Poken
Encyclopedia
Poken is a technology that utilizes a proprietary Near Field Communication
(NFC) technology to allow the exchange of online social networking
data between two keychain
accessories. Each person involved in the exchange must have his or her own poken. The primary information exchanged via the poken is a ‘social business card’, a digital replacement for a physical business card
. By touching two devices together, a unique ID is exchanged that links to contact information on the Poken website. Contact information acquired by use of the poken can be uploaded to the poken website using a built-in USB connector.
In addition to the contact information found on a typical business card, links to users’ social networks
can also be added. Examples include Twitter
, Facebook
, LinkedIn
and 40+ other social networks
. Users of the Poken website can use a ‘social dashboard’ to manage, and interact with their contacts.
Pokens are used for social networking, personal identification and as a device for loyalty programs. Bloggers and social media addicts have taken it up for networking event such as tweet-ups. Corporations such as BMW
and IBM
use pokens at their conferences, to enhance interaction with the conference attendees and to facilitate business networking.
Poken is sold through a network of resellers and web shops in over 40 countries. Early adopter countries have been South Africa
, the Netherlands
, Japan
, Germany
and more recently the United States
.
, Switzerland
, by Stéphane Doutriaux. The founder had come up with the business idea while doing his MBA at IMD
, a business school in Lausanne
. The development of the technology was done in collaboration with the Berner Fachhochschule, a university of applied sciences situated in Biel, Switzerland. The project start was in July 2008 and ended in December of the same year . The first product range called the ‘Sparks’ was introduced in January 2009. Poken S.A. launched the poken ‘Pulse’ (with 2 GB memory) in September 2009 .
The name 'Poken' comes from the initial project which the founder started that sparked the idea for the final version of the project. The project started out as a 'Poker' 'Token'. The name stuck and became what we know today as 'Poken'.
PIC18F14K50 http://takekazuomi.blogspot.com/2009/06/closeup-poken.htmlhttp://ameblo.jp/hfo/entry-10224130228.html. This PIC provides a USB interface. The Mass Storage Device is implemented in code within the PIC. A software radio proprietary protocol is used to directly drive a small coil. The frequency is observed to be around 125 kHz. The radio exchange is claimed to be secured by a 256bit AES key http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61jYzrR5MN4. The main chip is labeled differently in later devices (though still labeled MicroChip) - and is likely a OEM version of the same chip albeit with small modifications to reduce cost or power.
The user's poken contact card can contain any information they want to share, for example URLs, mobile number, email address, and location. It can also be configured with links to the user on over 40 social networking sites. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Ning, and more. Each social network is represented with an icon on the user's contact card, and is just one click to the user on that respective social network. From there, the standard "friending" or connecting rules apply.
Contacts can also be exported from the poken user hub to vCards or Apple Mail.
Near Field Communication
Near field communication, or NFC, allows for simplified transactions, data exchange, and wireless connections between two devices in proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimeters. It is expected to become a widely used system for making payments by smartphone in the United States...
(NFC) technology to allow the exchange of online social networking
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
data between two keychain
Keychain
A keychain or key chain is a small chain, usually made from metal or plastic, that connects a small item to a keyring. The length of a keychain allows an item to be used more easily than if connected directly to a keyring...
accessories. Each person involved in the exchange must have his or her own poken. The primary information exchanged via the poken is a ‘social business card’, a digital replacement for a physical business card
Business card
Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver's name, company affiliation and contact information such as street addresses, telephone...
. By touching two devices together, a unique ID is exchanged that links to contact information on the Poken website. Contact information acquired by use of the poken can be uploaded to the poken website using a built-in USB connector.
In addition to the contact information found on a typical business card, links to users’ social networks
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
can also be added. Examples include Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. , LinkedIn reports more than 120 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. The site is available in English, French,...
and 40+ other social networks
Social network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
. Users of the Poken website can use a ‘social dashboard’ to manage, and interact with their contacts.
Pokens are used for social networking, personal identification and as a device for loyalty programs. Bloggers and social media addicts have taken it up for networking event such as tweet-ups. Corporations such as BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
and IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
use pokens at their conferences, to enhance interaction with the conference attendees and to facilitate business networking.
Poken is sold through a network of resellers and web shops in over 40 countries. Early adopter countries have been South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and more recently the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
The company Poken S.A. was founded in December 2007 in LausanneLausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, by Stéphane Doutriaux. The founder had come up with the business idea while doing his MBA at IMD
International Institute for Management Development
IMD - International Institute for Management Development is a non profit business school located in Lausanne, Switzerland.- History & Mission :...
, a business school in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
. The development of the technology was done in collaboration with the Berner Fachhochschule, a university of applied sciences situated in Biel, Switzerland. The project start was in July 2008 and ended in December of the same year . The first product range called the ‘Sparks’ was introduced in January 2009. Poken S.A. launched the poken ‘Pulse’ (with 2 GB memory) in September 2009 .
The name 'Poken' comes from the initial project which the founder started that sparked the idea for the final version of the project. The project started out as a 'Poker' 'Token'. The name stuck and became what we know today as 'Poken'.
Electronics
The electronics are produced by Art of Technology, Zurich http://www.art-of-technology.ch/english/pdf_publications/flyers/aot_poken.pdf. Early devices use a PIC microcontrollerPIC microcontroller
PIC is a family of Harvard architecture microcontrollers made by Microchip Technology, derived from the PIC1650 originally developed by General Instrument's Microelectronics Division...
PIC18F14K50 http://takekazuomi.blogspot.com/2009/06/closeup-poken.htmlhttp://ameblo.jp/hfo/entry-10224130228.html. This PIC provides a USB interface. The Mass Storage Device is implemented in code within the PIC. A software radio proprietary protocol is used to directly drive a small coil. The frequency is observed to be around 125 kHz. The radio exchange is claimed to be secured by a 256bit AES key http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61jYzrR5MN4. The main chip is labeled differently in later devices (though still labeled MicroChip) - and is likely a OEM version of the same chip albeit with small modifications to reduce cost or power.
Typical Usage
A typical usage scenario consists of:- User meets User
- User 'high fours' his or her Poken with that of the other user. Essentially holding them against each other (such that the coils inside the token are more or less aligned).
- The two Poken flashes green to signal that a bond was made.
- At home, the User plugs in his or her token into the USB port.
- The token is recognized as a standard (read only) disk.
- The user opens an HTML file from the disk (either manually, or through the AUTOSTART.INF mechanism).
- The HTML file contains a page which forwards the user to the Poken website. The URL forwarded to contains the Poken its unique identifier as well as the unique IDs of the most recent 64 pokens seen.
- The website detects any new pokens seen - and adds them to the user's timeline and contact list.
The user's poken contact card can contain any information they want to share, for example URLs, mobile number, email address, and location. It can also be configured with links to the user on over 40 social networking sites. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Ning, and more. Each social network is represented with an icon on the user's contact card, and is just one click to the user on that respective social network. From there, the standard "friending" or connecting rules apply.
Contacts can also be exported from the poken user hub to vCards or Apple Mail.
External links
- Poken Website
- Poken Venezuela Facebook Page
- FoxNews.com Covers Poken
- Angel & Devil Jeans integrate Poken technology into their 2011 collection
- TechCrunch Coverage of Poken TechcrunchTechCrunchTechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
- Robert Scoble Interview w/ Founder Stephane Doutriaux Robert ScobleRobert ScobleRobert Scoble is an American blogger, technical evangelist, and author. Scoble is best known for his blog, Scobleizer, which came to prominence during his tenure as a technology evangelist at Microsoft. He is married to Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble. He has three children; one from a previous...
- CBS MarketWatch Coverage of Poken MarketWatchMarketWatchMarketWatch operates a financial information website that provides business news, analysis and stock market data to some 6 million people. MarketWatch offers personal finance news and advice, tools for investors and access to industry research. Along with its flagship website, the company operates...
- Poken Wins TechCrunch Europa Award
- Poken: Extending Online Social Networking into The Real World Google Tech Talk
- Poken Company Profile