Freescale Semiconductor, a leading manufacturer of micro-technologies, and Inside Secure, a mobile technology company specializing in NFC, have come together to create a new contactless, prepaid utility meter design. The design aims to bring more security to the world of electronic meter products as well as help modernize the utilities industry. Prepaid electricity meters are quite popular throughout the world, but have been the target of fraud in the past. Both companies claim that the new design system will be much more reliable in terms of safety.
The design is based on Freescale’s Kinetis MK30 microcontroller and will be the first of its kind to make use of NFC technology. Inside Secure will be providing the necessary security technologies to ensure that fraud is a minimal concern. The system will allow people to use their prepaid energy cards or their smart phones to pay for energy. They will also be able to refill their balances by using the system, thanks to NFC connectivity.
NFC technology is beginning to branch out into different industries. It has proven to be a decent success in the worlds of marketing and mobile commerce, but that may soon change as more companies become comfortable with using the technology. Freescale Semiconductor and Inside Secure believe that NFC has a great deal of potential for the utilities industry and that it can help streamline the industry to be more efficient.
