FloJack campaign launched to bring NFC to iOS platform
Flomio, an ambitious NFC-based mobile commerce startup, is looking to bring NFC technology to the iOS platform. Apple caught a lot of flak for shunning NFC technology with the latest edition of the iPhone, and the company has been adamant in its position that NFC technology is not yet ready for its plans for mobile commerce. That means that, for the time being, iPhone users will largely be left out of any mobile commerce initiative or service that emerges within the next few years until Apple decides on a suitable alternative to the technology. Flomio is hoping to solve that problem with FloJack.
FloJack seeks to be funded through Kickstarter
The startup has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its FloJack device. Kickstarter is a crowd funding platform that has been remarkably successful for ambitious projects. The FloJack device is designed to connect to any iOS device and give that device NFC capabilities. The FloJack is equipped with an NFC chip that can enable an iOS device to conduct mobile transactions, engage in NFC-based marketing campaigns, or facilitate wireless data sharing.
FloJack not likely the ultimate NFC solution for iOS
The FloJack campaign was launched late last week through Kickstarter. Flomio is looking to raise $80,000 in funding for the project. The developers are well aware that the FloJack will not have an indefinite lifespan, especially as Apple works to find an alternative to NFC technology. Flomio co-founder Tim Ronan notes that the FloJack is meant to get iOS fans prepared for the day when NFC technology, or something very similar, makes its way to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
Similar devices aim to expand mobile commerce accessibility
FloJack is not the first of its kind. The UK’s Square has a similar device that is designed to allow consumers without NFC-enabled devices to conduct mobile transactions. These devices are addressing an issue that currently exists in the mobile commerce industry. That issue is the lack of NFC-enabled devices. Without these devices, consumers cannot participate in mobile commerce in an effective manner.
3D Printshow hints at a new future for augmented reality
The 3D Printshow ended over the past weekend, drawing some 4,000 attendees to witness innovative uses in technology. The event brought technology enthusiasts from all over the world to London, where they were exposed to some of the most innovative used of 3D printing the world has ever seen. 3D printing is the process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model. During the event, this process was exhibited well through the use of augmented reality.
Inition uses augmented reality to create innovative designs
Inition, a 3D creative technology company, was in attendance at the 3D Printshow, where it showed off some of its latest designs in the realm of 3D printing. The company’s exhibitions, which included a chocolate replica of co-founder Andy Milins’ brain, were created with the help of augmented reality. The technology allowed the company to make detailed digital models using data that was taken from other sources. In the case of the chocolate replica brain that was on display, this information came from an MRI scan, which was then converted into a format that was used to make an augmented reality digital model.
3D printing could benefit from augmented reality
Another exhibition from Inition were small models of trees that were created using 3D printing. This exhibition was part of an overarching project that encompassed the 3D Printshow. The project is called “People Wood” and was commissioned by the Hackney Council of Britain. The project is comprised of more than 400 3D printed trees, all created from digital models fashioned with the help of augmented reality technology.
Technology may have future in architecture
The 3D Printshow showed off how augmented reality could be used to make highly detailed digital models for 3D printing. The event also brought attention to how this technology might be used on a grander scale, such as in architecture. Augmented reality could be used to create detailed plans concerning an architectural project that could be highly valuable for those involved. As such, the technology continues to show that it may be more useful outside of the realm of marketing and entertainment.
