by Shane Henson — February 24, 2012—HID Global, provider of solutions for the delivery of secure identity, has successfully completed the world’s first university pilot using NFC (near-field communication) smartphones as digital keys for access control at Arizona State University (ASU).
The pilot was implemented using HID Global’s SIO (Secure Identity Object) technology, a key feature of its award-winning, next-generation iCLASS SIO-Enabled (iCLASS SE) credential and reader platform that the company says transforms how secure identity is delivered and managed while enabling new levels of access control security, portability and performance.
The mobile access control pilot at ASU was reportedly the first to validate the use of digital credentials on NFC smartphones for physical access control on a college campus. A group of ASU staff and students were given NFC smartphones containing HID Global’s iCLASS SE credential technology. The ASU pilot participants gained access to their residence hall and selected rooms by presenting the phones to their door readers, just like they do with their existing iCLASS-based physical campus ID cards. Participants used a variety of popular smartphones connected to all major mobile networks.
“This pilot proved the viability of the NFC-based mobile access model using secure portable credentials and the next generation of advanced access control systems, and also confirmed the high value that staff and students place on using their phones for more and more applications, including opening doors throughout the campus,” said Laura Ploughe, director of business applications and fiscal control at ASU.
According to HID Global, the completion of this pilot is an important step toward global deployment of mobile access control technology beyond cashless payment applications.
