Barcodes, particularly in the form of 2D barcodes such as QR codes, play an increasingly critical role in the security and functionality of passports and ID cards.

Since physical documents such as national passports remain the root of trust for establishing identities, the necessity to stay well ahead of counterfeiters is paramount.

Diffractive optically variable image devices (DOVIDs) are highly effective and robust security features for identity documents. Their inherent sophistication and security are known to offer a multitude of benefits in combating counterfeiting and ensuring the authenticity of ID documents.

Optic ID, an iris authentication system developed by Apple, is a key feature integrated into Apple’s new Vision Pro headset. This technology enables users to securely unlock their device, authorise transactions, access personal data, and sign-in to various applications using iris recognition.

In a quiet amendment to a new criminal justice bill, the UK government has granted police the authority to conduct facial recognition searches on a vast database containing images of all 50 million driving licence holders in the country.

Recent studies from Columbia University suggest a shift in some of the strongest held assumptions about fingerprint analysis by challenging the conventional notion of the absolute uniqueness of fingerprints.

Regula Forensics has unveiled the spectrometer-microscope Regula 5006, a two-in-one device tailored for advanced forensic scrutiny of identity and other secure documents.

In March 2023, ID & Secure Document News™ (IDN) carried an article on the opportunities for new projects stemming from research collaborations, using the UK SPRITE+ network as an example.

In his article ‘Emerging Fingerprint Technologies for Smartphones’ (see IDN January 2023), technology consultant Dr Alan Hodgson predicted that in response to the need for better fingerprint recognition on devices, technology suppliers would be looking to increase the size of their biometric sensors. And he was right!

In March 2023 IDN carried an article on the opportunities for new projects that stem from research collaborations, using the UK SPRITE+ network as an example.