Talking packaging could be the future, thanks to a new mobile phone technology being developed by a Finnish research centre. Researchers at VTT Technical Research Centre of Otaniemi, Finland, have found a way to use NFC (near field communication) technology to turn packaging into gateway for more information. NFC allows the wireless transfer of digital information over a short range between objects by placing them close together, and could be used to help those with visual or hearing difficulties to identify indistinct products. Chip-bearing stickers are added to a product, which, when scanned by a shopper's smart phone, prompts anything from normal text, audio or a link to a web page to load on the screen. Marja Harjumaa, a research scientist at VTT, points out that it could be an effective way for the food packaging industry to display detailed information in a small area. The chip comes battery-free and can be constantly updated with new information, unlike conventional barcodes or more modern QR (quick response) codes that cannot be changed after they are set. NFC tags are said to be easier to use than barcodes and QR codes, both of which can be scanned by shoppers using their phone's built-in cameras to access additional information or compare prices.
