NFC or Near Field Communication is a groundbreaking wireless technology which has enabled quick data transfer and reading of data through digital devices and equipment which are specifically designed and programmed to receive the data transmitted through passive NFC sticker. These NFC tags are microchips which store small bits of data in any form either text, audio or videos and are programmed to communicate with active NFC readers or writers. The near field communication that governs the functioning of NFC tags can rather be explained as a set of communication protocols that enables communication and data transmission between a passive and an active electronic device when brought closer to a range of 10cm or less.
NFC tags being passive do not have their own power instead they extract small amount of power from the reading device to activate themselves and then facilitate the transfer of the stored information to the reading or writing device. The data in the NFC tags is usually stored in small amounts which are either in the form of text or some form of data that may be used to route the device to a website or a URL. On ISO/IEC 18000-3 standards for air interface, the NFC operates at 13.56 MHz and also operates at different rates that may lie in the range of 106 kbit/s to 424 kbit/s.
The near field communication systems typically uses the principle of magnetic induction to form an air core transformer between the two loop antennas which are brought in close proximity and are within the near magnetic field of one another. Thus, they empower the NFC tags to operate within the ISM band of radio frequency 13.56 MHz which is also available globally. The data stored in the NFC tags can both be readable as well as writable depending upon the areas they are used to serve. The tags can be encoded by the manufacturers to provide security and safety against breach of privacy and transactions that may be carried out from them. As NFC involves both initiating device and a target thus, the initiator generates a RF (radio frequency) field which can activate a passive target.
This has enabled NFC tags to be used for various applications and is embedded in posters, watches, wrist bands, key fobs and credit cards to enable the data transfer services. Thus, NFC tags with extensive developments being made further in this field are going to serve and simplify a diverse range of applications and purposes in near future.