The Hong Kong government-backed LSCM Research & Development Centre is testing a product authentication system for Chinese medicines that uses NFC tags embedded in packaging and NFC kiosks placed in stores.

When a product is tapped to a kiosk, an authentication check is processed against a back-end server at the certification body. Laboratory test certifications and product information, including ingredients, are then displayed on the kiosk for the customer to review.

CHECK: Tapping a product to the NFC kiosk brings up authenticity information

The LSCM AuthenTick project is being conducted with 13 partners in the Chinese medicine industry.

"The next pilot will be extended to four retailers including Eu Yan Sang, Hin Sang Hong Company Limited, Wisdom Come Medical Group and Chinese Pharmaceuticals (HK) Co Ltd," the LSCM told NFC World. "It will be evolved to a mobile application instead of a kiosk application. Thus, the application will be in wider coverage and won't be limited to the store locations."

"In the coming two years, the LSCM R&D Centre will actively commercialize this technology to different consumer products, such as wine and jewellery," the centre adds.