said it would begin issuing smart cards designed by Gemplus. They will compete with American Express's new Blue smart card, which can be used in personal computers equipped with card readers. These systems provide excellent security for online shopping; the purchase won't go through unless the owner types in a code that matches the one stored on the card's chip.

Traditional bank and credit cards are pretty dumb because they contain a magnetic strip rather than a microchip that has processing capability and holds a lot more information. One smart card, Gloton says, could function as an ID, store medical history and let us use all our bank and credit accounts. And someday it could be like cash, since everything from newsstands to vending machines will have card readers. If Gloton is right, our pockets won't be weighed down by a bunch of coins—unless we still need them for flipping.

1 | 2
Name: Jean-Pierre Gloton
Age: 56
Why critics are taking note: Gloton designed the first smart cards back in the '80s
Gemplus Smart Card Applications

THIS MONTH'S INNOVATORS







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The ability to clone humans
A cure for cancer
Extending the average life past 100
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About the Series

PHOTOS: Amy Domini by STEVE LISS FOR TIME,
Peter Freudenthal Photo Courtesy of meVC,
Jean-Pierre Gloton by SERGE PICARD/VU,
Richmond McCoy by JONATHAN SAUNDERS FOR TIME,
David Pullman by MICHAEL GRECCO FOR TIME,
Gerald Putnam photo illustration by AARON GOODMAN FOR TIME
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