Hybrid NFC-VLC Systems: Integration Strategies, Applications, and Future Directions

Abstract

The hybridization of Near-Field Communication (NFC) with Visible Light Communication (VLC) presents a promising framework for robust, secure, and efficient wireless transmission. By combining proximity-based authentication of NFC with high-speed and interference-resistant data transfer of VLC, this approach mitigates the inherent limitations of each technology, such as the restricted range of NFC and authentication challenges of VLC. The resulting hybrid system leverages NFC for secure handshaking and VLC for high-throughput communication, enabling scalable, real-time applications across diverse domains. This study examines integration strategies, technical enablers, and potential use cases, including smart street poles for secure citizen engagement, patient authentication and record access systems in healthcare, personalized retail advertising, and automated attendance tracking in education. Additionally, this paper addresses key challenges in hybridization and explores future research directions, such as the integration of Artificial Intelligence and 6G networks.

1. Introduction

Wireless communications are rapidly moving towards heterogeneous networks that combine various technologies to enhance performance, reliability, and security. Among these, Near-Field Communication (NFC), Visible Light Communication (VLC), and their broader application as Light Fidelity (LiFi) are being developed as complementary technologies for proximity-based wireless applications. NFC, operating at 13.56 MHz, is widely used for secure, proximity-based transactions due to its ease of implementation and robust encryption capabilities [1]. On the other hand, VLC/LiFi utilizes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for high-bandwidth information transfer and electromagnetic interference (EMI) immunity. Therefore, VLC is suitable in scenarios where radio frequency (RF) communication is not feasible or is prohibited [2]. The combination of these technologies presents a unique opportunity to address the weaknesses of each while leveraging the strengths of all. NFC is optimized for secure device pairing and authentication, whereas VLC is optimized for secure high-speed data transfer on short to medium distances. This integration is following the general trend of bringing diverse communication paradigms together to meet the growing demands of modern applications, such as smart cities, healthcare, and the IoT [3].

The driving force for the integration of NFC and VLC comes from the inherent limitations of both technologies when used independently. NFC is restricted by its limited range of operation (typically up to 10 cm) and relatively lower data rates (up to 424 kbps), which restrict its usage to applications requiring small amounts of data to be transferred, such as contactless payment or access control, but rendering it useless for high-bandwidth applications such as multimedia transmission or file transfers [1]. In addition, NFC’s reliance on RF makes it susceptible to eavesdropping in crowded environments, despite its encrypting abilities [4]. On the other hand, while VLC offers high data rates (demonstrated up to 8 Gbps in some configurations) and taps into the license-free visible light spectrum, it requires a line of sight (LoS) between the transmitter and the receiver, which can result in connectivity issues in changing or obstructive environments [2]. Second, VLC lacks native authentication protocols; thus it can be accessed by unauthorized users if not paired with a secure handshaking protocol [5]. The combination of NFC and VLC eliminates such limitations through their synergy.

For instance, NFC can authenticate devices or users within proximity in such a manner that only authentic individuals establish a connection, a prerequisite for use in secure payments or access control [1]. Once authenticated, VLC is then liable for delivering high-bandwidth data, such as encrypted video streaming or bulk data transfer, free from RF-based solution interference problems [2]. A real-world example of such a collaboration can be seen in schools, where NFC verifies a pupil’s identity by smartphone touch and LiFi-enabled lighting infrastructure delivers the lecture material directly to the pupil’s device securely and at high speeds [4]. This convergence approach not only enhances the performance of standalone technologies but also introduces new possibilities for innovative applications, such as intelligent commerce, healthcare monitoring, and factory automation [3]. By integrating the secure, low-power characteristics of NFC and the high-speed, interference-free services of VLC, hybrid systems can offer secure, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for the next generation of wireless communication.

The union of NFC and VLC/LiFi represents a paradigm shift in wireless communication, bridging important gaps of security, bandwidth, and interoperability. While NFC delivers superior proximity-based authentication, VLC offers unparalleled data rates and electromagnetic immunity. Together, they unlock new applications from smart cities to healthcare where secure high-speed data transfer is critical. However, the convergence of these technologies calls for rigorous examination of integration approaches, technical concerns, and emerging opportunities. This paper examines these aspects sequentially to articulate a comprehensive framework for researchers and practitioners.

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: Section 2 covers the fundamentals of NFC, VLC, and LiFi with their supporting strengths and weaknesses. Section 4 covers practical uses such as smart shopping and automatic attendance systems. Section 5 finally covers key challenges, i.e., standardization and mobility limits, and offers future prospects, i.e., AI-based optimization and 6G convergence.

2. Fundamentals of NFC, VLC, and LiFi

2.1. Near-Field Communication (NFC)

Near-Field Communication (NFC) is a short-range industrial wireless technology that enables devices to communicate when brought very close to one another, typically a few centimeters. It relies on electromagnetic induction, utilizing the near-field region of electromagnetic waves, where the wavefronts are no longer flat, resulting in tight antenna coupling. This proximate operation enhances security by limiting the potential for interception and minimizing interference from other signals, making it suitable for applications such as contactless payments, data transfer, and access control [6].

NFC operates in a manner similar to RFID technology, utilizing electromagnetic fields to establish an interface between devices. If two NFC devices are held close to one another, they can exchange data securely, with the initiating device generating the electromagnetic field to power passive NFC tags [7]. The technology operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz, limiting its data transfer rates to between 106 kbps and 424 kbps, which makes it unsuitable for bandwidth-hungry applications such as streaming or file transfers [8].

Despite having low bandwidth, NFC has more spatial degrees of freedom, which can be used to improve efficiency in scenarios where there are multiple communicating devices [6]. NFC systems have the ability to utilize multiple transmit-and-receive antennas of varying polarizations to achieve optimal signal reception and enhance communication performance. Antenna distance is crucial and must not exceed a set limit, which is determined by the antenna size and transmission wavelength, to ensure successful communication [9]. Security is one of the primary features of NFC due to its short working distance; however, it is not impenetrable. Thus, NFC is susceptible to eavesdropping, relay attacks, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, and data forgery on the exchange [9].

NFCs strive to prevent these types of attacks by using encryption (symmetric or asymmetric) and mutual authentication; however, additional security levels, such as biometrics, are typically required for high-risk uses [10]. Passive NFC tags, which are powered by an active device, have limited storage capacity and computational ability, restricting their use in advanced applications and offline authentication scenarios [8]. The energy efficiency of NFC is an advantage, particularly in passive mode; however, power provision is restrained, with wireless charging currently capped at 1 W (with a target of 3 W). Active NFC devices, such as mobile phones, may experience significant power consumption during communication, with implications for battery life [8,10]. It operates in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band, which is shared with other devices, and this can lead to interference [10].

Apart from inductive coupling, NFC can also employ magneto-inductive (MI) principles for close-range communication. Magneto-inductive communication relies on magnetic field coupling between coils, enabling data transmission in environments where traditional RF-based NFC may face challenges, such as in underwater or underground applications [11]. Unlike conventional NFC, which operates at 13.56 MHz, MI systems can leverage lower frequencies for enhanced penetration and reduced interference [6,8]. These systems are particularly suited for applications like medical implants, industrial IoT, and secure access control, where robust and low-power communication is critical [8,10]. While MI communication shares NFC’s proximity-based security advantages, it offers unique benefits in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios, complementing NFC’s role in hybrid VLC systems for authentication and device pairing [6,12]. The integration of MI with NFC-VLC frameworks could further expand its applicability in RF-restricted or harsh environments, such as hospitals or factories [2,10].

Standardization, such as ISO/IEC 14443 [10] and NDEF, offers compatibility but can limit flexibility with future technology [10]. Despite its limitations, NFC is widely accepted within consumer electronics and mobile devices for its simplicity and secure proximity-to-proximity communications. Advances look to address problems like larger ranges, more rapid data transmission speeds, and more robust security mechanisms. Combining NFC with other technologies in the process of evolution can further enhance its functionalities, rendering it an even more crucial asset within future wireless networks [6,7]. But its intrinsic limitations, such as a low range, a low capacity, and susceptibility to attack, tend towards having supporting technologies to amplify its functionality and applicability [8,10].

2.2. Visible Light Communication

Visible Light Communication (VLC) is a wireless communication system that uses visible light, which can be supplied by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in most cases, for data transmission and illumination. VLC depends on the fundamental principle of employing modulated intensity of LED light to transmit information, with techniques such as on–off keying (OOK) [12], orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), and Color Shift Keying (CSK) [11,13,14,15]. These modulation techniques allow data transmission by varying the light intensity or color, where the simplest type is OOK in which light “on” is a binary one and light “off” is a binary zero. More complex methods such as OFDM increase spectral efficiency by dividing data into parallel subcarriers, although they also have problems such as a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) [13,14]. The bandwidth of VLC is one of its strongest capabilities, offering unlicensed bandwidth up to 200 THz [11,13,16], with a theoretical data rate of up to 10 Gbps or a Tbps level in the context of 6G networks [15,16,17]. The ultrawide bandwidth of VLC makes it a powerful candidate for high-speed communication and performs better than traditional RF technologies in certain applications.

One of the strongest abilities of VLC is its immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI), making it suitable for applications like hospitals and industrial settings where RF interference is a concern [13,15]. In addition, VLC systems make use of already installed LED infrastructure, enabling dual-use of the system for both communication and lighting, hence enhancing energy efficiency and saving on costs [11,14]. The technology also entails inherent security benefits, as the visible light signals cannot go through walls, restricting communication to light-reachable areas and restricting threats of eavesdropping [11,15,16]. But VLC has some limitations. Its largest limitation is that it depends on line-of-sight (LoS) conditions, and obstacles can cause interference with signal transmission [14,16]. Noise from ambient light, such as sunlight or artificial illumination, can also degrade signal quality through the injection of noise, necessitating adaptive receivers and noise-canceling techniques [11,13,14]. Another issue is flickers, which can cause health problems and show instability; they are prevented through methods like Manchester coding or high-frequency modulation in a bid to hinder human perception [11,14].

VLC finds its uses in different areas, starting from indoor blind navigation systems to underwater communication by divers [18,19], as well as vehicle-to-vehicle communication in a bid to avoid collisions [13,16]. It is also a fundamental part of intelligent illumination and IoT networks, where it supports high-rate information exchange in RF-sensitive environments [14,15]. Emerging technologies like machine learning (ML) and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) are being explored to improve VLC performance, i.e., channel equalization and interference mitigation [13,15]. Additionally, VLC convergence with RF technologies, such as 60 GHz WiGig, is being explored to create hybrid networks, capitalizing on the strengths of both worlds [15,16]. Standardization, such as IEEE 802.15.7, [11] is aimed at popularizing VLC and its interoperability with future 6G networks [11,15,16]. In summary, VLC is a groundbreaking technology with immense potential due to its high bandwidth, security, and energy efficiency, though it has some issues that must be resolved through ongoing research and innovation.

2.3. Hybridization of NFC with VLC/LiFi

Near-Field Communication (NFC) combined with Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Light Fidelity (LiFi) is an innovative technique that maximizes smart retailing, secures IoT pairing, and enables power-efficient communication systems. It capitalizes on the strengths of each technology, NFC-secure proximity-based interaction and VLC light-based high-speed data transfer, combining them to create seamless and multi-dimensional solutions. We discuss below the integration approaches and the technical enablers of this synergy.

Table 1. Comparison of NFC and LiFi Technologies.

Feature	NFC	LiFi
Communication medium	Radio waves (13.56 MHz)	Visible light (LEDs)
Range	≤10 cm	Up to 10 m (LoS-dependent)
Data rate	106–424 kbps	Up to 10 Gbps
Security	High (proximity-based authentication)	Moderate (requires additional authentication)
Interference immunity	Susceptible to RF interference	Immune to RF interference
Power consumption	Low (passive tags available)	Moderate (requires illumination)
Typical applications	Contactless payments and secure access control	High-speed data transfer, smart lighting, and IoT
Key limitations	Limited range and bandwidth	Requires a line of sight and ambient light interference

summarizes the key differences between NFC and LiFi, highlighting their complementary roles in hybrid systems.

2.4. Integration Strategies

2.4.1. NFC-VLC for Smart Retail

In smart retailing environments, NFC and VLC complement each other in a specific way to offer interactive and customized shopping experiences. The procedure is that an NFC-enabled phone is tapped by a shopper on the tag of the product, and VLC-enabled LEDs display targeted ads or product information [20,21,22]. The interaction is enabled by combined protocols and low-power circuits, which make it real-time responsive and economic. For instance, [22]’s SMARTKet system demonstrates how VLC indoor positioning can guide customers to products and how NFC-triggered systems offers enhance interactivity. The fusion is also in line with [21]’s Y-Mart system, where NFC-enabled electronic shelf labels (ESLs) fetch real-time product details from cloud services, which are augmented by dynamic VLC lighting.

2.4.2. Secure IoT Pairing with NFC-LiFi

NFC’s usage in secure device provisioning is even extended to LiFi systems, where it authenticates and associates IoT devices for safe streaming of encrypted data. For example, tapping an NFC-enabled phone against a LiFi bulb provisions network credentials and cryptographic keys, enabling secure transmission of data of vital information like medical records [23,24,25]. The lightweight NFC key exchange protocol [24] eliminates the need for complex public key infrastructures (PKIs) and relies instead on physical proximity and symmetric encryption in order to authenticate one another. This is particularly beneficial in resource-constrained IoT applications, as noted in [25]’s secure element (SE)-based scheme, which combines NFC’s proof of locality with tamper-resistant hardware for end-to-end security [25]. In addition, [26]’s NFC-based setup processes entail secure data transfer and hardware-protected security, further supporting LiFi integrations in factory and individual IoT installations. To highlight the novelty of our NFC-VLC hybridization,

Table 2. Comparison of hybrid VLC systems.

Feature	NFC-VLC (Proposed)	VLC-RF [2,3]	VLC-OCC [12,18]	VLC-LiDAR [19]
Authentication	High (NFC proximity)	Low (RF reliant)	Moderate (camera-based)	None
Data Rate	Up to 10 Gbps (VLC)	High (RF + VLC)	Low (camera limits)	Medium
Range	NFC: ≤10 cm; VLC: ≤10 m	RF: Long; VLC: Medium	Short (LoS required)	Medium (LoS)
Security	Encrypted handshaking	RF eavesdropping risks	Limited (open LoS)	Minimal
Interference Immunity	High (VLC)	RF interference	Ambient light noise	LiDAR cross-talk
Applications	Secure IoT and healthcare	Broadband hybrid networks	Indoor navigation	Autonomous vehicles

compares its key features with other hybrid VLC systems (e.g., VLC-RF and VLC-OCC) in terms of security, data rate, range, and application suitability. Unlike VLC-RF or VLC-OCC, NFC-VLC uniquely combines proximity-based authentication (NFC) with high-speed, interference-free data transfer (VLC), addressing critical gaps in secure handshaking and dynamic environments [3,5,11].

2.5. Technical Enablers

2.5.1. Unified Protocols

The coexistence of the ISO/ IEC 18092 (NFC) and IEEE 802.15.7 (VLC) standards is critical for interoperability between these technologies [27,28]. The ELIoT project [27] emphasizes the alignment of LiFi with 5G and Wi-Fi standards, while the improved NFC authentication protocol [28] ensures secure communication within hybrid NFC-VLC ecosystems. These unified protocols enable seamless integration across smart retail, healthcare, and industrial IoT applications.

2.5.2. Energy Harvesting

Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of NFC-VLC hybridization. NFC can power LiFi wake-up circuits, reducing energy consumption and extending device lifespans [27,29]. The energy-adaptive MAC protocol (EA-CSMA/CA) dynamically adjusts contention windows based on energy harvesting rates [29], ensuring a fair throughput distribution among VLC devices. This model can be extended to NFC-triggered systems, where energy harvested from NFC signals complements VLC-based power sources [29].

2.6. High-Brightness Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

High-brightness LEDs form the core of VLC systems and serve both as a light source and as a data transmitter. These LEDs must possess high bandwidths for modulation in order to provide gigabit-order data rates with sufficient luminous flux to be useful as lights. Micro-LEDs and RCLEDs, for instance, offer bandwidths over 100 MHz and therefore support high-speed data transmission without flicker interference [11,15]. In hybrid NFC-VLC schemes, LEDs are typically paired with NFC-activated activation circuits, where NFC activates secure handshaking and then VLC LEDs for data transmission. This pairing is particularly useful in smart retail, where LEDs display dynamic targeted advertisements after NFC authentication [20,21,22]. Future work emphasizes improving LED efficiency and modulation depth to further boost data rates and coverage.

2.7. Advanced Modulation Schemes

For maximum spectral efficiency and noise reduction, hybrid systems employ advanced modulation schemes. OFDM is increasingly favored in VLC due to its resistance to multipath distortion and its high data rate capability [13,14]. However, the high PAPR of OFDM necessitates maximum LED linearity control. Alternatively, Color Shift Keying (CSK) employs multi-wavelength LEDs to encode data in color variations for higher throughput in RGB LED-based systems [11,15]. Load modulation or backscattering adaptive modulation techniques are used in NFC to provide optimal energy efficiency during authentication [8,10]. Hybrid systems use these approaches, using low-complexity NFC for secure pairing and VLC’s high-order modulation for data transfer.

2.8. High-Speed Photodetectors

Photodetectors (PDs) convert optical signals into electrical data, and their performance also dictates VLC system reliability. Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are preferred due to their high sensitivity and bandwidth for receiving data at a gigabit rate under any lighting conditions [15,17]. In hybrid systems, PDs also need to handle rapid switching between NFC-triggered authentication and VLC data streams. Some recent advances are multi-functional PDs with filters embedded in them to eliminate surrounding light noise for use in sunny conditions [14]. In handheld devices, miniaturized arrays of PDs offer one-way connectivity regardless of their orientation, a key requirement for use in applications like LiFi-enabled attendance systems [4].

2.9. MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) Technology

MIMO technologies utilize multiple LEDs and photodetectors to enhance data rates as well as link robustness. Spatial multiplexing for VLC systems, such as with the use of ceiling-mounted LED arrays, enhances throughput by transmitting concurrent streams of data [13,15]. Hybrid NFC-VLC systems employ MIMO for services such as intelligent street lighting, where NFC is used to authenticate users and MIMO-VLC offers public high-bandwidth information [30]. Challenges like channel crosstalk and complexity in alignment are alleviated by angle diversity receivers and beamforming [13,15]. The inherent multi-antenna capabilities of NFC complement MIMO-VLC by enabling secure pairing of devices in densely populated IoT environments [6,9].

2.10. Channel Estimation and Equalization Techniques

Time-varying channel conditions, such as ambient light interference and fading due to mobility, require estimations and equalizations. For this purpose, robust ML-based channel predictors dynamically adjust the modulation parameters to optimize performance under obstructed conditions [13,20]. VLC estimation is provided using the RLS and LMS algorithms, which reduce multipath distortion [14,17]. In hybrid systems, NFC facilitates channel estimation by providing proximity and orientation information during handshaking, reducing VLC’s latency in link establishment [27,29]. New emerging Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RISs) further enhance hybrid systems by actively deflecting light paths to maintain LoS [15].

3. Applications

3.1. Smart Cities: Smart Street Lighting Networks

Smart street lighting networks play an important role in modern urban infrastructure, transforming passive illumination systems into intelligent, multifunctional platforms. These systems go beyond simple illumination and allow the integration of digital technologies, such as NFC and LiFi, into municipal lighting infrastructure. The incorporation of sensors and communication modules into streetlight poles allows municipalities to transform the lighting infrastructure into a distribution network for access to public data and emergency support and to improve human interaction.

NFC operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz, and depending on the application requirement, it can support data rates of 106 kbps, 212 kbps, and 424 kbps. Also, the communication distance should be within 0 cm to 10 cm. Short-range communication ensures secure data exchange, minimizing eavesdropping, which is common in long-range RFID communication. Study [31] uses the NXP PN532 chipset as the NFC reader, which is embedded to the pole. The module supports multiple communication interfaces such as UART, SPI, and I²C, making them flexible to integrate with embedded systems.

NFC-integrated streetlight poles act as a point of interaction, allowing citizens to authenticate themselves or access predefined services by tapping their smartphones or NFC tags. Citizens can tap their NFC-enabled device on smart street poles, and seamless interaction grants quick access to personal dashboards, utility bills, service usage histories, and city updates. Also, citizens can monitor the environmental status such as air quality, temperature, humidity, and noise levels through the streetlight poles.

In addition, in emergency situations such as accidents, health issues, or threats, citizens can tap their NFC-enabled devices on street poles and send instant messages along with their location. Because the user’s location is transmitted, emergency services can be dispatched more quickly and accurately, improving response times and potentially saving lives.

Additionally, NFC can serve as a secure gateway for users to access public Wi-Fi through LiFi-enabled streetlights. When a user taps their NFC-enabled smartphone or NFC card on the streetlight, the system verifies their identity and generates a secure session token. The token allows the device to connect to the LiFi of the street pole. Figure 1 shows the architecture of the smart streetlight pole.

LiFi technology is standardized under IEEE 802.15.7, and it defines both the physical (PHY) layer and the medium access control layer to reach high data rates in communication. PHY scenarios are categorized into various situations. PHY I is ideal for outdoor applications such as street lighting deployments. It allows data rates from 11.67 kbps to 266.6 kbps. PHY II allows higher capacity links with data rates of 1.25 Mbps to 96 Mbps [32].

When it comes to the downlink of the smart street poles, it can be developed using LiFi. The downlink can be implemented using conventional wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, ZigBee, or Wi-Fi.

LiFi LED street lighting networks combine both lighting and high-speed data transmission wirelessly via visible light. According to [30], LiFi-enabled street lighting configurations depend on factors such as the road type, location, and usage context. Study [30] suggests utilizing LED streetlamps with a default power of 80 W as LiFi access points capable of delivering data rates of up to 10 Gbps within a coverage radius of approximately 10 m per pole in line-of-sight conditions.

The paper of [30] presents realistic SNR modeling, showing that even in ambient daylight conditions, an SNR greater than 40 dB is achievable within a horizontal radius of 3.86 m, ensuring reliable communication. Integrating VLC and NFC into public lighting infrastructure will enable fast and secure communication for citizens.

3.2. Healthcare: Secure Patient Data Management

The most critical challenge faced by global healthcare systems is the misidentification of patients and the provision of misleading medications. It often leads to serious consequences and even results in the loss of life. It became more severe during pandemic situations. The Institute of Medicine (IoM) estimates that medical errors occur in the medical administration stage for adult patients at a rate of 26–32%, and for pediatric patients it is 4–60% [33].

Authentication of patients and real-time access to the electronic health records are important for improving patient safety and overall efficiency of clinical processes. Traditional patient identification methods, such as manual record keeping and barcode scanning systems, are error-prone, and the date can be easily tampered with. As a solution, NFC can be utilized with fast and contactless access to data with a simple tap on the NFC tag. NFC can be embedded into wristbands and medical devices, allowing seamless and secure access to data via a mobile device.

The study of [33] proposes a patient identification and management system using NFC to reduce misidentifications and wrong medications. The proposed system includes an MIFARE Ultralight NFC tag integrated with a silicone bracelet, a mobile device to retrieve data from the database, and an electronic health record (EHR) management system with a MySQL backend. A 48-byte memory is used to store patient IDs in the NFC tags and to connect to mobile devices via NFC Data Exchange Format APIs, creating a seamless identification system [33].

Data retrieval can be achieved using LiFi technology, which enables interference-free, high-speed access. Such a system is beneficial when reviewing MRI and CT scan images that are of a large size. LiFi integrated with NFC will ensure data security and avoid eavesdropping.

Doctors can scan the patient’s NFC tag with the mobile device and verify the patient’s information. Further, it allows doctors to write a diagnosis report, prescribe prescriptions, and set up upcoming appointments. VLC in healthcare makes it ideal to transmit confidential medical records in real time for patient monitoring. Further, VLC can be applied for indoor localization of medical staff and patients, facilitating real-time patient monitoring [34]. Figure 2 demonstrates the workflow for data transfer with NFC and LiFi. LiFi technology can be used in an MRI room where EM communication is restricted. The integration of NFC, LiFi, and VLC into healthcare infrastructure represents a significant advancement toward smart hospital systems.

3.3. Smart Retail: Personalized and Interactive Customer Experience

Hybrid NFC-VLC systems in the retail industry enable a seamless and customized shopping experience. Nowadays, smart advertising is considered as a modern marketing tool in retail environments, allowing retailers to interact with customers effectively at the right time and place. Smart advertising includes delivering personalized and interactive advertising to customers through sensor networks, IoT, and location-oriented services.

Supermarkets and shopping malls are ideal locations for advertising to attract more customers. Also, customers are more receptive to personalized promotions and suggestions.

At the store entrance or on shopping carts, NFC tags can be placed. Installing the store’s mobile application on the customer device is required to continue NFC-VLC communication. A secure authentication mechanism is initiated once customers tag the NFC with their mobile device. Then the installed app will be launched to identify the customer. Identification of customer details, such as loyalty status, is important when delivering promotional content and advertisements tailored to loyalty status.

Once identified, the mobile application can interact with the VLC-based infrastructure in the supermarket to receive promotions, advertisements, and product suggestions seamlessly. Hybrid NFC-VLC systems enable the delivery of targeted promotions to the right customer, reducing the waste of resources associated with broadcasting generic promotions to every customer.

The work reported in [35] proposed a VLC-based indoor positioning system for zone-specific advertising in a supermarket. The purpose of location information is to deliver relevant advertisements and promotions about nearby products. The supermarket is divided into several zones, and each zone handles different ad campaigns based on the products in the zone. LEDs in the supermarket serve a dual purpose, as an illuminator and as a VLC transmitter. These LEDs emit modulated signals of encoded zone-specific promotional content. The front-facing camera of the customer’s device decodes the signal, and details are displayed through the installed mobile application. The customer device should be placed horizontally as it aligns with the ceiling LEDs for optimal signal detection. Figure 3 illustrates the system architecture of hybrid NFC-VLC systems in a supermarket scenario.

Since advertisements and promotions are often tailored to loyalty status by integrating NFC authentication into the proposed system in [35], customers will receive personalized content, avoiding irrelevant advertising within the zone.

3.4. Education: Automated Attendance Systems Using NFC and VLC

NFC integrated with VLC provides a robust attendance tracking system for educational institutions. Traditional attendance tracking methods, such as roll calling and sign-in sheets, are time-consuming, inefficient, and vulnerable to fraud and errors [36].

Advanced communication technologies are utilized to address these issues while ensuring security and efficiency. Among them, biometric systems, including fingerprint, face, and speech recognition, are promising in institutions [37]. However, they involve high costs and require the installation of a reader. Compared to other technologies, NFC with VLC technology provides a contactless, tamper-proof attendance recording system at a minimal cost.

The study of [4] proposed an attendance recording system integrated with NFC and VLC. The main system components are ceiling-mounted LEDs for VLC infrastructure, a mobile application for students, and a web application for central management.

In the proposed system, a one-time onboarding process is carried out, and each student has to prove their identity by tapping the provided unique NFC card using their mobile device. Once students tap the NFC card using their mobile app, it reads the NFC code and collects phone ID and student identification data to send to the central server. After completing the registration process, during each class, the student has to connect to the classroom Wi-Fi and place their phone face-up toward the ceiling. At a random time, the app will activate the front camera of the mobile device and detect the modulated light signal from the VLC-enabled LEDs. After that, the app will decode the incoming signal, which includes the unique ID of the LED, and send it to the server along with the timestamp and student details. Then the end server will perform identity verification and record attendance [4]. Figure 4 represents the working flow of the proposed system in [4].

The proposed system ensures security and real-time location-based VLC verification. Also, the system is scalable for a large crowd, and it does not create a bottleneck at the entrance of the classroom, which is present in biometric attendance systems. Further, the low cost and seamless integration with the existing infrastructure make it ideal for modern classrooms.

The proposed system was validated using the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Apple iPhone XR mobile devices. The attendance mobile app was developed with the Oledcomm GEOLiFi API, and for the LEDs a 32-bit unique ID was used. For the experiments, the authors used two LED lamps, and tests were conducted for overlapping and non-overlapping areas, considering the beam angle of LEDs [4]. For both situations, the proposed system demonstrated an accurate detection percentage of over 90.7% with minimal detection errors.

4. Challenges and Future Directions

The hybridization of NFC with VLC presents several challenges that must be addressed to realize its full potential. One major challenge is the lack of standardized cross-technology frameworks, which complicates seamless interoperability between NFC, VLC, and LiFi systems [27,28]. While individual protocols like ISO/IEC 18092 (NFC) and IEEE 802.15.7 (VLC) exist, unified standards for hybrid operation are still nascent. These technologies work separately, and a lack of shared standards to communicate in hybrid situations will create practical limitations. Therefore, it leaves a gap in unified protocols that leads to fragmented implementations and limits large-scale adoption and synchronization among systems.

Another major issue is environmental factors. Although VLC allows electromagnetic interference-free communication, VLC links are susceptible to interference from ambient light sources. Light sources such as sunlight, fluorescent lamps, and digital signage cause signal degradation in dynamic environments such as retail stores or industrial settings [20,29]. Additionally, mobility limitations in LiFi systems, such as handover delays during transitions between LiFi access points or switches to 5G/Wi-Fi, pose challenges for real-time applications [27]. These technical hurdles must be overcome to ensure reliable and scalable deployments.

Looking ahead, future trends in NFC-VLC-LiFi integration are poised to leverage advancements in 6G networks and AI-driven adaptive systems. The EU ELIoT project [27] highlights LiFi’s role as a complementary technology in 6G, offering high-density, low-latency connectivity. Integrating NFC-VLC with 6G could enable novel use cases, such as ultra-secure IoT device pairing and immersive retail experiences. Furthermore, AI-driven adaptive modulation [20,38] could optimize hybrid NFC-VLC systems by dynamically adjusting transmission parameters based on environmental conditions (e.g., ambient light levels) or user mobility patterns. For instance, AI algorithms could predict handover points in LiFi networks or personalize VLC-based promotions in real time using NFC-triggered data [21,22].

Emerging research also emphasizes energy-efficient hybrid systems, where NFC’s energy-harvesting capabilities [26,29] power LiFi wake-up circuits or extend the battery life of IoT devices. The EA-CSMA/CA protocol [29] demonstrates how adaptive energy management can mitigate throughput unfairness in VLC networks, a principle that could be extended to NFC-triggered applications. Finally, security enhancements, such as lightweight NFC authentication [23,28] and secure element-based mutual attestation [25], will be critical for safeguarding hybrid systems against evolving threats.

5. Conclusions

The integration of Near-Field Communication and LiFi is an innovative approach to wireless communication that eliminates the limitations of each technology while leveraging their complementary advantages. This study has identified that the hybrid NFC–VLC model offers three core characteristics: enhanced physical layer security through short-range authentication, high-capacity data transferring with low interference, and seamless integration into existing lighting or IoT infrastructures. Their integration forms an enabling platform for applications in smart cities, healthcare, retail, and education, with secure, scalable, and efficient solutions. Even though hybrid NFC-VLC systems are promising, standardization, ambient light interference, and mobility limitations are problems that need to be addressed to enable their integration and widespread adoption. Future research must be focused on the development of integrated cross-technology architectures by enhancing energy efficiency and leveraging developments in 6G networks and AI-powered adaptive systems. Developments along these lines will keep optimizing the performance, security, and scalability of future wireless communications, providing new possibilities for their applications. In summary, the convergence of NFC and VLC technologies is a huge step towards the evolution of wireless systems. By addressing existing constraints and riding on emerging trends, hybrid systems can open the way to smarter, more secure, and highly efficient communication infrastructures and potentially transform industries and user experiences worldwide.