Train passes are annoying. They’re usually flimsy and easy-to-lose. Why not integrate a more high-tech solution into the system? And, hey, why not make it a little bit fashionable too? Well, that’s exactly what these MIT students did.
Meet the Sesame Ring. Borrowing design elements from the MIT class ring*, these wearable Charlie Cards are all you need to get around Boston on the T. The 3D-printed rings are implanted with RFID tags so all you need to do is tap them against the sensor when you’re running for the train.
You can refill it at the kiosk just like you’d refill your Charlie Card. In fact, it works just like the Charlie Card, auto-renew features and all. The ring is already integrated on the entire MBTA system in Boston, though the team of MIT students plans to spread the technology around the world.
The Sesame Ring is already being used by a bunch of folks affiliated with the project in Boston, and a new batch will soon arrive to hundreds of backers on Kickstarter. Because they’re each 3D-printed, you can customise the colour and the design down to the pattern on the ring face. And in the near future, the team hopes the rings won’t just be used on public transit. They’re inviting backers to vote on other uses for the rings. They’d better hustle though, because they have some competition — which is an amazing thing when you really think about it. [The Atlantic Cities via Archinect]
* Said MIT class ring which also makes a cameo on the hands of fictional MIT alum Tony Stark in Iron Man: