History and Future Vision of
The University of Arizona Facility Access

When The University of Arizona established a campus-wide Keyless Access System, there were three basic technologies available. The technologies were the magnetic stripe, proximity and contact-style smart chips.

The magnetic stripe technology is most commonly used for access, banking, and database communication type activities. The use of this technology requires that the user swipe the card into a reader for each transaction. The card is optically read and requires physical contact between the card and the reader. This interaction causes wear to both the reader and the card; thereby causing an increase in card and reader replacements along with the need to clean the reader on a regular basis. The magnetic stripe technology is very cost effective simply because of its reliability for the volume of use. The disadvantage of the magnetic stripe is that the 4-digit pin number is the only piece of information separating the individual from accessing a particular facility which could be a high risk, high secure area.

The proximity chip technology lends itself to access control because it allows the user to simply place the card within several inches of the reader and the reader authenticates the information which then allows entry into a particular door. The disadvantage to the proximity chip is that it does not have the additional capacity to handle the banking and other database functions supported on the magnetic stripe. The proximity technology is also limited because it is a read only function and does not have the functionality to read/write to the chip.

When the Keyless Access System was installed at The University of Arizona, a third type of technology was available. The contact smart chip was the next evolution of the proximity technology. With the release of the smart chip, it is now possible to read/write and store information on the chip. This addressed the small dollar value account and the database communication side of the application. The actual function of reading and writing to the contact chip requires that the card be inserted into a reader. The reader must then make contact with the chip and provide power to the chip to facilitate the actual read/write capability. This process works fine in vending machines and retail type applications but, is not fast enough to accommodate the requirements of a keyless access system especially when dealing with volumes of users. Again, the card and reader become worn and need replacement.

After analyzing all of the variables between the three technologies, it was apparent that the most functional and cost effective method of setting up the CatCard was to use the magnetic stripe for specific applications and utilize the smart chip for the remaining applications. The cost of adding the magnetic stripe to the card was much more cost effective than the other two technologies.

Inevitably technology has addressed our needs and provided a revolutionary solution. The solution is the development of the contactless smart chip. This technology allows us to have the best of all technologies, provide higher security and authentication, have a technology that is less vulnerable to compromise and can be personalized to the user, and position us to be able to read and write on the contactless smart chip for future applications other than access. The contactless smart chip performs an exchange of information in an encrypted format without the need of being in physical contact with the reader. This gives us the speed of proximity along with the advanced technology of the smart chip. The advantage allows us to significantly enhance our ability to provide a more advanced and secure level of keyless access.

The contactless smart chip technology offers three distinct ways to authenticate. Similar to the magnetic stripe, the card can be waved within inches of a reader and access can be granted. Another option is to wave the card and input a 4-digit pin number; again, similar to the magnetic stripe function we have available today. The third option is designed to manage access into highly restricted areas using a biometric algorithm which is stored on the smart chip. An algorithm is a mathematical process that measures specific points on a person’s fingerprint. The algorithm is stored on the contactless smart chip and not in any database. The card is presented within inches of the reader, the reader reads the algorithm off of the smart chip and then requests the actual fingerprint that matches the algorithm stored on the card. The authentication takes place at the reader and only the ISO number is transmitted through the reader to gain access just like the current process using the magnetic stripe.

It is envisioned that the basic card swipe access or card swipe with the use of a PIN will still be viable and cost effective in those areas that do not require more strict access control. As more contactless smart chip applications are identified, the use will increase while the cost will be reduced over time.

The University of Arizona continues to advance in technology and research and in forming working partnerships with non-UA personnel working in shared spaces. Several new facilities are being built to accommodate these types of partnerships. Additionally, the University of Arizona has a vulnerable base of information and physical assets that require a higher level of security than the current system. This atmosphere creates the need for a higher level of access security in order to protect resources.

It is anticipated that some forms of prospective funding may mandate higher access security levels. The University of Arizona is being pro-active in meeting these anticipated requirements by offering a Biometric Access Control System solution.

Embracing new technology will keep us positioned to meet the needs of the user and satisfy the access security requirements prior to a mandate. The end result is a one card system that, with use of various technologies, provides us with an extremely versatile and effective solution.

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