Card Technology Research Articles

Card-sales response to merchant contactless payment acceptance

Abstract Disruptive innovations in digital payments are happening in a large number of countries around the world. In this paper, we investigate how merchants’ acceptance of a contactless card technology affects card sales. Using score matching and difference-in-difference techniques on a unique sample of about 275,580 merchants in France, we find that accepting contactless payments in 2018 increases the card-sales amount by 15.3 percent on average (and by 17.1 percent the card-sales count) compared to merchants who do not accept contactless payments. We also find evidence that accepting contactless payments exerts a positive spillover of about 1.3 percent in the amount of contact card sales, and thus significantly increases the average annual card-sales amount and count for small merchants and new entrepreneurs.

Smart card readers and the quality of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria: successes and challenges

ABSTRACT The adoption of smart card technology in many parts of Africa has contributed to the credibility and integrity of elections. As an integral part of the biometric voting system which checks the authenticity of voters and reduces the possibility of electoral fraud and irregularities, the smart card technology has been seen to have improved the integrity of elections since its introduction in Nigeria’s electoral process. However, the application of smart card readers in the 2019 elections nonetheless poses some drawbacks which reflect in the conduct and management of elections. Apart from the malfunctioning of a smart card reader which led to manual voting, the inability of the technological device to authenticate permanent voter cards, the indiscretion of INEC officials to allow unaccredited voters to vote in some voting locations, the structural and systemic failure of the Nigerian state relating to the crisis of election management contributed to the challenges encountered in the use of the smart cards in the 2019 electoral process. This article demonstrates that these factors undermined the integrity of the elections.

FTIR Spectroscopy Analysis of PLA Biocomposites Reinforced with Hemp Fibers

In this study, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of polylactide (PLA) biocomposites reinforced with hemp fibers were analyzed. Three samples of biocomposites with different proportions of hemp fibers in the PLA matrix were compared. Hemp and PLA fibers in biocomposite were evenly blended using carding technology. Samples before and after water absorption were compared using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermoset treated polylactide and hemp fiber biocomposites have high mechanical properties, that allow to reduce the number of materials in the product. The developed biocomposite can be used as a slab material and for molded parts of furniture, etc.

Smart Cards for All: Digitalisation of Universal Health Coverage in India

In less than ten years, India has launched colossal biometric databases. One among them is related to the first ‘free’ health coverage scheme offered by the government of India: the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna (RSBY). Based on a public–private partnership between government and private companies, RSBY national scheme was launched in 2008, as a first step towards universal health coverage in a country where households endorse 70% of health expenses. The first phase of RSBY offers to cover ₹30,000 ($600) of inpatient expenses per year for five members of a below poverty line household and is now piloted in several Indian States to include outpatient expenses and above poverty line families too. RSBY relies exclusively on a centralised digital artefact to function, made visible by the ‘RSBY Smart Card’, a chip enabled plastic card containing personal data of individual and their family counting and conditioning the granting of health services to them; thus, no smart card means no health coverage. Till date 120 million Indians have been registered in the RSBY database. This article analyses how health accessibility is crafted under the RSBY scheme by questioning two central dimensions of this data-driven digital health scheme: the smart card technology and the public–private partnership, whereas RSBY scheme promises health coverage for all, its digital infrastructures may complicate access to health services, and reveal new patterns of exclusion of individuals. Thus, we will detail how smartcards technologies and private providers condition access to health care in India.

Payment Card Fraud Rates in the United States Relative to Other Countries since Migrating to Chip Cards

The United States has lagged somewhat behind other countries in implementing steps to mitigate payment card fraud, such as chip card technology and personal identification numbers. Small delays in implementing fraud mitigation strategies could translate to large fraud losses relative to other countries. Although comparing fraud rates across countries can be challenging, Fumiko Hayashi examines payment card fraud rates in the United States along with three countries with the best available data?Australia, France, and the United Kingdom?and finds that the United States has the highest overall fraud rate. Even after migrating to chip card technology, the United States has a significantly higher in-person fraud rate than all three countries but a lower remote fraud rate than Australia and France. Fewer safeguards and differences in prevalent types of transactions may help explain this.

961. Prevalence and Macrolide Resistance of Mycoplasma genitalium After Initiation of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis

BackgroundRecent evidence shows that patients using HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have an increased rate of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea. The rate of Mycoplasma genitalium infections and the susceptibility of M. genitalium in patients on PrEP have been less well described.MethodsWe studied all patients who started on PrEP in the AZ Sint-Jan Hospital Bruges from January 6, 2017 to January 4, 2019. Patients were screened for M. genitalium and other bacterial STIs with rectal swabs, pharyngeal swabs, first-voided urine and blood collections at baseline and quarterly intervals after initiating PrEP. TaqMan array card technology was used to detect M. genitalium and determine macrolide-resistance mediating mutations in the region V of the 23S rRNA gene (A2058G, A2059G, A2058C, and others). Patients with an STI were treated based on a national guideline. Proportions were estimated using a Generalized Estimating Equations model with independent correlation structure.ResultsA total of 136 males and 1 female (median age, 40 years (interquartile range (IQR), 20–79)) were included in the study. All men were gay or bisexual. The median follow-up time was 11.3 months (IQR, 4.7–15.3). In total, 117 patients (85%) used PrEP daily at their last visit. The estimated proportion of patients with M. genitalium at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months was 7% (95% CI 4–13), 12% (95% CI 7–20), 7% (95% CI 4–15), 6% (3–15), and 6% (2–15). Thirty-two patients (23%) tested at least once positive for M. genitalium during the study period. The estimated percentage of macrolide resistance increased from 40% (95% CI 16–70) at baseline to 71% (95% CI 44–89), 67% (95% CI 27–92), 80% (95% CI 31–97), and 75% (95% CI 24–97) at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months, respectively.ConclusionAfter initiation of PrEP, the prevalence of M. genitalium in our cohort at quarterly screening was not increased compared with baseline. However, a nonsignificant trend of an increased percentage of macrolide-resistant strains was observed.Disclosures All Authors: No reported Disclosures.

Card-Sales Response to Merchant Contactless Payment Acceptance: Causal Evidence

Disruptive innovations in digital payments are happening in a large number of countries around the world. In this paper, we investigate how merchants' acceptance of a contactless card technology affects card sales. Using score matching and difference-in-difference techniques on a unique sample of about 275,580 merchants in France, we find that accepting contactless payments in 2018 increases the card-sales amount by 15.3 percent on average (and by 17.1 percent the card-sales count) compared to merchants who do not accept contactless payments. We also find evidence that accepting contactless payments exerts a positive spillover of about 1.3 percent in the amount of contact card sales, and thus significantly increases the average annual card-sales amount and count for small merchants and new entrepreneurs.

The Perception Of University Students On Intention To Use Malaysian Nasional Identity Card (My Kad) As A Multipurpose Card

Majority of citizens still not aware of the functions of the identity card. Many Malaysian citizens reject to use this technology due to feel of discomfort and insecurity. Technology readiness index are one of the major factors that affect the intention to use identity card (IC) (My Kad). The key objective of our research is to identify the intention to use identity card as multiple user by University students. The respondents consist of 165 university students from the federal district of Kuala Lumpur. Data been collected using a set of questionnaires administered online using Google Forms software. The data was analysed by using SMART PLS- SEM 3.2.8. The results of the analysis show that students exhibit less attention to the use of MyKad as multi-purpose card technology. This is because MyKad is one of the personal identities and it is considered unsafe to use it as a multipurpose card. The implications of the study, drawbacks of the study as well as future research suggestions have been discussed in detailed

Discovering the Hidden Community Structure of Public Transportation Networks

Advances in public transit modeling and smart card technologies can reveal detailed contact patterns of passengers. A natural way to represent such contact patterns is in the form of networks. In this paper we utilize known contact patterns from a public transit assignment model in a major metropolitan city, and propose the development of two novel network structures, each of which elucidate certain aspects of passenger travel behavior. We first propose the development of a transfer network, which can reveal passenger groups that travel together on a given day. Second, we propose the development of a community network, which is derived from the transfer network, and captures the similarity of travel patterns among passengers. We then explore the application of each of these network structures to identify the most frequently used travel paths, i.e., routes and transfers, in the public transit system, and model epidemic spreading risk among passengers of a public transit network, respectively. In the latter our conclusions reinforce previous observations, that routes crossing or connecting to the city center in the morning and afternoon peak hours are the most “dangerous” during an outbreak.

Awareness, attitude, participation and use of technology in birth preparedness and complication readiness among husbands of women availing obstetric care at a rural maternity hospital in South Karnataka

Background: Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) is an evidence-based strategy to reduce maternal mortality. Husbands have an important role to play in birth preparedness. There is paucity of data regarding husband’s participation and the use of technology in BPCR. The objective is to assess awareness, attitudes and the use of mass media and technology in BPCR among husbands of women availing obstetric care at a rural maternity hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural maternity hospital in Ramanagara district, Karnataka. Husbands of women of more than 28 weeks of gestation, or postnatal mothers up to 6 weeks after delivery were included in the study.Results: Of the 133 participants, only 37.6% of the husbands had adequate awareness of BPCR, 62.4% had adequate participation in BPCR. Husbands’ participation was highest in saving money for delivery (75.9%), and lowest for arranging a blood donor (27.8%). Commonest source of information regarding BPCR was mobile phone (30.8%). Husbands awareness of BPCR was associate with reading MCP card OR=5.36 (2.47-11.63), seeing BPCR- related posters in hospital OR=6.59 (1.32-33.13) and using mobile phone for accessing BPCR-related information OR=2.28 (1.07-4.85). Husbands participation in BPCR was associated with awareness of BPCR OR=3.72 (1.65-8.41) and accompanying wife for antenatal visits OR=2.84 (2.25-3.59). Only one third of husbands felt it necessary to accompany their wife for antenatal visits or delivery.Conclusions: The MCP card and mobile phone technology may be further tapped to improve husband’s awareness and participation in BPCR, besides encouraging men to accompany their wife for antenatal visits.

Bilgisayarlı Görüntüleme Sistemi: Gıda Endüstrisinde Kullanımı ve Uygulamaları

Bilgisayarlı görüntüleme sistemi, kamera, görüntü yakalama kartı, bilgisayar donanımı ve görüntü işleme teknolojilerinin bir birleşimidir. Günümüzde güvenlik garantisi sağlayan gıdalar tüketiciler tarafından daha fazla tercih edilmektedir. Bu doğrultuda gıda endüstrisinde nitel bilgi sağlama ve belirli işlemleri hızlandırma olanakları sağlaması açısından bilgisayarlı görüntüleme sistemi sektöre çeşitli avantajlar sunmaktadır. Bilgisayarlı görüntüleme sistemi, uygun görüntü işleme ve analizleme algoritmaları ile geleneksel yöntemlerden daha hızlı olması, doğru ve güvenilir sonuçlar sağlaması açısından günümüzde tahıllar, meyve sebze, et ve deniz ürünleri ve diğer bazı işlenmiş gıdaların kontrolünde geniş çapta uygulama alanı bulmuştur. Sistemin objektifliği, hızlılığı, ekonomikliği ve etkinliği bilgisayarlı görüntüleme sisteminin önemli avantajları olarak değerlendirilmekte ve sektörde alternatif bir yöntem olarak gelişim göstermektedir.

The micropolitics of behavioural interventions: a new materialist analysis

Behavioural approaches are increasingly used in both the global North and South as means to effect government policy. These interventions aim to encourage preferred behaviours by subtly shaping choices, applying incentives or employing punitive measures. Recent digital technology developments extend the reach of these behavioural approaches. While these approaches have been criticised from political science perspectives, in this paper we apply an innovative mode of analysis of behavioural policy approaches founded in a ‘new materialist’ ontology of affects, assemblages and capacities. This perspective enables us to explore their ‘micropolitical’ impact—on those who are their subjects, but also upon the wider sociocultural contexts within which they have been implemented. We examine two different behavioural interventions: the use of vouchers to incentivise new mothers to breastfeed their infants (a practice associated with improved health outcomes in both childhood and later life), and uses of debit card technologies in Australia to limit welfare recipients’ spending on alcohol, drugs and gambling. In each case, we employ a materialist methodology to analyse precisely what these interventions do, and what (in)capacities they produce in their targeted groups. From these we draw out a more generalised critique of behavioural approaches to policy implementation.

Properties of Hemp Fibres Reinforced PLA Composites

In this study 3 samples of bio-composite materials with different proportion of hemp fibers in the PLA matrix were developed, their comparative analysis and certain mechanical properties were investigated. Bio-composite hemp and polylactide (PLA) fibers were evenly blended using carding technology. The obtained blanks were treated for thermosetting at a fixed temperature of 180°C and a pressure of 100 kN, as well as controlled heating, compression and cooling time were applied. The mechanical properties (tensile strength σt, elastic modulus Et, relative extension ɛt) of composite material were determined.

Tracing the outlier: digital objects and algorithmic sorting in Rossella Biscotti’s Other

ABSTRACTThe relatively new Big Data systems, which operate at different levels, such as modes of monitoring, bulk analysis or techniques for data mining, are increasingly used by corporations and agencies to make sense of massive collections of data, as they promise access to an increasingly traceable and more predictable population. Although these systems have been objects of interest in scientific, economic and socio-political research for some time, they also play a more and more noticeable role in recent aesthetic and cultural discussions. This article argues that, as decisive modes of representation of knowledge production, algorithmic sorting and categorisation are relatively underexplored but important territory for scholars in the diverse field of the philosophy of aesthetics. This article presents the concept of the digital object as a way to comprehend the different modes of functioning inherent in the logic of algorithmic sorting, as they are “translated” into visual manifestations in the artworks of Rossella Biscotti, as the point of departure for analysing the 19th century punched card technologies built into the operation of automated looms and later electromechanical tabulating machines.

A taxonomy of various attacks on smart card–based applications and countermeasures

SummaryDeployment of smart card–based applications is becoming prevalent these days. Security of these applications depends upon the nature of underlying hardware and software platforms, cryptographic algorithms, along with a number of other security mechanisms. To develop a secure smart card–based application, preliminary evaluation of the security of embedded software as well as how that software will work in real time is required. Over the past few years, significant improvements have been made in smart card technology for its large‐scale acceptance. However, attackers are in continuous search for exploiting the unknown issues related to this technology. This survey discusses smart card technology in detail and provides a comprehensive taxonomy of security attacks on smart card–based applications and their countermeasures. In addition, it covers some of the open source tools available for its development. Finally, it provides a brief outline of some of the major open challenges and future research directions that are yet to be explored.

Ultrafast pump-probe signal detection using a data acquisition card

This work demonstrates the homebuilt, cost effective, pump probe signal detection using an advanced version of National Instrument data acquisition (NI-DAQ) card, which is used for multiple purposes in the same experiment. This advanced DAQ card is used as a controller for the linear stage, as an oscilloscope, and also for simultaneous acquisition of the signal from two photodiodes in synchronization with linear stage. The fast sampling rate of the DAQ card is used to quantify the peak power of the femtosecond laser pulse. This enables easier, faster, pulse to pulse data acquisition. A balanced detection technique is employed here, where the output from the two photodiodes are simultaneously sampled by the single DAQ card and is used to minimize pulse to pulse and slowly varying long-term fluctuations which are inherent to the laser source. We also review the significant developments in the DAQ card technology which helps to bypass the need for sophisticated instruments like lock-in amplifier or boxcar integrator, digital delay generator. This method is quite general and can be used in any experiment, where one needs to quantify the intensity variations in an experiment.

Optimizing and Implementation Contactless Tag-Reader System for Smart Classroom and Laboratory Access

Advances in wireless technology support smart card technology became contactless technology. Wireless technology allowed users to access or controlling. However, existing contactless smart cards have limited coverage with low security levels. Therefore, this research perform optimization on user access further with better security assurance. This research implemented in classroom and laboratory access. Hardware that used consists of Smart cards and Raspberry Pi that serves as a host and card reader that could be interconnected with the microprocessor. On the smart card stored user data (registration number and name) and on the Raspberry server stored user data that could access the class or laboratory. User’s data on smart cards were stored on chips that act like RAM (Random Access Memory). The chip was embedded in the Smart card in the same function as storage media. Raspberry that had function as server and microprocessor that provide access to registered users. This study produced classroom access system by using smart card with distance > 5cm with automatic access system for user registered on system. It was according to this research proposed about security and historical data. Reader in this research use wireless transmission system. Historical data stored on the server (Raspberry pi) which records the time in and out, and the duration of time while in the room. Additional technology in the classroom access system is equipped with an automatic door close system for double security in the classroom. The advantages of this system was using server and microcontroller in one package so that in terms of cost is cheaper than the smart card access technology available today.

Detection of pathogenic microorganisms from bloodstream infection specimens using TaqMan array card technology

Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are often life-threatening, and rapid identification is critical. Here, we developed a TaqMan array card (TAC) assay to detect pathogens in BSI specimens. The TAC included 30 primer/probe pairs targeting 27 species and 3 controls. Reverse transcription and 0.1% blue dextran 2000 increased the TAC assay efficiency. The primer/probe pairs had a limit of detection of 100–102 CFU/mL and a specificity of 100%. For whole blood specimens, the TAC assay showed a sensitivity and specificity of 79.4% and 99.69%, respectively. For blood culture samples, the TAC assay showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.67%, respectively. The TAC assay could be a promising method for early detection of bloodstream infection.

Extracting bus transit boarding stop information using smart card transaction data

The smart card-based automated fare collection (AFC) system has become the main method for collecting urban bus and rail transit fares in many cities worldwide. Such smart card technologies provide new opportunities for transportation data collection since the transaction data obtained through AFC system contains a significant amount of archived information which can be gathered and leveraged to help estimate public transit origin–destination matrices. Boarding location detection is an important step particularly when there is no automatic vehicle location (AVL) system or GPS information in the database in some cases. With the analysis of raw data without AVL information in this paper, an algorithm for trip direction detection is built and the directions for any bus in operation can be confirmed. The transaction interval between each adjacent record will also be analyzed to detect the boarding clusters for all trips in sequence. Boarding stops will then be distributed with the help of route information and operation schedules. Finally, the feasibility and practicality of the methodology are tested using the bus transit smart card data collected in Guangzhou, China.

A Chip Off the Old Block or a New Direction for Payment Card Security? Chips, Pins, and the Law and Economics of Payment Card Fraud

The issue of consumer payments and data security has reached a high level of public and regulatory interest as a result of a number of recent high-profile data breaches that compromised consumer payment cards. In addition, the ecosystem of consumer payment security has changed dramatically in recent years as a result of the introduction and rapid spread of contactless payment technologies. In response to growing concerns about payment fraud, payment card networks in the United States have moved toward the rapid replacement of traditional magnetic-stripe payment card technology to new EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) computer chip–based technology. Notably, however, US card issuers and networks have chosen not to adopt the personal identification number (PIN) method of customer verification that has been standard in the United Kingdom and much of Europe for the past decade or so but instead have chosen signature verification as the preferred method. This article conducts an economic analysis of the regulation of consumer payment cards and payment card fraud. We examine the marginal benefits and costs from heightened levels of payment card security. We examine the dynamic evolution of payment card anti-fraud technology over time and suggest that there is little evidence of market failure in the provision of payment security by card networks and issuers and little reason to believe that mandating one exclusive, decades-old, static verification technology (namely, chip and PIN) would be likely to improve overall consumer welfare and economic efficiency today. We conclude that rather than blindly adopting the particular verification technology that Europe put into place many years ago, US regulators should be alert to the evolving and contemporary nature of consumer payments and the fluid nature of threats to data privacy and thus should not freeze or hamper the adaptability of the payment system.