Concept in Definition ABC

Allows you to communicate devices by simply bringing them closer together to a distance very short, of millimeters, facilitating the configuration of these for a later communication without having to touch any parameter, in addition to providing services such as payment through mobile devices.

How does it work?

The technologyNear Field Communication (NFC, Near Field Communication in Spanish) uses the induction magnetic to facilitate communication and exchange data between two devices.

It works at short distances and at high frequencies, in the 13.56 MHz band, which is an unlicensed band and, therefore, open to all kinds of uses. The antenna of each device that takes part in the "conversation" is manufactured in the form of a loop.

NFC connections work in three modes: card emulation (which makes devices such as smartphones behave as a smart card, which is the way that allows us to make payments - see later in section Applications-), reader / writer (allows

reading from tags NFC embedded in posters or labels), and peer-to-peer (which is precisely the mode that allows two devices to intercommunicate and exchange information.

The tags The aforementioned NFCs are small tags made of lightweight materials (similar to soft plastic) that include NFC connectivity so that they can be read by devices such as phones mobiles. The latter can sometimes also to write information in the tag.

The usefulness of these tags it is found, for example, in product traceability applications in warehouses and by logistics companies.

Applications

NFC technology has many uses. Among them, the first is to facilitate the configuration of the interconnection between two devices that connect via Bluetooth, bringing them closer together. It is a very fast, easy and convenient way to connect devices that is called "pairing" the devices.

Another functionality, which has been around for a long time but is still in the process of popularization, is to make payments with the smartphone.

For this use, and in addition to needing a terminal that has NFC, we must also have a SIM card (microSIM, nanoSIM) that allows electronic payments to be made (not all of them have what it takes to do so), and a app with the capacity to do so.

Normally, these applications are linked to one or more credit cards, so that the purchase It ends up being done, in fact, with a credit card even though the physical medium used is the telephone. The same credit cards made of plastic no longer only include the chips necessary to carry out the payment, but also wireless communications by NFC that allow them to carry out operations without inserting them into the terminal banking.

NFC also serves other purposes, such as sharing content, passing it wirelessly from one terminal to another.

In the latter case, as it is a connection of velocity low, they get used to exchanging light data, such as contact cards or photos.

Photos: iStock - mediaphotos / alexsl

Topics in NFC