Due to the growing popularity of contactless payment for purchases using cards and phones, the technology has begun to be used in other gadgets. An example of such a device is NFC – a ring that combines convenience with style and manufacturability. What is a module NFC, we described in detail in a separate article.
History of appearance
The first prototype of a ring with an LFS module was created back in 2012. A year later, the device was released by a developer from the UK – the company NFC Ring, which raised money for the project through crowdfunding on the Kickstarter platform. The organization still maintains a page on the portal, by visiting which it is possible to trace the stages of the project.
In 2016, mass production was launched and the design of the ring was redesigned, which made it possible to look at the device not only as a means of payment, but also as a decoration. In addition to the patent, NFC Ring owns software for electronic devices.
What does a ring with a NFC – chip look like?
The 2013 smart rings were made of black or silver metal. In 2016, the metal body gave way to a translucent ceramic coating. And the monochrome range of devices complemented the color of rose gold.
The gadgets of each of the lines have characteristic external differences: some have a monolithic design, as if made of glass, while others have a pattern or a microcircuit under the coating, and a laser engraving with the name of the company is applied to the inside.
Original rings NFC Ring on the official website and without discounts are sold in the price range from 30 to 85 pounds, which corresponds to a cost from 2500 to more than 7 thousand rubles.
It will be much cheaper to purchase rings with NFC from China. Moreover, the differences between the devices will be purely aesthetic. Chinese companies competing with each other are trying to increase product sales through design. The assortment is represented by rings of all colors of the color palette, large and small to match the size of the fingers. One will choose a minimalistic, discreet ring to use only for its intended purpose, while the other will choose a bright and pretentious one to wear as jewelry. However, most of the devices are presented in black and gray.
The design of the rings assumes the presence of NFC inside the module. There is a dot or other identification mark in the location of the chip on the inside of the device – this is the side to apply the ring to the payment terminal or other devices.
How does NFC – ring work?
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Often, even the owners NFC of the ring do not know how to fully use it or how to use a specific function. By programming the purchased device, you get the opportunity to move around the city light in the full sense of the word. The device allows you to pay for purchases, share personal information, transfer files, open doors instead of a magnetic key.
Through a special application, the following are loaded into the device:
- billing information;
- access keys;
- passwords;
- contacts;
- Site URL or business card.
The list is not limited to this. For example, you can load the tag of your favorite application into the smart ring to launch the latter without touching the smartphone screen. Another popular application of the device is to turn off the alarm in the morning without touching the mobile phone.
When transmitting confidential data or paying for purchases through an electronic terminal, the ring makes single contact with the opposite device, after which it is blocked. There is no reason to worry that detractors will gain access to personal information or more funds will be charged at the store.
Due to the fact that the chip NFC in the ring has a smaller size compared to the chip in a smartphone, the module's operating radius is correspondingly lower. For some models, the distance to the terminal for contactless payment is 10 mm.
The device is recharged automatically using a smartphone or via a charging station, depending on the model and manufacturer.
How to set up and use?
First of all, before using the NFC ring, make sure that your smartphone is equipped with the appropriate chip. We remind you that even mobile devices from Apple do not always contain a contactless module (not present in models older than iPhone 6).
Then download the official app NFC Ring Control. If you purchased a device from a little-known brand, then information on how to set up and activate NFC the ring will usually be on the packaging.
In this or that application, the necessary settings will be available to you:
- password and auto-lock;
- map and application data;
- activation of the alarm;
- business card;
- links and messages to be conveyed.
In addition to payment, using the NFC chip, you can even open doors with the Smart Home system.