As you might expect, we’re pretty big fans of RFID and NFC here at Noodle Towers. We like to think it’s the technology which makes our own product stand out from the crowd.
No idea what we’re talking about? The premise of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and NFC (Near Field Communication) is very simple – a tag comes into contact with a reader and an action is performed as a result of this. The reader communicates with the server by sending the tag ID and the reader ID so the server can perform the requested action.
It’s as simple as that – no more tech speak, we promise! The difference between RFID and NFC – one system uses your phone and the other uses a swipe card similar to an Oyster Card.
We love these technologies simply because of the number of different ways they can be used to perform any number of tasks – often in super creative ways. So we thought we’d pick our favourites to share with you so you can be as inspired by the potential of this technology as we are on a daily basis.
Coca Cola Village
This is the video that first got us thinking about what is now Noodle Live so it makes sense that we should lead with this one! This was one of the first times that RFID was used as part of a brand experience and paved the way for lots of other brands to follow using the same concept (copycats).
Every attendee was provided with an RFID wristband that was linked to their Facebook account so they could check in at the venue, ‘like’ different parts of the event and tag themselves in photos.
Ushuaïa Ibiza – The Facebook Hotel
Another great example of how RFID wristbands can be used in a live environment – this time in a hotel to share your holiday experience with your Facebook friends. Now it’s even easier to make everyone jealous of your suntan/holiday fling/cocktail drinking at noon.
These kiosks have been set up permanently around the hotel with each guest being provided with a wristband to use at them. The same hotel chain also uses fingerprint scanners to handle payments.
Renault at AutoRAI
Renault took the jump at AutoRAI and placed RFID kiosks in front of every one of their cars so visitors could share their favourite models on Facebook with the swipe of a card. The cards were issued and registered at the Renault stand, generating a huge number of updates over the course of the event.
A great way to create buzz but another very Facebook centric use of RFID which does present problems if you are looking to reach an audience which is not native to Facebook or if your updates are filtered out of the news feed because of EdgeRank (the algorithm used by Facebook to construct your news feed).
New York Marathon – Support Your Marathoner
A great case study to showcase how effective RFID can be without any social media integration. In the lead up to the New York Marathon, friends and family could record messages of support for different runners. On the day, every runner was provided with an RFID tag to attach to their shoes and then when they passed certain points in the course, the message was triggered and played on large screens to help them along their way.
The campaign was a huge success with messages from 17 countries and for 7,000 different runners being recorded. We might have gone soft or just been having a bad day but this is a particularly heart warming one.
Now onto our favourite uses of NFC – the process is pretty much the same as with RFID except your phone becomes the reader and the tags can be embedded in numerous every day objects.
We’re especially excited by the possibilities of NFC for Noodle Live and can’t wait for Apple to make the jump by including this technology in their next handset so it truly becomes mainstream. NFC is far more than mobile payments and smart posters, as you’re about to see!
Samsung TecTiles
We love, love, love TecTiles! The Samsung Galaxy SIII was one of the first phones on the market with NFC functionality to break into the mainstream. The clever beans at Samsung introduced TecTiles as a way to increase the usefulness of this technology to the everyday consumer. These handy little NFC tags can be programmed using a simple app to perform any number of actions such as sharing contact details, checking in on Facebook, opening a specific app or sending a pre defined text. The possibilities are endless…
Wine Tap
We have been known to enjoy the *odd* glass of wine here at Noodle Towers but it’s safe to say we’re not exactly grape connoisseurs. This often leads to a boggling experience when faced with the supermarket wine shelf but thanks to a nifty little app called Wine Tap, those days could soon be over. Simply tap your phone against the Wine Tap NFC tags to find out more information about the wine in question along with ratings, reviews and recipe suggestions.
Blue Butterfly – TapToWiFi
We all know the scenario – go to café, need wifi, ask for wi-fi code, scribble down unfeasibly long code using an eyeliner pencil then smudge it on the way back to table and be too embarrassed to ask again. Just us?
For all the times you’ve ever thought there must be a simpler way, well now there is thanks to Blue Butterfly and their genius service ‘TapToWiFi’. Now you can grab your coffee, tap your phone onto the smart poster and instantly be connected to the wi-fi network. Now that’s better.
Brand Table
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Another great idea to cut the queues using NFC – introducing Brand Table. You choose the restaurant by tapping your phone on the right logo, place your order, pay using a saved card then pick up your order when you get the notification through. Nifty, huh? We’re not sure this ever got past the prototyping stage but it’s still a pretty cool concept.
So there you have it, our favourite uses of RFID and NFC – many of which have inspired us in the creation of Noodle Live. We’d love to hear which case studies have caught your eye so why not leave a comment below so we can include it in our next round up?
If you’re thinking of taking the jump into the magical world of RFID and NFC for your event, then get in touch – we’re ready and waiting to make your next event even more awesome.
This post was written by Clemi Hardie, founder and MD of Noodle Live