Imagine if your credit card itself had buttons on it and worked like a mini computer. That's the idea behind Pittsburgh-based Dynamics Inc.'s Card 2.0, a paper-thin computer embedded within a traditional credit card form.

The proposed applications of the technology are pretty cool: A user could carry only one card, instead of the several many of us now carry, and input which of the user's accounts to draw from before swiping it. Another of Dynamics' features, called Hidden, is that the card would not have all of its numbers printed on the front, but instead would require the user to input a PIN code to essentially turn the card on.What's exceptional about Hidden is that after a period of time the card display turns off, the full card number is again partially covered, and all account information is erased from the Electronic Stripe, thereby rendering it useless to anyone but its owner. "Nobody can look at your number or swipe it online," said Mullen. "I could lose my card in the middle of a store and nobody would be able to use it."

...In addition, because the programmable stripe is embedded in the card, and the card is covered in plastic, there is no exposed circuitry. The card is also scratch-resistant and even waterproof.

According to Dynamics, they have submitted the design for banks to review and expect uptake announcements "shortly."

via tech news daily