NEW
Wednesday 29 January • 15:15 – 17:15
Course Length: 2 hours
Course Level: Introductory
Instructor: Alan Hodgson, Alan Hodgson Consulting Ltd.

Learning Outcomes
This course enables the attendee to:

• Evaluate the current and potential applications of smartphone imaging in inspection and authentication.
• Have an overview of current secure print vision tools and where smartphones are now making a difference.
• Comprehend the risks and benefits associated with smartphone implementations in secure applications.
• Be able to identify the power and vulnerabilities of smartphone solutions in this space.
• Understand the opportunities that future developments in smartphone technology could bring to inspection and authentication.

The smartphone has the potential to have a profound effect on secure applications, ranging from product inspection through to finance and identity. These are all enabled by the machine vision capabilities of the smartphone, from camera systems to biometric authentication. The aim of this course is to take a fresh look at smartphone technology, from the perspective of the secure applications industry in areas such as document inspection, e-commerce, and mobile identity.

It starts by reviewing the technical, social, economic, and political landscape then moves into the early implementations in product inspection, finance, and identity. We discuss the implications of some market studies and the relevance of associated technologies such as Internet of Things and wearable electronics. This leads to an appraisal of the risks and benefits of the smartphone platform from the perspective of both the “tech giants” and the authentication industries such as currency and identity.

These concepts are illustrated through a number of case studies.

Intended Audience
The course is primarily intended for those interested in the use of smartphone technology in the broad area of security applications, from the following perspectives:

• Biometric imaging applications in identity and commerce
• Smartphones as a carrier for e-commerce and electronic ID
• Camera systems for machine vision in document inspection

This is an introductory level course in that it assumes no knowledge of secure applications industry. All that is required is an interest in the application of smartphones to this application. It aims to inform an audience ranging from students and engineers to market innovators and academics.

Alan Hodgson has 35 years experience across the print and imaging industry as an image physicist. He has been involved in security documents for the past 15 years, both within the industry and as an external consultant, teaching courses at security and imaging conferences. Over the last 5 years he has been investigating the applicability of smartphone technology to this industry. Hodgson is a past president of IS&T and a fellow of both the Institute of Physics and The Royal Photographic Society.