Near Field Communication in Windows 8: Part 1

Near fied communication (NFC) is a breakthrough technology aimed at facilitating communication between two devices in close proximity, within a 4-cm distance. In Windows 8 the support for this technology has been included in a broader application scope that Microsoft named Near Field Proximity. This article will give you a general view of NFC explaining how Microsoft has reinterpreted it, and we will learn how to build an environment by using 2 virtual machines to test the classes contained in the namespace Windows.Networking.Proximity.

What is NFC?

In a nutshell NFC is a short range wireless communication system between two NFC enabled  devices. The communication occurs at a 13.56 Mhz frequency, the same as the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). As opposed to RFID, NFC works only in conditions of proximity, i.e. few centimeters. 

The difference lies in the fact that NFC enabled devices can be mobile phones, tablets, PCs, NFC readers and NFC passive tags. This variety of devices opens the door to various applications and services like identification, access control, e-payment, e-ticketing, health data access and so on. In other words Near fied communication (NFC) is a technology with a potentially major impact on people’s economic and social life. It can be seen as something that simplifies the daily human life. 

Let me describe a possible scenario: imagine to wake up in the morning for another workday, take your NFC enabled mobile phone and go to the train station, and to open the turnstile just put your mobile phone close to a NFC reader. To enter your office building you simply use your mobile to punch the clock. In the morning you have a meeting with a new customer: you can swap your business cards by simply approaching your card to his/her NFC-enabled mobile. Then if you wish to offer him/her a coffee from a vending machine, simply approach your phone to the NFC symbol exposed on the machine and you can process the payment

One of the primary information source on NFC is the NFC Forum (http://www.nfc-forum.org).

Read more: Silverlight show

Posted via email from Jasper-net