UK consumers will soon be rewarded whenever they are physically active with Sweatcoin — a virtual currency that can be earned by exercising and then exchanged at select retailers via a mobile app set to launch next week... More
Healthcare
Samsung Pay to launch in Singapore in Q2 this year
Samsung Pay will launch in Singapore in the second quarter of this year, the company has announced, adding it to South Korea, the US and China on the list of Samsung’s “priority markets”... More
Wearable smart stamp to support NFC payments
Healthcare technology provider MC10 and product solutions provider PCH are to commercialise MC10’s Wearable Interactive Stamp Platform (WiSP), an ultrathin, stretchable and disposable stamp worn on the skin that will enable brands to develop a “variety of consumer applications” including NFC payments. More
Consortium to develop NFC packaging across UK supply chain
The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has formed a specialist consortium to create a UK manufacturing supply chain that will support the widespread adoption of NFC packaging. More
Barclaycard reports increase in UK contactless spending
Contactless spending by Barclaycard’s UK customers in pubs and bars, pharmacies, supermarkets and on commuter transport increased 164% in 2015, the company has revealed. More
NXP backs two new IoT development platforms
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has put its support behind two new reference platforms that will enable “innovation and rapid development” for smart wearables. The platforms target a range of internet of things (IoT) applications with open-source hardware and software, form-factor flexibility and expandable solutions for designers to adapt to changing market needs. More
NXP launches improved NFC connected tags and reader chips
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has unveiled two new NFC products — an improved “connected tag” range designed to add intelligent tap-and-go connectivity to just about any electronic device and the PN7462 family of single chip NFC reader solutions that combine a microprocessor with USB, contact and contactless interfaces... More
ARM includes AMS NFC payments booster in wearables reference design
PARTNER NEWS: A new reference design for wearables from processor designer ARM includes high-performance NFC technology from AMS that enables small-footprint devices with tiny antennas to couple with NFC readers as easily and reliably as a contactless card... More
White paper lays out NFC solutions for in-home healthcare providers
A five-page white paper that explains the advantages of NFC for in-home healthcare providers is now available to download from the NFC World+ Knowledge Centre... More
NXP to showcase NFC and IoT technologies in 86 cities around the world
PARTNER NEWS: NXP is to showcase NFC and the Internet of Things (IoT) in a world tour that includes stops in 86 cities. The Smarter World Tour “is a highly visible, 36 tons, 2 levels, fully mobile semi-truck trailer designed by Luigi Colani which turns into a large and spacious mobile tradeshow,” NXP says. More
Wi-Fi Alliance polishes HaLow for IoT connectivity
The Wi-Fi Alliance is extending its support for the internet of things (IoT) market with a new brand name for products incorporating low power, long range IEEE 802.11ah technology... More
UK contactless spending volumes rise sharply following increase in transaction limit
Contactless transaction volumes have risen sharply since the UK transaction limit increased from £20 (US$30) to £30 (US$46) in September 2015, research from Barclaycard reveals. Service stations, pubs and bars, supermarkets and fast food outlets have seen the biggest increases. More
NFC packaging to safeguard medicines
Patients will soon be able to identify whether pharmaceutical products are in a factory sealed or opened state and access contextual content with the tap of an NFC phone using a solution developed by Thinfilm and Jones Packaging. The technology will also enable pharmaceutical companies to authenticate products and track individual items. More
Developers unveil electronic tattoos for payments and healthcare
Creative studio Chaotic Moon has demonstrated a concept it calls Tech Tats, tattoo-like formations of components and conductive paint that create an electronic circuit which adheres to the wearer’s skin. The temporary tattoos include a microprocessor and the company envisages them performing tasks such as health monitoring or making payments. More
PhilCare uses NFC phones to speed up health services in the Philippines
Customers of health care provider PhilCare can now hand over contactless membership cards to any of the company’s 200 service providers in the Philippines to provide access to their account details with a tap of a Samsung NFC phone... More
NXP launches NFC blister packs and pill bottles for medication tracking
PARTNER NEWS: NXP has launched NHS315x, a therapy adherence improvement platform that includes NFC sensors embedded in blister packs and pill bottles... More
NFC necklace wins Unicef award
A necklace that stores electronic health data to track child immunization via NFC has been named joint winner of the Wearables for Good challenge run by Unicef, ARM and Frog... More
Bluetooth to get longer range, higher speeds and mesh networking in 2016
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has announced planned updates to the Bluetooth specification, bringing longer range, higher speeds and mesh networking to the technology... More
NFC glucose meter launches
Medical products provider Nurse Rosie Products has begun offering an NFC glucose meter that lets diabetics access their blood glucose reading by tapping the meter against their NFC device... More
RapidNFC reports rise in demand for NFC within care sector
PARTNER NEWS: Bespoke NFC tag supplier and manufacturer RapidNFC has reported a substantial rise in the use of NFC within the care sector... More