NFC Tokens & Haptics

Martian Micro devices are controlled through physical interaction. NFC tokens and haptics provide a direct way to configure and operate devices without relying on screens.

Why Screenless Interaction

Generative hardware changes how devices are used.
Device controlled through physical interaction without a screen.
Devices are not fixed interfaces — they are dynamically configured systems.
Screen-based interfaces introduce abstraction that is not required for many operations.
Physical interaction allows configuration and control to remain direct and understandable.

Interaction as Part of the System

Interaction is treated as a system function, not an interface layer.
Devices respond to presence, placement and physical state.
This aligns interaction with the generative nature of the system.

NFC Tokens as Configuration Input

NFC tokens represent configuration and intent.
Physical token placed on a device to configure its behavior.
Placing a token defines how a device should behave.
Tokens can represent modes, actions, permissions or system states.

Data Shards – Standardized Tokens

Martian Micro defines a standardized token system called Data Shards.
Set of standardized physical tokens with defined shapes and properties.
Each shard has a defined physical and functional identity.
The system can be understood through the objects themselves.

Everything Can Be a Token

Any object can act as a token if it carries identity.
Various physical objects acting as control tokens.
This allows flexible interaction models depending on context.
Standardized tokens provide consistency across the system.

Haptics as System Language

Physical form communicates function.
Device with clearly readable physical interaction areas.
Shape, placement and feedback define how a device is used.
Interaction is readable without instructions or menus.

Reduced Cognitive Load

Screen interfaces require interpretation.
Physical interaction reduces cognitive overhead.
State and intent are visible through objects and device behavior.

Integration with FeatureCloud

Token interactions are processed as system events.
They trigger features and device behavior through FeatureCloud.
A single interaction can affect multiple devices and systems.

Integration with MetaPhone

MetaPhone reflects and complements physical interaction.
The same action can be visualized when a screen is present.
Interaction works independently of display availability.

Security and Context

Tokens operate within a user-bound system.
They represent context, permissions or intent.
All interactions are validated through the system.

From Interaction to System Control

Physical interaction scales from simple actions to system-level control.
The same mechanism is used across devices and environments.
Interaction remains consistent as systems evolve.