Forgery: 'fingerprinting' documents and packaging.
We have found that almost all paper documents, plastic cards and product packaging contain a unique physical identity code formed from microscopic imperfections in the surface. This covert 'fingerprint' is intrinsic and virtually impossible to modify controllably. It can be rapidly read using a low-cost portable laser scanner. Most forms of document and branded-product fraud could be rendered obsolete by use of this code.
Buchanan
James D R
JD
Blackett Physics Laboratory, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BW, UK.
Cowburn
Russell P
RP
Jausovec
Ana-Vanessa
AV
Petit
Dorothée
D
Seem
Peter
P
Xiong
Gang
G
Atkinson
Del
D
Fenton
Kate
K
Allwood
Dan A
DA
Bryan
Matthew T
MT