< Previous50 UNIVERSITY NEWS AUBURNTIGERS.COM “We’re doing innovation,” said Justin Patton, executive director of Auburn’s world-renowned RFID Lab. Then he stops himself. “A better word, really, is transformation.” He makes a good point: RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) has existed for decades. Allied forces used the technol- ogy in WWII to identify whether incom- ing airplanes were friends or foes. But the lab’s student workers, alongside its facul- ty and staff, are transforming and improv- ing the ways in which tracking technology is used in industries like retail and aviation. You likely interact with RFID all the time, whether you know it or not. If you’ve been to the grocery store, tracked your pet, used an E-Z pass on a toll road or competed in a race, you’ve encountered the technology. RFID uses radio frequency waves to wirelessly transfer data and identify and track “tags” attached to objects. It’s made major waves in the retail in- dustry by streamlining inventory tracking, preventing theft and providing insight into potential trends. A store associate armed with a “reader” can track hundreds of tagged products in seconds from yards away, as well as provide data on which products are most often shoplifted. But RFID’s influence goes way be- yond retail. Farmers use RFID-equipped ear tags to keep an eye on their cattle. Airlines use it for everything from re- freshment-cart maintenance to baggage tracking. Medical professionals use it to manage medication inventories. WORKING WITH THE FORTUNE 500 The RFID Lab conducts research in four major industries with four major partners: Delta, UPS, McDonald’s and Walmart. Delta’s $6.2 million gift to Auburn in 2017 not only funded the university’s avi- ation building, it also provided research funding for the RFID Lab. Since then, student researchers have polished and refined tag capabilities that allow flight attendants to track a plane’s food and beverage inventory, and airline workers to track checked luggage. And then there’s UPS. “Everyone wants to know where their packages are,” according to Patton. “This makes that in- formation faster and more accurate.” The lab’s partnership with McDonald’s helps the restaurant chain improve their operational flow while enhancing ingre- dient traceability and visibility. The Food Safety Modernization Act requires U.S. food manufacturers to digitally track their products for recalls and food safety, and RFID is a significant enabler. The food space is new ground for the RFID team, but Pat- ton is excited about the potential for more supply chain transformation, not to mention the sus- tainability benefits the research will bring. RFID tags make in- gredients traceable, eliminating the need to oversaturate the supply chain with food products that will either rot on store shelves or get thrown away at home. In April, the lab announced a major partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico to promote RFID and to enhance collaboration in re- search, education and workforce devel- opment. Meanwhile, Switzerland-based semi- conductor manufacturer EM Microelec- tronic joined the lab’s advisory board. This relationship will open up new research opportunities, particularly in the Blue- tooth space. A NEW KIND OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE Patton, who was a student himself when the lab started at Arkansas in 2005, expects a lot from the students who work in the lab, and they’re often rewarded in the end. Graduating students are frequently hired by the lab’s corporate partners. “Education’s changing, and college won’t be the same as it has been,” he said. “I think it’s going to become more like what happens here, where we’re do- ing experiential learning, working with outside companies and helping with the hiring cycle.” As the 20th century advanced, so did RFID. By 1973, the technology was offi- cially patented by an entrepreneur who used the tags to unlock doors without keys. The rest, as they say, is history. Or at Auburn, the future.Want to know more? Find the entire story in the latest edition of Auburn Magazine. UNIVERSITY NEWS BY: COREY ANN WILLIAMS ‘17 TRACK ’EM TIGERS: AN INSIDE LOOK INTO AUBURN’S RFID LAB The mock retail store inside the RFID Lab allows students and researchers to test inventory tracking processes with RFID technology. RFID can help farmers identify livestock, monitor important data on the animals and even trace food from the farm to the fork. Working with Delta, Auburn student researchers have refined tag capabilities that allow flight attendants to track a plane’s food and beverage inventory and airline workers to track checked luggage.129 E. Glenn Ave. (Downtown) (334) 209-6390 1673 Shug Jordan Pkwy. Suite A (334) 209-1295 1684 S. College St. (334) 209-1140 Serving Auburn for over 40 years “Bertha!”52 ON THE PLAINS AUBURNTIGERS.COM Auburn senior wide receiver Rob- ert Lewis is new to the Plains but is excited to make a lasting impact in his final season of college football. Lewis transferred from Georgia State and spent the spring with the Tigers. Af- ter a successful career with the Panthers, Lewis came looking to make an imme- diate impact. He set a Georgia State single-game record with 220 receiving yards on just six catches against Char- lotte last fall; that effort included a 97- yard touchdown reception that also was a school record. Lewis earned third team All-Sun Belt recognition in 2023, along with a spot on the AD Honor Roll, and finished with 102 receptions for 1,323 yards and 14 touch- downs in his final season with the Pan- thers. With all that experience, Lewis felt that transferring to Auburn was the best move for him to make. “I really just wanted to put myself in the best position of going into the NFL because I have dreams of playing at the next level,” Lewis said. “Auburn present- ed me with a good opportunity, and I think it was just the best situation for me as far as a player and academically.” Lewis came from an athletic family and grew up playing sports. He played basketball and ran track, but football was the sport that stuck – and it became a family tradition. His oldest brother, Akeem Hunt, played football at Purdue and was a running back in the NFL with the New York Giants, Houston Texans and Kan- sas City Chiefs, while his other brother, Devonta Hunt, was a starting cornerback throughout high school. Lewis made a name for himself be- ginning at the high school level, earning Class 7A all-state recognition at Newton High School. “I first started playing football when I was 8,” Lewis said. “At first, I did not want to play. But having two older brothers play and just watching them gave me the confidence to go out there.” Now at Auburn and in his final season of collegiate football, Lewis is fully em- bracing all that being on the Plains brings. “My relationship here with the coach- es and players has been excellent,” Lew- is said. “I feel like each and every day is nothing but trending upward – just get- ting to know the players better, especial- ly in the receiver room.” Even though Lewis is still relatively new to Auburn’s gameday atmosphere, it is something that he knows he is going to miss after his time at Auburn. “It’s the fans and the traditions that we have here at Jordan-Hare Stadi- um,” Lewis said. “I’m also going to miss the team, too, and the players within the team with the bonds we are making along the way. It is going to be a fun sea- son.” When playing the sport he loves best, Lewis knows that there can be many dis- tractions, but he knows what he needs to do to succeed as a player and person and wants to pass that down to the younger players. “Stay focused with what you want to do, especially if you want to play foot- ball,” Lewis said. “Train hard but focus on the right things when you’re train- ing. Don’t just do any type of drill that doesn’t translate toward the field and translate toward the game.” An interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in business, Lewis – who is scheduled to graduate next spring – is excited for how Auburn has helped him grow through his new roles on the Plains. “This has helped me grow more in terms of a vocal leader,” he said. “I’ve really just tried to hone in on our young receivers and teach them things I know because I want everyone to get better. Any knowledge I’ve gained already play- ing in college, I want to bring that to the younger guys.” ON THE PLAINS WITH ROBERT LEWIS BY: EMMA THOMAS ‘BEST SITUATION FOR ME’ORANGE AND BLUE ©2024 BLUE MOON BREWING COMPANY, GOLDEN, CO • ALE54 2024 STADIUM MAP 2024 STADIUM MAP AUBURNTIGERS.COM (NS PASS) NORTH STADIUM LOT SOUTH DONAHUE DRIVE HEISMAN DRIVE SOUTH DONAHUE DRIVE HEISMAN DRIVE BILL & CONNIE NEVILLE LOBBY SUITE TICKET PICK-UP 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 20 0 EXIT GATE STUDENT GATE STUDENT GATE SOUTH SERVICE GATE AUBURN PLAYER GUEST STUDENT GATE BROADWAY CLUB & MEDIA CREDENTIALS TIGER WALK CLUB ENTRANCE HIGH SCHOOL COACHES 11 10 1U VISITING PLAYER GUEST & VISITING FAN TICKET PICK-UP NORTH SERVICE GATE VISITING TEAM LOCKER ROOM FOOTBALL RECRUITING OLYMPIC SPORT RECRUITING TIGER WALK CLUB 1 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 12 12 14 15 14 13 15 16 16 17 17 18 1819 19 20 20 21 46 46 45 44 44 434241 43424140 4039 39 38 38 37 37 36 35 35 34 34 33 33 32 32 31 31 30 30 2929 28 28 114 113 112 111 110 109 108 107 106 105 104 103 102 21 22 23 23 24 24 25 25 26 26 27 27 ADA SHUTTLE PICKUP ADA SHUTTLE PICKUP HRC ONLY BROADWAY CLUB ONLY TICKET OFFICE TICKET OFFICE TICKET OFFICE GAMEDAY TRANSIT & FANFEST NEVILLE ARENA TICKET OFFICE Sales & Pick-Up BROADWAY CLUB SUITESSUITES NELSON CLUB BECKWITH CLUB Entry Gate Water Station Cooling Station LEGEND Medical Bag Entry Special Access Statues Guest Services ADA Shuttle Elevator First Aid Tiger Babies Charging Station Student Section Seating bowl closed to non-students Team ShopCIVIL CONSTRUCTION, DONE RIGHT56 2024 AUBURN PARKING MAP 2024 AUBURN PARKING MAP AUBURNTIGERS.COM WOODFIELD LOT (ADA Reserved with Tailgating) SEE NEXT PAGE FOR LEGEND Auburn University is a smoke-free campus. 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