News Article: On/Off Switch For RFID Cards

[Ehtyar]

An on/off switch has been developed for RFID cards.

A U.K. firm has developed an on/off “switch” for RFID cards that could protect cardholders from being hacked. The cardholder activates the RFID transmission by squeezing the card between his thumb and forefinger when it must be scanned by a reader.

The patented polymer-based technology comprised of metal particles is embedded into a circuit and gets built into a smart card during the lamination process. When compressed, it acts as an RFID signal conductor. “The difference is that RFID is always on and being interrogated, but this is always off until the instant you want it read,” says a spokesman for Peratech, which says it’s currently in discussions with smart card vendors.

Full Story

Personal comment: Seems a little impractical to me, especially when you have the alternative of not using RFID at all staring you in the face.

Ehtyar.

[jgpaiva]

Personal comment: Seems a little impractical to me, especially when you have the alternative of not using RFID at all staring you in the face.

You only have that option if you don't ride the underground (or any public transportation, for that matter) in larger cities. At least, that's how it works in Lisbon, the capital of my country. Still, I think it's impratical, as most people just have the card in their wallets, and this'd force them to bring the card out. I'm pretty sure this won't have much success, unless people start being seriously "ellectronically mugged" every day.

[Ehtyar]

What I meant was that the operators have this option, not the customers.

Ehtyar.

[Deozaan]

Hey at least it's progress.