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Will NFC become a killer technology?
Monday, August 06, 2007
by Eunice Sari
While contactless credit card is still a hot issue in the island-country of Singapore, several vendors in the region have started to buzz the concept of contactless mobile payment during a seminar last week.
The keyword is: NFC. The question is: Will it be a killer technology?
Near-Field Communication or NFC is a short-range 13.56 MHz wireless technology that can transfer data up to 424 kbits/s. Using standardized protocols developed by industry-sponsored NFC Forum, inter-device NFC communication is expected to establish two-way link and exchange data among different consumer products, such as mobile phones, televisions, personal computers and digital cameras. Touching and waving are the most common interaction styles that promise convenience as any other contactless technology. Nevertheless, the current usage of NFC technology is still limited to contactless card payment, contactless mobile payment and interactive smart poster.
Thian Yee Chua, the CEO of CASSIS, during a seminar in Singapore last week, emphasized the need to build an NFC ecosystem, an environment for consumer-service, for a wide adoption of NFC technology. Lim Boon Heong, the Marketing and Business Development Director in NFC business of INSIDE Contactless further detailed the importance of NFC handset availability, win-win business models and an open standard.Contactless mobile payment is one of the applications highlighted during the seminar. Several pilots planned and initiated have involved major credit card companies, banks, merchants, mobile service providers, mobile network operators, such as: VISA, JCB, MasterCard, CCV Holland B.V, KPN, Nokia, PaySquare, Philips and ViVOtech, SK Telecom, Orange, France Telecom, China Fujian Mobile Communications Co. Ltd., Xiamen Branch and Xiamen E-Tong Card Company Ltd, 2-Eleven, Gemplus, CASSIS.
Yet, Bank of America that has conducted an NFC trial in collaboration with Venyon Oy and its 5000 employees at one of its corporate campus in Delaware reported in May 2007 that the NFC portion of the trial has flopped due to variety reasons, including undesirable mobile phone model and problems in downloading payment application to the handsets.In addition, a security issue in the form of protocol vulnerabilities may become worse if NFC-enabled mobile phones can act as cards or terminals, can be programmed by their users and can communicate with each other (Anderson, Ross. RFID and the Middleman. Retrieved on 06-08-2007).
The writer is an ICT Consultant and Researcher with various affiliations to academic and industry organizations. Her current research interest includes ICT4D, m-Learning, e-Learning, Web 2.0, healthcare, wireless and mobile technology.
Send your comments and discuss.
Your Comments
The current NFC solution, being highly dependent on mobile handset (as far as mobile solution is concerned), is seen as the limitation. Such limitation can be overcame by a solution which will not depend on mobile handset.
- Eric Tan, Watchdata, Singapore, Sunday, August 12, 2007 -
- Eric Tan, Watchdata, Singapore, Sunday, August 12, 2007 -
Labels: 2.0, business, card, china, mobile, nfc, payment, rfid, security, singapore, technology, trial
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Visa Wave: Coming to Singapore
Monday, July 30, 2007
by Eunice Sari
A new contactless credit card offers a convenience of use and an alternative cashless payment to consumers in Singapore. While the current offering may appeal to a limited segment, there is still a room for improvement in the verification mechanism to leverage the appeal of the contactless credit card to other segments.
Last Thursday, United Overseas Bank (UOB) of Singapore launched the first contactless Visa Wave Credit Card in Singapore. Following the trial success in Malaysia and Taiwan during the first quarter of 2007, the launch of UOB One Card in Singapore is not surprising. Susan Williams, the Director of Stakeholder Communications Visa International Asia Pacific, shared with RFID Asia that as the end of March 2007, there are a total of 8.1 million Visa Wave cards issued by the banks in Malaysia, while in Taiwan the number is more staggering: 23.9 million cards, with more than 2,970 merchant locations that accept Visa Wave cards
Similar to the other contactless credit cards like Master Card PayPass and AmEx Express Pay, the UOB One Card only allows a small value of transaction without card holder's signature in about 300 island-wide retail outlets. UOB One Card holders can wave their cards on a reader terminal to pay for a purchase and expect the EMV-based payment system, a payment system built for chip-based transaction, to process a transaction and print a receipt within 4-6 seconds, without any card handover. Based on the study commissioned by Visa, this process is much faster than a signature-based card payment that takes an average of 25 seconds or a cash transaction that takes an average of 14 seconds.
The convenience of such contactless payment is not without a catch. Compared to non-contactless credit cards that require signature authorization or pin numbers from authorized card holders for each transaction, contactless credit card, such as UOB One Card, imposes no verification for any transaction up to $100. There is virtually no verification system in place to make sure that a person making contactless credit card payment is actually the authorized card owner. It will be easier for an unauthorized person who can get access to such contactless credit card to misuse the card. The owner of such contactless credit card can risk $100 multiplied by the number of transactions before the card reported as missing, stolen or misused in such scenario.During the CommunicAsia 2007 in Singapore, we interviewed a few visitors about Visa Wave. The ages of the interview participants were all above 40. All of the interviewed participants said that they were excited to know about the coming of a new contactless payment technology, but they were still reluctant to use a contactless payment system. The feeling of uncertainty was the main reason of their hesitance, for example: they were still unsure whether they would be double-charged or triple-charged for waving a card several times.
The feeling of uncertainty for the consumers in Singapore is not without a grounded reason. In 1999, the consumers in Singapore saw a total of 400,000 Singapore dollars wrongly debited from their bank accounts through a crash in the country's cashless point-of-sale system. This experience has affected the adoption of any new cashless system in Singapore.
Targeting young professionals (23-34 years old), the launch of UOB One Card is a significant step for Singapore towards a cashless society, a vision backed by the Singapore Government since 1999. Compared to the current cashless payment system using magnetic strip cards, the UOB One cards will introduce a relatively new interaction style in cashless payment for the consumers in Singapore. Consumers and merchants alike using the contactless credit card system may expect a significant portion of learning and teething problems in the upcoming days and months ahead. In addition, UOB One Card may not also be as popular as its predecessors in Taiwan and Malaysia because the credit card will only be appealing to a small segment in the Singapore's aging society.
The writer is an ICT Consultant and Researcher with various affiliations to academic and industry organizations. Her current research interest includes ICT4D, m-Learning, e-Learning, Web 2.0, healthcare, wireless and mobile technology.
Send your comments and discuss.
Labels: 2.0, card, malaysia, mobile, payment, reader, rfid, singapore, technology, trial
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RFID Asia Goes Mobile
Friday, June 15, 2007
RFID Asia has tapped the power of WidSets and QR Code to provide mobile services for the RFID community.
(RFID ASIA LLP, Singapore, June 15, 2007) – RFID Asia, the prominent RFID community in Asia, has released a couple of new mobile services for the RFID community. These new mobile services enable the access to the RFID Asia website content through mobile devices.
After a 9-month successful trial with WidSets, a mobile service that keeps you up-to-date with the latest news, RFID Asia now provides a direct access from the RFID Asia website to the RFID Asia widget available from the WidSets' Widget Library. By adding the widget, you can keep an eye on RFID Asia Journal Entry directly from your mobile devices.
Beside the RFID Asia widget, you can also access the Mobile version of RFID Asia Journal Entry from your mobile devices using the QR Code provided on the RFID Asia website. The QR Code allows you to fetch and display the latest RFID Asia Journal entry on your mobile devices.
As a two-dimensional symbol developed by Denso Wave, QR Code contains information in both the vertical and horizontal directions, whereas a bar code contains data in one direction only. In addition, the symbol also holds a considerably greater volume of information than a bar code.
About RFID ASIA LLP
RFID ASIA LLP is a Singapore-registered body corporate providing RFID Technology Consulting Services. With a base in Singapore, RFID ASIA LLP manages and disseminates knowledge of RFID technology, standards, innovation and business. Providing services for profit-oriented organisations, RFID ASIA LLP also develops RFID Knowledge Products and Services.
Contact
Eunice Sari
RFID ASIA LLP
9 Temasek Blvd
#31-02 Suntec Tower Two
Singapore 038989
About PT. RFID Centre Asia
PT. RFID Centre Asia is the organization that coordinates RFID Asia – the prominent RFID Community in Asia. As a global organization with more than a thousand members in Asia Pacific, RFID Asia aims to be the Independent Knowledge Centre in Asia by facilitating RFID community forum and RFID partnership platform in Asia, build, disseminate and nurture knowledge around RFID technology and promote RFID standards, innovation and business.
Contact
Adi Tedjasaputra
PT. RFID Centre Asia
Singapore Representative Office
9 Temasek Blvd
#31-02 Suntec Tower Two
Singapore 038989
E-mail. adi.tedjasaputra@rfidAsia.org
Web. http://www.rfidAsia.org
Send your comments and discuss.
Read more »
(RFID ASIA LLP, Singapore, June 15, 2007) – RFID Asia, the prominent RFID community in Asia, has released a couple of new mobile services for the RFID community. These new mobile services enable the access to the RFID Asia website content through mobile devices.
After a 9-month successful trial with WidSets, a mobile service that keeps you up-to-date with the latest news, RFID Asia now provides a direct access from the RFID Asia website to the RFID Asia widget available from the WidSets' Widget Library. By adding the widget, you can keep an eye on RFID Asia Journal Entry directly from your mobile devices.Beside the RFID Asia widget, you can also access the Mobile version of RFID Asia Journal Entry from your mobile devices using the QR Code provided on the RFID Asia website. The QR Code allows you to fetch and display the latest RFID Asia Journal entry on your mobile devices.As a two-dimensional symbol developed by Denso Wave, QR Code contains information in both the vertical and horizontal directions, whereas a bar code contains data in one direction only. In addition, the symbol also holds a considerably greater volume of information than a bar code.
About RFID ASIA LLP
RFID ASIA LLP is a Singapore-registered body corporate providing RFID Technology Consulting Services. With a base in Singapore, RFID ASIA LLP manages and disseminates knowledge of RFID technology, standards, innovation and business. Providing services for profit-oriented organisations, RFID ASIA LLP also develops RFID Knowledge Products and Services.
Contact
Eunice Sari
RFID ASIA LLP
9 Temasek Blvd
#31-02 Suntec Tower Two
Singapore 038989
About PT. RFID Centre Asia
PT. RFID Centre Asia is the organization that coordinates RFID Asia – the prominent RFID Community in Asia. As a global organization with more than a thousand members in Asia Pacific, RFID Asia aims to be the Independent Knowledge Centre in Asia by facilitating RFID community forum and RFID partnership platform in Asia, build, disseminate and nurture knowledge around RFID technology and promote RFID standards, innovation and business.
Contact
Adi Tedjasaputra
PT. RFID Centre Asia
Singapore Representative Office
9 Temasek Blvd
#31-02 Suntec Tower Two
Singapore 038989
E-mail. adi.tedjasaputra@rfidAsia.org
Web. http://www.rfidAsia.org
Send your comments and discuss.
Labels: business, mobile, partnership, rfid, singapore, technology, trial, widget, widsets
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Press Release: RFID Field Trial in Japan for Cosmetics
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Mitsukoshi, Ltd., Shiseido Company, Ltd, and Fujitsu Limited today announced that as part of a project sponsored by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, the companies will jointly implement a "futuristic department store" field trial in Japan from January 26 to February 12 to test the expanded use of RFID tags in department stores. For the first time in Japan, RFID tags will be used in a field trial for cosmetics. The field trial is part of a METI-sponsored project commissioned to the Japan Department Stores Association, known as the 2007 Field Trial for Improving Distribution and Logistics Efficiency through the Use of Electronic Tags.
RFID tags have been used in the past at department stores in Japan for inventory control of women's shoes and apparel, but this test is the first time such tags will be affixed to cosmetics.
The field trial will be held at Shiseido counters on the first floor of the Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store, and Sakae (Nagoya) branch of Mitsukoshi department store, a major department store in Japan. RFID tags will be affixed to Shiseido's Clé de Peau Beauté products (a prestige brand), product testers and some samples. A multi-sample display trial will enable customers to view detailed product information on a touch-screen terminal by waving a tagged product over a RFID tag reader. Other trials will be conducted for such aspects as customer consultation, product assortment, and distribution, with the purpose to evaluate the efficiency in using RFID tags in supply chain management of cosmetics, the impact on increasing purchase intent when the customers themselves handle products with RFID tags, and effect on purchasing related products.
Overview of the field trial
Trial Period:
Mitsukoshi Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store: January 26 to February 11, 2007
Mitsukoshi Sakae (Nagoya) branch: January 30 to February 12, 2007
Sites:
Shiseido and Clé de Peau Beauté counters on the first floor of Mitsukoshi department store's Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store, and the Shiseido counter of the Sakae (Nagoya) branch.
Field trial details
The following five aspects will be tested as part of the "futuristic department store" trial of the Field Trial for Improving Distribution and Logistics Efficiency through the Use of Electronic Tags, sponsored by METI.
1. Multi-sample display (skincare products)
Seven types of product testers for skincare (lotions, serums, etc.) will be affixed with RFID tags. Customers can wave the tagged products over an electronic tag reader to view detailed product information on a touch-screen terminal. (Site: Shiseido counter)
2. Tester demand forecasting system (makeup products)
Tester stands (receptacles for holding the tester containers) for makeup products (lipsticks, mascaras, etc.) will be embedded with RFID tag readers, so that the number of times that customers sample each tagged makeup tester (49 items) can be counted. This will make it possible to accumulate informative marketing data, such as by ranking which products customers showed most interest in. (Site: Shiseido counter)
3. e-Counseling
Cosmetics counter sales staff will have tablet PCs to view a customer's counseling and purchasing history. The tablet PCs will be equipped with tag readers, which can be used to register product purchases (10 items) and sample distributions (7 types of samples) for a customer by waving the products over the tablet PC, thereby updating the customer's history. 50 customers will be included in this trial. (Site: Clé de Peau Beauté counter)
4. Source tagging/SCM system
Shiseido will affix RFID tags to products (10 items) at its stock center, to be used for packing-list checking and in-store inventory. (Sites: Shiseido Stock Center in Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, and Clé de Peau Beauté)
5. RFID tags @ home
As it is anticipated that in the future in some instances some customers may wish to take home products with RFID tags attached to view detailed product information at their leisure while at home, home uses for RFID tags will also be tested. In the test, virtual home environments equipped with PCs and tag readers will be set up in the stores and 50 customers will gather product information from tagged samples. (Site: In-store virtual home environment)
The following two supportive trials will also be held during the field trial period:
A. Cosmetic information
"Cosmetic Information" terminals with touch-screen displays and RFID tag readers will be installed. Customers will be able to view word-of-mouth information about the products (31 products at the Ginza store, 41 products at the Sakae store) from other customers, by waving tagged testers over the tag readers.
*As the purpose of this trial is to create the impression of an “electronic concierge” that offers information on the entire cosmetics floor, for this test only, RFID tags will be affixed on products from other companies besides Shiseido's Clé de Peau Beauté line.(Site: Near the entrance of the cosmetics floor)
B. Virtual Real-Time Makeup System
A kiosk with a camera, display, and RFID tag reader will be installed that will enable customers to view on the display how particular products would look on their face ("virtual real-time makeup") by waving tagged cosmetic products such as lipsticks or eyeshadows (19 items) over the tag reader. (Site: Shiseido counter)
*Mitsukoshi's Sakae store will participate in the aforementioned trials "1", "5", and “A“only.
Anticipated effect of the field trial:
• Provide more detailed product information to customers and enhance customer service to increase customer satisfaction, and promote sales and purchase of related products
• Improve efficiency of inventory control and increase productivity by using retail space effectively
• Reinforce product line through deeper analysis of products
• Raise consumer awareness of RFID tags
Corporations participating in or supporting the field trial:
Mitsukoshi, Ltd.:
Overall coordinator of field trial.
Shiseido Company, Ltd.:
Provides Clé de Peau Beauté products, testers, samples and trial sites for aforementioned trials "1" through "5". Also provides the Virtual Real-Time Makeup System in aforementioned trial "B".
Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Shikoku Systems Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd., and PFU Limited:
Developed the system and provides devices for the aforementioned aspects "1" through "5", provides "Cosmetic Information" touch-screen terminals, and conducts overall hypothesis testing for the field trial.
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.:
Provides RFID tags for the entire field trial.
Central Engineering Co., Ltd.:
Provides RFID tag readers for aforementioned trial "2", Tester Demand Forecasting System.
i style Inc.:
Provides "Cosmetic Information" content in aforementioned supportive trial "A".
Send your comments and discuss.
Read more »
RFID tags have been used in the past at department stores in Japan for inventory control of women's shoes and apparel, but this test is the first time such tags will be affixed to cosmetics.
The field trial will be held at Shiseido counters on the first floor of the Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store, and Sakae (Nagoya) branch of Mitsukoshi department store, a major department store in Japan. RFID tags will be affixed to Shiseido's Clé de Peau Beauté products (a prestige brand), product testers and some samples. A multi-sample display trial will enable customers to view detailed product information on a touch-screen terminal by waving a tagged product over a RFID tag reader. Other trials will be conducted for such aspects as customer consultation, product assortment, and distribution, with the purpose to evaluate the efficiency in using RFID tags in supply chain management of cosmetics, the impact on increasing purchase intent when the customers themselves handle products with RFID tags, and effect on purchasing related products.
Overview of the field trial
Trial Period:
Mitsukoshi Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store: January 26 to February 11, 2007
Mitsukoshi Sakae (Nagoya) branch: January 30 to February 12, 2007
Sites:
Shiseido and Clé de Peau Beauté counters on the first floor of Mitsukoshi department store's Ginza (Tokyo) flagship store, and the Shiseido counter of the Sakae (Nagoya) branch.
Field trial details
The following five aspects will be tested as part of the "futuristic department store" trial of the Field Trial for Improving Distribution and Logistics Efficiency through the Use of Electronic Tags, sponsored by METI.
1. Multi-sample display (skincare products)
Seven types of product testers for skincare (lotions, serums, etc.) will be affixed with RFID tags. Customers can wave the tagged products over an electronic tag reader to view detailed product information on a touch-screen terminal. (Site: Shiseido counter)
2. Tester demand forecasting system (makeup products)
Tester stands (receptacles for holding the tester containers) for makeup products (lipsticks, mascaras, etc.) will be embedded with RFID tag readers, so that the number of times that customers sample each tagged makeup tester (49 items) can be counted. This will make it possible to accumulate informative marketing data, such as by ranking which products customers showed most interest in. (Site: Shiseido counter)
3. e-Counseling
Cosmetics counter sales staff will have tablet PCs to view a customer's counseling and purchasing history. The tablet PCs will be equipped with tag readers, which can be used to register product purchases (10 items) and sample distributions (7 types of samples) for a customer by waving the products over the tablet PC, thereby updating the customer's history. 50 customers will be included in this trial. (Site: Clé de Peau Beauté counter)
4. Source tagging/SCM system
Shiseido will affix RFID tags to products (10 items) at its stock center, to be used for packing-list checking and in-store inventory. (Sites: Shiseido Stock Center in Fukaya City, Saitama Prefecture near Tokyo, and Clé de Peau Beauté)
5. RFID tags @ home
As it is anticipated that in the future in some instances some customers may wish to take home products with RFID tags attached to view detailed product information at their leisure while at home, home uses for RFID tags will also be tested. In the test, virtual home environments equipped with PCs and tag readers will be set up in the stores and 50 customers will gather product information from tagged samples. (Site: In-store virtual home environment)
The following two supportive trials will also be held during the field trial period:
A. Cosmetic information
"Cosmetic Information" terminals with touch-screen displays and RFID tag readers will be installed. Customers will be able to view word-of-mouth information about the products (31 products at the Ginza store, 41 products at the Sakae store) from other customers, by waving tagged testers over the tag readers.
*As the purpose of this trial is to create the impression of an “electronic concierge” that offers information on the entire cosmetics floor, for this test only, RFID tags will be affixed on products from other companies besides Shiseido's Clé de Peau Beauté line.(Site: Near the entrance of the cosmetics floor)
B. Virtual Real-Time Makeup System
A kiosk with a camera, display, and RFID tag reader will be installed that will enable customers to view on the display how particular products would look on their face ("virtual real-time makeup") by waving tagged cosmetic products such as lipsticks or eyeshadows (19 items) over the tag reader. (Site: Shiseido counter)
*Mitsukoshi's Sakae store will participate in the aforementioned trials "1", "5", and “A“only.
Anticipated effect of the field trial:
• Provide more detailed product information to customers and enhance customer service to increase customer satisfaction, and promote sales and purchase of related products
• Improve efficiency of inventory control and increase productivity by using retail space effectively
• Reinforce product line through deeper analysis of products
• Raise consumer awareness of RFID tags
Corporations participating in or supporting the field trial:
Mitsukoshi, Ltd.:
Overall coordinator of field trial.
Shiseido Company, Ltd.:
Provides Clé de Peau Beauté products, testers, samples and trial sites for aforementioned trials "1" through "5". Also provides the Virtual Real-Time Makeup System in aforementioned trial "B".
Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Shikoku Systems Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories, Ltd., and PFU Limited:
Developed the system and provides devices for the aforementioned aspects "1" through "5", provides "Cosmetic Information" touch-screen terminals, and conducts overall hypothesis testing for the field trial.
Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.:
Provides RFID tags for the entire field trial.
Central Engineering Co., Ltd.:
Provides RFID tag readers for aforementioned trial "2", Tester Demand Forecasting System.
i style Inc.:
Provides "Cosmetic Information" content in aforementioned supportive trial "A".
Send your comments and discuss.
Labels: japan, project, reader, rfid, scm, tag, technology, trial
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No Sponge Left, Doctor
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Some doctors at Stanford University School of Medicine conducted an RFID trial on eight patients undergoing surgery in the Stanford University Medical Center.
Using a handheld RFID reader to detect surgical gauze sponges, they have successfully detected 28 RFID-tagged sponges put in eight patients within one minute.
Despite of the result, they also acknowledge that the possibility of human error and retained sponges remains because the RFID scanning can be performed incorrectly.
Their work is published in The Archives of Surgery vol. 141 no. 7, July 2006.
Send your comments and discuss.
Read more »
Using a handheld RFID reader to detect surgical gauze sponges, they have successfully detected 28 RFID-tagged sponges put in eight patients within one minute.
Despite of the result, they also acknowledge that the possibility of human error and retained sponges remains because the RFID scanning can be performed incorrectly.
Their work is published in The Archives of Surgery vol. 141 no. 7, July 2006.
Send your comments and discuss.
Labels: reader, rfid, technology, trial
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RFID Payment Card Trial
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Thai's credit card operator, Krungthai Card Plc, will begin RFID "touch-and-go" payment in Bangkok next year. However, due to the high investment cost, the trial will begin modestly.
Read more »
Labels: card, payment, rfid, technology, trial
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RFID trial project for Jewellery in UAE
Monday, October 24, 2005
RFID trial project for Jewellery conducted by the Jewellery Store (TJS), Damas and threee other firms is happening in UAE.
The main benefits expected from this trial are inventory cost saving and security.
Link contributor: Arpan Talwar
Read more »
The main benefits expected from this trial are inventory cost saving and security.
Link contributor: Arpan Talwar
Labels: jewellery, project, rfid, security, technology, trial, uae
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NEC To Set Up RFID Center in Singapore
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Even though NEC has marketed the product on a trial basis in the United States, Brazil and Singapore, the establishment of the center in Singapore will allow it to localize solutions for the Southeast Asian market.
Read more »
Labels: nec, rfid, singapore, trial
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