Public smoking rooms go contactless, Tokyo
28 August, 2012
category: Contactless, NFC, Smart Cards
In Japan, a new company called Ippuku (“puff”) is opening a new series premium smoking rooms around Tokyo that use contactless smart card technology for payments, according to The Verge.
Ippuku’s pay-as-you-go rooms feature subway-style gates where customers can simply tap their cards to enter. Smokers will pay ¥50 (about $0.64) a time with their Suica or Pasmo passes, both of which are common forms of payment in Tokyo that use the Sony-developed FeliCa system.
Each room will have Wi-Fi, TV, and power outlets, along with the the combination of ventilation, aroma mists, and water-based processing system for cigarette butts – all designed to create the most comfortable atmosphere.
The contactless cards can also be used for public transportation, vending machines, and payments at convenience stores, and allow customers the convenience of completing the transaction without having to search for cash or coin.
Read the full story here.