What NFC Tags are there?

Near Field Communication tags are complicated but...

NFC is a new consumer version of an old technology, RFID, which has been around for years in industry and has many versions and standards.

For TapCare and using NFC for home care or communication, it's best just to keep it simple and use what is known as MiFare standard tags.

MiFare is what a lot of public transport systems use in their swipe cards, like Oyster in London.

The only difference in MiFare tags (that matters) is memory capacity.

MiFare 64 Bytes

Above are some 64 byte tags which can be used as stickers. They can only really be used for triggering single events like opening a programme.

They cost around £1 each.

MiFare 4K

Above are some 4K Mifare cards. They're like Oyster cards or credit card in size and made from hard plastic. They have a much bigger memory capacity and can be used for multiple actions.

They cost around £1.30 each.

Which to use?

Which to use depends on what you need to do.

Mifare 64 bytes tags are good for embedding in notebooks and on surfaces when someone needs to do something simple regularly. They're easy to put in personal belongings so as to make them accessible but not obvious. They're very good for making emergency call buttons.

MiFare 4K tags are better for use when complex multiple actions are needed. So added to a keyring or put into a credit card holder wallet and marked for different times of the day means they can be used as a simple way of maintaining regular contact, reporting care visits and setting timers.