It’s the world’s largest event dedicated solely to mobile technology. Mobile World Congress brings together some of the biggest names in tech from around the globe to show off innovative, exciting and forward-thinking products. We joined the 72,000 other folks from 79 countries in Barcelona, slogging it out on the show floor to uncover the most compelling innovations. From futuristic fitness gear to the world’s smallest camera, these are the five most groundbreaking items from Mobile World Congress 2014.
Rambus promises much better images with tech
Rambus is working on two technologies that could potentially transform the imaging market. The one closer to market is the Binary Pixel.
Tiny Lensless Camera Uses Algorithms to Convert Light to Pictures
How small is your smallest camera? Even if it’s a nearly-invisible spycam, your shooter will be huge in comparison to a new smart image sensor that’s just 200 microns wide, giving it less girth than three human hairs. Developed in Rambus’s imaging laboratory, the prototype is so small that it doesn’t even have a lens, using algorithms to convert the spherical patterns of light it “sees” back into recognizable images.
Make Way for The Internet of Things – RSA Conference 2014
Benjamin Jun’s presentation at the 2014 RSA Conference.
Nottingham City Council extends smart ticketing capabilities through Cloud based technology
February 2014
Nottingham City Council extends ITSO smart ticketing capabilities through new Cloud based technology
– New Technology will change the way people can access travel tickets –
Commuters in Nottingham will soon be able to buy their tickets online and download them directly to their smart cards via NFC smart phones thanks to a new deal between Nottingham City Council and Ecebs, the UKs leading provider of Web, NFC and Card enabled smart ticketing.
Nottingham City Council has already incorporated Rambus Ecebs extensive Paragon smart ticketing products into its transport offerings, which underpin concessionary and Citycard schemes, and soon travellers will also be able to use kiosks across the City to pick up their smart travel tickets.
Rambus Ecebs cloud based Paragon Remote Ticket Download software enables the council to deliver convenient and cost effective smart ticketing instantly via existing points of service across the city. Customers will also be able to buy and download tickets at home or on the go using their PC, NFC smartphone or tablet by simply holding their Citycard against their device.
Russell McCullagh, Managing Director of Rambus Ecebs said: “We are delighted that together with Nottingham City Council we can positively impact the experience of smart ticket travel. Our Paragon RTD software is transforming the way we purchase and pick up travel tickets. It enables commuters to instantly add pay-as-you-go top-ups and tickets to their smart card or NFC device. Tickets and top-ups can also be delivered through new or existing infrastructure such as kiosks and retail collection points across the city, meaning greater convenience and choice for customers.
We have simplified the integration process for organisations’ wishing to offer ITSO based ticketing products and the speed of rollout in Nottingham is testament to this.”
Paragon RTD was the first solution certified to ‘Part 11’ of the UK Government mandated ITSO specification, which defines the technical standard for interoperable smart ticketing. Ecebs conceived and created this innovative form of smart ticketing and Paragon RTD is the only proven and scalable implementation on the market, with live implementations now in full scale operation across the UK.
Jason Clifford from the Public Transport Projects Team at Nottingham City Council said: ” Our objective is to deliver a world-class transport ticketing network. While the network is ambitious in scale it is our firm belief that it is possible to grow the market by providing a step change in the ease of ticket purchase for both existing and new customers.
The Citycard network is designed to complement the existing travel centres providing new retail channels that offer customers new and more convenient ways to purchase and crucially, collect tickets.”
Rambus Ecebs provides a number of ITSO accredited products to customers across the UK, this contract win will see the council extend its smart ticketing provision to encompass the most innovative ticketing technology available.
About ITSO & Part 11
ITSO is the UK Government mandated technical standard for interoperable smart ticketing. Part 11 pof the ITSO standard was created by Rambus Ecebs and included in the ITSO standard in 2010. Rambus Ecebs branded Part 11 software is known as Paragon RTD (Remote Ticket Download) and uses a remotely located server or ‘Post’ (Point of Service Terminal) to securely manage ticket purchase, ticket downloads & pay-as-you-go top-ups using a smart card or NFC device across multiple points of service such as terminals, kiosks, ticket vending machines and other NFC based tablets or mobile phones.
Placard Partners with Bell ID to Provide TSM Services in Australia
Placard Pty Ltd, Australia’s leading supplier of card production and personalization services, has selected Bell ID’s trusted service manager (TSM) software solutions to enable it to provision and manage mobile near field communication (NFC)-based applications for its customer base.
Placard can now assume the role of a TSM, using Bell ID’s software platform to support mobile network operators (MNOs) and service providers such as banks and transit operators to deploy mobile NFC services. Through its TSM services, Placard provides the personalization of NFC secure elements and the secure provisioning of applications – such as payment, loyalty and transit – ‘over the air’ to an NFC enabled mobile handset pre- and post-issuance.
“Bell ID’s software solutions enable Placard to offer services and support to the emerging NFC industry. We recognized a need within the region for services of this nature and have extended our personalization capabilities to include NFC-enabled mobile devices. Additionally, having the facilities to offer traditional TSM services combined with support for all form factors of secure element, including Secure Element in the Cloud, has put Placard at the forefront of the NFC ecosystem,” said Chris Nunis, CEO of Placard.
Pat Curran, Executive Chairman of Bell ID, adds: “2014 is the year when value added NFC services will come to consumer devices. We are already seeing services launching to consumers in markets such as Canada so it is pleasing to see Placard taking the initiative in Australia and using our technology to capitalize on the mobile NFC opportunity.”
