Exploring the application and usability of NFC for promoting self-learning on energy consumption of household electronic appliances

During the past decade, the significant increase in the adoption of consumer electronics has caused a rise in energy demand within the residential and household sectors globally. Since these electronics are dependent on electricity, the impact of these sectors on the environment is also deteriorating and it becomes important to take remedial action. For this, various websites and mobile applications have emerged that provide information to household users on energy consumption of devices and as well as reduction mechanisms. However, since these platforms are limited in various ways in their endeavor to promote self-learning on energy consumption reduction, awareness still remains an important barrier thus giving rise to the need for further investigation on innovative technologies and platforms. Even though Near Field Communication (NFC) could potentially be used, limited work has been conducted in relation to energy consumption of consumer electronics. As such, this paper delves into the application and usability of NFC for promoting self-learning on energy consumption of household electronic appliances through an Android based application called NFC Energy Tracker (NET).