Some applications that utilizes NFC are wireless or contactless transactions, data exchange, and wi-fi. Contactless payments are usually transactions that involve payment through the smartphone (usually called "smart wallets"). Near field communication (NFC) technology also lets smartphones and other enabled devices communicate with other devices that are not powered through a NFC tag. This is similar in nature to QR codes that smart phones are able to use and read.
Wireless power for the price of a penny
The newspaper-style printing of electronic equipment has led to a cost-effective device that could change the way we interact with everyday objects.
For a price of just one penny per unit the device, known as a rectenna, which is presented today, Friday 10 August, in IOP Publishing's journal Nanotechnology, can be placed onto objects such as price tags, logos and signage so that we can read product information on our smartphones with one simple swipe.
This type of technology, which is known as near-field communication (NFC), has already been implemented to allow fast money transactions; however, this new device could lead the way to large-scale adoption at a low cost.
The rectenna, created by researchers from Sunchon National University and Paru Printed Electronics Research Institute, could be implemented onto everyday objects so that they can harness the power given off by the smartphone's radio waves and send information back to it via printed digital circuits.
