Understanding NFC and the role of the Token
Introduction
I’ve been developing some concepts to better understand how people can and will use NFC in printed electronics.
As it relates to the ‘Internet of Things’ — many of the narratives related to NFC involve using a mobile device as an active communications endpoint. For example, using your mobile to make a payment at the point of sale.
However, I want to understand the potential of the passive endpoints. The NFC tokens that remain inactive until powered by a sensor — such as an Oyster card or contactless credit card.
Remembering that the Small Data fringe of the Internet of Things will be powered by these passive tokens that will help us build a physical-to-digital link between the things that surround us and the machine readable datapoints that will unlock data-driven insights about the world.
5 interaction design patterns
Thinking through various scenarios, I’ve developed 5 interaction patterns for using passive NFC tokens:
- The Transaction
- The Dispatch
- The Signal
- The Token as Totem
- The Disposable Token
The transaction is using a physical token as the representation of a virtual exchange. The token can be used to transfer a credit, a machine configuration, keys for authentication.
The dispatch acts your delegated point of presence. It allows you to pass something on to act on your behalf. The key benefit of using a token for this is that it allows for the network effect — extending your reach beyond the number of people you can individually meet.
A great example of this is the Unicef NFC sticker campaign, using tokens to extend the reach of the individual campaigner.
The signal uses a token to communicate a simple message, or to trigger an event. The signal token makes the invisible machine world of network communications into something tangible, understandable and usable by human beings.
You’re already familiar with the signal token as commonly used for key access cards in offices and hotels.
The token can behave like a magical totem — summoning something or someone into being through the incantations of internet protocols.
For example, a picture of a child given to a grandparent, can ‘summon’ a connection between the two by initiating a video chat.
In a recent hackathon, some novel uses of the token as totem were explored as a means of addressing dementia.
The disposable token can represent 1-off transactions, or transactions that expire after a period of time.
The Internet of Things is not only about static objects or fixed IP addresses. Equally we need systems to address the transient points, multitudes of which will come into existence and vanish each second of the day.
IMAGE CREDITS (The Noun Project): Eddy Ymeri, Till Teenck, Jonathan D’Mello, Matthew Hawdon, WARPAINT Media Inc., Grant Fisher
