VTAP50 embedded NFC reader board - USB & Serial

The VTAP50 from Dot Origin can selectively read and decrypt NFC cards from iPhone or Android devices, and transfer this data to a connected system. It can also read unique IDs, MIFARE sector and secure encoded data from many RFID and NFC cards and tags, including DESFire, Ultralight AES, NDEF, HCE and MIFARE2Go.

VTAP50 is a streamlined version of the VTAP100 from Dot Origin, for integration into your own enclosure or kiosk. This small form factor reader can be used in many environments, including retail loyalty, cashless payment, gym check-in, and sports ticketing. The VTAP50 remains logically separate from any payment mechanism. This simplifies data and security considerations, and the human interaction. It does not support EMV payments, but can be used for stored value and points redemption applications.

VTAP50 has been designed to support a smooth transition from plastic to mobile NFC cards so, alongside mobile passes, the VTAP50 will also read popular contactless RFID or NFC smartcards and tags, to support mixed-use applications. It is fully certified by both Apple and Google to work with their respective VAS and Smart Tap protocols. It has been tested and qualified for ECP2 access control, although boards and modules generally require certification in their final enclosure to meet Apple requirements.

A USB or serial connection from any PC can be used to configure the VTAP50, by editing simple text files. There is support for secure on-board decryption of many pass types and storage of ECC and AES keys. These keys can be easily updated but cannot be extracted from the device. The configuration can be locked, so that the device is password protected or read-only in general use.

The VTAP50-OEM can output pass data over USB in the same way as a mag-stripe, barcode or QR code scanner. This could be a keyboard emulation, or a virtual COM interface with protocol support including secure OSDP over serial, or a serial RS232 interface. This makes it possible to add the VTAP50 to existing systems without software changes, to update an established card or ticket experience, to one where passes are wholly electronic.

The VTAP50-OEM is ready for you to integrate into your own housing. It comes without cables, but includes a micro-USB connector on board as well as a standard 8 pin 2mm pitch connector for both USB and serial RS-232 connections.

A VTAP50 reader can support a string of external serial LEDs, with the facility to configure custom animations and note sequences for high quality user feedback. It has additional NFC tag emulation and GymKit handoff modes for more specialist use cases and additional I/O pins and features available.

This is all you need to get started with mobile NFC card reading, as it includes access to create demonstration mobile passes, so that you can test your application. For production purposes you will need to use a third-party pass provider, or integrate directly with Apple and Google.

The VTAP range includes the VTAP50 as an even smaller reader module (VTAP50-MOD), without its antenna, if you would prefer to integrate with another antenna better suited to your enclosure. VTAP100 can provide the similar functionality on a larger board, optionally in our standard compact case. Please contact us to discuss the options that would best suit your application.