Proxes go mainstream: Princetonians launch ID bracelet business for parks

Standing in line under a sweltering sun for three hours for a rollercoaster ride at Hershey Park this past July, Josh Girvin '04, John Lerch '01 and Brian Tsang '04 had an idea. Frustrated with the long wait, the three students came up with the product that their new company, Proximities, is now developing. Based on the proxes that every University member has, they are creating prox wristbands to eliminate the source of frustration they experienced.

Proximities was founded in September and is working to create a bracelet called GO based on prox technology that would contain a person's credit card number. The wristband would serve as identification at places like concerts, bars, nightclubs and amusement parks.

"The wristband would really help with underage drinking," said Girvin, chief operations officer of the company. "It prevents people from flashing fake IDs."

The GO bracelet operates on a onetime basis. When entering a nightclub or going to a concert, the user is initially entered into the venue's computer system. The corresponding information — name, age and credit card number — is then put into the wristband's computer chip. The process takes only a few minutes.

After the wristband is activated, the user can buy drinks with a flick of a wrist. The bracelet will eliminate waiting in line, fumbling with change and fake identification, they said.

At an amusement park, the GO bracelet could be used to register for a ride, leave and return at a specific time to enjoy the ride. The time in between would not be wasted waiting in a long line, but could be used to take other rides or to eat.

"We'd like to try and make [the bracelet] work for a few days at a time, like for a cruise trip," Girvin said. "Maybe even get it to work for a number of bars all in the same place, so you can go barhopping at the beach."

Prox technology works with a minimum of equipment, low cost and very little energy. All a business would need is a collection of programmable wristbands, a computer with the program needed to record the information and a sensor, Girvin said.

The system uses radio frequency identification, RFID. The device has a wire loop that resonates at a specific frequency. When it is placed near a radio signal of that frequency a voltage is induced in the loop. This energy is used to power the chip that sends a signal to the sensor. The user is able to buy food and drinks in a fraction of the time needed to use cash or swipe a credit card, Girvin said.

RFID technology has been used in many venues, including pet tagging and racecar tracks. The technology is used at the University to open doors, while credit card technology is used to swipe cards at the dining halls.

The wristbands are similar to E-Z Pass, the electronic identification system that allows drivers to whiz through toll areas without stopping. The desire for a faster process will also drive more people to embrace the new wristband technology.

"Those people who have it will love it and those people who don't have will see those who do and want to get it," said Lerch, CEO of the company.

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Other companies using similar technology include Virtuatrack and 2Scoot, enabling onetime cashless payments at waterparks, sports stadiums and movie theaters, respectively. Virtuatrack includes the use of a wristband, but not the patent-pending technology that Proximities is developing.

The bracelets come in assorted colors, and cannot be taken off once they are put on. Girvin, Lerch and Tsang are modifying the wristband to become inactive when removed. Doing so will prevent credit card theft and impersonation.

Tsang, a 'Prince' online editor, is the lead software engineer and handles all the company's system and web-related programming.

Proximities is trying to install its new system in nightclubs in Philadelphia, Trenton and New York City. However, their main venue will be concerts, where more than 60 percent of the revenue comes from the sale of alcohol, Girvin said.

"Concerts are the easiest and most profitable venue. It's already been decided — one size, one beer," he added.

They would also like to market their product to hospitals, where it would replace clipboards and reduce mistakes. Doctors would carry around a laptop and scan each patient's wristband. Information would instantly appear on the computer screen, up-to-date and correct.