1. Presenting the new technology
NFC (near-field communication)
By Alex Geller
2. Purpose and Objectives
There is a new and exciting technology for cell phones that will
impact businesses and consumers in the coming years. This
technology can be thought of as using your cell phone as a
wallet. The technology is called NFC (near-field
communication). This electronic communication protocol is used
between your cell phone and a special credit/debit card
terminal. All you have to do to purchase something is swipe
your cell phone close to the terminal. The terminal picks up the
signal and away you go.
3. Technology – Brief Introduction
This technology is similar to some credit/debit cards already. These cards do
not need to be "swiped"; all they need to do is be in close proximity to the
transaction terminal. What this cell phone technology allows you to do is not
even have a card at all.
I know I like to carry around as few things in my pockets as humanly possible
and this NFC technology would be great for me.
4. Special Features
Cell phone companies, businesses, and MasterCard and Visa have come
together to aggressively fast-track this technology. The GSM Association
recently "called for mainstream cell phones to sport near-field communication
technology by mid-2009
There are safety concerns with any kind of new technology that involves
people's bank accounts and credit cards. But this is no different from carrying
around a wallet full of credit/debit cards and cash. With a safe password
identification system at the terminal, I think this technology would make
these transactions even safer than the traditional credit/debit card.
5. Comparison with like technologies
NFC is based on pre-existing
contactless payment and ticketing
standards that are used on a daily
basis by millions of people using
their devices worldwide. These
standards determine not only the
"contactless" operating
environment, such as the physical
requirements of the antennas, but
also the format of the data to be
transferred and the data rates for
that transfer.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both
wireless networking standards that
provide connectivity via radio
waves. The main difference:
Bluetooth's primary use is to
replace cables, while Wi-Fi is
largely used to provide wireless,
high-speed access to the Internet
or a local area network. With these
two technologies closely
integrated we will see the next
revolution in cellphone technology
toward NFC Technologies.
6. Execution Environment
How to Use It:
Just think of it, no more caring unnecessary cards around in your wallet.
With my technology you no longer have to carry around multiple swipe cards
where it can all be done with an NFC-equipped mobile phone. Provided your
smartphone can do the near-field communications dance, all your
information can be remotely downloaded, stored, and wiped (if need be).
This new technology will be available in the near future world wide, however,
it will be growing through many other developments that are similar in a way.
7. Development Environment
Software requirements:
Droid Froyo (2.2) and higher
ios 4.1 and higher
1ghz
500mb
Soon many other cellphones will adopt to this new technology and it will
become an industry standard like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have become.
8. Sample – Demo Videos
A S S A A B L O Y M o b i l e K e y s A n i m a t i o n V i d e o
ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys At Clarion Hotel Stockholm Video
10. Similar Technologies & Like
Businesses
Bluetooth
Wi-Fi
Bump
Microsoft Sync for Ford
Cobra Technology
ASSA ABLOY
Apple
Microsoft
11. Conclusion
Unlike many other wireless technologies, NFC has a short
range of about 1.5 inches. This makes it a good choice for
secure transactions, such as contactless credit card payments.
MasterCard and Visa are both members of the NFC Forum, and
both companies have been involved in pilot programs that use
NFC-enabled phones as a flash payment option. Phones could
“tap and go” using infrastructure already in place for credit card
systems such as MasterCard’s PayPass program or Visa’s
payWave.
