Now you can create NFC-enabled 3D printed objects

flomio nfc-enabled

Smartphones are really convenient; instant communication, mobile bill paying, directions, videos — all super useful. But you know what’s more convenient? Having your smartphone execute those same commands without swiping through menus. With NFC technology, you can be just that lazy. I’ll be honest; I had to look this up, but it stands for near field communication, and it actually is pretty cool. What’s cooler though is that you can now get 3D printed goods that are NFC enabled.

Flomio, the company that funded the iOS NFC-enabling FloJack on Kickstarter, is now offering to embed NFC into your 3D designs that they’ll print for you, as long as it’s in .STL format and not over 15 centimeters cubed. What’s even greater about the offer is the price: $0.50 per cubic centimeter, plus $4. That means for an NFC-enabled smiley face you’ll be paying about $8! If you’re in the beer industry there could be no better business card than a bottle opener that directs potential customers to your website when it’s touched against their phones. And that’s totally possible with the way that NFCs can be scripted (may require a custom order; I don’t completely understand this sorcery). You could also create a keychain with different NFCs that will each execute a different action on your own phone, like switching to drive mode, enabling wifi, or opening email.

There’s a custom order option too, so getting multiple NFCs into one print is probably doable. While this technology is a tad creepy considering that wireless payments can be made with it, it still has security protocols. Your phone does need to have NFC functionality for the NFC printed goods to be of much use to you, but if you have a current Android, you’re probably set. You can find out if your phone is up to snuff here.

Source: Shapeways

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