We live in a smart world where new technology and technological trends make life easier for everyone. In the present era, it has never been this easy and safe to pay online and shop on different platforms. This easy way to pay for things online and make other transactions is powered by smart card technology.
Smart cards are now used in almost every economy in the world, and almost everyone who gets a paycheck has one. The idea behind a smart card is to get rid of the old way people carry cash around, which makes them feel unsafe because people can see them, and there have been a lot of thefts involving large sums of cash.
Basically, a contactless payment card is a safer and more secure way to make financial transactions. It also makes life easier in a world where cash is becoming less and less common. We’ll look at why these cards are called “smart” and what they can do.
What is the Purpose of Smart Card Technology?
In smart card technology, a small rectangular piece of card is made smart. The first convenience that these cards offer is that they are small enough to fit in your wallet.
Smart cards are used by banks, companies, business enterprises, and many other types of organizations for different reasons. Cards can be different sizes, but the technology that makes them work is the same for all of them.
This smart technology lets users store information that is unique to them and pay for things, and do other stuff without using cash.
What goes into making a smart card?
There are four basic steps to making a smart card: designing, making, coding, and loading data.
Designing
In this first step, the designer or programmer gives the chip a certain amount of memory and sets the clock speed, the types of volatile memory, and the operating system.
It also requires the programmer to make an application program for the card and tell the software what kind of card it is and what other features he wants it to have.
Creating the Chip
In this second step, the silicon chip is put into the card. This silicon chip is connected to the connectors by wires that are either soldered together or tied together.
The chip on the board substrate is then sealed with epoxy resin and glued directly to the card substrate. Plastic, like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or any other synthetic plastic, is used as the base here.
Coding
This is an important step that lays the groundwork for how the card will work. In this step, special commands are used to put the codes into the memory of the chip.
Data Loading
At this point, the memory chip is filled with information about the person who will use it.
How Smart Cards Work
As we’ve already said, smart cards are the same size and are made of a similar type of plastic as regular cards, but they have a memory chip in a contact pad.
A smart card payment system can be used to make a transaction when the embedded memory chip makes contact with the contact pad. The card is no longer smart after this contact pad is taken off.
Smart cards don’t work on their own; they need to be read by a smart card reader. When the people who made the smart card put your personal information on it, you’ll need a card reader to put the card in, type in your personal security code, and make any transaction.
The real contact with the card reader is made by the contact pad, which then sets up an electronic connection with the card reader.
Then, you can use a Point of Sale system or other ways to make payments and do business. But some smart cards can work without a card reader interface. These contactless cards are becoming popular because they are simple to use.
Different kinds of smart cards
Smart cards are put into categories based on how they function and how they are set up.
Classification by how it works
This grouping is based on how the card works and how it is being used. These things fall into this group:
1. Contact Smart Card
This is the smart card that is used most often. This is where most credit cards, ATM cards, and SIM cards fit.
Smart contact cards work when you put them in a card reader. The contact pad has a memory chip that stores information, so the card reader can read what is written on the card and let the user do whatever he wants.
They are called “smart cards” because they need to touch something in order to work. In this case, the medium is any digital interface, such as a smart card reader, that lets information get sent from the card to the reader.
2. Contactless Smart Card
It’s a contactless smart card, which means it doesn’t need to touch an interface to work.
In the case of contactless smart cards, there are no card readers or digital interfaces that can be used to make a connection and then do a transaction. These cards use radio frequencies or Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to make a wireless connection between the card and where you want to use it.
3. Hybrid Cards
The hybrid cards are very strong because they combine the best parts of both kinds of cards in this category. These cards can work as either contact smart cards or contactless smart cards, depending on what needs to be done.
They have both kinds of technology built into them, so they can do both things. These cards are very rare and stand out from the rest.
Conclusion
The biggest benefit of smart card technology is the security it gives to its users. As the need for cash decreases and the number of ways to pay goes viral, it’s getting easier to go shopping. Smart cards are here to stay and will be a big part of how we use technology for many years to come.
