Unexpected Uses for Near Field Communication

Healthcare

Managing patients proves challenging for nurses and doctors. The larger the hospital, the more patients there are to track. Passing out medications and running diagnostic tests proves tricky, especially if a doctor changes the required tests at the last minute.

To keep track of patients, their previous treatments, and their prescribed medications, hospitals are incorporating near field communication technology into their medical technology systems. By carrying a smartphone or other device with them, nurses can track how long they spent with a patient and what medications or treatments they administered simply by swiping the phone over an NFC reader designed to record that information and transfer it into the system. This prevents lost paperwork or inaccurate time records. The smartphones can also be used when a nurse works outside a hospital, such as caring for patients on assisted living.

Smartphones Could Become Mobile Nurses and Labs in the Future

Travel

The hassle of flying could be reduced by NFC technology. Smartphones could serve as identification and plane tickets all in one as well as pay for any extra services the customer needs to buy at the airport. Even passports might one day be stored in your smartphone.

When a cancellation has occurred or a passenger needs to make a last minute change in his schedule, the customer can take care of choosing new tickets by scanning his phone at a payment desk or kiosk. Passengers can also label their luggage with NFC tags for easy identification and retrieval.

Preparing for the NFC Revolution

Advertisements

From real estate signs to printed ads at a bus stop, advertisers can take advantage of NFC technology to pass information, deals, and coupons to potential customers. A “House for Sale” sign could contain a tag holding all the information about the property along with pictures of the inside and a link to the realtor’s website. An ad could contain a link to a product website or a special coupon for buying the product at a discounted price.

Tour Guides

NFC tags can turn an ordinary smartphone into an educated tour guide for visitors. Museums, parks, and other buildings can set up displays with embedded NFC tags for visitors to scan and both see and hear relevant information about what they’re looking at, be it a famous work of art or a memorial statue.