“My goal is to guide the NFC Forum in a slight pivot to increase focus on doing whatever is necessary to enable NFC technology to deliver a consistently positive user experience, however it is used,” Mike McCamon, the new executive director of the NFC Forum, has told NFC World... More
NFC tags that include support for digital signatures can provide protection against counterfeiting and grey market goods right through the supply chain — from the factory, through the distribution chain to the retailer and the consumer — chip maker STMicroelectronics explains in a white paper now available to download from the NFCW Knowledge Centre... More
PARTNER NEWS: “By adding transparency, security, and traceability, blockchain can make supply chains faster and more efficient, especially when originality and provenance are key concerns,” NXP explains in a new blog post... More
ShipChain and GTX Corp launch global NFC blockchain shipment tracking solution — ShipChain — “The NFC tags provide real-time temperature sensing and data logging across the supply chain necessary with transportation of perishables; food, drinks, pharmaceuticals and other temperature-sensitive products that can be negatively affected by conditions in transit. These built-in security measures can prevent the distribution of contaminated supplies in the marketplace and unauthorised modification of data logs, allowing brands, retailers, distributors, and freight forwarders to verify shipment quality.”
Diamond jewellery maker Kobelli is to use a blockchain-based NFC platform to provide its customers with a way to securely verify the authenticity of their purchases... More
Dust Identity raises $10m to secure the global supply chain — using diamonds — Fortune — “Its process embeds tiny diamond fragments in a polymer that’s sprayed on a component. As the polymer dries, those diamond fragments are frozen in place, producing a pattern of scattered light that’s irreproducible, because it’s so random and complex — and at least as unique as a fingerprint… Dust Identity claims that, at scale, a single application of its tag can cost as little as one one-thousandth of a cent.”
Walmart customers in China will soon be able to scan QR codes on stickers attached to fresh meat, rice, mushrooms, cooking oil and other produce to acquire detailed product information including “the source of the scanned products and geographic location received by Walmart, logistics process, product inspection report, and many more data points”... More
ABN Amro to launch Forcefield — ABN Amro — “The platform can communicate with physical trade inventories through the Internet of Things, sensors and near field communication chips. As a result, the inventories, which are often collateral for loans, can be monitored very effectively, which will lead to more secure physical handling processes and a reduction of costs.”
PARTNER NEWS: STMicroelectronics has begun shipping the ST25R3916, an NFC universal device that contains “innovative features to simplify the design of payment terminals and ease compliance with new EMVCo 3.0 contactless interoperability tests for cards, mobiles, and wearables.”... More
PARTNER NEWS: A new NFC tag inlay, jointly developed by NXP and Identiv, is now available to order at an “unrivalled” price of US$0.05 per unit, “enabling a new generation of smart products across a wide range of end markets where NFC may have been previously considered price prohibitive.”... More
Luxochain combats counterfeiting with launch of authentication and tracking service of luxury goods on the blockchain — Luxochain — “At the stage of manufacture, all authentic luxury products will be fitted with an invisible and encrypted serial number (a Block ID). The ID is associated with a token that is uniquely identifiable, to which luxury brands will register on the blockchain. Once inputted, the information can never be altered from the outside. Certifying authenticity at the point of sale using blockchain technology, customers can scan the code and ascertain the authenticity of the product.”
Shipping giant Maersk is to introduce a new service that will enable refrigerated container (reefer) operators to efficiently monitor the status of their goods-in-transit wherever they are in the world, using an NFC-enabled tracking system that supports GPS location, temperature readings and alarms, optional G-shock recording and the potential to automate a range of government approvals... More
STMicroelectronics has released an evaluation board that lets developers design and prototype solutions that combine NFC tag reading, energy harvesting and security with environmental monitoring sensors to track and protect a wide range of sensitive products throughout the supply chain, in stores and in the home... More
Tokenization technology is an immediately available solution that can be used to address critical gaps in blockchain and cryptocurrency security and promote consumer and institutional confidence, Rambus explains in a new paper which is available to download from the NFC World Knowledge Centre... More
Standard Chartered has announced that it is working on a new type of payments solution that “could revolutionise the way corporates communicate with banks for financing or payments.”... More
Thinfilm and Clause collaborate to deliver NFC technology to blockchain smart legal contracts — Thinfilm — “Clause and Thinfilm will use NFC to facilitate the pairing of physical goods to digital contracts through the tap of a smartphone. The resulting connection will deliver key functional and efficiency improvements for customers across the Clause ‘connected contracting’ platform, including contract creation and management, supply chain administration, and invoice/payment automation.”
The ultimate ‘smell test’: Device sends rotten food warning to smartphones — American Chemical Society — “The scientists created a nanostructured, conductive, polymer-based gas sensor that can detect substances called biogenic amines (BAs), which give decomposing meat its bad odor. They embedded these sensors into NFCs placed next to meats. After the meats had been stored for 24 hours at 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the researchers found that the sensors successfully detected significant amounts of BAs. The sensors then switched on the NFCs so they could transmit this information to a nearby smartphone.”
Bank Hapoalim, IAI team on blockchain for cybersecurity — Globes — “The joint research undertaken by the two companies will examine how blockchain, the technology at the basis of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, could be used for developing innovative cybersecurity solutions, such as secure transmission of information between services and supply chains, user authentication, critical devices and elements that run with no human intervention and additional solutions for the cyber challenges in a hyper-connected world.”
Inside Apple’s struggle to get the iPhone X to market on time — Bloomberg — “As of early fall, it was clearer than ever that production problems meant Apple Inc wouldn’t have enough iPhone Xs in time for the holidays. The challenge was how to make the sophisticated phone — with advanced features such as facial recognition — in large enough numbers… Apple came up with a solution: It quietly told suppliers they could reduce the accuracy of the face-recognition technology to make it easier to manufacture.”
Mastercard opens-up access to blockchain API for partner banks and merchants — Mastercard — “Mastercard blockchain solution has the ability to power secure and seamless non-card payment transactions such as business-to-business payments and trade finance transactions. It also has the ability to power non- payment solutions such as proof of provenance that helps authenticate products across the supply chain.”