I volunteer for an organization that provides free service. The organization keeps track of those who enter and use our services. When they enter they have to sign so we can keep a head count on all those that use our service. I am seeking a way where they can enter swipe there ID (drivers license, military id, DOD id etc.) It must be a method that only the name is retrieved and at most in connection to military their unit. no other information is needed. It needs to be able to be databased to retrieve later. What I am looking for is what simple hardware will I need. For example will a CAC reader work for multiple ID types. Also is there a free software that I can use with the ID reader to maintain the database. I am just looking for something simple to keep head count so not looking for something that cost much. It is strictly for a volunteer serves to help improve our service to those that use it. any links to free software and any hardware that may be needed would be great.
There are all kinds of solutions for your situation. The hardware ranges from less than $20.00 for a simple USB scanner, to over $500.00 for a mountable, slide-in, network ready scanner. Some of the hardware comes bundled with software. It really depends on what your needs and budget are. At a minimum, you will need to get a reader that can read the PDF417 barcode. If you get a smart-card reader, make sure it also reads PDF417 barcodes.
