The evolution of university smart cards

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​Safety and security is a challenge that all forms of computing face. Since the third era of ubiquitous computing, safety and security importance are especially increased because of the nature of ubicomp systems. On university campuses, photo ID cards are used to create a sense of protection and to distinguish the university community from strangers. These smart cards are used by staff and students to not only serve as an ID but are also used to purchase lunch, buy snacks from vending machines, check out library books, and also allow access to campus buildings and elevators. The reason why most campuses have made the switch is the benefits compared to the older ID cards.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​Before smart cards, traditional flash passes were used, which contained the person’s name, ID, and their school’s mascot. These IDs were used to gain access on campus, but the issue was that they required human contact to serve their function. These traditional flash passes soon evolved into proximity cards, which offered an extra layer of security by using radio frequencies to help door side scanners identify an ID before finally becoming what many universities use today.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​The first time these smart IDs were introduced was in 1979. Michel Hugon was the first to do so by combining a processor and local memory, creating the first computerized smart cards. Since then, smart cards have been used as SIM cards, ID cards, smart cards for transport, and many more tools. Smart cards are portable cards, with standard dimensions of 85.60 × 53.98 mm and rounded corners with radiuses from 2.88–3.48 mm. They have a rather long life cycle from 3 to 10 years and a light carbon footprint.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​In its contactless form, the cards use Near Field Communication technology between the card and the scanner. An example of this is the proximity contactless smart card, which has limited memory space. As a result, the card cannot be written to and only read to. Contact smart cards (credit cards, ATM cards, SIM) work by being inserted into a card reader, where the card reader can read what is written on the memory chip where information is stored, allowing the user to complete their transaction. Hybrid cards, as the name suggests, functions as both contactless and contact cards, being able to be inserted and be scanned from a distance.

Image of a university’s ID hybrid card able to serve as a contactless card and be read through a scanner.

Image of a university’s ID hybrid card able to serve as a contact card and be read through a scanner.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​​​Photo courtesy of Drexel University from DrexelOne

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​With technology that serves many purposes, there are bound to be flaws and issues that students face. If you were to lose your card, you lose access to the campus buildings as well as other benefits, and if a stranger manages to steal your ID, they now have access to everything a normal student would. With all technology, many errors could arise. The electronic scanners used to scan the card may not work with the card if one of them breaks. On one of my campus buildings, access to the elevator would not work for the first two weeks, so I had to submit a form to my university’s office to resolve my issue. The smart card can also be deactivated, so it should be placed in a secure location away from other magnetic cards.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​I find that the ID we use on campus to be rather useful. In high school, I would just have a standard flash pass that was only used to scan for attendance, which provided no safety whatsoever. Anyone could access the school building, even a total stranger, and could get through the security guards with ease since the guards are not the ones that check the ID. It provided huge security and safety issues and served only one use: attendance. The ID card that I use now for university campuses makes everything so much more convenient. Now, I must use my ID card to get access to the buildings (and it even scans through my phone case) which makes me feel safer knowing only other people with the same type of smart card have access. I also can use it to ride my university’s shuttle bus, create a dining plan for myself, and load up on money to pay for food and services at participating retail/dining locations.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​To find a consensus about these smart cards, I surveyed three other students about their university ID cards. I asked five questions:

• What are your overall feelings about the university’s ID and its ability to scan into buildings?
• Do you feel safer with the university with this card on campus?
• Did you formerly use these types of cards for any other school or workplace?
• How do you feel about being able to use this card to buy snacks from the vending machines?
• How do you feel about being able to use this card to ride the shuttle buses?
• What would you change or add about this card?

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​When asked about overall feelings towards the cards, the terms “reliable”, “useful”, and “good” were used. One student stated that half the doors remained locked even when using the card, so it seems useless to even have double doors. When asked about the sense of safety the card gives, all seemed to agree that they feel safer knowing only authorized people have access. When asked about former ID cards, all had some sort of traditional flash pass but none served any other purposes other than a form of ID purposes. When asked about the card being able to be inserted into vending machines to buy snacks, as well as being able to use it to pay for the university’s shuttle bus, all had positive opinions. While not everyone has been able to use the card for these purposes, all said that having the card serve as more than just ID is an incredibly convenient feature. Lastly, when asked about what they would change about the card, one student wanted the ID card to be more robust so that it would not start peeling after a few years, while another student wanted to add a banking system so that it could be used as a regular debit card.

​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​​Overall, many students believe that these smart cards are too useful not to have, and universities seem to agree, with smart cards becoming a large part of daily life on campus for many universities. These cards have evolved from simple photo IDs to also being able to purchase lunch, buy snacks from vending machines, check out library books, and also allow access to campus buildings and elevators. Even with its many flaws, its positives far outweigh the negatives. The card provides a sense of safety and security for universities and also serves multiple functions for use in all students’ lives. With the current trend of smart cards and its history, I only expect these to evolve and become even more normalized, not only at school or the workplace but even for houses, rooms, and stores, with even more capabilities.