IEEE International Conference on RFID 2026

Rafael Pous obtained dual M.Sc. degrees in Telecommunications Engineering and Computer Science from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain). He later earned an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His graduate studies were funded by Fulbright and Schlumberger fellowships. During this period, he conducted research on numerical methods in electromagnetics, novel antenna design, and superconductivity applied to communication circuits. He then joined the faculty at UPC, where he taught and led research groups for 16 years. His work resulted in publications on advanced numerical methods in electromagnetics, superconductor-based electro-optical modulators for optical communications, and fractal antennas. He is a co-author of the first patent on fractal antennas, a technology that gave rise to the company Fractus, whose innovations are now present in most mobile phones. During his tenure at UPC, he co-founded two companies. The first, The Information Highway Group, was a key player in the early years of the Internet, developing the software infrastructure for the world’s first online university, as well as some of the earliest online banking platforms, online marketplaces, and e-commerce sites, working with both startups and large corporations. The second company, AIDA Centre, was a pioneer in deploying the UHF RFID technology and standards developed by the Auto-ID Center (later Auto-ID Labs) in commercial applications across logistics, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare. The company led what was at the time the largest deployment of UHF RFID readers, a project for the Spanish Postal Service that was eventually adopted by the Universal Postal Union. He continued his academic career at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain), where he has been a faculty member for the past 17 years. During this time, he gradually shifted his research focus toward RFID, robotics, and the Internet of Things. Just prior to joining UPF, he co-founded Keonn Technologies, a company that develops and supplies RFID-based solutions for the retail industry, including inventory systems (handheld readers, smart shelves, robots, and overhead readers), loss prevention, payment, and customer engagement solutions. Keonn is widely regarded as a world leader in RFID solutions for retail, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios and serving customers in more than 60 countries across all continents. The company has achieved the world’s largest deployment of overhead RFID readers for perpetual inventory in terms of number of stores, customers, and geographic reach. Keonn was recently acquired by Novanta, a Nasdaq-listed company based in Boston. As a Full Professor at UPF and Director of Innovation at Keonn, Rafael Pous leads research and innovation initiatives that combine RFID with complementary technologies such as computer vision, RTLS, and AI. His work focuses on developing sensor-fusion solutions that push the limits of data accuracy and fidelity, enabling new use cases that are set to transform the retail industry.

Dr. Paul Ransom is the Acting Chief of the Strategic Planning Division in the Office of Spectrum Management, the Division and Office of Spectrum Management lead national efforts to shape the future of spectrum policy and planning. He currently chairs the Spectrum Relocation Fund Technical Panel, a congressionally mandated body that approves funding for spectrum research and engineering studies aimed at improving the effectiveness and efficiency of federal spectrum use. The panel also ensures federal spectrum transition plans support auction timelines, promote relocation or sharing of spectrum, and enable the recovery of federal investments. Dr. Ransom served as the technical lead for the 2024 National Spectrum Strategy and Implementation Plan , a landmark initiative that reflects his leadership and deep expertise in spectrum management. Since joining the division in 2020, he has played a central role in federal spectrum repurposing efforts and serves as the NTIA liaison to the National Science Foundation’s Spectrum Innovation Initiative, supporting research and innovation in advanced spectrum technologies. With over 20 years of federal service, Dr. Ransom brings a wealth of experience across defense, science, and telecommunications domains. He began his career at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, Maryland, conducting advanced research in electromagnetic materials for radar cross section (RCS) reduction and performing both field and laboratory RCS measurements. He later served as a Program Officer at the Office of Naval Research in the Sea Weapons and Warfare Department (now the Advanced Naval Platforms Department), and as Chief Technologist in NOAA’s Radio-Frequency Interference Monitoring System Project Management Office, supporting the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service. Dr. Ransom holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern University and A&M College, an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Catholic University of America.