Why the interest in near field technology and smart campuses?
I think of near field communications (NFCs) as the understated member of the mobile technology family. Yet, I was surprised by how saturated NFC is in our existing technological ecosystem.
According to the NFC Forum (2019):
Two billion NFC-enabled devices like a smartphone are in use today (IHS). In other words, 20%+ of the world’s population have access to NFC.
The technology may not be as flashy as augmented reality or games, but they enhance the connection between physical objects, spaces and virtual experiences. We’ve already seen evidence of NFCs in retail, with contactless payment transactions such as Apple Wallet or Google Pay. I wanted to dig deeper into how NFCs could change the student experience, when integrated into a larger smart community, or in this case, a connected, smart campus.
Exploring the ‘explainer video’ format and Biteable as a production tool
Explainer videos are short (1-2 minutes) and typically have a strong call-to-action, perfect for mobile media digestion and this project. My first attempt was with Adobe Spark, but I found the timings and layouts restrictive. Video clips were 30 seconds or less, too short to break down a concept as complex as NFCs.
I checked out the free version of Biteable, as an alternative and was pleasantly surprised by its library of animations and ease of use. As a web developer, I’m more comfortable with front-end code than with video timelines and frames. The interface was intuitive and responsive; I didn’t find the added watermark (that comes with free plans) intrusive to the viewing experience. Each clip is limited to 80 characters, so you need to plan your content ahead of time. I created a rough storyboard and outline, which helped keep production moving.
Further reading and references
See the full list of references.