Optical variable devices are now widely used on documents or values. The most recent optical visual features with high definition, animation, brightness, special color tune, provide excellent first and second levels of authentication. Human eye is the only instrument required to check the authenticity. This is a major advantage of OVDs in many circumstances, such as currency exchange, ID street control . . . But, under other circumstances, such as automatic payments with banknotes, volume ID controls at boarders, ID controls in shops . . . an automatic authentication will be necessary or more reliable. When both a visual and automated authentication are required, the combination, on the same security component, of a variable image and a machine readable optical element is a very secure and cost effective solution for the protection of documents. Several techniques are now available an can be selected depending upon the respective roles of the machine readability and visual control.

Date Published: 15 March 1996
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 2659, Optical Security and Counterfeit Deterrence Techniques, (15 March 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.235455

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2659:
Optical Security and Counterfeit Deterrence Techniques
Rudolf L. van Renesse, Editor(s)