The Open NFC for Android edition archive contains:

• Source code of the Android Edition, including NFC Simulator HAL and Microread HAL modules. This source code is meant to be built as part of the Android File System build, as described in the included Porting Guide document.
• Source code of the Linux kernel module, coming in two flavours for using a remote Connection Center (when using NFC simulator or Microread Evaluation Board) or a native local microread (through I2C connection)
• A few demonstration applications that use the Open NFC extensions for different purposes
• An add-on for the Android SDK, containing a pre-compiled Open NFC for Android image and the matching libraries for development of applications.

Here is what you can do with this Edition:

• Customize your Android system to use a local NFC device: either Microread (already included) or another device (in that case you need to add the appropriate NFC HAL module for this device). This implies that you are familiar with building the Android image for your device already.
• Using the pre-compiled Open NFC Add-on in your Android SDK environment, you can run the Android Emulator and access the NFC feature via the Connection Center, in one of these situations:
  • Use the INSIDE Secure’s MicroRead Evaluation Board connected to a computer running the Connection Center (default configuration of the AVD),
  • Use the NFC Simulator and Connection Center on your computer (AVD requires to be changed as described below).
• Develop Android applications that use NFC (API) and run these applications on an Android target.
  • Including the NFC Demo application examples provided: here
  • and the specific Open NFC extensions provided in the Open NFC delivery.

This paragraph is dedicated to people who want to emulate NFC basic functions (tag reading, P2P exchanges) without having access to real NFC hardware.

We describe here how to use the add-on image included in the Open NFC for Android delivery, along with the NFC Simulator tool included in the Open NFC SDK and Core deliveries. The steps below do not require compilation of the Android image, but a working Android SDK environment is a requirement (we will use adb).

1. Download the latest Open NFC for Android edition, as well as the corresponding Open NFC SDK edition from this website: Downloads. Extract both archives.
2. Copy the content of the “add-ons” folder from the Android Edition archive into your Android SDK’s “add-ons” folder.
3. Start your AVD manager software from your Android SDK, and create a new Android Virtual Device. During the creation, chose the “Target” corresponding to the Open NFC edition you have installed. You can configure other parameters as you see fit.
4. Start your newly-created AVD. NFC is not available yet, this is normal. The emulator may take a few minutes to start this AVD image, this is normal the first time it is run.
5. Once the AVD is fully started (Android system is usable), run the following commands on your host machine:

# Change to your installed Android SDK tools, e.g.:
cd \android-sdk\platform-tools

# Check that the AVD image is correctly detected by your adb:
adb devices
List of devices attached
emulator-5554 device

# Retrieve the default connection_center_access file:
adb pull /data/connection_center_access
0 KB/s (11 bytes in 0.217s)

# Now edit the connection_center_access file on your computer, replace the content with “S 10.0.2.2″ (see the included Porting Guide for details why this step is required).

# Replace the file on the AVD image.
adb push connection_center_access /data/connection_center_access
0 KB/s (11 bytes in 0.136s)


6. Once this change is completed, shutdown your running emulator.
7. Start the Connection Center software from your Open NFC SDK edition.
8. In the Connection Center, change to the "Connection" tab, and enable the option "Accept service client connections from other machines". Close the Connection Center and re-start in order for the option to be active. Be sure to allow the connections to the software in your firewall, if any.
9. Start the NfcSimulator software from your Open NFC SDK edition. You should see some activity in the Connection Center window, showing that the NfcSimulator tool has successfully connected.
10. Now, start your AVD again. You should get additional activity in the Connection Center window, showing that client source "nfcc_hal" has connected.
11. Once the AVD image has booted, you can see the reader modes started on the NfcSimulator software. You can start emulating NFC events from this point.

In order to develop applications for Android using Open NFC, you will have to comply to the requirements of the Android SDK. Please check on Android SDK home page for more information.

The requirements for running the Connection Center and NFC Simulator tools are listed here.

In order to re-compile the complete Android File System image with included Open NFC, you will need an environment compliant with the Android Build Environment described here.

A device that can run the Android operating system is necessarily powerful enough to run the Open NFC software stack, there is no additional requirements in this area.