The term "Internet of Things" is a very generic phrase referring to the networking of objects; both with themselves or via the Internet.

Whilst this is an extremely broad subject, Universal Smart Cards is at the heart of bringing to market many of the passive IoT devices that make IoT an attractive business case. These devices are at the heart of receiving and pushing data.

The user cases are limitless; from monitoring machines in a factory, connecting the smart home, updating a patient record, or giving further insight into tracking goods and logistics.

Universal Smart Cards supplies a complete range of NFC and RFID tags which can be the key element within an IoT solution. Both RFID and NFC technologies enable communication between the IoT device and its reader as their small token size make them convenient for application and use.

Dry Inlay- the most basic packaging and consisting of the single substrate on which the antenna and chip is housed. There is no adhesive or covering and they are ideal for simple applications needing simple integration without any additional packaging or cost.

Wet Inlay- in addition to the above an adhesive is added so that the inlay can be stuck to the chosen application or form factor. Wet inlay has little protection and limited personalisation and is the most basic form of a sticker or label.

Paper labels- in addition to the above processes a paper surface is added providing additional protection and personalisation. Universal can help with electrical and graphical personalisation or supply a label printer for personalisation on site.

Molded Tags- by far the most rugged form factor as the integrated circuit (IC) is additionally encased into harder materials such as plastics, ABS, and PPH.

Universal Smart Cards can also help integrators personalise data to these devices at our technical centre in Portsmouth so they can be individually recognised and reported on. A personalised tag inside a light, for example, can report back when it was last serviced or put into operation.

Security risks

Much of the concern around IoT is SECURITY. When developing an IoT system, prevention of unauthorised access or control is vital when securing devices.

Designing an IoT system with security in mind from the outset is important especially for future - proofing the scheme. To this end Universal Smart Cards distributes the Multos IOT Developers Kit. The MULTOS TM IoT developer kit has been created to allow developers to write, load, test and debug MULTOS applications running in a MULTOS trust anchor.

How can Universal Smart Cards help?

With over 15 years’ experience working with IoT technologies including RFID and NFC, our expertise can help when it comes to selecting a secure technology for your IoT project. In addition, we can help personalise these passive devices ensuring that they can safely handle sensitive data and do so securely.