NFC

The humble mobile phone. What started out as a communication device has quickly evolved to become a take anywhere entertainment apparatus and essential tool for work and play. So much so that many people feel panic-stricken if they accidentally leave their phone at home. Such separation anxiety could be even worse in the future with a patent filed by Apple suggesting that the company wants the iPhone to replace your house and car keys and wallet, thereby making it even more indispensable.  Read More

With around four billion mobile phones in use world wide at the end of 2008 they now outnumber credit cards in circulation by a factor of 2:1, so the proliferation of payment systems based on the ubiquitous mobile phone seems almost a certainly. We've previously reported on Near Field Communication (NFC), a new generation of mobile phones able to make contactless payments and now UK mobile phone operator Orange is partnering with businesses to offer a complete range of contactless services.  Read More

August 24, 2006 Cambridge Consultants today revealed an innovative medical device concept for managing diabetes that uses NFC, the close-proximity wireless communications standard, to integrate glucometers and insulin pumps. The prototype device, developed in conjunction with Philips, demonstrates how NFC can be exploited to simplify treatment for millions of diabetics worldwide, and could be the first of a new generation of medical devices that use close-proximity wireless communications. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diabetes is officially classified as a worldwide epidemic with the number of people with the disease to double to 366m by 2030. To tackle this growing global problem, the Cambridge Consultants concept device uses the unique characteristics of NFC to streamline treatment, by wirelessly linking a glucometer with an insulin pump. The glucometer records the blood sugar reading and then recommends a bolus dose of insulin. If the patient accepts the dose, then they simply swipe the glucometer against the insulin pump, which could be located beneath clothing, and the drug is delivered. This confirmation feature, which Cambridge Consultants dubs 'patient-in-the-loop dosing', enhances confidence and security, and allows the user to modify dosage calculations for lifestyle reasons.  Read More

April 26, 2006 Nokia, Royal Philips Electronics, Vodafone and the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV), the regional public transport authority for the Region Frankfurt Rhine-Main in Germany, have announced that following a successful ten-month field trial, Near Field Communication (NFC) technology will be deployed in a commercial environment. Nokia 3220 mobile phones with integrated NFC technology can now be used as electronic bus tickets and act as loyalty cards for discounts at local retail outlets and attractions. The 95,000 residents of Hanau can now enjoy the ease and convenience of NFC for mobile ticketing in public transportation, simply with the swipe of their compatible phones. Most people have their mobile phone with them wherever they go, so the possibility to use the phone to conduct daily transactions, such as transport ticketing and access to services, adds great value for consumers. The NFC enabled Nokia 3220 mobile phones have been tested by 160 residents for use in the public bus system in the city of Hanau. At the end of the trial, more than 90% of the trial participants considered this a positive, convenient system worth continuing.  Read More

November 02, 2004 Convenient consumer access to mobile services is on the way, simply by touching tags with the Nokia 3220 phone and Nokia Near Field Communication (NFC) shell. At the Nokia Mobility Conference in Monaco today Nokia announced the NFC shell, the latest step in the development of innovative products for mobile communications. With the Nokia NFC shell on their phone, consumers will be able to easily access a variety of services and conveniently exchange information with a simple touch gesture utilizing NFC technology - a technology that emerged from the combination of contactless identification (RFID Radio Frequency Identification) and interconnection technologies.  Read More

The mobile phone is taking society by storm. Currently, one third of all the people on the planet carry a mobile phone, just a quarter century after its introduction. In just over three years time, we’ll pass the half way mark, and we expect the world will be a very different place a decade from now as the mobile phone takes on ever more remarkable qualities and function. And with sales of mobiles heading for the one billion a year, mobile phones are heading for ubiquity. Although more and more features are packed in every year, the mobile phone is still a long way from achieving its full potential. In tomorrow’s world, things we do every day, like paying at the till, buying a ticket for the bus or entering competitions, will all go through your mobile phone…using NFC technology. NFC stands for ‘near field communication’, a short-range wireless connectivity technology that enables two peripheral devices to exchange data via radiofrequency 13.56 MHz @ 424 Kbps) – i.e. without physical contact – over short distances of up to 5m. NFC technology has been approved as an ISO, ECMA and ETSI standard.Sagem is already trialing this exciting technology in Europe and would like to keep you abreast of the possibilities. NFC is not a new technology, and certain underground rail systems have already implemented it via contactless rail passes to offer seamless walk-through travel rather than turnstiles, making the system quicker and more convenient. However, when NFC is built into mobile phones, it adds the humble wallet to the convergence mix, and at the rate we're going, our personal identities might become incomplete if we're not "carrying"  Read More