Towards NFC payments using a lightweight architecture for the Web of Things

The Web (and Internet) of Things has seen the rapid emergence of new protocols and standards, which provide for innovative models of interaction for applications. One such model fostered by the Web of Things (WoT) ecosystem is that of contactless interaction between devices. Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is one such enabler of contactless interactions. Contactless technology for the WoT requires all parties to agree one common definition and implementation and, in this paper, we propose a new lightweight architecture for the WoT, based on RESTful approaches. We show how the proposed architecture supports the concept of a mobile wallet, enabling users to make secure payments employing NFC technology with their mobile devices. In so doing, we argue that the vision of the WoT is brought a step closer to fruition

Mobipag: integrated mobile payment, ticketing and couponing solution based on NFC

The adoption of mobile payment systems is known to face multiple concerns regarding security, usability and value proposition. In this work, we start from the assumption that initial acceptance will always be weak because of the lack of an established usage frame. Instead, we focus on understanding how we can leverage upon the real contact with the technology to create a solid path for gradual acceptance through the development of new practices and the increasing perception of value. In this study, we report on our findings with a real-world prototype of a NFC-based payment system. We identify a set of design lessons that may help to improve the initial phases of NFC-based payment deployments and provide a path for the adoption that focuses on positive initial user experiences and early adoption scenarios.This work was co-funded by ”Agˆencia de Inovac¸ ˜ao” and the national QREN program through the COMPETE program, under the project MOBIPAG - National Initiative for Mobile Payments (project 13847)

TechNews digests: Jan - Nov 2009

TechNews is a technology, news and analysis service aimed at anyone in the education sector keen to stay informed about technology developments, trends and issues. TechNews focuses on emerging technologies and other technology news. TechNews service : digests september 2004 till May 2010 Analysis pieces and News combined publish every 2 to 3 month

Blockchain-based Provenance Solution for Handcrafted Jewellery

Käsitsi tehtud ehete valmistamiseks kasutatakse tootmismasinate asemel inimeste kätetööd. Kui masinate poolt tehtud ehted on samasugused, odavad ja kergesti kättesaadavad, siis käsitsi valmistatud ehted on ainulaadsed ja küllaltki kallid. Seda eriti siis, kui tegemist on tuntud käsitöölise või disaineriga. Käesolev tehnoloogiaajastu on tõstnud tarbijate teadlikkust ning inimesed on valmis rohkem maksma tõestatud päritoluga toodete eest. Samuti soovivad tootjad oma töö eest saada tunnustatud ja omada selle õigusi. Praegused lahendused on pärituolu osas poolikud ning see võimaldab tarneahelal olla läbipaistmatu ning seetõttu kõrvale hiilida läbipaistvusest ning jälgitavusest. Seetõttu on hüppeliselt kasvanud võltstoodangu arv, mis toob kaasa majandusliku ja keskkondliku kahju, terviseriskid, valdkonna halva maine ning rikutud usalduse. Käesolev dissertatsioon vaatleb ja selgitab plokiahela tehnoloogial põhinevaid lahendusi ja võimalusi taustakontrolli tegemiseks ning teostab Ethereumi plokiahelal põhineva lahenduse käsitööehete päritolu kontrolliks. Uurimuse tulemus aitab kaasa taustakontrollimehhanismide arengule ning aitab seda rakendada ülemaailmse tarneahela läbispaistvamaks muutmisel.Handcrafted jewellery involves use of hand labour rather than manufacturing machinery. Unlike manufactured jewellery which is similarly crafted, cheap and easy to find, handcrafted jewellery tend to be uniquely crafted and fairly expensive, especially when it is attributed to a well known artisan or designer. The current information age has birthed a new era of conscious consumers who are willing to pay more for products with proven origins. Likewise, creators desire to be rightfully attributed and acknowledged for their work. However, the partial implementation of provenance by current solutions has encouraged opaque supply chains that hinder transparency and traceability. For this reason, there has been a rapid increase in counterfeit products, unprecedented economic loss, environmental degradation, health risks, increase in defamation cases, and broken trust. In this thesis, we review related provenance solutions using blockchain technology, identify key provenance features and implement a provenance solution for handcrafted jewellery on Ethereum blockchain. The output of this research can be used towards the development of provenance as a subject and its implementation in global supply chains

Automated recording and processing of lecture attendance data using RFID student cards

Aspects of the ongoing project to automate the recording of students' lecture attendance using RFID cards and automate processing of the records without a university wide infrastructure are presented and discussed

Investigating failure to implement contactless payments: a case of Near Field Communication payment systems in South Africa

Near Field Communication (NFC) contactless payment systems are being touted as the future for retail payments and public transport fare-collection systems. Studies have shown that such initiatives require many organisations from different industries to work together for the goal to be realised. The effort and collaboration required to achieve this goal cannot be underestimated. The aim of this research is to explore the failure of NFC contactless payment system implementations. The Actor Network Theory (ANT) has been shown as appropriate for investigating IT implementation failures, and so serves as a study lens for this investigation. A case study research strategy was used in the research to gain an understanding of the as-lived experiences of the actors involved in an NFC payment system implementation. The data was collected using different methods such as interviews and review of project documents. Thematic analysis techniques were used to trace and unpack the interactions occurring around implementation of these NFC payment systems and the challenges encountered. The key factors identified as leading to the NFC payment system implementation failure are external dependencies, lack of required financial investments, interoperability issues due to new and legacy systems, and lack of clear governance structures and bodies. The results of the study suggest that, when there is external dependence, but the tasks, resources required, actors' capabilities, workloads and the duration for completing these tasks are not known, then there will be frequent conflicts, leading to NFC payment system implementation failure. Regulatory bodies and clear leadership structures in collaborative NFC payment system implementation were found to be crucial. The results of the study also propose that when new and legacy systems from multiple actors are to be integrated to develop an NFC payment platform, there is likely going to be system interoperability issues due to the numerous vendors involved, which lead to failure. In addition, unwillingness to commit to the required capital investments by stakeholders was identified as leading to the failure of the NFC payment system implementation. A prescriptive framework is developed based on these lessons that could aid in ensuring better outcomes in future NFC payment systems implementations