining modern video gaming with classic collector card play. Innovision R&T's technological edge in RFID technology has enabled a cost and performance breakthrough for low-cost RFID by delivering a mass market contactless card reader/writer and RFID game card tag at significantly lower cost than previously available.
Initially, the HyperScan platform appears similar to traditional CD-ROM based television game consoles. However, it features an important new interactive play element, made possible by Innovision R&T's next generation low-cost RFID reader and tag technology that now makes contactless, re-writable playing cards affordable for games and many other applications.
Players scan their collectible game cards, each containing an Innovision RFID tag, over the Innovision reader integrated within the HyperScan console and their favourite characters magically come to life on the television screen. During the game, players can pause and scan their game cards to upgrade and enhance their character with modified attributes such as extra strength, armour and special attack. When the game is over, players re-scan their cards and their new winning powers are permanently saved directly onto their Intellicard™ for use in future game play.
The collectable game cards, supplied with the HyperScan games, will be available based on a rarity scheme, meaning that players won't know what cards they are getting in their game booster packs, spawning a new trend in powered-up collector card trading.
Marc Borrett, Innovision Research & Technology's Business Development Director, said: "The reader and tag combination for Mattel's HyperScan is a development of our well-established proprietary IRT1 RFID protocol, and is the first time that this type of smart card technology has been used with a gaming console. It represents an important breakthrough in low-cost RFID technology for games and other applications by demonstrating our capability to deliver a high-quality card reader for a competitive price."
About HyperScan™
HyperScan™ is a first-of-its-kind hybrid game system featuring a breakthrough gaming platform that utilises advanced technology to bring the best collector card games and video games together into one easy-to-use, highly customisable system. Developed and manufactured by Mattel, Inc. (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com), HyperScan™ is designed for ages eight and older. For more information, visit www.HyperScanGamer.com.
About Innovision Research & Technology plc
Innovision Research & Technology plc, is a leading NFC/RFID IC Design and solutions provider. At the heart of the emerging Near Field Communication (NFC) market, designing and developing solutions for the mobile handset and consumer device sectors the company also focuses on RFID and ultra low-cost Integrated Circuit (IC) and electronic design.
Innovision R&T develops innovative technologies and technology applications for commercialisation and then licenses the technology on to its customers who incorporate it into their own products. The company's work with customers includes pre-engineering studies, building of prototypes and complete product development through to production, including full custom silicon chip design.
Innovision R&T products include Topaz, mandated by the NFC Forum as the NFC number one tag format, Jewel for mass transit ticketing applications, and "io", the world's smallest standards compatible near field RFID reader.
Headquartered in the UK, the company was established in 1994 and is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: INN).
About IRT-1
IRT-1 is a physically tiny 13.56 MHz RFID tag chip containing in excess of 100 bytes of re-writeable information. All that is needed to make a tag is the addition of an antenna in the form of either a PCB track or inlay. Wire wound coil solutions are also possible. IRT-1 contains a useful security feature allowing individual blocks of memory to be locked, presenting them from ever being altered. Data integrity is protected via the use of verification algorithms. The IRT-1 13.56 MHz reader/writer has been designed for very cost critical mass market applications where performance counts.