Tag: anti-counterfeiting

Article

NEC smartphone tech can spot counterfeit goods | PC World

NEC wants you to spot counterfeits using your phone’s camera | Engadget

My Comments

The camera on these smartphones could work towards identifying whether that handbag at the flea market is a knock-off

Previously, I had covered some applications where commodity-priced camera modules have been used for machine vision. These applications, which were mostly based around the cameras that your typical smartphone or tablet are equipped with, were more than just reading and interpreting a barcode of some sort in order to look up data. Rather they were about interpreting a control stick typically soaked in liquid that is used as part of urinalysis or to observe the character of blood vessels on one’s face to read one’s pulse.

But NEC is implementing machine vision using one’s smartphone to determine whether an object like a luxury handbag or a pair of name-brand sneakers is a “knock-off” or not. Here, they use the camera with a macro-lens attachment to identify the “fingerprint” that the metal or plastic material’s grain yields through its manufacture. This typically applies to items made of these materials or where an item is equipped with one or more fasteners, trim items or other fittings made of these materials.

NEC wants to see this technology not just apply to verifying the authenticity of new goods but also be used to allow the manufacturers to check that repair and maintenance of goods is “up to snuff” or follow the distribution and retail chain of these goods.

The manufacturers have to “register” these items in order to create the “reference database” that relates to their goods. As well, users would have to use a macro-equipped device such as a smartphone equipped with a macro-converter attachment or a “clip-on” camera with this kind of lens. They will offer the lenses as a 3D-printed attachment to suit most of the popular handsets and tablets. It could also open up a market for small-form Webcams and similar cameras that come with macro lenses or multi-function lenses.

A missing part of the question would be whether the technology would apply to goods made out of soft materials like cloth or leather. This would take it further with identifying clothes, footwear and “soft-material” luggage or checking whether the material used to upholster furniture reflects what the manufacturer or customer wants for the job.

Articles

NFC detects fake wine | NFC World

NFC-based seal tracks counterfeit booze | CIO

INSIDE Secure launches CapSeal to identify counterfeiting in wine, spirits market | Drinks Business Review

From the horse’s mouth

Selinko

Press Release

INSIDE Secure

Press Release

My Comments

You could use your Android smartphone to tell if this is the Real McCoy

INSIDE Secure and Selinko are using NFC technology as part of a bottle-seal mechanism to determine whether that bottle of premium French wine or Scotch whisky was filled with the real drink rather than a cheaper poorer-quality substitute. This kind of bottle-refilling fraud has been affecting the supply of good-quality wine and spirits mainly in the Asian market in a manner similar to selling “knock-offs” of  luxury bags, watches and  similar items.

The technology is very similar to what FinnCode are doing with Giuletti Accordions to help with identifying the authenticity and provenance of the accordions that they make. This also works in tandem with an instrument registry that allows people buying any of these squeezeboxes second-hand to know whether have been stolen or not and if the instrument was used for a memorable gig or recording that someone claims it was used for,

The bottle seal works with an NFC chip that is deactivated when the bottle is opened or tampered with and works hand-in-glove with regular wine corks or bottle caps so that the look and experience isn’t lost. The NFC chip will work with NFC-capable smartphones, tablets and laptops to allow consumers, the licensed trade and others in the supply chain to identify if the bottle is still sealed and what is meant to be in the bottle.

I see this working beyond checking the authenticity and provenance of a particular wine or spirit to even checking the authenticity and provenance of other products sold in bottles or jars that are attractive to counterfeiters. Examples of these include soft-drinks such as the legendary Coca-Cola, spreads like the legendary Vegemite or even medicines that are still sold in bottle form.

Similarly, I see this also as a way to clamp down on drinks theft in other situations like hotel minibars or the home by being able to determine whether the bottle was opened and any drink was taken. This is even though one could replace the cork or cap or dilute the drink to make it look newly purchased.

It shows that NFC and QR-code technology provides a common method of creating a unique direct link to online data resources through a common smartphone or tablet as a way of “knowing more” about a product.