Smart cards wear their name well. These truly intelligent cards feature embedded technology that enable them to perform an array of tasks. From unlocking doors to paying for lunch, smart cards offer unsurpassed convenience. They are especially popular with agencies requiring multifunctional, secure cards.

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Upgrading functionality, the entry level Magicard Pronto and Enduro ID card printers can now be configured with smart card encoding. Both the Pronto and the Enduro are available with a combi encoder that includes contact chip, Mifare, Desfire, and iClass functionality. Smart card encoding lends itself to a variety of applications including access control, cashless payment, time and attendance tracking and more.

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.

Chicago B-Cycle is joining the likes of environmentally friendly car sharing companies like I-GO and Zipcar with a new self-service bicycle sharing venture. Chicago B-Cycle is initially launching 100 bicycles at six popular locations around the downtown area with additional drop off locations. The company already has successful programs up and running in Denver and Minneapolis.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida is implementing a new smart card program for its over 800 bed regional medical center. The program is aimed at streamlining patient check-in processes and improving the overall continuity in patient care.

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.

As host to the Washington Redskins during the NFL season and various other sporting events throughout the year, FedExField in Andover, Maryland requires a large team of employees to keep the stadium running. During the off season, when there are no events, the stadium houses about 50 employees during the day. However, when an event rolls around, between seasonal, contract and temporary employees, the stadium workforce can expand to as many as 10,000 employees working for a single event. To secure access points and verify credentials, FedExField stadium operators implemented a new high-tech and biometric employee ID badge system.

Residents of Charleston, South Carolina have a new and convenient way to pay for parking when out and about downtown. The city recently revamped their parking meters with smart card readers. All of the roughly 1,800 parking meters are outfitted with the new technology.

A number of New Zealand's most popular ski resorts will soon be issuing smart card ski passes that visitors can use to access chairlifts, rent equipment, sign up for ski lessons, and purchase food and drinks. The ski pass program is being launched by NZSki, a company that operates New Zealand's Coronet Peak, Mount Hutt, and The Remarkables ski areas. Similar programs are already in place at Aspen and Alta ski resorts in the US, however those resorts only use the cards to access lifts. In New Zealand, the smart card ski passes will offer a variety of different functions.

The City of Ottawa is the latest to consider a switch to smart card transit passes for regular users of public transportation. Similar programs have popped up in other big cities and have worked to provide a great deal of convenience to riders, while also reducing waste. In Ottawa, the proposed program would enable riders to use a single smart card to pay for bus and train fares. The cards could also be used to ride public transit in other Ontario cities. Eventually the cards would be linked to additional applications such as paying parking meters.

Students and staff at American University may soon be able to ride DC trains and buses using their school ID cards. A pilot program is in place to test American University student IDs that are compatible with the SmarTrip tap-and-enter technology currently used for Washington DC Metro riders.

VA Hospitals across the country are rolling out a high tech employee ID badge program that aims to reduce identity fraud while protecting personal information. The VA Hospital in Big Springs, Texas is the latest to hop on board. Each card features an encrypted chip that holds important info such as fingerprints and government employee verification. The cards also certify that the employee has received a full background investigation.

Several thousand transit riders in Miami were lucky to get their hands on special commemorative Super Bowl cards last week, good for trips on local-area buses and trains. The collectible cards work just like normal smart card transit passes, only with a colorful design featuring the official NFL and Super Bowl XLIV logos.

New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority has long considered a switch from paper transit passes to contactless smart cards, and now it appears the change could take place within the next two years. In the current system, riders of NYC subways and buses use temporary MetroCards which feature a low-coercivity magnetic stripe. The cards are good for a specific number of rides, and once those rides are all used up, the cards are worthless. With a smart card system, riders would be able to use the same card over and over, and could add funds directly from their bank accounts online or at special kiosks.

The Pittsburgh Port Authority is looking to launch a fully functional transit card system by the end of 2010. The new system would enable regular users of Pittsburgh public transportation to carry a single contactless smart card good for travel on buses and other transit vehicles.

Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York is readying a new health care smart card program set to launch in early 2010. The project involves issuing over 110,000 smart cards to patients of the center. Each smart card will carry the patient's demographic information plus important medical information such as medical conditions, medications and allergies.

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.

EagleCard holders at Morehead State University just got a lot more privileges. More than 220 new contactless card readers have been installed around campus. Students and administrators are seeing the benefits of the new system. Student ID cards can now be used for access control, eating in dining halls, vending machines, copying and printing, and laundry.

The Pittsburgh Port Authority is beginning tests of their new smart card fare system. The pilot program uses 10 Port Authority buses that have been outfitted with new fare collection boxes equipped to handle the new smart card technology. A dozen Port Authority employees were selected at random to participate in the new smart card tests running through August.

A homeless shelter in York, England upgraded their security system to provide flexible access control that’s easy on the wallet. The Arc Light Project, a direct access shelter for homeless people recently moved into a custom designed building, and with it came a custom designed access control system. A state of the art electronic smart lock system provided the perfect security solution for the shelter.

Smart card technology is at the heart of a new collaborative transit system in Puget Sound. The Sound Transit line is opening later this month with 12 new stations. A station at the airport is opening later this year. The new ORCA smart card allows riders to load money onto their cards and keep track of their balances through an online system.

The Children’s Hospital in Sheffield, England is rolling out a new system that combines entertainment and medical records in one unit. Bedside terminals previously used to provide entertainment and interactive services for patients are being outfitted with access to electronic patient records using a smart card access system. Medical records and data are also available from nursing stations and offices throughout the hospital using authorized smart cards.

England's Bristol City Football club is introducing a new smart card program that will award loyalty points to fans who frequently attend away games during the upcoming season. Yes, this is the world of European Football (don't call it soccer), where faithful followers demonstrate unbridled fanaticism by traveling with their teams. The rewards program is just one way the club is taking advantage of their new smart card ticketing system, in which fans can purchase "season cards" containing electronic tickets.

Savings and fun are now combined for visitors to Brisbane. Tourists can purchase a Five in One smart card giving them access to five of the city’s top attractions at a discounted rate. The Five in One card provides fast and cashless access to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Story Bridge Adventure Climb, Kookaburra River Queen Cruises, Riverlife Adventure Center, and XXXX Brewery Tour.

Utah public transit riders are being introduced to a new fare system. The Utah Transit Authority is putting a new smart card system in place after completing tests on the electronic fare collection system. Electronic readers are positioned at the entrances to buses, train cars and light rail cars. The new smart cards are passed over the reader, eliminating the need for cash.

The Maryland Transit Administration has partnered with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Administration to integrate the MTA’s new smart cards with the D.C. transit system. The new cards would be able to be used on the Washington Metro system and on the bus system in the city. Washington riders would also be able to use the smart cards on Maryland public transit systems.

A new smart card system at The Memorial Hospital in North Conway, New Hampshire was just installed to assist with access and tracking of patients and their medical records. Smart cards aid the process of admission, identifying the patients and also giving patients access to their own medical records, where they can add to their own records. The cards carry information about individual patient demographics, insurance, and medical history. The pre-storage of the information on the smart cards allows for immediate admission into the hospital, speeding along the process.

It's official, Polish students love smart cards. In a recent poll of Polish students in high schools and colleges, 80 percent love the functionality and versatility of their electronic ID cards. They also found the design of the cards aesthetically pleasing. This resounding approval comes after Poland started deploying the student smart cards in large quantities in 2007. As of now 115 high schools and universities are using the smart ID card program, with another 300 schools expected to follow suit in the near future. The card, which allows secure access to school facilities, works on public transit, and functions as a digital wallet, is used by 1.1 million users every day.

As part of Pittsburgh’s new smart card fare system for public transit, Port Authority buses are being equipped with new fare collection boxes that will work with the new technology. While the smart cards won’t be fully functional until late 2010 due to tests being run, the new fare collection boxes will still accept cash. The Pittsburgh transit agency wanted to begin upgrading the boxes now, in order to be prepared for the new smart cards, which will be rechargeable passes that can be swiped at the fare box.

Universities all over the country are signing up their campuses for car sharing programs. More than 100 college campuses now have car sharing programs in place. Both U-Haul with its U Car Share and Zipcar are making these services possible to schools and cities across the country. The latest university to jump on board with the environmentally friendly program is the University of California at Berkley.

Chicago Transit Authority is launching a new program that allows users to ride CTA buses and rails and participate in the I-GO Car Sharing program all using one smart card. The CTA has combined with I-GO Car Sharing, an affiliate of a Chicago-based non-profit, in an effort to promote the use of public transportation. The new smart card travel combo provides additional transportation options for Chicago commuters and will help to reduce the impact on the environment by contributing to limiting the number of cars that are on the road at one time.

The Smart Park Program is a card-based fare payment system recently set up to replace outdated parking meters throughout Greenwich, Connecticut. With the new system, rather than fishing for coins to feed the meters, drivers carry a special smart card that can be used on new meters to pay for parking. The cards carry a certain amount of money and can be refilled once they run out.

Datacard has released a new Smart Card Designer Tool for its identification software. The new software feature allows users to personalize smart cards, while reducing the time and cost issues involved in developing customized smart card solutions. Smart card issuers are able to design card encoding processes, including MIFARE card applications, quickly and easily. When used with a Datacard ID printer, ID card software, and a smart card coupler, the tool delivers an integrated solution for producing personalized smart cards.

In Springfield, MA, smart card tolling systems have been installed in four downtown parking areas. The smart card systems are designed to make it easier for vehicles to enter and exit the parking garages, and also allow the garages to collect parking revenue 24 hours a day, even when toll booths are unattended.

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.

More and more hospitals and medical centers are turning to smart card credentials as a way to solve some of the health care industry’s bigger problems. By providing patients with smart cards, it’s much easier to properly match medical records, including previous conditions and medications, to the patient. In many cases, quick access to this information can make the difference between life and death.

HID Global announced today that it has acquired Nectar .NET-based smart card technology. The acquisition falls in line with HID's efforts to provide a full range of smart card offerings and embedded products for high-security applications using leading-edge operating systems.

Riders of Ottawa's OC Transpo system could be using smart cards for fare payment by 2010 if a similar project called "PrestoCard" goes smoothly in Toronto. The PrestoCard will launch in September. Public transit riders will carry a single smart card that can be loaded up with dollars from their home computers. Each card contains a special chip. When the cardholder boards the bus or train, the card is tapped against a reader that automatically deducts the fare.

The Chicago Transit Authority is looking for ways to make life a little easier for commuters. The latest method is a joint smart card that works for Chicago public transit vehicles as well as rental cars from a local car sharing program called I-Go. The aim of the single-card solution is to provide public transit riders with additional travel options beyond the train and bus.

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential card (or TWIC) is something we've mentioned a few times in the past. This is the new, high-tech identification card that's slowly being phased into a number of U.S. ports. But this week, ports in New England will be the first to officially require all workers to carry the cards, which act as another layer of protection for areas considered to be vulnerable to terrorism.

Murcia University in southeast Spain is the latest school to employ HID iCLASS technology for multifunctional student ID cards. In the case of Murcia, a key component of the cards is their ability to serve as transit passes for buses that transport student around the university, and back and forth between its two campuses. The HID iCLASS system makes it easy for students to ride the bus as many times as they'd like, and have their fare payments handled electronically.

Public transit riders in Ottawa will soon be making the switch to contactless smart cards for fare payments. The new electronic fare system will allow riders to wave their cards at a card reader when boarding a bus, O-train, or any future rail lines. The smart cards will replace the city's existing paper transit passes for unlimited travel. Riders can also prepay a specific amount and then have individual fares deducted from the card for each ride.

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.

Starting this fall, French public transportation company SNCF plans on using RFID-enabled smart cards with USB connectivity. The public transit cards, which will be used to make fare payments, can be plugged into a PC or laptop allowing users to connect to the SNCF website and add funds to their cards online.

Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) is set to pilot a new e-payment system that will soon be used across all forms of public transport. The new system will feature smart cards good for commuting, paying for car parks, ERP (Electronic Road Pricing), and even for shopping.

Scotland's busiest rail route is eyeing a new ticketing system that would feature electronic smart cards. With the proposed system, regular commuters who ride the Edinburgh-Glasgow line would have their tickets replaced by smart card rail passes that can be automatically renewed rather than discarded after use. Cardholders would also be able to use their rail passes to buy one-off rides on other rail routes without having to purchase an additional ticket.

New College in Oxford is upping the level of security for campus buildings by integrating its student ID cards with an access control system. While the old students IDs featured magnetic stripes, the new cards will use Mifare contactless smart card technology. The access control system has been designed to control perimeter access to main building doors as well as individual student rooms. The system is also easily scalable in case future expansion is required.

Target retail stores will soon be offering customers smart card versions of their Visa credit cards. This is a variation on the customer loyalty card that's becoming increasingly common for retailers. The smart cards will provide users with special discounts on purchases. Each card will contain an embedded smart chip that, when swiped through a card reader, will automatically download coupon information from the internet, providing customers with instant savings. Target will also be able to use the smart cards to track customer buying habits.

The Chicago Transit Authority is working with 48 area high schools an ID card program that will provide students with school ID cards that double as CTA transit passes. The students will also receive the benefit of a reduced fare when they use their new cards for riding the bus or train.

All you have to do is look at the subject lines of our past blog posts to see that smart cards are used for all sorts of applications these days. Recently, IMS Research felt the need to closer examine the smart card's rise in popularity. And what did they find out? That amazingly the number of smart cards on the planet will surpass the world's population at some point during the year 2009. So, what does that mean? It means that on average, each person walking the globe will soon be in possession of more than one smart card.

Next fall, students attending Memphis City Schools will receive new student ID cards with smart card functionality. The cards must be worn around the neck on a lanyard, and will serve as a form of photo identification, while also helping to track student behavior.

Starting next fall, students, faculty and staff at Harvard University will receive new ID cards that use contactless smart card technology. The new cards will be much more secure than those used currently, and will help to greatly improve the university's access control system.

The days of mining your pockets for coins when visiting Delray Beach are over. That's because the South Florida destination spot is replacing all change-fed parking meters with newer models that accept credit cards, debits cards, and smart cards.

For New Zealand's densest metropolitan area, mass transit smart cards appear to be looming on the not-so-distant horizon. The Auckland Transport Authority has put a new smart card ticketing system at the top of its to-do list. Because of the area's steadily rising urban population, and in increased interest in public transit, the Transit Authority sees smart cards as an obvious and necessary solution for managing to growth of the public transit system.

The skyrocketing costs of fuel and increasing concerns for the environment have been an incentive for many to use bicycles as a main mode of transportation. Inexpensive, healthy, and decidedly green, bikes have been making a comeback for commuters and leisure-seekers alike. Many cities have capitalized on this new trend with public bike rental programs, based on popular European programs in bike cities like Amsterdam and Paris. Washington DC is the latest addition to the public bike rental program - and has developed a bike rental program that relies on ID cards.

Currently, Chinese Customs staff members and officers have paper identification badges. Paper IDs work for some - but for officers who are constantly on the go, keeping China's booming ports safe - they can be a bit of a letdown (to say the least). That's why about 4,400 new smart ID cars were issued to Customs and Excise Department officers this Tuesday.

One of the worst things about going to the hospital, aside from whatever medical condition you're suffering from, is the endless paperwork you have to fill out once you get there. A number of hospitals, including New York's Mount Sai Medical Center are now turning to smart cards as a way to cut down on the paperwork, speed up registration times, maintain more accurate records, and most importantly, quickly identify patients.

The idea of a smoking card might sound like a strange idea, but in Japan, where a whopping 53 percent of the male population smokes, it seems to make perfect sense. Tobacco makers, retailers, and vending machine operators across Japan now require all buyers to use a special smart card when purchasing cigarettes from machines. The card aims to prevent underage buyers - those under the age of 20 - from acquiring cigarettes.

Students and summer youth employees in Washington D.C. will soon receive new SmartTrip One Cards good for travel throughout the entire Metro transit system. Initially, the One Card program was designed to provide District residents with access to certain facilities such as parks and recreation centers, and libraries. Now, with the cards doubling as SmarTrip cards, students will be able to use a single ID to ride the Metro and access their schools and workplaces.

Just in time to host this summer's Olympic Games, the city of Beijing is set to launch a new card program for its subway system. The Beijing subway has used paper tickets for the past 38 years, but starting this week, magnetic stripe cards and smart cards will be used to pay passenger fares.

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.

The Department of Defense is making improvements to its ID card program in order to meet the requirements of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. HSPD-12 calls for new personal identification verification (PIV) cards to be issued to all military and civilian employees working for the DoD. The enhanced PIV cards will use contactless card technology to provide physical and logical access to facilities as well as computer systems.

Blackboard Communications Systems, a networking tool used by universities and learning institutions around the globe, announced that it has joined forces with Sony to produce contactless student ID card systems in the United States. Blackboard is an online teaching aid, in which students and professors may share information, lecture notes, upload assignments and communicate online. Now, Blackboard is venturing into the security business. The multi-functional cards Blackboard plans to develop would combine access, data and security systems. These state-of-the-art ID cards would function as debit cards, building entrance cards, class schedule data devices and more. Professors may even use the cards as a way to take attendance for classes.

In New Delhi, the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) is pushing a plan that would provide AIDS patients with electronic smart cards containing their entire case history. The aim of the program is to ensure continuity in the treatment of patients seeking care at Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centers located throughout the country.

Many rail, bus, and other transit systems are making the switch to smart cards for quick and easy fare payments. But how convenient is it if you have to carry a different card for each form of transportation, or for mass transit systems in different cities? To solve this problem, a number of cities are exploring ways to develop programs which use a single card for multiple transit systems, even those operating in different regions.

A smart card system known as Trainline Smart is being rolled out in the UK as a convenient new way to pay for rail and bus fares. Trainline expects its new service to account for half of all rail ticket sales by 2012. Not only does the program add convenience, it also reduces the need for producing paper tickets. Currently, Trainline Smart is being deployed in stages across UK rail and bus systems. In time it will serve as an upgrade the London Underground Oyster smart card ticketing system.

Ever had the urge to purchase an afternoon newspaper, only to come up empty when searching your pockets for loose shrapnel? In London, spare change is no longer necessary, as you can now obtain a copy of The Evening Standard, the city's daily tabloid, by paying with a handy smart card. They're calling it the “Eros” card, in reference to the Piccadilly Circus statue and the figure on the paper's nameplate.

India's ESI (Employee State Insurance) Corporation has announced that it will soon be issuing smart cards to provide employees with health and medical benefits, among others, to employees who fall under the care of ESI. Currently, the ESI oversees the care of about 9 million employees and 30 million beneficiaries all across India.

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 Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is looking to expand its smart-card fare-collection system to include use on commuter trains, ferries, and in parking facilities. The ultimate goal is to make the system, known as CharlieCard, a "passport" to the entire MBTA coverage area.

New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center is one of the largest hospitals in the U.S. With a ridiculous amount of patients coming and going, it's no wonder they've had their fair share of problems keeping medical records accurate and organized. Many of the more common errors can be attributed to the patient registration process which, like most hospitals, typically involves a steady stream of paperwork. So what's the best bay to eliminate this problem once and for all? For Mount Sinai, the answer may lie in medical smart cards.

Swiping a debit card is as common a practice as shaving, or hypnotically watching King of Queens reruns while you eat dinner on the futon (in other words, it happens just about every day). While your current debit card most likely features a magnetic stripe to store secure information, it might not be long before that smooth-gliding stripe is replaced by a smart chip, at least if you live in Canada.

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.

A new, dual biometric-based airport ID card has taken flight at 29 Canadian airports, boosting security to new heights. The Restricted Area Identity Card (RAIC) utilizes chip-based smart cards issued to all airport personnel. The cards work in conjunction with biometric readers for fingerprint or iris authentication.

Interesting to note - as of 2007, more humans live in cities than at any other point in our collective history. 3.3 billion of us call cities around the world home, and that number is expected to grow to 5 billion by the year 2030. Increasing population means a rise in density, and pretty soon we'll live closer to each other than ever. This means that we'll have easier access to the grocery store and our friends' houses, but what about traffic? Such an increase in population is likely to make the morning commute that much more of a nightmare. Even increases in public transportation and carpooling aren't projected to clear up the freeways during rush hour. One solution to this? Self-powered transportation. Commuting by bicycle and on foot has been increasing gradually across the country in recent years. Along with being a healthy efficient alternative to a car or bus commute, bicycles are relatively low-maintenance. The one problem? Storage. Bicycle theft, especially in dense urban areas, is a real problem and unlucky victims of bike theft have quickly learned that keeping their bike safe from theft is a game of luck - even the most secure lock can be broken.

We’ve all experienced the helplessness of standing in line at airport security while the hands of the clock wind dangerously close to departure time. Usually we have no one to blame but ourselves for being tardy. And it doesn’t make sense to really get upset about the slow-moving lines. In fact, I feel odd when airports aren’t thorough at the security gate. But what if there existed a smart card that could speed up the airport security process? Wouldn’t that be nice?

The Port Authority of Alleghany County (PAT) has announced plans for a new smart card fare-collecting program as part of its Connect ’09 initiative. The goal of the Port Authority in implementing smart card technology is to simplify and streamline the fare-collection system, offering added convenience to customers while supplying the agency with valuable rider information.

Buses in Victoria, Australia will soon begin testing a new public transportation smart card. The program, called “myki,” will allow commuters to use a smart card for riding public transportation. When the card is scanned, the fare is deducted from the card’s balance.

In 2004, when the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) was issued, a shot was fired that started the race to create the next generation of government ID cards. The directive requires that all federal employees and contractors carry a secure ID that works across all government agencies, and functions for the purpose of both access control as well as logistical applications such as logging onto computers. It’s estimated that HDPD-12-compliant forms of ID will eventually be carried by upwards of 4 million federal employees and tens of millions of contractors.