Technology Center
EMMA-ID Electromagnetic Micro-Acoustic Technology
Technical Principle
EMMA (Electromagnetic Micro-Acoustic) identification is a radar-based technology: the radar transmits electromagnetic pulses and reads the ID of a micro-acoustic chip. The chip is a MEMS device fabricated on piezoelectric single-crystal (or nano piezoelectric thin-film) material; the ID is carried by Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) — a technology stack studied for decades and proven in the harshest industrial environments.
- ● Inherently wireless and passive — no power supply, no battery
- ● Piezoelectric material withstands -200℃ ~ 1100℃
- ● Lifespan over 40 years
- ● Reads through obstacles — 1.3m of soil, 0.8m of water
- ● Reader-RFID-integrated platform: ID plus temperature, pressure, positioning sensing
Six Core Advantages
1
Long Lifespan
Maintenance-free for decades — no periodic tag replacement.
2
Extreme Heat
Up to 600℃~1000℃ continuous operation, far beyond IC-RFID limits.
3
Anti-Collision by Physics
Chip-level structure prevents cross-reading by principle.
4
Strong Penetration
Reads through 1.3m soil / 0.8m water; works in mud, ice and rain.
5
Ultra-Fast Wireless
Inherently passive; fastest wireless ID reading as low as 10µs.
6
Composite Sensing
One tag: ID + temperature + strain + positioning.
Technology Comparison
| Technology | Image Recognition | Conventional IC-RFID | EMMA-ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating principle | Image segmentation + AI number reading | Insulation & scattering design keep chip below 150℃ | Piezoelectric SAW chip works at 350℃; radar reads ID via pulses |
| Max working temp. | Unlimited | 150℃ (250℃ short-term) | 350℃ |
| Read distance | 10m-20m | 5m-20m at room temp; drops sharply when hot | 5m-20m |
| Lifespan | Long (re-painting needed) | 6 months ~ 1 year | Over 5 years, maintenance-free |
| Accuracy | 70-95%; disturbed by glare & molten metal coverage | 80-95%; chips damaged at high temp, severe cross-reading | Up to 100% on rail-served ladles; >98% on truck ladles |
| Maintenance | Periodic number re-painting & lens cleaning | Replace damaged tags regularly | Maintenance-free |
R&D Milestones
From SAW research to 43 steel plants
1
1996
SJTU starts SAW research; Siemens develops SAW RFID for railways
2
2010
Austrian CTR first tests SAW on ladle ID; our team receives 3 NSFC grants
3
2018
First trial at Baosteel "one-click steelmaking"; 39 ladles by 2019
4
2021
EMMA-ID officially released; stable 2-year operation proven at Yonggang
5
2022
Covering 43 steel plants; expanding to non-ferrous and rail