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Although barcodes are currently utilized mainly to keep track of merchandise, they may soon also be used to detect counterfeit goods. We're not talking about ordinary barcode labels, however. Instead, British scientists at Sofmat Ltd and the University of Bradford have devised a new 3D barcode that's actually molded into plastic or composite items.
The system utilizes tiny pins that are integrated into the mold from which the product is made. Each pin can be set to different heights via micro actuators, with each 0.4-micron increment in height corresponding to a specific letter or numeral (0 - 9). The current prototype consists of a four-pin array, allowing for over 1.7 million unique configurations.
The resulting indentations in the finished item are difficult to see and impossible to feel, yet can be read using a white light interferometer or a laser-scanning confocal microscope – a compact laser scanner is in the works, which could wirelessly transmit readings to a smartphone or tablet.
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Wednesday September 16 2015, @07:40AM
If something does go wrong with a counterfeit product, why should the genuine manufacturer be on the hook? They had nothing to do with the fake.
No problem is insoluble, but at Ksp = 2.943×10−25 Mercury Sulphide comes close.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 16 2015, @04:31PM
> If something does go wrong with a counterfeit product, why should the genuine manufacturer be on the hook?
Because they failed to protect their brand.
You can't have it both ways - you can't ask people to trust your brand and then let counterfeiters use it.