Design blueprint of a screenless wearable for contactless payments

Article By : Majeed Ahmad

A screenless wearable device interprets human gestures and uses biometric data to pick up a call or make contactless payments. The Turin, Italy-based startup Deed has launched a bracelet called “get” that the company’s CEO Edoardo Parini sees as the next leap into wearable evolution. “It’s the perfect bridge between ‘you‘ and ‘your’ digital-self.”

Figure 1The “get” screenless wristband enables communication and contactless payment using biometrics data. Source:Infineon

智能腕带在单个基于心电图的生物识别识别后执行非接触式付款。它的非接触式支付功能基于Infineon Technologies AG的Secora ConnectNFC platform that enables smart wearables to securely provision, store, select, and use multiple credentials such as payment cards. Moreover, it allows smart wearables system designers without security and antenna design expertise to integrate this compact, ultra-low-power solution into NFC-based payment applications.

Figure 2在可穿戴设备内部，由几层高科技织物组成，是一个刚性的PCB。资料来源：Infineon

This wearable device’s next major building block is a MEMS microphone that provides high-fidelity voice recording during phone calls. The device employs Infineon’sXENSIVMEMS microphones that are designed for applications where low self-noise (high SNR), wide dynamic range, low distortions, and a high acoustic overload point are required.

For wireless connectivity, theAIROC Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Combosintegrates IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2 in a single chip. And it’s connected to aPSoC 6microcontroller that specializes in low-power design to extend battery life.

The use of biometrics for second-factor authentication is the next big thing in payment applications following signatures, embossing, magnetic stripe, and secure chip technologies. Here, instead of entering a PIN or showing an ID, the card or device holder authenticates by using a fingerprint sensor embedded on the card or wearable device.

Infineon has recently joined hands with the Oslo, Norway-based biometric specialist Zwipe to co-define and develop system-on-chips (SoCs) for mass deployment of smart biometric devices, including payment cards and wearables.

Figure 3The tap-and-go payments with biometric cards are gaining in popularity. Source: Infineon

Infineon已与挪威奥斯陆奥斯陆的另一家生物识别公司合作，为生物识别支付卡开发参考设计。Infineon与Next Biometrics的合作导致创建了一个生物识别卡参考设计，该设计包括生物识别模块，安全元素，具有生物识别和付款小问题的操作系统，以及推荐的制造卡的预覆盖和层压方法。

Figure 4The reference design for biometric cards enables secure biometric smart card payment with significantly reduced false rejection rates to below one percent. Source: Infineon

These developments show that the hardware and software building blocks for biometrics-based smart payments are now ready and available. That allows startups like Italy’s Deed to focus on a product idea and bring their designs to market quickly.

This article was originally published onEDN.

Majeed Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief of EDN and Planet Analog, has covered the electronics design industry for more than two decades.