Single-chip NFC solutions provide security and battery-free sensing for IoT

NXP Semiconductors has released the NTAG 22x DNA family, which combines certified security with an innovative tamper status detection mechanism and battery-free sensing to measure changes in ambient conditions, such as moisture, liquid fill level, or pressure. This enables product developers to swiftly, easily and sustainably combine secure authentication with opening status detection or condition monitoring of products to assist in maintaining a secure supply chain and product integrity.

With the new family, physical products can be readily authenticated by employing the IC’s secure unique NFC (SUN) authentication message feature, enabling manufacturers to combat counterfeits and supply chain fraud cost-effectively. The electronic tamper status detection of the multi-functional devices allows manufacturers or product users to verify a product’s unauthorised opening. Also, by measuring capacitive changes in an item’s environmental conditions such as moisture, pressure or fill level, upon a simple tag readout, it is also possible to ensure product quality remains intact or capture digital sensing data for healthcare, retail, or industrial applications.

“The new series of security-certified NFC sensing solutions powers a range of consumer, retail and industrial IoT applications and further advances digitisation,” said Philippe Dubois, vice president and general manager Secure Edge Identification. “The NTAG 22x DNA ICs introduce a new level of status awareness, turning the tag into a simple battery-less sensing device to detect a physical product’s first opening status or a change in its specific ambient condition. This helps manufacturers protect product integrity whilst enabling a new level of intelligence to assure product quality or correct handling.”

“We are proud to market our innovative embedded NFC security solutions for cork stoppers and screw caps, using NXP’s capacitive StatusDetect technology in combination with our patented irreversible mechanical tamper evidence. Therefore, we can offer our global spirits customers a robust anti-counterfeit and adulteration protection without neglecting design,” said Piero Cavigliasso, group innovation technology director at Guala Closures Group. “Keeping products secured is a key priority for our customers, particularly as it has been estimated that 25% of alcohol consumed worldwide is illicit. This solution enables our customers to combat an alarming rise in counterfeiting in a reliable and efficient way.”