Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards Biography

Finally, the magic trick is almost complete. The TTC waved its magic wand and agreed to total Presto card integration on the subway, streetcar, and bus network in time for 2016 at the expense of the humble token, Metropass, and all other fares except cash. The future is, well, in the future. But it's coming.

Contactless smart cards like Presto and its sister the Oyster card in London are actually mostly empty space. Embedded inside the plastic is a tiny chip, roughly two millimetres squared, that stores value and other information about each journey. The rest is given over to a metal conductor wire that's wound several times around. The chip uses the wire as an aerial to make contact with the card readers at stations and on vehicles.

Contactless credit cards currently entering the market from Mastercard and Visa employ similar technology to connect with paystations at the cash register. Typically, the signal from the card only travels about 10 centimetres.

There are no batteries involved; the conductor wire is also used to generate a small electrical current that powers the micro (really, really micro) processor. Metrolinx says Presto fare transactions will take about a second to process at the turnstiles.

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards

Magic Trick Cards