Near Field Communications set to widen RFID uptake

NFC is aimed at quickly establishing different forms of wireless communication between devices – effectively a virtual connector. Once two devices are in close vicinity, NFC should invisibly configure and initialise wireless protocols, such as Bluetooth and 802.11 (eg: Wi-Fi), allowing them to communicate at longer ranges or transfer data at higher rates. In an environment rich with wireless-enabled devices, NFC, it is said, will be the easy, indeed automatic, way to set up connections – creating ad hoc networks, and enabling even fast growth of the technologies. According to IDTechEx, the argument for NFC is that its short-range interaction – over a few centimetres – simplifies identification because there is less confusion when devices can only contact immediate neighbours. Uses will thus be legion: “Take a picture with your cellphone then touch the television with it and the picture is displayed. Use the cellphone to replace all smart cards by touching it on ticket barriers and so on.” NFC also specifically offers a link to contactless (RFID) smart cards: it is already compatible with the broadly established smart card infrastructure, with NFC devices, just like RFID itself, operating in active or passive modes. Intended to become a widely adapted RF infrastructure, NFC is already standardised by global bodies, including ISO (18092), ECMA (340) and ETSI. It operates at 13.56MHz over a distance of a few centimetres. Data rates are 106kbits/s and 21kbits/s. NFC is compatible with ISO 14443 A (Philips MIFARE) and Sony’s FeliCa smart card protocols,. However, higher transmission speeds can be achieved between dedicated NFC devices – initially up to 424kbits/s –with the potential for even higher bit rates.