Sep 03, 2012Visitors to Sydney's The Rocks will soon be able to learn about the history of the popular tourist precinct, with just a simple wave of their smartphones, thanks to Near Field Communication (NFC) RFID technology.
The Rocks, an area located near the site of Australia's first European settlement in 1788, was established shortly after the colony's formation. Its buildings are composed of local sandstone, from which the area derives its name. The Rocks' colorful past, historic buildings, proximity to Circular Quay and views of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge make it a popular destination for millions of tourists annually.
Andrew Stoner, the deputy premier of New South Wales (NSW), claims that The Rocks is the world's first heritage precinct to offer visitors an interactive tour via cell phones. "With just a simple tap of their mobile phone, visitors will be taken on a journey through laneways of The Rocks," he says, "along cobblestone streets, and up and down sandstone steps, to reveal fascinating stories of families, friends, convicts and colonists."
The NSW Government funded the program through the first round of its Collaborative Solutions program, known as Mobile Concierge, which supports consortiums developing innovative mobile solutions for tourism and retail industries. The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) then approached NFC technology provider Tapit to integrate the technology, combining NFC tags and Quick Response (QR) codes, into 37 historic locations within The Rocks.
"Simply by tapping their phone on the Tapit symbol," Conyngham explains, "visitors can receive a more detailed history of the area, get archival footage, receive the information they want to see and get a richer experience."
NFC-enabled passive smart stickers were applied to plaques installed at 37 locations within The Rocks. The stickers employ Mifare 13.56 MHz RFID chips that adhere to the ISO 14443 standard. When an NFC-enabled smartphone is tapped against the sticker, it matches a unique code associated with that particular location, and the appropriate content is then sent directly to the user's mobile phone.
Visitors lacking NFC-enabled smartphones can scan a graphic with a QR code printed on the sticker, which will then direct them to the appropriate content.
According to an SHFA spokesperson, the technology was simple to roll out, involving minimal infrastructure requirements. The plaques, measuring approximately 14 centimeters by 5 centimeters (5.5 inches by 2 inches), were attached to existing structures within The Rocks' precinct.
"Users have the option of completing a short feedback form when using the service, and while responses to date have been limited, three out of four users would recommend the self-guided tour to a friend," the SHFA spokesperson says. "Based on current statistics, approximately 25 percent of usage has been via the Tapit NFC technology, with the remaining 75 percent scanning the QR code. This could be due to low market penetration of NFC-enabled phones currently available in Australia. NFC technology does provide a number of opportunities for dissemination of content to visitors in The Rocks. There are plans to enhance the existing content; however, this is scheduled for a time when NFC-enabled phones have higher market penetration."
Deputy Premier Stoner says the new technology will offer the 14 million tourists who visit The Rocks each year a richer experience, and encourage them to spend more time in the precinct. He reports that this is just the first stage of technology development within The Rocks, which plans to introduce video, audio and bilingual capabilities. The tags could also be expanded to alert visitors to nearby shopping and dining places, and to let them take advantage of special offers, follow social networks, or make a purchase or booking.
