What Does an NFC Chip Do?

Attaching a Near Field Communication or NFC chip to a mobile phone allows the phone to communicate (send or receive information) with another NFC compatible device. For the contactless connection to happen, the two devices with NFC chips have to be within a radius of three to four centimeters. The short-range wireless connection between the two does not rely on Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G, or LTE connections.

The NFC chip is composed of a chip and an antenna. It is small and is considered a microchip. It contains a small amount of memory and can connect with other devices with its tiny antenna. The short-range connection keeps the devices secure, as only devices that are physically close enough can send and receive data.

The NFC chip is just one part of the entire NFC communication system but is considered the controller. The other part is the NFC tag. The NFC chip is the active part of the system. It reads or processes information before initiating a set response. After processing the received data, it then commands or writes data into the NFC tag, the passive part of the system.

NFC chips work hand in hand with the NFC tags. To use this technology, you must have both in the communication system. If you want to try these and automate mundane but time-consuming tasks, you can get the chips and tags for a reasonable price from stores online. When choosing a store, make sure that they sell a complete package or parts of the NFC communication system to ensure that they are tested and compatible. The best online stores provide NFC hardware and software and have good product return policies.

Do note that technology hardware is non-biodegradable. Try to buy from a store with environmental programs in place, like planting trees for every item sold.