Government ID, Smart Cards, Identification and Authentication

Arizona struggles with Real ID implementation

Monday, March 24, 2008

The state with the largest illegal immigration may elect to opt out of Real ID driver license implementation despite Federal sanctions that would prevent its citizens from entering federal buildings or airplanes, according to the Arizona Republic. Opposition is building to proposed legislation that would bring Arizona into compliance with the Real ID mandates. If the proposed plan were implemented Arizona would become the first state on the U.S./Mexican border to issue the enhanced licenses.


Costs and fears that the enhanced driver license could lead to a national ID card are two reasons some lawmakers are citing for their opposition. The Arizona Legislature must pass a bill authorizing the new state IDs. However, according to the Arizona Republic, the bill failed to clear a key committee, throwing the license into doubt. Read more here[end] 

HID Global has announced the successful completion of the world’s first university pilot of NFC smart phones carrying digital keys.

First announced in September, the pilot involved a select group of students and staff at Arizona State University using NFC-enabled smart phones equipped with HID’s Secure Identity Object (SIO) Technology. Participants could gain access to their residence halls and other secure access areas by tapping their handset against a reader embedded in the door and entering a PIN, rather than use their plastic campus card.

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The NFC project at Arizona State University (ASU) is becoming quite the celebrity. No longer are a student’s smart phones just the key to their social lives. It’s also the key to their dorm rooms, according to CBS 5 report.

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Japan’s Fukumi Corporation has opened the world’s first physical shop for NFC tags, applications, starter kits and printing and encoding services in Yaesu, Tokyo.

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In an effort to streamline passenger security, Jakarta, Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport has opened the country’s first biometric immigration gate.

Fingerprint biometric identification provider BIO-key International, Inc. and Oakwell Engineering Limited partnered to create the new gate, designed for use by passengers with electronic passports. Passengers submit their e-passports and authenticate with a fingerprint.

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As part of the U.S. Department of State’s initiative to simplify and streamline customer service interactions and processes, the Office of Passport Services has started a 90-day pilot program for online passport card applications.

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Verizon Wireless is working with two ASSA ABLOY companies – HID Global and Yale Locks & Hardware – to demonstrate the benefits of smart phones carrying mobile keys.

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