Presenting the new technology

NFC (near-field communication) By Alex Geller

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Development EnvironmentSoftware requirements:Droid Froyo (2.2) and higherios 4.1 and higher1ghz500mbSoon many other cellphones will adopt to this new technology and it will become an industry standard like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have become.

Sample – Demo Videos

ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys Animation Video

ASSA ABLOY Mobile Keys At Clarion Hotel Stockholm Video

Demo - Snapshots

Similar Technologies & Like Businesses

Bluetooth

Wi-Fi

Bump

Microsoft Sync for Ford

Cobra Technology

ASSA ABLOY

Apple

Microsoft

ConclusionUnlike 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.

Works Cited

http://www.nfc-forum.org/home/http://

www.engadget.com/2010/11/02/assa-abloy-trials-remote-hotel-check-ins-unlocking-your-room-wi/