If you ever need a NFC / RFID test probe for your hardware and software development, here is a neat idea I picked up from the guys at Ingenico, Paris.
The idea is that you are testing your RFID control software on a terminal or a phone and you are not sure if the sensor is really active. Make this little gadget and it will tell you if the sensor is broadcasting an RFID signal.
* Note it is intended to be used for 13MHz RFID (Mifare or similar card types).
1. Take some thin, insulated wire
2. Create a loop of the wire around your fingers with 4 turns (for Mifare, use 4)
3. Bend or solder the wire ends to the pins of an LED - you don't need a resistor, just the LED
4. Form into a nice rectangle, about the size of a VISA card
There you go. If you bring the gadget within range of an RFID signal, the LED will light up and show the antenna is broadcasting.
It works equally well with your NFC phone too, allowing you to check if it is broadcasting an RFID signal.
Here are some photos of it in use...you can just about see the LED lit up...
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| The basic tool - 4 turns of cable and an LED - no light |
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| In Use with an Ingenico iCT250 terminal - lit up |
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| In Use with a ViVOtech VP5000 Reader |
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| In Use with a Google Nexus S Phone |
Handy little tool for your pocket!
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