NExT Usability - LF and HF Issues

Reviews
1

I purchased a couple of NExT together with the Access Kit and the Proxmark3 Easy.

I tested everything using the included T5577 and CUID cards, I also purchased some NTag216 tags in sticker format to test the NFC on Phones. The only thing I couldn’t test was the Implants themselves because they were inside the sterile Needle.

Everything worked as it should with the Phones and my existing RFID Access Systems both LF and HF so I decided to go ahead and inject one of the NExT into myself, between thumb and index as recommended. The procedure was simple, quick and pretty painless.

That is where the good experience stopped.

I had issues connecting to either chip using the Proxmark3, after a lot of trying to align the chip with the relative antenna on the Proxmark3 I eventually managed to program the T5577.

Then I tried programming the the NTag216 with my Phone, this turned out to be an even bigger challenge but again I managed to finally program it after removing the plastic case from my iPhone.

I can now activate the web address view using my iPhone but only without the plastic case and only with a lot of pushing into my hand but with my Android I can’t read the NExT at all plastic case or not. The Sticker NTag216 work flawlessly on both Phones as soon as the sticker just comes close to the top of the phone.

On the access side I can only see the NExT using the Access Kit, both LF and HF work, HF with the USB Reader and LF with the Access Relay. None of my other Access Devices can see the NExT but they can see every other Card, Tag or Sticker.

I also sacrificed the second NExT and took it out of it’s sterile packaging to see if it would work any better outside the body.
It only worked better in one situation, occasionally I can read the NExT using my iPhone with the plastic case on, every other test is identical to the one that is in my hand

I have ordered a bunch more Access Devices, Programmers and all sorts of RF devices for testing, both LF and HF, lets see if I can make any of them work with the NExT in my hand and the one outside, I’ll keep this post updated as I go.

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2

Ohh I forgot, I’m a Robotics Engineer and General Tech Nerd so one of the main reasons I got the NExT was to load my Business Card when my customers hold their phone to my hand, the Business Card things works great with the Web Link but it’s embarrassing when it doesn’t work immediately so I won’t use it now. If any of you have suggestions for a better implant that phones can read better please let me know, Injectable that is.

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3

Sorry to hear about the trouble you’re having. With such small antennas it can be hard to just tap a random phone on the perfect spot. Have you tried swiping it slowly? I find I get a consistent read with my NExT using that technique, fat fatty case and all. I orient my hand so that the implant is lengthwise as it slides across the back of my phone, top to bottom.

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4

How long ago was the NExT installed?

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5

Hey welcome fellow cyborg.

The downside with being techy is the desire for instant gratification.

Gotta throw that in the back burner for three weeks after install.

Trust me, it’s likely the implant is fine but your body has created some interference while it heals. Every implant if mine was the same worry until about that three week mark.

In face if you search for “three weeks” you’ll likely see that’s the rule of thumb for implant scanning.

I look forward to hearing your results end of month dude!

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6

Only a few days but I have zero swelling, no pain, the puncture is all but healed, I heal super fast, and I can feel the NExT close to the surface.
Also I don’t have much better luck with the one that is not in my hand so I don’t think it’s installation or healing related.
I think it’s just the small coil antenna in these, they need a more powerful excitation source.

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7

I’d wager that’s not true, the swelling is not always obvious, but it can make a big difference in performance, definitely wait the 2-3 weeks and hope.

but,

Unfortunately devices aren’t designed with implants in mind, it takes some finagling and sometimes it just doesn’t work. Have you tried checking the Phone Performance Wiki for advice on where to position your implant?

8

Yes I have read all about the healing already but like I replied to Aoxhw… above, the one that is not in my body is not doing much better. Maybe in 3 weeks I’ll be able to read the Web Link though the plastic case but I doubt it will get any better than the one outside of my body.
Stay tuned for sure, I’ll report back regularly and with more results for different system I will test when they arrive.

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9

How are you testing? Orientation is pretty important with the x-series. I just tested my NExT with the xACv3 earlier today and got .5cm off it. And plenty of iPhone users have the same implant.

Edited to add: My NExT was only installed five days ago.

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10

Also,

welcome-to-the-world-of-tomorrow-futurama

and I really hope the implant ends up working out for you

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11

Sorry tac0s, I missed your message and replied to the others first.
Yes I have tried super slow, fast and just holding it in place for a period, different distances, all orientations possible.
The best result is how you explain it, going along the NExT, but it still doesn’t work with the case, it’s only a thin case too.
Anyway, I’ll obviously wait out the healing time and see if it gets better, I have no plans to remove it any time soon.

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12

The xACv3 works brilliant for me, it must have a much more powerful excitation than my other Access Devices.
In fact I have proven that, the RFID Diagnostic Card won’t even light up on one of my other devices but the Blue tags that come with the xACv3 work with that device.

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13

Thanks Mate.

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14

I wouldn’t expect this to be the experience forever. It can be more difficult at first due to swelling as some have mentioned.

But learning how the fields interact, and how the antennas behave on your devices is a noteworthy learning curve. Orientation matters, but speed of presenting it also matters a lot. Also iPhones in my opinion can be a bit harder overall.

I’m confident things will improve soon.

How easily I can read my NExT after understanding my device and the antennas in the implant:

I’ve had good experiences with all devices I’ve tried tbh. Samsung, Pixel (the best IMO), OnePlus. But to be fair, people use iPhones with these devices all the time successfully.

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15

I appreciate the supporting words and I’m sure I’ll works things out eventually.
By the way I expected the iPhone to be worse as well but it’s done better than my Huawei Android, I have not tried a Samsung yet but I eventually will.

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16

That’s a good test regimen… but I don’t see any mention of the field detector keychains. The reason the xfd are included with every implant is to be able to find not only the best location to present implants to readers / phone but also which orientation. Check out the xfd product page for videos about how to do that.

Also, with your case on you should be able to read with your iPhone if you tilt your phone up and orient straight down on it like this;

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17

Fair Point Amal, I did forget to mention them, I did in fact use them and found similar issues as I found with the Diagnostic Card, that my current RF Access Devices do not have very strong excitation field. I’m the guy that sent you an email regarding one of the HF Field Detectors not working, both LF work fine and so does one of the HF. I have used them to test everything.

Regarding the iPhone, again thank you for pointing this out but I have in fact tried that already too.
The results are that the Field Detector does show a stronger signal in that orientation, also the Implants, both inside my hand and outside, both work better in this orientation, however I still can’t get the iPhone to read the tag if the case it on.

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18

Do you know when you’ll have more 13.56 in stock?

19

This very instant!

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