Nolan Mattox
WRIT-340
The Mobile Age Enhanced: How Near Field Communication
Could Change Our Lives
Abstract
Radio transmission technologies have always been an integral part in mobile
device communication and identification. Radio Frequency Identification was a
technology patented in the early 1970’s, used to identify things by means of picking up
radio transmission. Though this technology was never fully integrated into smart devices,
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a similar technology that has potential to be more
compatible with the mobile world. NFC is a communication standard for mobile devices
that establishes a connection between devices in close proximity, usually no more than 10
cm apart. NFC has proven to have useful and potentially groundbreaking applications in
home security, personal authentication, marketing and personal payments (to name a
few). Though NFC is not yet widely adopted, it certainly has some very intriguing
applications.
The Power of Mobile
Mobile devices have undoubtedly become a prevalent part of everyday life. Since
consumer smartphones first hit the market in the 1990s, they have increasingly become a
central part of modern society [1]. As
new features are continually added to
mobile devices, the more popular
these devices become. People are
driven toward convenience, and it
certainly doesn’t get more convenient
than having your phone, email,
calendar, web browser, music, TV
shows, videos, photos, still camera,
video camera, alarm clock, games,
Figure 1: Smart Devices
http://www.asentinel.com/images/smart-devices.jpg
maps and books (to name a few) on a two by five inch, easy to use touch screen display.
Why buy an alarm clock, GPS system, digital camera, or GameBoy when you could buy
a smartphone? Mobile smart devices are arguably the most disruptive technologies in
recent history because of how many older technologies they have replace. A big reason
for this is their wireless communication abilities, and unbeknownst to most,
enhancements on preexisting radio transmission technologies could be the mobile world’s
next big breakthrough. A relatively new technology called Near Field Communication (or
NFC) is one such technology. NFC allows two-way communication between mobile
devices in close range. This new standard of communication comes with many possible
applications, which could potentially enable smart devices to take the next step in
dominating everyday life.
Evolving Technologies
Radio communication dates all the way back to the late 19th century, and the
underlying concepts of those early radios still exist in every mobile device you use today.
Though NFC is a relatively new technology, the basis for it goes back to World War II.
The Germans, Japanese, Americans, and British were all using radar, a technology
discovered by Sir Robert Alexander in 1935 [2]. However, the problem with radar was
that it was impossible to identify which plane belonged to which country. A quick and
straightforward solution to this was discovered by the Germans: when ally planes came in
to land at their base, they would roll slightly, which changed the radio signal of the plane
being detected by the radar [2]. The Germans used this to properly identify nearing ally
and enemy planes. This was a very early form of what would come to be known as Radio
Frequency Identification (or RFID). At its essence, RFID is the simple concept of
identifying objects based on the radio frequency they emit; in the Germans’ case,
different planes reflected different radio frequencies and thus were able to be identified.
Soon after the Germans developed this protocol, the British came up with a slightly
altered version, where planes would actively broadcast back their own “I’m a not an
enemy” radio signal when pinged by radar [2]. This became known as an “active”
protocol, where objects actively emit identifiable radio frequencies, as opposed to the
German’s “passive” version that relied on reflected radio signals.
RFID was officially patented in January 23, 1973 by Mario W. Cardullo who
developed one of the first active RFID tags – a tag that could be identified by an RFID
reader based on the tag’s radio emission. That same year, a patent for a passive RFID
transponder used for a keyless lock system was given to Charles Watson [2]. From there,
RFID took on a myriad of different applications, all pertaining to the idea of wireless
device identification. One example of commercialized wireless identification came in the
mid-1980s in the form of wireless automobile toll payments, now known in California as
“FasTrack” [2]. The agriculture industry also used RFID to identify cows, and ensure
they received the correct
medication/hormone dosages if they
became ill [2].
It’s obvious that RFID has some
very useful applications, but it never fully
integrated into the mobile scene. Whether
it’s cost or physical engineering, the vast
majority of mobile devices do not, and
most likely will not, contain RFID readers
or RFID tags. In 2004, the Near Field
Figure 2: NFC Forum Logo
http://www.devifi.com/assets/technology/nfc_fo
rum_RGB.jpg
Communication (NFC) Forum (see Figure
2) was created in an attempt to bring existing mobile RFID standards together to create a
new short-range communication standard that could be widely adapted into the mobile
world [3].
What is Near Field Communication?
Near Field Communication is a communication standard for mobile devices
(primarily smartphones) that establishes a connection between devices in close proximity,
usually no more than 10 cm apart. Much like RFID, NFC devices are equipped with tags
and readers, which are able to transmit and read radio frequencies in close proximity.
However, one problem with RFID is it isn’t very standardized. RFID includes many
standards that operate on low frequencies (LF), high frequencies (HF) or ultra high
frequencies (UHF) [3]. Within each frequency level exists many sub-standards for
frequency communication. These frequency standards are unable to communicate with
one another, which is a problem NFC tries to address. NFC operates on the RFID high
frequency band at 13.56 MHz [3] and includes three different identification card
standards, which define how devices are identified in NFC. These three different
standards also define how data should be transmitted (think of these kind of as
“languages” used for mobiles devices to talk through NFC, while always operating on
13.56 MHz). This makes NFC far more standardized than RFID, which is one of the
overarching goals for smart device communications.
Though NFC lies on a more standardized frequency than its predecessor RFID, it
offers greater flexibility in how it
communicates. NFC not only allows
communication between an active reader and
a passive tag, but it also allows
communication between two active readers
(see Figure 3). This enables a smartphone
equipped with an NFC reader to read a tag
while concurrently receiving and transmitting
data with another NFC equipped device [3].
NFC tags (passive physical devices in charge
of receiving data) often contain read/write
memory very similar to the kind of memory
on your computer, but on a much smaller
Figure 3: NFC Device Communication
http://compixels.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/09/Nexus-S-Android-NFCShare-Transfer.png
scale. This allows the mobile device to read or write directly to its local NFC tag, which
makes data transmission more reliable [3].
After a reader picks up data, it needs a way to send it to the device. NFC uses
NFC Data Exchange Format (NDEF) to do this. NDEF contains “records”, which each
contain length and type information describing what the wireless message wants to do [3]
(see Figure 4). The “type” field in NDEF varies, but the most common type is text, which
basically tells the receiving device that the message will be in plain text. Two other types
include the unique resource identifier type, which enables URLs to be encoded into a
record, and the generic control type, which encapsulates an instruction to the device (i.e.
start an application or save some data) into its record [3]. The type that makes NFC and
its communication protocol so flexible is the smart poster type. This type allows for
embedding many NDEF records into a single type. This means messages sent over NFC
could potentially be complex and detailed, allowing devices to perform more
sophisticated communication with one another. Unlike RFID, where the goal is picking
up identification data, NFC can send bundles of information and instructions. For
example, the smart poster type could bundle the generic control type and the text type
with the unique resource identifier type yielding a complex message with instructions,
data and links to web resources and thus much more sophisticated communication
between NFC enabled devices. This is a big reason why the marriage between NFC and
the ever-evolving mobile world is exciting.
Figure 4: NFC NDEF Message Processing
http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/wireless/nfc/nfc-ndef-message-structure-01.gif
http://d1uujlfbxrsq5c.cloudfront.net/assets/tap_hardware_1-f49c89119f0902701942c4cfc833747d.jpg
http://androinica.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/nexus-s.png
Everything You Need... On Your Phone
Smartphones and other smart devices more or less rule modern society. If society
were a science fiction movie, the ability for these mobile devices to intelligently
communicate would naturally be the next step in the technological progression.
Currently, this is where we stand in our science fiction movie. NFC becoming a standard
part of mobile devices could yield some groundbreaking applications, which are just now
beginning to get press.
Just about every industry could potentially incorporate NFC. One obvious
application, which was widely used with RFID, is authentication. If NFC were to become
the standard, anyone could authorize him or herself simply and quickly with their
smartphone. This has massive implications in the security industry. Leading the charge in
this sector is the key and lock company Yale. In September of 2011, Yale released the
first NFC based home security and locking system called Real Living Locks [4]. The
Clarion Hotel in Stockholm also launched a pilot project where registered hotel guests
were sent a digital NFC key to their phone, which would allow them to gain keyless
access to their room without visiting the front desk [4]. Universities such as the Arizona
State University have also experimented with using mobile devices as access keys, food
cards, and library cards. Around 80 percent of the students who participated in the
Arizona State University NFC project said they’d prefer use their NFC equipped
smartphone over the traditional student ID card [4] [5].
NFC also has applications in the mobile marketing realm, acting much like a
substitute to the already widely used QR codes. You’ve probably seen QR codes around
even if you don’t know what they are; QR (or
quick response) codes are small, square, barcodelike codes (see Figure 5) that can be read by a
mobile device’s camera. Software downloaded
onto the mobile device can then interpret the code,
which may contain a URL, simple text, contact
information or a link to a mobile app (to name a
few) [4] [6]. However, there are some differences
between NFC and QR. First off, QR requires the
user to take a picture with their mobile camera of
the QR code, which must be clear for the code to
work. Lighting issues or mobile camera issues
become problematic very quickly. QR codes also
require QR reader software to be installed,
Figure 5: QR Code on a Pepsi Bottle
http://www.devifi.com/assets/technology/nfc_fo
rum_RGB.jpg
whereas NFC comes integrated into the phone’s hardware. The appearance of QR codes
is also a problem; where do you draw a QR code to assure it blends in? With NFC you
can embed the tag directly into an object rather than drawing an ugly barcode. The most
important reason NFC could be more promising than QR though is that more complex
data can be sent to and from NFC devices. Exchanging data with QR codes is extremely
limited and passive when compared to NFC.
The list goes on: gaming, healthcare, public transportation, and social media are
all areas that NFC could potentially change drastically. Arguably the most publicized
NFC application is its ability to facilitate financial transactions. This idea could
potentially lead smartphones to replace wallets and credit cards, which isn’t as farfetched as it may sound; touch-to-pay credit cards already exist and are widely used.
Since smartphones are so ubiquitous and almost necessary for many daily activities, it
makes sense to want to merge it
with your wallet to limit the
number of things you need to carry
around (see Figure 6). The
convenience here is obvious, but
there are also some financial and
marketing benefits that aren’t quite
as visible. Companies could keep
track of returning, “loyal”
customers and offer them benefits.
They could also easily monitor and
Figure 6: Using an NFC-enabled phone to pay
http://techpinions.com/wpcontent/uploads/2012/09/nfc_payment.png
keep track of customer data. Another possible advantage is in personal finance: software
on your mobile device could keep track of and analyze your finances and daily spending
[4]. Also, no more paper receipts!
Even with this immense market and promising NFC technology, there’s still a
glaring problem: security. Though payments through NFC can have strict security and
user approval settings, they still happen with a simple, wireless transmission. There will
most likely always be some degree of risk and fear associated with NFC payments.
Where Do We Stand?
Though in its youth, NFC is actually more widely used than many people think. In
September of 2011, Google launched the Google Wallet (see Figure 7), which was the
first payment system to be implemented with NFC [4]. This opened the public’s eye to
the possibilities widespread adoption
of NFC could have. The Google
Wallet allows users to pay for
purchases at NFC enabled businesses
with either an integrated Citi
MasterCard or prepaid Google credit
card. The Google Wallet launch has
certainly been rocky though. Many
people see the future possibilities of
Figure 7: Google Wallet
http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4dde839
fccd1d55e6d040000/google-wallet.jpg
the product, but they would generally
rather wait for more widespread
adoption and testing before switching over. Apple has also filed a patent for an NFC-like
financial transaction system, known as iWallet [4] [7]. This product would additionally
provide a financial analysis system, where all the user’s financial accounts would be
incorporated into one place. However, it’s been speculated that the development of
iWallet may be moving away from NFC toward something more Bluetooth based [4].
If Apple doesn’t end up accepting NFC, they won’t be alone. Many stakeholders
don’t believe NFC will never be fully adopted, nor do they think it should be the standard
method of payment [4]. PayPal is currently developing a mobile payment system that
does not use NFC, stating that by the time the world adopts NFC, “we’ll be in a world
that will move away from the point-of-scale terminal” [4]. The mobile payment company
Square has also dismissed NFC as a technology that holds little future value [4].
Despite criticism, NFC has certainly sparked much interest and will perhaps serve
some kind of purpose in the not so distant future. Android’s latest operating system
includes an NFC application-programming interface (API) for developers to implement
peer-to-peer sharing between devices in their applications [4]. With this API (called
Beam), users can share contacts, web pages, videos, and GPS directions simply by
touching two phones together. Many prominent companies, like MillerCoors and
Starbucks, also see value in adopting NFC systems into their workforce [4]. Though
many manufacturers have been hesitant to invest heavily in NFC devices due to lack of
consumer demand, several research reports project successful future adoption. A Juniper
Research report published in 2011 expects that by 2014, one in five phones will be
natively NFC-enabled. More recently, a report published by Qualcomm forecasted that
by 2015, one out of two smartphones will be NFC-enabled [4]. Opinion seems split on
the issue, and only time will tell how NFC will unfold. One thing is certain though,
widespread NFC adoption has the ability to drastically change the mobile world.
References
[1] B. Reed. A Brief History of Smartphones. PC World [Online]. Available:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/199243/a_brief_history_of_smartphones.html
[2] M. Roberti. The History of RFID Technology. RFID Journal [Online]. Available:
http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/view/1338/1
[3] R. Want. (2011, September) Near Field Communication. Smartphones [PDF].
[4] S. McHugh. (2012, August). Near Field Communication. Journal of Web
Librarianship [PDF].
[5] S. Clark. (2011, September). Arizona State tests NFC. NFC World [Online].
Available: http://www.nfcworld.com/2011/09/14/39936/arizona-state-university-tests-nfc/
[6] H. Feldman. (2012, April). QR Codes. Jerusalem Post [Online].
[7] Parental controls, by B. Casey, G. Wipfler, E. Cressall. (2009, January 9). Patent
8,127,982 [Online]. Available: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nphParser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=P
ALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.h
tm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=8,127,982.PN.&OS=PN/8,127,982&RS=PN/8,127,982