Oberthur Technologies presents two

Oberthur Technologies, one of the world's largest providers of security, identification solutions and services based on smart card technologies, presents at the 2012 Cartes & Identification exhibition, two, new innovative security features for identity documents.

The world's first self-authenticating identity document launched by Oberthur Technologies in 2010, has now been developed into a complete range of structural security features based on transparency effects.

The ID-One(TM) SkyCode, is a transparent window with a decoding function that can be used to authenticate identity cards, thus reducing counterfeiting. The product involves a clever application of steganography, a technology that can be used to hide data within a photograph. During the graphical personalization of each identity card, a piece of simple information relating to the card holder (name, date of birth, etc) is hidden within the photo. By applying the ID-One(TM) SkyCode window, against a card with a treated photo, it is possible to verify the presence of the hidden information. Any attempt to replace or tamper with the photo is easily detected, as the hidden information is destroyed.

The second product in the range is ID-One(TM) SkyClear, a polycarbonate transparent window, compatible with laser engraving. The customized shape and location of the window makes it impossible to forge a document by reusing any other commonly available card as a support. The transparency of ID-One(TM) SkyClear is also a strong protection against counterfeiting because it facilitates the detection of a substitute or altered photo.

"Oberthur Technologies is committed to providing innovations to enhance the security features on all our identity products" said Moise Moyal, Marketing Director of the Identity Business Line at Oberthur Technologies. "ID-One(TM) Sky is our first self-authenticating smart card range with a decoding function that helps protect against counterfeiting".

PrintPixel is a highly secure printing technology that allows color photographs to be permanently embedded into polycarbonate identity cards. The remarkable innovation combines the security of laser engraving, which enables markings deep into the card body, with the quality of color portraits.

Conventional surface printing techniques for applying color portraits to polycarbonate cards are vulnerable to counterfeit as well as simple wear and tear. PrintPixel overcomes these limitations by retaining the deep marking characteristics of grey-scale laser engraving, but improving these with color capabilities. PrintPixel is performed independently of the card production process to provide a greater degree of flexibility for personalization of documents.

We are at the heart of the rapidly evolving digital society. Billions of people worldwide increasingly want the freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain and work – anytime, everywhere – in ways that are enjoyable and safe. Gemalto delivers on their expanding needs for personal mobile services, payment security, authenticated cloud access, identity and privacy protection, eHealthcare and eGovernment efficiency, convenient ticketing and dependable machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.

Gemalto develops secure embedded software and secure products which we design and personalize. Our platforms and services manage these secure products, the confidential data they contain and the trusted end-user services they enable. Our innovations offer more ways for our clients to enhance the convenience and security of people’s digital lives.