i just found these rings that have NFC in them - [url=http://nfcring.com/]http://nfcring.com/[/url]. I was thinking of using some NFC tags by my door to turn on/off lights when I arrive or leave my home. I know there are several uses I can have with NFC tag, but my doubts are:
Does Vera support NFC tags to launch scenes or PLEGs? How?
Do NFC tags know when person A or person B activate the tag?
Can anyone having android phone or NFC product use my NFC tag or are they programmed to identify specific device?
No. Vera has no clue what an NFC tag is or any way to see one.
- Do NFC tags know when person A or person B activate the tag?
No. Think of NFC tags as a serial number. This is a slight over simplification, but think of it as simply a globally unique serial number that can be read by NFC capable devices like some smart phones. Kind of like a unique bar code or QR code.
The phone reads the NFC tag(serial number). The phone then uses an app that sends a command or performs an action when it reads that particular “serial number”. You have to get the app, specify inside the app’s configuration what NFC tag to act on and what action to take. In the case of Vera, the app reads the NFC tag, recognizes it and then sends a command to Vera through one of Vera’s apps.
- Can anyone having android phone or NFC product use my NFC tag or are they programmed to identify specific device?
Any phone can read the tag(again an over simplification) but, all they see is the "serial number", which will be meaningless to them. Here's [url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.anyro.nfc_reader&hl=en]an app that simply reads NFC tags[/url], note the output in the screenshots. They can't really do anything with just the serial number. It is up to the phone's owner to have the needed apps installed, configured and assign the appropriate commands.
You could configure your phone to do something on Vera when it reads the tag e.g. unlock door and turn on light. You could configure your SO’s phone to unlock the door, turn on the light and send an email when it reads the same tag. But, when a random person walks up to your door and reads the tag, they just see a “serial number” and Vera doesn’t see or do anything.
I use the WP8 app grasshopper to perform actions by reading NFC stickers with my windows phone. For example: I have a sticker by the garage door and when I swipe my phone over it the garage door opens.
From what I understood, NFC and Vera can only be used with phones via an App, so the NFC ring would be good only for unlocking my phone, but not to trigger a scene or something like that.
Regarding the phone and NFC tag, I would have to configure both phones (mine and my wife) to send an URL via AutomationHD (we use this App) to do a specific thing.
Phones are easiest, but not mandatory. You need an NFC reader(antenna and circuitry) and some computing power to do something with read data. Many smartphones have these all neatly prepackaged and free apps make magic. But, you could certainly take an NFC reader, pair it with an Arduino and mount it by the door. Then passing your NFC tagged ring over the antenna, Arduino issues commands to Vera. This is just how badge readers in many businesses work.
Regarding the phone and NFC tag, I would have to configure both phones (mine and my wife) to send an URL via AutomationHD (we use this App) to do a specific thing.
Yes. A popular option is to use the powerful [url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm]Tasker app[/url]. The app is triggered by the NFC tag read and it can then make AuthomatioHD run a scene or turn on a device. Tasker is very powerful and can do a lot more than my basic example.
I have an Arduino project that can read an NFC ring/keyfob/card/sticker/etc. and read the contents of the data that’s stored on it. Now suppose that project had an Ethernet/Wi-Fi/USB interface to Vera. The keyfob could contain the appropriate URL and the payload to send via a RESTful interface. With maybe a plug-in, we could have an NFC trigger that in turn talks to devices or sets a scene.
Does Vera have an API that can be used to deliver a trigger to the unified Lua-UPnP interface? Can a response be brought back to the Arduino project?
[quote=“kgrr, post:7, topic:182519”]I have an Arduino project that can read an NFC ring/keyfob/card/sticker/etc. and read the contents of the data that’s stored on it. Now suppose that project had an Ethernet/Wi-Fi/USB interface to Vera. The keyfob could contain the appropriate URL and the payload to send via a RESTful interface. With maybe a plug-in, we could have an NFC trigger that in turn talks to devices or sets a scene.
Does Vera have an API that can be used to deliver a trigger to the unified Lua-UPnP interface? Can a response be brought back to the Arduino project?[/quote]
Yes, you can do this. I said as much in my previous post.
The Arduino simply needs to send an HTTP request to Vera to activate a scene or device. There is a response, but if you wanted the Arduino to know the state of a device, you’d be better served sending an HTTP request to Vera querying the device state. This is all out of the box, no plugins or coding. If you wanted to go further and develop a plugin to suit your specific case you can do that too. There is also the option of writing a “client” for the Arduino like the smartphone apps, but it’s not necessary.
This has been discussed several times on this forum and I’m pretty sure that there are some wiki articles about it as well. Google.
I use HomeBuddy and NFC tags with my galaxy S5 and Vera3. Install HomeBuddy, create a scene to lock and unlock your door. Copy the HTTP Link and note the scene # from Vera, then simply use “TRIGGER” app in the play store to have your NFC tag launch the homebuddy scene. I use this for garage doors, lock and unlocking my yale locks, and running All OFF when I go to bed with an NFC tag under my nightstand where I put my phone at night. Works great!