LONDON — The NFC Forum is seeking entries for an international competition to uncover the best potential applications being developed that use near field communications technology.

Dubbed "Touching the Future", the competition has two tracks, one a commercial one for the best Service of the Year 2008, while a research track will recognize the most innovative NFC research project for the year.

Proposals need to be sent to the organizers by February 15th, 2008. Entry fees are $150 per submission for commercial entrants, and $50 per submission for research entrants. Entry forms and competition details are available from .

Twenty finalists will be judged on April 29, 2008 at the NFC Developers Summit, held in Monaco during the WIMA organized event.

"One of the most exciting things about NFC technology is how organizations are applying it to the broadest range of applications in new and imaginative ways," said Christophe Duverne, chairman of the NFC Forum. "This competition recognizes the top innovators in the world while supporting networking in the NFC community to exchange ideas and create new business models."

Companies sponsoring the competition include Nokia, Over-C, SCM Microsystems, Inside Contactless, Innovision Research & Technology plc, Stollman E+V GmbH and WIMA.