Near Field Communication and Signage Design

Near field communication is one of the latest technologies with implications for digital signage systems and superior information and marketing control. The technology uses a radio frequency field initiator to communicate with a target device. Google is already using this technology for their new Google Wallet, which enables users to make purchases, redeem coupons, and track other financial account information with their smart phones. Other applications are expected to follow soon.

Proximity Activated
The near field communication technology avoids confusion with other users and largely protects information by requiring close proximity with the reader. Typically, the smart device must be no further than 4cm from the digital reader to interact with the digital kiosk or reader. Needless to say, however, where payment services are concerned, users will have to strictly adhere to good smart phone security policy and protect their password information, at least until digital finger printing is integrated with the technology.

Near Field Communication and Personal Profiles
Although it's not on the market yet, this near field communication technology has the ability to interact with smart phones, other smart devices, and digital sign installations. By creating a personal profile in the smart device, this near field communication would enable a digital sign to display the information most relevant to that user. This is already possible to some extent with an interactive touch screen, but the automated personal profile information would improve information displays even further. In a hotel, for example, a guest could use his or her smart phone at a digital kiosk reader and the kiosk could then display the restaurants, shopping, entertainment, etc. most likely to appeal to that user.

Means to an End
Besides providing superior customer service and information technology to clients, this new signage design may help businesses may accurately and cheaply track consumer shopping information and other behaviors. Near-field communication sign installations deployed in certain venues may even be shared by a partnership of businesses. Indeed, Google does not plan to charge a transaction fee for its Wallet-not to customers or businesses. Rather, the company plans to triage the information with its Google Offers service to further increase its ad sales.

Signage Design
The technology is already easily assimilated into digital signs and kiosks, but that doesn't mean digital signage manufacturers, retail businesses, and financial services are suddenly accepting that near field communication is the future. No doubt, they're waiting to see if Google's Wallet and other applications will take off, what glitches and security breakdowns might ensue, and to what extent customers will feel confident using the technology to complete financial transactions.

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Near Field Communication Technology: A New Evolution!

Near field communication (NFC) technology aims to bring in more flexibility and convenience in our life by making exchange of digital data, connection of electronic devices, and transactions far easier. NFC technology finds application especially in mobile phones which work by identifying NFC tags (integrated cards) in another device which is in a close range (4 to 10 cm) leading to exchange of data between the two. Near field communication technology is actually an evolution of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology for contactless payment systems.

NFC technology is also believed to be very similar to Bluetooth technology with the difference that it only requires two mobile devices in close proximity without any need to establish the pairing of two devices to work together like in the case of Bluetooth.

Applications of Near Field Communication Technology

Though near field communication technology is still undergoing various pilot tests across the world, it has some great potential in developing countless applications for the market in the near future. Some major areas of application are as follows:

*Transportation: NFC can be used for contactless payment of tickets in public transportation systems like railways, taxis, and buses. Every time a person travels, the check-in (parking fee and purchasing tickets) and check-out can be done by using their mobile phone to touch the NFC tags and the amount can be reduced from their source of payment directly.

*Contactless Payments: This involves payment done through credit cards, the information of which is identified by reading the NFC tags by the mobile devices used by a customer. This can be used for shopping, at a restaurant, or to use and share coupons with friends. This can also benefit the loyalty programs of stores and act like a digital wallet for a person.

*Healthcare: It finds wide application in the healthcare domain as well as research areas for various ailments. The NFC tags can be scanned by healthcare professionals as well as nurses taking care of patients and the data can be stored in a database. The history about the patient's visit and the medication done can easily be accessed whenever required by a doctor. This has great potential to improve the healthcare standards across the world.

*Marketing: Near field communication finds great usage by marketers for advertising their product promos to a wider audience by using NFC Smart Posters. A person can simply touch the NFC-enabled phone with a poster (which has a NFC tag) to get all the information like promos, coupons, and tickets of an event, movie, or play. This means everything related to an event can be transferred to the phone with the help of NFC posters even while a person is traveling. Smart poster is a great way of viral marketing and attracting new customers for a product or service. Smart poster is already under trials in the Asia Pacific region so that they can be widely used in the near future.

Near field communication technology is the widely gaining popularity, especially after successful trials in various parts of the world. Once the NFC-enabled mobile phones are easily available in the market, the applications that it will find will be countless.

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