Near-Field Communication (NFC), can allow devices to seamlessly and intuitively communicate with one another, enabling a pleasant and convenient user experience. To explore the potential of this technology, the MIT Mobile Experience Lab in collaboration with Nokia researched current NFC initiatives and tried to imagine how to further incorporate NFC into the everyday life of an average user.

Using the example of a college student, the lab identified a number of potential usage categories: Ubiquitous information, Health/Safety, Networking, eMoney, Smart Mobility, Entertainment, and Smart Objects. As an example of how NFC technology could enable ubiquitous information, the lab imagined a virtual tour guide consisting of physical tags near items of interest, such as landmarks. Users could tap their NFC-enabled mobile device on the tag to get more information about the item, the next items on the tour, and other nearby places of interest, such as restaurants.

Under the category of Health, NFC-enable devices could allow a person to record workout data and monitor calorie consumption when ordering food from smart menus. The device could then use this information to make diet suggestions, keep track of health appointments, and keep the person on track while they are at the gym. NFC technology enables many more exciting ideas which are explored further in the project's white paper.