I've been working on a watch based around a MSP430, and sharp memory LCDs.
I have spent alot of time developing hardware for this, and not alot of time actually writing code. (If anyone actually read the code for my ledRing project you could probably see that I'm not the most elegant programmer.)
I am on revision 4 of my watch, and I've told myself no more revisions until it is on my wrist telling the time.
But, I'm constantly thinking about ways I could improve the hardware of the watch. one of my ideas was NFC.
I'm wondering if you guys think this is something that would actually be beneficial to a watch?
ST make a few EEPROM/NFC hybrids, basically it's EEPROM, but you can access it via NFC, or via SPI/IIC.
(http://www.st.com/web/en/catalog/mmc/FM76/CL1766/SC1412/SS851)
This would allow data transfer to occur between the watch and, say your phone. (setting the time / updating calendar alerts / etc)
Or even my laptop has NFC, I could finish writing new code, place my watch on my laptop and it could be reprogrammed.
This IC also has an interesting property, in that it can output excess RF energy through one of it's pins.
The datasheet doesn't specify how much power, and I'm sure it would depend greatly on the NFC reader, antenna design, and operating distance. I have a board designed with one and an MSP, but I forgot to buy the IC last time I did a digikey order. on my next order I'll get some and I'll be able to do some tests.
But this might enable the watch to run without batteries, or prolong the life of batteries.
Has anyone used these ST micro devices before? I know TI now have their own NFC "dynamic" tags, basically a MSP430 + RF front end.
Anyone done any projects with NFC? I found a few epaper NFC smart stickers online, but they all seem outdated, (~2012)