Wondering what thin cards are used for? We’ve got the low-down on the benefits of these slim ID cards. Thin cards are used for a couple of different purposes in the ID industry. For one, thin cards (typically 10mil) can be used to produce professional business cards that are more durable than their ordinary paper counterpart. Not only will these cards hold up better, your business cards will stand out from the pack.

Proximity cards come with their own special set of challenges when it comes to figuring out a way to display them that is both secure and functional. Because proximity cards contain embedded electronics, extra care must be taken to not damage the technology cards by corrupting the electronics.

Australian airline Qantas recently implemented Next Generation Check-in at the nation’s largest airport using contactless card technology. The new procedure saves card holders’ time and reduces line lengths for all who fly with Qantas.

Deciding to re-card an entire college is a daunting prospect, but that’s exactly what Emerson College set out to do this year when they replaced their old ID card system with contactless card technology. Located in Boston’s theater district, the school’s eight buildings on campus see thousands of visitors walk by every day. The new contactless system provides the school with increased security and greater flexibility for access control, information management, and cashless payment.

HID Global recently added a pair of new card readers to its lineup of multiCLASS products. These additions to the multiCLASS line aim to ease the transition from magnetic stripe and 125 kHz technologies to high-security 13.56 MHz smart cards.

With several different sites to watch over security was a challenge for the Bolton Metropolitan Council. In addition to a large town hall which hosts most of the council’s business and boasts the town’s central registry office, a theater, and other public rooms, the Council also operates several over satellite buildings around the area. To keep better track of the more than 4,500 people coming through the doors the council installed an access control system using proximity cards that ensures building users are only permitted to enter pre-approved areas at designated times.

Smart card technology is at the heart of a new car sharing program for the University of South Florida. The school is joining other colleges across the country in providing communal transportation. The WeCar program provides rental cars for short trips at hourly rates.

Colorado State University is introducing a new student ID card, the RamCard, which can now be used as part of the university’s new keyless entry system for university buildings. Several of the university’s buildings have already been equipped with the new keyless entries and there are plans to expand the new system. The keyless entries cost about $2,000 per building, and buildings across campus are being equipped as university funding becomes available. Students are able to use their RamCard to gain entry to buildings after hours such as the computer lab. This new service is just another in a long list of amenities that the CSU student ID card offers. The RamCard can also be used for eating in dining halls and the student center food court, athletic events, banking, and laundry facilities in the residence halls. Current students can trade in their current ID cards and upgrade to the new RamCard for free.

HID Global, a leader in secure identity products and access control solutions, has expanded its partnership with INSIDE Contactless, a French company that develops contactless chips for smart cards. HID and INSIDE Contactless will work together to create contactless prelaminates based on the company's MicroPass payment platform. The partnership allows INSIDE Contactless to provide card manufacturers with HID prelaminate packages that include the MicroPass contactless payment platform and contactless antenna technology.

This fall, undergrads and faculty at Harvard University will receive new ID cards featuring HID iCLASS technology. These contactless smart cards will not only be used for identification purposes, but also to control access to residential facilities and other campus buildings. The cards are highly secure, and can easily be adapted to new applications as needed.

Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio has a new access control system in place that will use student ID cards with proximity card technology. The card-based system will help control access to campus buildings, including student dormitories after hours. To gain access to their dorms, students must waive their ID cards in front of special proximity card readers located outside entrances. The reader must recognize the student's ID number, which is stored on the card, before allowing entry.

Valparaiso University is ending daytime open access to its dormitories and plans on setting up a card-based access control system by this summer or the start of the next school year. The new system will require student ID cards to open all residence hall entrances.

These days, the typical student ID card carries much more than a name and photo. For students enrolled at Ireland's Mary Immaculate College, the cards now provide access to campus buildings, dormitories, and their dorm rooms. The college recently installed a proximity card access control system that involves wall readers, IP-based door locks, and other integrated security features, all operating across a single network. To gain access to campus buildings, students must now hold their student IDs up to special proximity card reader. The cards provide convenience, enhanced security, and completely eliminate the need to carry physical keys.

British Airways has selected SALTO Systems to install a smart proximity access control system in its new, state-of-the-art passenger terminal at London’s Heathrow Airport. The system restricts access privileges to authorized personnel only, while also providing continuous audit trail information. It works with the staff ID cards for British Airways employees, giving the airline full control over their security requirements.

The Nexus Card -- a proximity card used by frequent travelers to expedite the process of crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada -- is gaining more and more acceptance at border crossings. The program, which has been operational for a number of years, recently expanded its reach to include the Woodstock, Emerson, and Sault Ste. Marie crossings.

We’ve all had our clumsy moments with hotel key systems. Typically, you insert your key card in a reader, a green light comes on, and then you rapidly try to turn the handle to get in before it goes red. Adding to the difficulty is the fact that you’re most likely carrying luggage, or you’re racing back to the room in a wet and chilly panic, having just spent some time in the outdoor pool. Well, the times they are a changing. New card technology exists, and some hotels are taking their key card systems to the next level.

Connecting the United States and Canada, and more specifically the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is the International Bridge. The bridge spans the St. Mary’s river and serves as a popular commuter route for many traveling cross-country (literally) on a daily basis. Originally built for only two lanes of traffic, waiting to get on the bridge can be a test of one’s patience. But a recent smart card program, designed with commuters in mind, will allow card holders to pay bridge tolls in automated lanes sure to speed up the process.

With growing concerns about unauthorized visitors on school grounds, South Carolina’s Spartanburg School District 4 is upping its level of security, beginning with a cutting-edge access control system at Woodruff Primary School. The system, which utilizes proximity card technology, is the first of its kind to be installed in a K-12 school in the state.