ID cards have a long and storied history as a means of identification and access control. While ID cards started as simple paper cards, technology is rapidly improving their security, functionality, and uses. Here is an overview of emerging ID card technologies and how they are shaping the future of identification and access management:
What are ID cards?
ID cards are credentials used to identify individuals and control access to places, information, and resources. They traditionally contain basic information like a photo, name, and employee/student number, and may include a signature or barcode.
ID cards are used by businesses, schools, governments, and other organizations to verify identity, enable entry to secure areas, and authorize certain privileges or activities.
Why ID cards are important?
ID cards improve security, monitoring, and efficiency for organizations. They provide a standardized way to manage facility access, benefits distribution, time tracking, and more while reducing risks like unauthorized use or infiltration. However, traditional ID cards have some limitations in scale, functionality, and security that new technologies are emerging to address.
New Ways To Make ID Cards
Emerging ID technologies including biometric authentication, smart chips, and blockchain are setting new ways to make ID cards. Biometric ID cards use fingerprints, facial recognition or iris scanning to verify individuals. Smart cards contain embedded chips that can store and encrypt data. Blockchain creates digital IDs secured and shared on a distributed ledger. These cutting-edge options transform basic ID cards into powerful tools for identification, payments, and other applications.
Biometric technology is improving rapidly with new machine learning algorithms that can handle large databases of faces, fingerprints and irises. Smart cards are also gaining more memory and processing power. Blockchain’s distributed consensus model offers a promising new architecture for digital IDs that is secure yet shareable. The combination of biometrics, smart chips and blockchain on ID cards could provide multi-factor authentication and support for decentralized identities and verifiable credentials.
Benefits and Implications
New ID card technologies provide stronger security and authentication. They are harder to tamper with or forge. Biometrics bind an ID to a person, not just a card and blockchain cryptographically secure data. These technologies enable digital IDs that offer more privacy and control as individuals can share verified credentials when they choose.
Improved security and authentication also allow ID cards to support more applications. They could provide payment and banking access, serve as travel documents, or store healthcare data – all with a high level of trust and security. However, there are risks around privacy, data sharing, and system interoperability that must be addressed. Strict standards and compliance will be needed, especially for blockchain-based digital ID networks.
Different industries will adopt new ID technologies at varying speeds based on use cases and benefits. Governments may use biometrics and blockchain for digital passports and social security. Healthcare providers could implement biometric ID cards to secure electronic health records. Educational institutions may use smart ID cards for attendance, payment, facility access and more – all integrated into one card. Companies will leverage new ID options to improve security, enhance customer service and gain business intelligence.
The future of ID cards is one of the integrated systems where biometrics provide sophisticated authentication, blockchain enables decentralized and interoperable IDs and smart chips power multi-function cards. While exciting, this future also brings risks that will require proactive management. Overall though, the technological innovations around identity management will make ID cards more powerful, useful and ubiquitous across nearly every industry and sector. This promises to improve experiences, reduce fraud, increase automation and usher in new digital ecosystems built on verifiable and trusted identities.