What does SmartID stand for and what is behind it?
Dr. Tobias Jochum: SmartID stands for: simple. offline. secure. That’s my slogan. It’s a technology that can be used to authenticate products, enabling companies to protect their property rights. We have combined unique security features with a QR code.
How does it work?
Every surface is unique. Let’s take two sheets of printer paper. If I ask you to describe them, you’ll probably say they’re both the same. And that’s true. Seen with the naked eye, they may look the same. But under the microscope, i.e. in the micrometer range, there are many differences. Imagine the surface as a kind of mountain range - with hills and valleys. This is exactly what we exploit. We store these surface characteristics together with a digital seal from the manufacturer in a QR code. This is then printed on the packaging or product. This is the technology behind SmartID.
So, there are three elements: The surface is linked to the manufacturer’s digital seal and to a QR code. Have I understood that correctly?
Almost. The most important features of the surface - i.e. the hills I mentioned earlier – are encoded into a value. This is the so-called hash value. This value is a unique identification feature, a kind of fingerprint.
How do consumers check whether a product is genuine?
Everyone involved in the supply chain can use the technology. This includes consumers, as well as customs agents, the police, purchasing or sales staff, and employees in the consumer protection department. They use a smartphone to scan the QR code and a portion of the packaging surface – namely the section whose features are encrypted in the hash value. Only when the data in the QR code and the characteristics of the surface captured by the camera match does the software confirm that it is not counterfeit.
Apart from paper, what other materials can be used?
For the time being, we have concentrated on fiber-based surfaces, which allows us to address the major issue of packaging. We are also working on identifying other surfaces using SmartID. At the moment, we are investigating plastics and leather.
What challenges did you face when developing the technology?
The challenge is to detect as many surface features as possible within a small space, even, for example, under different lighting conditions. We call these robust features. The software is so effective that it can distinguish between one million unique features. That’s quite a lot. However, for products that are manufactured in very large quantities, you would come up against this limit of one million. We can apply even more unique features to a constant surface using nanoparticles or quantum dots. And this is where our expertise at Fraunhofer IAP comes into its own: we can use our nanoparticles to make the surface texture more diverse. This also makes the technology suitable for marking large quantities of goods. The application possibilities of SmartID are thus significantly broader than without nanotechnology. The greater the number of robust features, the better. Because this raises the bar for counterfeiters.
There are a number of solutions for labeling and identifying products. In addition to barcodes, I’m thinking of blockchains or databases. What makes SmartID unique?
SmartID works offline. No database or blockchain is required to compare the security features. The comparison runs solely via the user interface. This sets our technology apart from other identification systems: no IT infrastructure is required.
How does SmartID differ from solutions with RFID chips or Near Field Technology?
These are based on components such as a chip, antenna and carrier. This makes the technology very expensive to manufacture and therefore unattractive for many industries. Another problem is recycling. Electronic components are integrated into them. Are these then disposed of as electronic waste? And finally, SmartID does not require an energy source.
How can SmartID be integrated into existing production processes?
Quite easily. Manufacturers who want to use SmartID technology need an industrial camera and our Fraunhofer license. There is no additional outlay initially. Consumers, in turn, use a smartphone app to verify the product.
Which user groups is SmartID aimed at?
Everyone for whom counterfeiting or protection against copying is an issue. This ranges from the manufacturer to those involved in the supply chain and consumers. Medicines, wines, spirits and cosmetics are often affected. Our first licensee wants to use the technology for luxury goods in the fashion sector. And that's just the beginning. It’s finally clear to me: product protection alone doesn’t sell. It’s not sexy.
How do you make it sexy?
When additional services are offered that go beyond the security concept. Branded products sell through strong customer relationships. Let’s assume that an end consumer has authenticated a high-quality product with SmartID. This can then open the door to further exclusive offers and services that the consumer can receive. Perhaps in a virtual marketplace, in a digital service environment, or in the metaverse. This is how customer experiences are created.
How does it feel to see SmartID technology in action for the first time?
It does make me proud. That is also what drives me: Developing products or a technology to such an extent that they can be placed on the market or further business models can be created from them. There are lots of things that I can imagine. For example, in logistics and for complaints or warranty cases.
// The interview was conducted by Andrea Schneidewendt from the Strategy and Communication Department at Fraunhofer IAP
Fraunhofer Institute for 
