Near Field Communications (NFC) can improve construction efficiency
Thanks to Apple’s announcement of the iPhone 6, the technology known as Near Field Communications (NFC) has been getting a lot of buzz recently. This is a technology that has been around for awhile, but there are some big implications for it around the corner.
In a nutshell, NFC allows the wireless transfer of small amounts of data between devices held in close proximity (about 2 inches). Most of the current headlines are about NFC-enabled “instant purchases”. Someone with an NFC tag or chip in their smartphone can tap a merchant’s NFC-enabled terminal, instead of swiping a credit card, and just like that a secure transaction is completed. This is what has people talking about entirely replacing wallets and credit cards.
Lauren Hasegawa studies and writes on how tech can improve efficiency on building sites, and is a frequent speaker on construction innovation. She is also the co-founder of Bridgit, a Canadian company developing mobile-first solutions for punch card management and other construction-related pain points.
Beyond instant-touch transactions, though, there are exciting potential applications for NFC in the engineering, logistics and construction sectors – just to name a few. For example, Canadian structural engineer and industry analyst Lauren Hasegawa sees several uses for NFC in the construction world:
- Equipment/asset management. NFC can be used to track inventory and equipment on-site. With a quick scan, employees will know when the equipment was last inspected or certified.
- Prefabrication & materials. Tracking prefabricated sections of large structures as they arrive onsite. This can help quickly identify if an incorrect section has been deliver, or if parts are missing prior to installation – saving time and labor costs.
- Deficiency management. Currently, tags are often placed around a site to indicate deficiencies. If these used NFC technology, a simple scan could pull up more information about what needs to be corrected in the identified location.
- Workforce safety. NFC tags placed on hardhats would allow quick access to information about workers’ safety accreditations and can be used for quick accountability during site evacuations.
She goes on to say, “As NFC emerges as [a] more ubiquitous form of data exchange, we can expect to see a lot from the technology in the future… The beauty of NFC is that the reader is already incorporated into most smartphones, so no additional scanning devices are required.”
Note: The points and quote above come from Lauren’s excellent e-book “Where We’re Headed: Construction Technology Trends for 2015”, and are used with her permission.
–Katy Stephens, busybusy Design Team
