14 August 2012
Researchers develop transmitters that cost a penny each
Researchers in South Korea have developed a new Near Field Communication (NFC) device which they claim costs a penny per unit and could be used as an alternative to QR codes.
The team at Sunchon National University and Paru Printed Electronics Research Institute created small 'rectennas', which are a cross between an antenna and an ac/dc converter and can be cheaply printed onto plastic foils using a roll to roll process and electronic inks.
"What is great about this technique is that we can also print the digital information onto the rectenna, meaning that everything you need for wireless communication is in one place," commented Gyoujin Cho at Sunchon National University.
Much like a QR code, the rectenna allows product information to be read using a smartphone, although it also enables two way communication.
Author
Simon Fogg
Supporting Information
Websites
http://iopscience.iop.org/0957-4484/23/34/344006
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