In 1960, IBM used the magnetic tape idea to develop a reliable way of securing magnetic stripes to plastic cards, under a contract with the US government for a security system. In the 1950s, magnetic recording of digital computer data on plastic tape coated with iron oxide was invented. Magnetic recording on steel tape and wire was invented by Valdemar Poulsen in Denmark around 1900 for recording audio. They may also contain an RFID tag, a transponder device and/or a microchip mostly used for business premises access control or electronic payment. Magnetic stripe cards are commonly used in credit cards, identity cards, and transportation tickets. The magnetic stripe, sometimes called swipe card or magstripe, is read by swiping past a magnetic reading head.

Visualization of magnetically stored information on a magnetic stripe card (recorded with CMOS-MagView, dark colors correspond to magnetic north, light colors correspond to magnetic south)Ī magnetic stripe card is a type of card capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic material on the card.

Arduino magnetic card reader and writer