During the opening ceremonies of the annual Hannover Fair in Germany in late April, Hannover Messe, the organizer of that large trade show, bestowed the 2006 Hermes Award on Harting Mitronics AG, Biel, Switzerland. The award, which includes a trophy and a 100,000 check (said to be the largest prize in engineering), recognizes successful deployment of pioneering technology. The Swiss company won for a new RFID transponder that boasts a range of more than five meters and that thanks to its three-dimensional antenna can be used in the direct vicinity of metals and liquids. The transponder reportedly is inexpensive with a rugged design that suits it for tough industrial settings.
